Podcaster Jon Harris asked me to participate in a Q&A for his series on The Church and Covid-19
Podcaster Jon Harris created a new YouTube channel ‘The Church and Covid-19.’ He asked a handful of Christians to participate in answering a series of questions. Jon asked us to keep our responses brief. Those responses were then complied into his most recent podcast.
The first video is an excerpt of his labor of love, which is my response to the question, “Does Romans 13 prohibit churches from meeting if the government tells them not to?” The second video is my response to ‘What kinds of ministry opportunities exist during this crisis, and how can a church get involved?’
Does Romans 13 prohibit churches from meeting if the government tells them not to?
What kinds of ministry opportunities exist during this crisis, and how can a church get involved?
Video on ‘The Imputed Righteousness of Christ & Repentance (a sermon jam),’ by Bill Rhetts
Video teaching on ‘God Hates the Sin and the Sinner’ by Pastor Tim Conway
Ten Shekels and a Shirt, a must-hear sermon by Paris Reidhead
About The Author
Bill Rhetts
An ordinary sinner saved by an Extraordinary Savior. Radically saved, and radically changed, by a Radical God. For more details, see the above 'About me' tab.
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The below is from a previous conversation I had with another, and I will share my response. I is a problem with some law enforcement agencies or officers.
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As a law enforcement veteran, I have experienced various applications and demonstrations of Romans 13, and how it applies to law enforcement, the church, criminals, and the citizens of our communities. I have praised those who have done “good,” and sadly I have killed those who have done “evil.” Verses 3-4 are very clear that the ‘authorities’ are to only go against evil, and they’re to praise those who do good. And it’s God who gets to decide what is good and what is evil (according to Rom 13) not man, nor the courts.
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“For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil” (Romans 13:3-4).
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When I was a policeman in Los Angeles, our second in command was Asst. Chief Bob Vernon. Vernon was one of John MacArthur’s Elders back then. Because of MacArthur and Vernon’s pacifist view of Romans 13:1 (without consideration of the context & the rest of the Text), they wrongfully taught that the citizens were always to subject themselves to the lawman. Hitler would have loved that. Consequently, many LAPD Cops beat, maimed, arrested, and even permanently disabled professing Christians that were protesting the abortion clinics during their infamous ‘Operation Rescue’ demonstrations. They were wrongfully punished for doing “good.” And so the entire 13th chapter of Romans must be cautiously examined and guardedly demonstrated by all sides.
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All these churches that have closed their churches in “submission to the State,” have wrongfully quoted Romans 13:1 out of context, without any regard to the rest of the text. i.e. the rewards for good, and punishment to the evil in vs 3-4. Not failing to mention they don’t even understand the difference between lawfully ‘legislated laws’ and ‘unconstitutional unlawful verbal demands.’ What an embarrassment.
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The bottom line is, anytime man’s law or the demands of the civil authorities go against our Christian religion, and/or the Scripture, we can Biblically resist the authorities.
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Though he’s not a Reformed Baptist, as I said in another post. “we have pastors like Costi Hinn that made snotty derogatory remarks against Christians if they found a Biblical way to “work around the government” calling us nothing but “social revolutionaries,” or “zealots” and even “dangerous” to the society. And he did that while hypocritically wearing his goofy little Christian T-shirt that says “Be Steadfast.” No Hinn, your pragmatism and cowardness are not being steadfast, it’s of this world.