Romans 13
gods many
Eternal life and
Turning the other Cheek

Gary & Joan wrote concerning Romans 13 and "Clergy Response Teams":

“I may not know everything about the bible but I have just a couple of questions: Did Jesus mention something about we are all gods? Second: Did he say something about eternal life not being here on earth and to turn your cheek rather fight those who think they control you?” G & J

Dear G & J,

In John 10:34 “Jesus answered them, 'Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?'”

The words in the old [Hebrew] and new [Greek] Testaments, which we see translated as "gods" or "God" were used everyday to address judges in courts of law. They both mean a "ruling judge".

Even the Strong's Concordance states that both words we translate God and gods were used to identify judges and magistrates in courts in the governments established by men at the time. This is why Paul says "There are gods many".

The word commonly translated God or gods in the Old Testament is translated judges in Exodus 21:6, 22:9, and 1 Samuel 2:25 when the Bible is specifically talking about matters that require a court decision concerning guilt or innocence.

Israel was originally a free nation with a system of courts and appeals courts, foundational laws that forbid killing, robbery, unjust injuring by fraud or negligence and even desiring to have access to your neighbors goods for your personal benefit.¹

They had a system of general and individual welfare, armies for local and national defense. They had all that, but unlike modern governments it was originally based on voluntarism, individual responsibility to family and neighbor and a strong sense of moral justice, mercy, and unselfish honesty.

Moses had required that the people love their neighbor as themselves.² This of course is an essential characteristic of any successful free government. Christ preached the same exact thing for His kingdom of God at hand.³

The reason for this is because God is the same yesterday as he is today.⁴ Moses and Jesus were in agreement. It is the Pharisees and Sadducees that did not understand Moses.

A problem arises today because most people, including modern Christians, imagine that Israel was based on the misconceptions of the Pharisees, who clearly got it wrong. The kingdom of God is a system of self government based on faith, hope and charity coming forth from the hearts and minds of those who seek it.

“I often wonder whether we do not rest our hopes too much upon constitutions, upon laws, and upon courts. These are false hopes; believe me, these are false hopes. Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it....”⁵

The kingdom of God binds the people together by that common love of God and His righteousness rather than oaths of allegiance, contracts, and leagues of nations, all of which were forbidden by Abraham, Moses and Jesus the Christ.⁶ It does not depend on complex or superstitious doctrines, catchy phrases but upon actively loving your neighbor in congregations of people with a common heart and mind given them by God. The kingdom and its precepts sustained the early Christians as Rome collapsed under the weight of its own corruption and power hungry leaders.

If we could understand what the early Christians were really doing, then some people today might have the same chances and opportunities given to the early Church by the teachings of Christ. In order to seek the kingdom and God's righteousness we need to understand what it is.

To understand the full message of Christ and to apply it today in our life we may have to turn your world upside down and your preconceived notions about the Bible inside out.

Judges or gods are those men who have the right to decide the law for you, i.e. what is good and what is evil. In early Israel, when it was still a free government, the people decided both fact and law through their congregations of tens which formed the network of courts throughout their nation. There was no top down rule where kings became the “fountainhead of justice”⁷. That is what Christ meant when he answered them, “Is it not written in your law'”.

 Over and over in the faithful governments of God, men are given the right to choose, to make free will offerings⁸ and live without any kings⁹ or gods ruling over them. And when the voice of the people¹⁰ chose a ruler who could exercise authority over them,¹¹ it was called a rejection of God.¹²

They were also warned to make no covenants with the gods of those nations where they went.¹³ When you make covenants with those gods they may have the right to force your sacrifices or contributions even though this as been classified as foolish.¹⁴ And you might even be tempted to accept the benefits¹⁵ offered by those gods which men choose for themselves.¹⁶

These gods of men are the judges and law makers of governments made by the hands of men¹⁷ who gain power over others because men apply for benefits, make covenants, leagues, and agreements. Men are tempted to do this because benefactors who exercise authority offer benefits¹⁸ for their welfare¹⁹ but only at the expense of their neighbor. This makes them merchandise ²⁰and snares²¹ them in the process.

The Bible often uses other metaphors like tables, eating with rulers, dainties,²² and nets²³ to warn us of how damning it may be to apply or participate in any benefit schemes that are provided at the expense of our neighbor.

Christ's kingdom was and is at hand. But it is not for the slothful²⁴. It is for the diligent²⁵ and those who are faithful do what God has always told us to do.²⁶ This kingdom of liberty granted and instituted by God is what we are told to preach.²⁷ In that government people live according to the perfect law of liberty²⁸ and have a right to decide the 'fact and law” within the foundational laws of God called the Ten Commandments.

In the United States system of courts, juries used to decide fact and law. But today the people are instructed by the judge to decide facts only and he, as the "god of the court", decides the law. There are many other gods today, from Local, District Courts, and Appellate Courts up to the Supreme Court, and now even the World Court.

These courts have power because we have neglected to exercise our community responsibilities. We have been covetous of their benefits and we have signed agreements where we must bow down and serve these gods.

When judges in court have the right to decide the law and the people don't, then the people are no longer gods as Christ said and God intended. The people are subject to the will of other gods.

 In early America the jury clearly had the right and duty to decide fact and law, but that is not the case presented anymore by the modern administrative courts today.

 How did this happen?

Kingdom in the world but not of it

 First, the people did and do not follow the words of Abraham, Moses or Christ, although many give lip service on Saturday or Sunday.

 Jesus does talk about "eternal life" but mostly in the context of what you are supposed to "do" to obtain it.

"And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." Matthew 19:16, 19

Loving your neighbor would include not coveting his goods or oppressing or forcing him to contribute to your welfare. It would also include being concerned that no one else oppressed him or took away the liberty that God has given men from the beginning.

If you believe in and love Christ you will love and believe in the ways of Christ and enjoy doing the things He said to do. The kingdom of God is essentially a spiritual state, but Christ came in Spirit and in truth. Like Moses he came to set us on a path to liberty under God because that is where true spiritual growth will thrive.

Jesus did say:

“... My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.” John 18:36

We should not apply this commonly misunderstood statement which Jesus made in the Roman court of Pilate as to mean that His kingdom was not on this planet. He said over and over that His kingdom was at hand, it was for the living not the dead, and then appointed it and told others to preach it was at hand.

If you read this article²⁹ you will see the word world has nothing to do with being on earth or on this planet. This is another falsehood exposed that will continue to turn your world right side up or upside down depending on if you love God and His kingdom of liberty.

Turn Your Cheek Rather Fighting

As to not striking back or fighting He also said that if you do not have a sword you should sell your coat and go get one.³⁰ We must put turning the other cheek into perspective.

Christ was a king who stood for peace and forgiveness, not force and violence. But to stand by and do nothing while innocent people are being murdered or even just robbed is an act of violence in itself. 

We are told to strive³¹ and be diligent and that there is a burden to this seeking the kingdom. The problem is that we are often quick to fight and blame others for our own failing. The present condition of society is a direct result of the fact that we have not actively been concerned with our neighbors rights as we are with our own. In fact we have been content to take away our neighbors liberties for our own welfare and under the pretense of social security. This sloth and covetous social practice is in opposition to liberty.

The articles on Romans 13 are merely showing everyone that Paul was actually saying.

“Let every soul be subject unto the higher liberty. For there is no liberty but of God: the liberties that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth  the liberty, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the liberty? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same.” Romans 13: 1,3

If you are not actively seeking liberty for all then you are in opposition to God. It is God's desire that we set our neighbors free from the tyranny of our own demand for social welfare. It is good to care for the social needs of our society, but this should be done by benefactors who operate by faith, hope, and charity under the perfect law of liberty, not by force and fear.

Social Democrats think we should take care of the social welfare by forcing contributions of the people through benefactors who exercise authority over the people, but Jesus clearly said:

"... The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so:"     Luke 22:25 

 It does not matter if one is politically Republican or Democrat. Both believe that social or defense benefactors should have the right to force the contributions of the people to fulfill their responsibilities of office even though the Bible states that such political ideology and practice is "foolish"³² and amounts to "rejecting"³³ God.

“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unspotted from the world.” James 1:27

Modern churches not only fail to practice "pure religion" which is the caring for the welfare of widows, orphans and other needy of society by faith, hope, and charity, but they actually send their members to those benefactors of the world who exercise authority over the people compelling their offerings. This practice gives men power over the people contrary to the ways of the prophets of God.

The word “world” in James 1:27 and John 18:36 is defined as “an apt and harmonious arrangement or constitution, order, government.” Jesus' kingdom was not a part of the world order of Rome and Rome's court had no jurisdiction concerning His government.³⁴

“The real destroyers of the liberties of the people is he who spreads among them bounties, donations and benefits.” Plutarch, 2000 years ago.

The loss of freedom anywhere in the world is always a direct result of our own avarice and sloth, pride and prejudice, envy and arrogance, and our general inability or willingness to come together in the interest of justice and mercy for others as well as our selves. This is as hard for people to accept today as it was in the days of Christ. The understanding and knowledge that we are to blame for the present state of the world turns our world upside down, and puts the burden back on our own shoulders.

The truth hurts. It is very hard for people to accept that their religion is a lie and their churches are being used to delude them into feeling good about opposing the very liberty Abraham, Moses, and Jesus the Christ came to give us. But if we are going to regain access to our God given rights we are going to have to take back our God given responsibilities first. If we are going to seek the kingdom and His righteousness we are going to have to learn the whole truth about the gospel of the kingdom.

Peace on your house

Gregory at hisholychurch.org