Romans 13:1-2 says:

“Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God.”

But what most Christians never think about - who defines legitimate authority that comes from God? A military coup who seizes power? A majority of saved or unsaved people who vote?

Nations have been seized by ungodly men through democratic voting, which was true with Adolf Hitler. He claimed he was God’s authority as do many illegitimate “authorities,” deceiving even Christians. Do the number of voters or the amount of people controlled by any person determine or define legitimate authority?

Saint Augustine wrote:

“Can a self-styled civil authority that oppresses a massive number of people with their unrighteous civil law have any more legitimate authority than a small pirate?”

So is a person who has the most power over people God’s definition of legitimate authority? There is NOT one verse in the Bible that says that. But Satan deceives Christians, even misusing Scripture as he did with Jesus, to make many Christians think so.

But no amount of saved or unsaved voting majority is God’s definition for His civil authorities. ONLY God defines His authorities that serve Him. Lest anyone question this, God defined His legitimate authorities RIGHT AFTER He said to submit to them (Rom. 13:3-4 NASB):

“Rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior… Do what is good and you will have praise from the same… for he is a servant of God to you for good… for he is a servant of God.”

Note the 4 characteristics of God’s definition of legitimate authorities:

* “Rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior.”

* “Do what is good and you will have praise from the same.”

* “For he is a servant of God to you for good.”

* “For he is a servant of God.”

We should think of all 4 of these areas if we want to know if an authority is truly a legitimate authority according to God. If a civil leader does not qualify in ALL 4 of God’s definitions for a civil leader, they are illegitimate, no matter how they got into power or what anyone else thinks or says.

St. Augustine also wrote what most Christians for centuries agreed with:

“Godless civil rulers are no more than a band of robbers. Moreover, being lawless in relation to God, they are lawless and predatory in relation to men. A law that is not just is no law at all.”

By the way, Martin Luther King Jr., when he was in jail for protesting for civil rights, he quoted St. Augustine - “Unjust laws are no laws at all.” Where are the pastors today publicly protesting the godless illegitimate laws of today? Is Martin Luther King the last pastor willing to lead public protests against immoral laws and illegitimate authorities?

Does God legitimize unbibical same-sex marriages? Of course not. Does God legitimize unbiblical homosexual pastors? Of course not. So with God’s marriage institution and church institution, Christians know they should never accept what is illegitimate. Yet with God’s civil institution, they unwittingly accept any unbiblical authority that comes along.

Any so-called authority who does not acknowledge the only legitimate Supreme Authority and His Law, such “authorities” are illegitimate, treasonous and rebels to the ONLY one who has “all authority… on earth” - King Jesus (Matt. 28:18):

“ALL authority has been given unto Me… on earth.”

Jesus’s authority on earth has not been revoked! But Christ is not just Head of the church today (Col. 2:10):

“Christ is the Head over every ruler and authority!”

If a ruler is not ruling with and for Jesus, they are ruling in opposition to Jesus! There is NO gray zone and NO in-between area. Jesus said (Luke 11:23):

“Anyone who isn’t with Me opposes Me, and anyone who isn’t working with Me is actually working against Me!”

Did you also know in Romans 13:4 the word for civil “servant” is the same Greek word in 1 Timothy 3:8 for a church “deacon”, i.e. “servant.” Both are God’s “servants” - one for civil service and one for church service. Do pastors or Christians define what is a legitimate deacon? Of course not, ONLY God and the Bible. Even so, ONLY God and the Bible define what is a legitimate authority.

Should a congregation ever allow a man to become a deacon if they do not honor God and His Word? Of course not. If a deacon is in power and they do not acknowledge Jesus as Head of the church and do not lead according to the Word, does God expect Christians to still honor him as a legitimate deacon? Or would godly Christians be mandated from God to get him out of church leadership?

How deceived pastors and Christians are today who teach to honor an illegitimate “authority” who in practice reject King Jesus and His Word but would never agree that we should honor an illegitimate “deacon” who rejects Jesus and His Word. Jesus is the exclusive Head of Church as the - “Chief Shepherd.” But Jesus is also the exclusive Head of State as the - “King of kings.”

Even our non-evangelical Founding Father, Thomas Jefferson, had a more biblical understanding of what God wants regarding the civil institution than do most pastors and Christians today. Jefferson always wore a ring that was inscribed with these words: “Rebellion to tyrants is submission to God.” That’s exactly what God mandated (Prov. 28:4):

“To reject the Law is to praise the wicked; to obey the Law is to fight them.”

Early Americans, pastors and their congregations, believed exactly this or there would have been no Declaration of Independence and no American Revolution.

Most that read about the Pharisees in the Gospels don’t realize that the Pharisees were not just a religious group but were the largest political party of Judean civil leaders in the Sanhedrin. Every time Jesus was contending with the Pharisees about the Mosaic Law (which was their civil law), the Pharisees were unlawfully twisting or adding to it. They were civil frauds, usurpers of God’s civil authority and Jesus called them “Snakes! Sons of vipers!” (Matt. 23:33).

The Apostle Paul also said that every person either follows God the Father or is “obeying the devil… who refuse to obey God” (Ephesians 2:2). There is no such thing as neutrality with God. Every person is either under God or under the devil, as Jesus and the Apostle Paul both declared.

In the Old Testament Saul was the first king over Israel. But hear what Samuel said to king Saul after he began to disobey the Word of the Lord (1 Sam. 15:23):

“For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king!”

Though Saul still maintained power over Israel, the Lord no longer viewed him as king over Israel. God “rejected” him as the civil ruler, and therefore he was no longer God’s legitimate authority or need be subject to. Should any Christian ever accept any civil ruler who God rejects?

All God-fearing Christians should unite and mobilize to oust all God-dishonoring civil leaders and replace them with only true, God-fearing, legitimate civil leaders (Ex. 18:21; Deut. 1:13; 17:15):

“Select from all the people some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as leaders… Choose some well-respected men… who are known for their wisdom and understanding… one from among your brothers you shall set… over you.”

Civil leaders must be “one from among your brothers.” Applied today, that would be brothers in Christ. However, not just any brothers in Christ, but brothers in Christ who have seven qualities: “capable, honest, God-fearing, bribe-hating, well-respected, having wisdom and understanding.”

So, what would a true Christian nation with God’s Law look like? First, here are few things of that a Christian nation would NOT be:

* Not a state church.

* Not a socialist state.

* Not a state oligarchy.

* Not a libertarian state.

* Not a dictatorship state.

* Not an ecclesiastical state.

* Not a state for Christians only.

* Not a “theocracy” like demonic Islam.

* Not a state church of any one denomination.

* Not a state with legislators making up their own laws.

A Christian nation is none of the above. What then is a Christian nation? A Christian nation is a nation that is governed solely by God’s Moral Civil Law. It is a nation that honors the Lord Jesus Christ as King of kings, and all His Law as Jesus said (Matt. 5:17-19):

“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the Law of Moses… until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s Law will disappear… whoever obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.”

NOTE: Join me and other leaders and chat with us on Jim McCotter LIVE tomorrow (1/27/26) on Substack at 5:00 PM EST - we’ll debate this article and today’s hot news.

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