The believer and Government

Passive Obedience and the New Covenant.

Does the New Covenant inculcate a mind-set of passive obedience on the part of the believer as it pertains to the issue of submission to “the powers that be”?

Under the Old Covenant administration, obedience was the watchword since God was the Ruler of an ethnic entity under His divine tutelage administered via Covenant Document, King, Priesthood and His servants, the prophets.

But, all this changed that last evening when the Lord Jesus inaugurated the New Covenant; a Covenant distinctly different from the Old Covenant. This difference was signaled in Jeremiah’s prophecy, Jeremiah 31:31-34 and during Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7: but I say unto you…).

One suspects this change, its impact and associated implications were not immediately apparent to “the twelve” when uttered by the Lord, Jesus and their subsequent understanding grew during the unfolding years following Pentecost.

One might be justified in recognizing the cautionary admonitions of Paul (Romans 13:1ff), Peter (1 Peter 2:13), and Titus (Titus 3;1ff) given the developing conflict with Rome on the part of the Jewish nation. I say cautionary in that none of the three explicate the implications of “submission” vs. “obedience”.

At that historical moment I suspect the typical auditor would equate the two as synonymous.

Yet, they are not.

For nearly two millennia, “Passive submission” has been the prevailing mindset of not only the believing community, but that of the non-believing community as well.

Might I be so bold as to suggest “passive submission” is not an aspect of a “leavening influence”?

“Passive submission” might also be known as conformity, compromise, adaptation?

I readily acknowledge the value of conformity, compromise and adaptation but only to the degree that truth precedes. If truth does not precede, then error, in its multitudinous forms obtains or holds the day.

“Incrementalism”, as a political strategy is legitimate, IMO, insofar as Truth leads error or Pragmatism.

But, in almost every instance where Truth has yielded to Pragmatism, Truth has been lost.