The Case for Christian Nationalism

8. The Right to Revolution | VI. Romans 13 (Part 1)

Previously:

The Case for Christian Nationalism

Paul instructs us to “be subject unto the higher powers.” These powers are “ordained of God… for good” (vv. 1, 4). The scope of power permits civil rulers to be “not a terror to good works, but to the evil” (v. 3). Subjection to this power is “for conscience sake” (v. 5), meaning that God binds the conscience through the command of civil rulers. It follows from the text that since the powers ordained of God are only for good, no power ordained of God can command what is evil, and thus no evil command is conscience-binding, for only God can bind the conscience, whether immediately or mediately. A magistrate that is a terror to good works acts outside his authority. With regard to those specific unjust commands, he ought to be resisted. This is not controversial, for we should “obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).¹

Before we break down this attempt at exegesis it is worth asking the question, why now? We are 350 pages into a book that has near exclusively used selected quotes from Catholic and Reformed scholars to make its theological claims. Why would Wolfe now choose to do his own exegesis for Romans 13? Perhaps he believes the importance of this chapter of Scripture requires his extra attention, but, due to his avoidance of the views of the Reformers in this section, I believe it more likely that he knows the exegetical tradition of the 16th and 17th century overwhelmingly disagrees with his position. He is in a bind, because he cannot advocate for revolution without addressing the one chapter of the New Testament that even many nominal Christians know is about submission to governmental authority.

Calvin, in his commentary on verse 1, could not be clearer in his absolute disagreement with the basis of Wolfe’s argument:

And it seems indeed to me, that the Apostle intended by this word to take away the frivolous curiosity of men, who are wont often to inquire by what right they who rule have obtained their authority; but it ought to be enough for us, that they do rule; for they have not ascended by their own power into this high station, but have been placed there by the Lord’s hand. And by mentioning every soul, he removes every exception, lest any one should claim an immunity from the common duty of obedience.²

Matthew Henry’s commentary, written at the turn of the 18th century, concurs:

The grace of the gospel teaches us submission and quiet, where pride and the carnal mind only see causes for murmuring and discontent. Whatever the persons in authority over us themselves may be, yet the just power they have, must be submitted to and obeyed. In the general course of human affairs, rulers are not a terror to honest, quiet, and good subjects, but to evil-doers. Such is the power of sin and corruption, that many will be kept back from crimes only by the fear of punishment. Thou hast the benefit of the government, therefore do what thou canst to preserve it, and nothing to disturb it.³

The Geneva Study Bible, the most common study aid of the 17th century Reformed world, binds the conscience in this matter:

The conclusion: we must obey the magistrate, not only for fear of punishment, but much more because (although the magistrate has no power over the conscience of man, yet seeing he is God's minister) he cannot be resisted by any good conscience.⁴

It is also of note that Wolfe selectively quotes the verses that he references. Given that there have already been several instances of selective quotes of Calvin, which conspicuously omitted ideas contradictory to his theory, let us examine the referenced verses, in their entirety. I will use the King James Version, from which Wolfe quotes:

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. ² Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. ³ For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: ⁴ For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. ⁵ Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. (Romans 13:1-5 KVJ)

Immediately we can see that Wolfe omitted some exceedingly important context, namely that no power exists but of God (v. 1). This very much includes governmental powers we find tyrannical. God ordained that Babylon would take Israel into captivity for seventy years, in order that they would eventually turn their hearts back to Him (Jeremiah 25:8-11). Placing His chosen people under siege, captivity, and imposed rule was an act of His love. The core problem with Wolfe’s conclusion is that it is based on an assumption that the church, even his particular denomination, deserves the reigns of society, and not God’s judgement instead.

Anyone who resists the higher powers, none of which exist but by God’s providence, resists His ordinance, and will receive damnation (v. 2). This full statement warrants far more pause than we are led to believe through Wolfe’s selections. As Calvin wrote, “And by judgment, I understand not only the punishment which is inflicted by the magistrate, as though he had only said, that they would be justly punished who resisted authority; but also the vengeance of God, however it may at length be executed: for he teaches us in general what end awaits those who contend with God.”⁵ How many young, Christian men would be willing to sign on to revolution in our time if they truly understood that they risk falling under the vengeance of God for doing so?

Even with so much civil strife in the modern West, we live in a climate of comfort and peace that nearly every human being that came before us would envy. We face immense challenges, such as the rise in mass shootings, the explosion of homelessness and crime in our cities, and the degradation of Christian ethics in seemingly every facet of our society. Still, the daily experience of the overwhelming majority of Christians in the West is of governments that “are not a terror to good works, but to the evil” (v. 3). We are currently allowed to live lives of piety and social peace - many of our brothers and sisters far more so than their parents and grandparents could. The expectation of the average, Western citizen is that the magistrates they personally interact with “in the general course of human affairs”, as Henry put it, will by and large properly fulfill their duty (v. 4); otherwise, society would have already collapsed. We can rightfully have significant disagreements with how our nation is being governed, and there will always be individual injustices, but we still very much “needs be subject… for conscience sake” (v. 5).

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The Case for Christian Nationalism

1. Stephen Wolfe, The Case for Christian Nationalism (Moscow, Idaho: Canon Press, 2022), 350.

2. John Calvin, Commentary on Romans, [on Romans 13:1].

3. Matthew Henry, Commentary on Romans, [on Romans 13:1-7].

4. Geneva Study Bible, 1560, [on Romans 13:5].

5. John Calvin, Commentary on Romans, [on Romans 13:2].