Osama Bin Laden's death in light of Romans 12 & 13

Romans 12 and Romans 13 are not contradictory

5/2/11

There is an obvious struggle concerning the response, emotions, celebrations, or anguish over the killing of Osama Bin Laden. Christians with many different views are weighing in and there appears to be a real tension between perspectives.

There is the crowd that is feeling victory and appreciation for the courageous efforts of soldiers placing their lives on the line to carry out an assignment. Then the other crowd laments the work of war claiming there is no moral or Godly right to end a life of even a global leader of terrorism.

I don't hold all the answers, but I have been considering my understanding of God, His Word, and His Kingdom. It would be a book worth to detail it all, but I'm coming to a brief conclusion that Romans 12:19-21 and Romans 13:1-5 do not contradict.

Here in lies the hang up in my view; Romans 12:19-21 are guidelines for individuals to live up to while Romans 13:1-5 reveals the parameters for ordained civil government that has been authorized to wield the sword and remove evil doers. Romans 12 and 13 originally did not have a chapter break and was a continuous thought being written. Romans 12 starts off calling individuals to be living sacrifices and moves into an exhortation for sincere love and hating of evil. It gives the prescription for how individuals are to respond to wrong doing against them and how a repayment of kindness is more powerful then acts of selfish revenge. Romans 13 concludes with very similar language and directives. It's interesting to consider why Romans 13:1-5 is inserted within 2 chapters worth of commands of loving, kindness, proper living, etc. I believe there is reason to insert verses 1-5 in chapter 13. It is there to offer instruction that would disallow any behavior someone can think up to go unpunished or unremoved because of all the admonishment to “be kind to those that wrong you”. Yes, individually we are called to rise to the high ground and allow God to work His vengeance and not take wrath into our own individual hands, but leave the working of justice and wrath to be worked through the means of civil authorities ordained to deal with wrong doing and works of evil. It would seem Paul was to set the understanding here that we are to love, be kind, work acts of mercy and forgiveness to those that wrong us, but God reveals His method of vengeance as the sword in the hand of civil authority.

Romans 12 and second half of 13 call God's people to allow the work of dealing with evil doers to be handled through the means of government and not through the hands of individuals. To leave it to individuals would obviously create a world of chaos and murder. It is not against God or His commands for civil authorities to end the lives of evil doers in the work of justice, the work of vengeance, and wrath as deemed necessary by God.

God works mercy and grace through the hands of mankind. He also works wrath and vengeance through the hands of mankind. These are forms of God's good work in the earth to preserve His nations, peace, and righteous standards. The United States government was not in the wrong to minister the work of God as prescribed in Romans 13 by utilizing the military to end the evil work of Osama Bin Laden by ending his life. This was a just act that unleashed God's wrath on His enemies. It is a merciful act as it aides in the unraveling of global terror networking. This is God's design in dealing with societal and international evil. Individuals are to leave the sword to the government and work acts of kindness as a weapon to persuade the wrong doer to consider his ways and repent.

This is not contradictory but the flow of ordained spheres of authority set in the earth by God for the betterment of mankind and the workings of nations.