Hi TravellinRox, What I noticed about their use of Romans 13:1 & 2, they didn’t actually quote the entire scripture. They left out “relative” which is twisting scriptures.
You’re absolutely right, Driven! What they also neglected to include was the surrounding context in Chapters 12 and 14.
Rom 12:1,2 entreats us to present our bodies as “a
sacrifice living,
holy,
acceptable to God, a sacred service
with your power of reason.” And to “
quit being fashioned after this system of things.” But rather to “be transformed by making your
mind over”, so that you may “
prove to yourselves the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
And then Rom chapter 14 is all about conscience matters …not judging others based on their own consciences, letting “each man be
fully convinced in his own mind.” But rather, to “
pursue the things making for
peace and the things that are
upbuilding to one another.” The illustration of the congregation being like a body in ch. 12 also fits nicely with this thought.
And they totally reject the principle highlighted in vs 23 of ch. 14: “But if he has doubts, he is already condemned if he eats, because he does not eat out of faith. Indeed,
everything that is not out of faith is sin.” So if someone’s conscience will not allow them to take a vaccine (the reason for the conscience berating a person is not up for judgement by others) then that person has sinned if they ignore their conscience and take it anyways. No man, not even the GB, has the authority to steamroll a person’s conscience. That is between them and Jehovah alone. As vs 22 brings out …”
the faith that you have, have it in accord with yourself in the sight of God.”
They could have kept themselves in Jehovah’s good graces if they had heeded vs 21 of ch. 12: “Do not let yourself be conquered by the evil, but keep conquering the evil with the good,” But instead, it looks as if they have allowed themselves to devolve into an evil slave.