What are our responsibilities as Christians toward the higher powers or rulers of human government?

Paul, the Apostle, in his epistle to the Romans nearly two thousand years ago wrote in Chapter 13 the following: V.1 "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God" V.2 "Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resisteth shall receive to themselves damnation.

Two hundred and twenty years ago as of July 4, 1996, Thomas Jefferson, the pen of the American Revolution, penned the most resistive declaration against human government ever recorded in human history. It is called the American Declaration of Independence. He wrote these words in paragraph two: "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed b their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." Further down in paragraph two Mr. Jefferson writes the following,"...when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government,…"

Hey, N.! Are you suggesting that Mr. Thomas Jefferson and all those American revolutionaries who resisted and overthrew King George III, God's ordained ruler of England, shall receive to themselves damnation?

To be continued.

Have a good week!