Caesar Is Not God – Obvious. However, The Kingship Of Christ Is Manifested In The Authority Of The Roman Emperor

UNKNOWN MASTER, Flemish
The Tiburtine Sibyl Utters Prophecies for Emperor Augustus
1515-20

 

There is a concerted effort on the part of libertarians to obliterate all forms of distinction between the types of government, and lump all forms of government together. They are unable to distinguish between merely permitted and tolerated forms of government and the one that is Divinely Ordained by the Blessed Trinity. A simple reading of St Paul’s letter to the Romans helps one to understand these two types of government:

Let every soul be subject to higher powers: for there is no power but from God: and those that are, are ordained of God. Therefore he that resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God. And they that resist, purchase to themselves damnation. For princes are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good: and thou shalt have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to thee, for good. But if thou do that which is evil, fear: for he beareth not the sword in vain. For he is God's minister: an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil. Wherefore be subject of necessity, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake. Romans 13:1-5

According to a true Roman Catholic understanding of Romans 13, an understanding as taught by Dante, Ockham and others, men are allowed to change the forms of government that are merely permitted and tolerated by the Blessed Trinity, be they democracies, monarchies, aristocracies, etc. It does no matter what the form is, but it does matter if the form is Divinely Ordained or merely permitted and tolerated by the Blessed Trinity.

St Paul admonishes the early Roman Christians to refrain from revolting against the Divinely Ordained authority of the pagan Roman Emperor. He does so in these words:

Therefore he that resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God. And they that resist, purchase to themselves damnation.

Very strong words from St Paul! By resisting the governing power one merits hell fire. Wait! Resisting any form of government, would purchase for oneself, damnation? No, of course not, This passage of St Paul tells men not to revolt against authority that is ordained of God. Are all governments ordained of God? No, of course not. William of Ockham gave the example of the Old Testament Fathers who pick up the sword and revolted against kings and kingdoms that oppressed them. These Old Testament Fathers were not punished by the Blessed Trinity for revolting and overthrowing these kings and kingdoms. So there in lies the distinction of merely permitted and tolerated forms of government, which can be changed by the will of men, and that form of government which is Divinely Ordained by the Blessed Trinity.

He warns of the consequences of revolting against the authority of the Roman Emperor, which would then give rise to the manifestation of the antichrist. He does so here in his second letter to the Thessalonians:

for unless there come a revolt first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, Who opposeth, and is lifted up above all that is called God, or that is worshipped, so that he sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself as if he were God. ……only that he who now holdeth, do hold, until he be taken out of the way. And then that wicked one shall be revealed

All Church Fathers are in agreement on the meaning of he who now holdeth, is the Divinely Ordained authority of the Roman Emperor. And once the final revolt takes place against the Divinely Ordained authority of the Roman Emperor, then will the manifestation of the antichrist take place.