--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A Christian can believe that God…" description: "\"A Christian can believe that God 'ordained' the 'powers that be' - including political rulers and slaveholders - for purposes too deep for us to unders..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d5/joseph-sobran-6902_accepting_a-christian-can-believe-that-god-ordaine_1425177.jpg" --- # A Christian can believe that God 'ordained' the 'powers… ![“A Christian can believe that God 'ordained' the 'powers that be' - including political rulers and slaveholders - for purposes too deep for us to understand fully, and that while they last we must provisionally accept them; but that they were not meant to last forever.” quote by Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d5/joseph-sobran-6902_accepting_a-christian-can-believe-that-god-ordaine_1425177.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d5/joseph-sobran-6902_accepting_a-christian-can-believe-that-god-ordaine_1425177.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d5/joseph-sobran-6902_accepting_a-christian-can-believe-that-god-ordaine_1425177.jpg) > “A Christian can believe that God 'ordained' the 'powers that be' - including political rulers and slaveholders - for purposes too deep for us to understand fully, and that while they last we must provisionally accept them; but that they were not meant to last forever.” [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that political authority is divinely ordained yet temporary, urging provisional acceptance while anticipating change. **In simple terms:** God‑ordained rulers are temporary; accept them now but expect change. Key Takeaway Recognize authority’s limits and prepare for transformation. Themes theology politics authority temporary power faith Mood thoughtful serious Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - political activism - historical analysis Key Concepts divine providence social contract ethical governance Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile faith with political injustice? - What signs indicate a ruler’s time has ended? A Different Perspective Authority may be abused despite theological justification. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accepting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Believe God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-god/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christian Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-believe-524256/) [Forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forever/) [God Ordained](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-ordained-429364/) [Including](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/including/) [Last forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-forever/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Ordained Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordained-powers-5058564/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Rulers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rulers/) [Slaveholders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slaveholders/) [Slaveholders Purposes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slaveholders-purposes-5058565/) [Too deep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-deep/) ## Related quotes > [It is conceivable that God might have ordained to preach the Gospel directly to man through dreams, visions and revelations. But as a matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-oswald-sanders/it-is-conceivable-that-god-might-have-ordained-to-preach-the-gospel/) [J. Oswald Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-oswald-sanders/) > [I will frankly confess that I was convinced that God had ordained me to do certain things for the service of my nation, things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-reza-pahlavi/i-will-frankly-confess-that-i-was-convinced-that-god-had-ordained-me/) [Mohammed Reza Pahlavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-reza-pahlavi/) > [The work of God can only be carried on by the power of God. The church is a spiritual organism fighting spiritual battles: only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cymbala/the-work-of-god-can-only-be-carried-on-by-the-power-of-god-the-church/) [Jim Cymbala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cymbala/) > [When you accept the fact that God is determined about you and you add to it your determination about Him, I am telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/when-you-accept-the-fact-that-god-is-determined-about-you-and-you-add/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [There yet remains but one concluding tale, And then this chronicle of mine is ended - Fulfilled, the duty God ordained to me, A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pushkin/there-yet-remains-but-one-concluding-tale-and-then-this-chronicle-of/) [Alexander Pushkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pushkin/) > [Prayer is the means that God has ordained for the supply of grace that is necessary to be joyful in hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-begg/prayer-is-the-means-that-god-has-ordained-for-the-supply-of-grace/) [Alistair Begg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-begg/) > [We are called according to Gods purpose, to walk in good works, which God ordained for us to do. Jesus says, You did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goddey-wilson/we-are-called-according-to-gods-purpose-to-walk-in-good-works-which/) [GODDEY WILSON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goddey-wilson/) > [“In life, you will always be faced with a series of God-ordained opportunities brilliantly disguised as problems and challenges.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-udall/in-life-you-will-always-be-faced-with-a-series-of-god-ordained/) [Charles Udall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-udall/) > [Love works not for profit nor reward; yet God has ordained that great gain shall be the certain result of every labor of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/love-works-not-for-profit-nor-reward-yet-god-has-ordained-that-great/) [Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/) > [God ordained for every man one and the same means of salvation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/god-ordained-for-every-man-one-and-the-same-means-of-salvation/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) > [And God has set up prayer in such a way that, if you want to explain it away, you can. That's the human mind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/and-god-has-set-up-prayer-in-such-a-way-that-if-you-want-to-explain/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“God ordained the Sabbath for us, not just as another requirement from us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/god-ordained-the-sabbath-for-us-not-just-as-another-requirement-from/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [“The ultimate purpose of the Word of God is not theological information but heart and life transformation. Biblical literacy and theological expertise are not,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/the-ultimate-purpose-of-the-word-of-god-is-not-theological/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [God ordained and established civil government, but only to serve the common good. A civil government that oppresses its people and acts contrary to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-l-dreisbach/god-ordained-and-established-civil-government-but-only-to-serve-the/) [Daniel L Dreisbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-l-dreisbach/) > [The only God-ordained fear is the fear of God, and if we fear Him, we don't have to fear anyone or anything else](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-batterson/the-only-god-ordained-fear-is-the-fear-of-god-and-if-we-fear-him-we/) [Mark Batterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-batterson/) ## More by Joseph Sobran > [Government is the agent of those who are too refined to do their own mugging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/government-is-the-agent-of-those-who-are-too-refined-to-do-their-own/) [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) > [Liberalism's fatal flaw,... is that it has no permanent norms, only a succession of enthusiasms espoused by minor prophets. Each of these seems like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/liberalism-s-fatal-flaw-is-that-it-has-no-permanent-norms-only-a/) [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) > [Altering the Constitution has become the daily business of the Federal Government which the document is supposed to guide and limit. Both Congress and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/altering-the-constitution-has-become-the-daily-business-of-the/) [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) > [The prevailing notion is that the state should be neutral as to religion, and furthermore, that the best way to be neutral about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/the-prevailing-notion-is-that-the-state-should-be-neutral-as-to/) [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) > [Controlling the interpretation of the Constitution is vital to the leftist agenda of expanding the federal government's power. That means keeping the federal judiciary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/controlling-the-interpretation-of-the-constitution-is-vital-to-the/) [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) > [Government has ceased to mean upholding and reinforcing the traditional rights and morals of the governed; it now means compulsion in the service of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/government-has-ceased-to-mean-upholding-and-reinforcing-the/) [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) > [The chances of your being harmed by terrorists are mathematically minute. The chance of your being robbed by your own government? That's easy: 100…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/the-chances-of-your-being-harmed-by-terrorists-are-mathematically/) [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) > [Liberals have a new wish every time their latest wish is granted. Conservatives should make them spell out their principles and ideals. Instead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/liberals-have-a-new-wish-every-time-their-latest-wish-is-granted/) [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) > [Politics is the conspiracy of the unproductive but organized against the productive but unorganized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/politics-is-the-conspiracy-of-the-unproductive-but-organized-against/) [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) > [ ...\[T\]he Constitution conferred only a few specific powers on the federal government, all others being denied to it (as the Tenth Amendment would make… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/t-he-constitution-conferred-only-a-few-specific-powers-on-the-federal/) [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) > [ ...\[T\]oday's Washington is about as attentive to the Tenth Amendment as the Unitarian Church is to the Book of Revelation. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/t-oday-s-washington-is-about-as-attentive-to-the-tenth-amendment-as/) [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) > [I call the present system 'Post-Constitutional America.' As I sometimes put it, the U.S. Constitution poses no serious threat to our form of government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/i-call-the-present-system-post-constitutional-america-as-i-sometimes/) [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) > [Most Americans aren't the sort of citizens the Founding Fathers expected; they are contented serfs. Far from being active critics of government, they assume…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/most-americans-aren-t-the-sort-of-citizens-the-founding-fathers/) [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) > [Because the state can no longer protect us from crime, it wants to take away from us the means of protecting ourselves. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/because-the-state-can-no-longer-protect-us-from-crime-it-wants-to/) [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) > [Some people don't mind a little constitutional sophistry in a good cause; and for liberals, centralizing all power in the federal government is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/some-people-don-t-mind-a-little-constitutional-sophistry-in-a-good/) [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) [Explore all 96 Joseph Sobran quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) ## More Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/) [Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) [Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A Christian can believe that God 'ordained' the 'powers that be' - including political rulers and slaveholders - for purposes too deep for us to understand fully, and that while they last we must provisionally accept them; but that they were not meant to last forever.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joseph Sobran" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/a-christian-can-believe-that-god-ordained-the-powers-that-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accepting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/a-christian-can-believe-that-god-ordained-the-powers-that-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d5/joseph-sobran-6902_accepting_a-christian-can-believe-that-god-ordaine_1425177.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d5/joseph-sobran-6902_accepting_a-christian-can-believe-that-god-ordaine_1425177.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9d5/joseph-sobran-6902_accepting_a-christian-can-believe-that-god-ordaine_1425177.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A Christian can believe that God 'ordained' the 'powers that be' - including political rulers and…” — Joseph Sobran", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Joseph Sobran", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A Christian can believe that God...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/a-christian-can-believe-that-god-ordained-the-powers-that-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/a-christian-can-believe-that-god-ordained-the-powers-that-be/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```