I interpret Romans 13 as Paul's admonition to submit to authority and not create problems by thwarting authority. I interpret as coming from Paul's Jewish upbringing and understanding that all that exists does exist because God wills it to exist. I interpret it as Paul being obedient to Jesus who taught to render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's. I take it as a coming from a somewhat naive small town guy who had not yet met the likes of Caligula or possibly Claudius or Nero one of which almost certainly had Paul put to death in Rome.
Later Christians would absolutely refuse to submit to Roman requirements to renounce Christ and submit to Roman Gods and instead went into the arenas with the lions or gladiators or were crucified or burned at the stake. I can't believe Paul would have faulted them for that. So that passage has to be considered and understood within its history as all Scripture must be understood.
And nowhere in Jesus's teaching, Paul's teachings, or any other early Christian leader's teachings can you find anything that would suggest that concern for the poor is the government's job.
Later Christians would absolutely refuse to submit to Roman requirements to renounce Christ and submit to Roman Gods and instead went into the arenas with the lions or gladiators or were crucified or burned at the stake. I can't believe Paul would have faulted them for that. So that passage has to be considered and understood within its history as all Scripture must be understood.
And nowhere in Jesus's teaching, Paul's teachings, or any other early Christian leader's teachings can you find anything that would suggest that concern for the poor is the government's job.