Respect and obey your leaders. Is this absolute or contextual? A number of times I have heard Christians defend Trump by saying something to the effect of respect and obey your leaders. This is troubling to me as why would any Christian respect and obey an ammoral leader whose actions run afoul of the teachings of Christ? Were the Christians in Germany during WWII to respect and obey a madman? Seems illogical to me.
Why would God command Christians to respect and obey leaders who act in contrary to the teachings of Christ?
Reference.
9 Bible verses about Honouring Rulers
1 Timothy 5:17 is speaking of Spiritual rulers/leaders as in bishops, Pastors, Etc.
Hebrews 13:17 is speaking of the same thing which is why it says"for they keep watch over your souls" they are the shepherds who keep watch over the flock and make sure we don't wander astray.
Acts 23:5 is simply saying we are not to speak evil of these people, which is no different from how we are to deal with/speak of all peoples regardless of position.
Romans 13 is speaking of the Spiritual powers ordained by God, his spiritual government and rulers and not world governments, they "3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:" the powers being spoken of here are never a terror unto good works but instead praise those who keep God's law and righteousness in every form.
1 Peter 2:17 says we are to honor all men, not just the king.
Jude 1:8 is not speaking of worldly powers. If we look at whose dominion and which dignities it is speaking of it is easy to see it is speaking of the Lord's dominion and his dignities.
8 Likewise also these
filthy dreamers defile the flesh
, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
25 To the only wise God our Saviour,
be glory and majesty,
dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
The dignities of God's dominion are his Angels. And his representatives on earth are his ministers.
1. So to answer your question we are to Honor all men(not just dignitaries) as brothers and sisters in Christ and not be disrespectful to them, regardless of their misdeeds. (1 Peter 2:17)
2. We obey these rulers because that is what we are commanded to do(1 peter 2:13-15; Matt 22:20-22), we are supposed to submit ourselves to these authorities when their laws do not break the law of Christ but if they do we are to obey God rather than men(Acts 5:27-29). But if their law breaks the law of Christ then we must obey God and suffer wrongfully(for good works: Romans 13:3; 1 Peter 3:17) at the hands these rulers(1 Peter 2:19-21).
