I found the front-page article about pastor Todd Bell in the Nov. 1 Maine Sunday Telegram to be very interesting. He is a pastor very energetic in spreading the word of God – to such a degree that he sometimes gives sermons in two different places because he is a pilot and is able to cover great distances in a short time.

Pastor Bell says that he is a Fundamentalist Baptist, the understanding being that he takes the word of Scripture very seriously. That being the case, I find it strange that in his tussles with the state, he seems to be unaware of the 1st Letter of St. Peter 2:13-17, where it is said:

“Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.”

The same message is given in Romans, Chapter 13, Verses 1-5. But, because of its archaic language, it isn’t quite as clear in the King James version as it is in modern translations.

The clear message is that we should be subject to legitimate civil authorities.

P. Michael Tracy
South Portland