Rethinking How Evil Rulers are Overcome [God, Law, and Liberty]

As noted last week, the metaphysics of law and sin are first seen in the opening chapters of Genesis and more clearly revealed in Romans. But what are we to make of the exhortations by both Paul and Peter to overcome evil rulers by doing good? Are these exhortations the eternal word of God or mere artifacts of a different time in history? If the former, how can that overcome the power of corrupt civil governments over our lives?