Conditional submissiveness? Submitting to Authority

Romans 13:1-7 I Peter 2:13-15

Recap our Journey of Spiritual vs. Wilderness living

1 Timothy 3:15 (NKJV)

but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

The book “ Lord Change My Attitude” and read the slide

It’s about you, and more specifically its’ about our pattern of thinking formed over a long period of time.

“People can alter their lives by altering their attitudes.” “ William James”

Last Sunday we learned that We’re all natural-born rebels, growing up I remembered a word called hellions, I now know what that means lol. but it also means there is a built-in resistance to submissiveness. On top of that,” submissiveness has been hijacked by some selfish-minded, even cruel, authoritarians who have twisted and distorted the truth for their own purposes. Submissiveness has a terrible reputation right now, so it’s hard to get even sincere people to consider it seriously.” But as we come to the final step in putting off wilderness attitudes. Putting off the wilderness living so that we can enjoy spiritual living. We need to ensure that all ingredients are placed deep into our hearts so that we can and should live a life inside the promised land life. The life which flows with so much goodness, fruit-bearing, ground-breaking ______ You’ve done well to make it this far, so let’s finish the task.”

I want to begin with a question, What are the pictures that come to mind when you think about submission? Is it two way or one-way

We are in the book of Romans today and the place where this letter was written in terms of political importance, geographic position, and share magnificence, the superlative city of the empire was Rome, the capital. The book of Romans serves as a flagship of the fleet of Pauline letters within the New Testament. This letter has also loom large in the history of Christianity. Countless men and women of faith have singled out Romans as the weapon God graciously used to bring about their surrender to Christ.People like Augustine, Martin Luther, John Wesley, and others receive unexpected, spiritual, volleys which are projectile discharges, arrows from the Romans that pierced their defense, and ended the rebellion against God. Romans combines breath, logic, and a maturity understanding of the old testament scriptures into a powerful arsenal. By the time it was written, the Holy Spirit had shaped the apostle Paul into a skilled communicator of the faith. The results of his letter to the Romans, a theological, treatise that perfectly fits Paul’s description of all scripture as profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.( 2 Tim.3:16) The letter represents a full expression of the apostolic theology. Paul’s arguments challenge, the secular, pagan mind, yet they also pierce the shallow, spiritual confidence of many non-pagans. Romans is a mighty leveler, for it declares, that all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God. Since all of us are sinners, it comes as a delightful shock that God demonstrates his love towards us, and that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. This is the good news, which Paul, so eloquently and systematically defends in this theological treatise addressed to the Romans

Today we are called to “submit to authority” knowing that this book was written to prepare and help us surrender, certain scriptures should keep us in the context. Rom.1.16 Scriptures like

There are parts of the gospel that are appealing to just about anyone and some that are not. Imagine for a moment that I have an audience of radical rockers, rebellious, passionate, and fired up. They are fired up because Paul said in chapter 12, “Do not be conformed to this world and they are yelling to the top of their lungs preach it Paul, when Paul said let love be without hypocrisy, that love must be genuine the people say let the church say AMEN!!! Even when Paul says to love your enemies, now Paul that’s getting a little deep, but okay I’m with you. But chapter 13 begins “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities.”

People are not so keen to agree with that. Actually, this is a tough one for all kinds of Christians to be subject to governing authority means government, police, and school officials, and the real problem here is that lots of those are bad really bad and a lot of them are anti-Christian. Governing authorities have been responsible for persecuting Christians, and all kinds of other atrocities throughout History so maybe Paul wrote this before our governments turned bad no, Paul himself was persecuted by the government. He was miss treated by police put on trial went to prison all for preaching Christ. So why on earth would Paul say this? Paul was allowing the guidance of the Holy Spirit to share through him that God, the supreme sovereign, has ordained that there should be governing authorities. Every believer is to be subject to these various authorities, even if these authorities are as evil as Nero, the emperor of Rome, who cruelty, persecuted Christians. When Paul wrote this letter, Nero was in power. Yet Paul, exalted the Roman believers to submit to Nero’s authority, because that authority was ordained by God himself.

So I want your participation in the sermon today. Every time I pause or point and you believe this word needs to be said I want you to say it. The word or words is By God or just simply say, God. So let’s get our voices ready( point at the people in the audience)

Romans 13:1-2 (NLT)“Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished.”

‬‬So we should be submissive to who? God. who woke you up this morning? God. Who are we here to praise and worship? God. Who gave you the roof over your head? God, Who blessed you with good looks? God, Who do we love with all our heart, soul, body, and mind? God. Sounds like you getting the picture here.

Submission is not just for a few people. Romans 13: 1 makes it very clear that “every person is to be in subjection to the governing” authorities … established by God.” Every single believer is to be practicing, on a regular basis, the principle of submission. It’s not just for children; it’s also for parents. It’s not just for church members; it’s for pastors, leaders. It’s for everyone. In fact, Ephesians 5: 21 says, “Be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.” So before ever asking wives, children, employees, or church members to submit, we’re to be submissive—all of us—to one another. “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.” Romans 12:10.

the keyword for us is “subject” which means to be under the jurisdiction of it doesn’t mean the government has ultimate rule. Christians obey a higher law, but your higher law does not mean that you are above the law. Remember, lots of Jews expected Jesus to overthrow the Romans, but he didn’t work that way Jesus overthrew the idols ruling in our hearts, but he left the tyrants ruling in the capital for now, and Jesus respected their earthly authority, he told Pilot it you would have no authority if it were not given to you from above. that’s what Paul says here God established government authority. It doesn’t mean that they’re all good. It means God ordained government, and they will answer to God but you and I are called to work within the system even within corrupt systems. Remember the context here Paul just said, love your enemies, and do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil, with good

“ They shall be punished,” some translations say judgment, Judgement does not always have to be in the form of eternal. Some happens on earth. I don’t know how God works, but the scriptures say that if we disobey God, we will see consequences. This is what we spoke about last week. let me add to this. When we fail to realize that we work and worship God and not man, we will miss out on some blessings. “Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ” Colossians 3:23-24. Your boss will overlook you for a promotion, we may sabotage a relationship that could have been your soulmate. Because of our rebellious actions, your name may be remembered when your kids are needing assistance from someone in the future People are not willing to reach out and help you know your attitude. Tell about Mr. McGuire coming to Clinton public schools and how that relationship helped to get you the job at Millwood. Share how he was put in a difficult position and how we got off to a rough start and he still supported me even until this day.

It happens so much in sports, people yelling obscene things at the officials, better now college coaches get real personal about athletes parents to see how they act? We don’t lie about those things because they will remember that and not come back ever again to recruit our kids.

Your actions have consequences and do not look favorable with the Lord

But in Verse 2, consequently whoever rebels against the authority, is rebelling against what God has instituted. Those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right but for those who do wrong do you want to be free from fear then do what is right and you will be commended. In the words of Spike Lee “ Do the right thing” Many Christians face a dilemma here Paul says do what’s right and you don’t have to fear authority. What if the authority punishes you for doing right for preaching the gospel? What did they do in the Bible? look at Joseph in Egypt, Daniel in Babylon, Shadrach Meshach, and the brother from the 5th floor, I mean a Bendigo. Jesus, and even the disciples of them respected authority, obeyed the law in all matters social and civil but obeyed God in all matters spiritual. They obeyed the law unless the law commanded them to disobey God. When that happened many were jailed, they obeyed God first, but they submitted to man’s consequences. Let's look at some of our civil rights leaders who put God first and suffered man’s punishment..

I remember teaching in my class during black history month and how some of the students said they would not have tolerated that, but those who did knew what was at stake and who they were serving. They probably read this chapter and saw where Paul said about all they did not fear, Look what Paul and they did while in jail. Paul and those incarcerated, respected the law and shined their love for fellow prisoners and for cool jailers even got many people saved. If they had rebelled against all wicked authority, all the good work Paul and his followers would have been written off, or called hypocrites, hiding behind religion.

1 Peter 2:13–15 NKJV

Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men—

for the sake of the Lord A proper Christian response to authority reflects positively on Jesus. For the sake of Christ’s reputation, believers should be submissive—just as Christ was during His trial and crucifixion.

Our true citizenship is in heaven, but God is trying to get some things done in this world. Everyone who resists the established authorities is resisting God. Everyone who submits to the established authorities—whether they’re right or wrong; whether one agrees or not—is assisting with what God is trying to accomplish in this world. The problem is with that “for the Lord’s sake.” I don’t think I’ve met a Christian who, if Jesus Christ were to walk up and stand before him in all of His glory and ask, “Could you do this for Me?”The problem is that it’s not the Lord we see. He’s behind the scenes. The ones we see—our boss, our parents, our elders—are humans. They’re frail, not perfect. So we use the imperfections of human authorities to dismiss our responsibility to be submissive. Our attitude is not right, and God doesn’t bless it. That’s why this text says, “Submit for the Lord’s sake.”

If you submit to God’s established authority, God is on your team, but if you rebel, He joins the other team.

1 Timothy 2:1–4 (NKJV)

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

We are living in enemy territory, and the enemy is constantly watching us, searching out our weaknesses as citizens of heaven living in this world we need to be sure we present our united front showing the world with the love of Christ looks like Jesus said, and John 13 by this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another when we fight with each other, the world doesn’t see the love of Christ in fact

It doesn’t see us any different than the rest of the world. Now I have often heard from well-meaning Christians that if we just got back to doing church as they did it in the first century, we would solve a lot of our problems, but even a quick reading of this letter and others in the New Testament reveals churches in the first century had some major issues envy, jealousy, rebellion strife, sexual morality, Peter wrote this letter to deal with these issues. The very issues that we have in our churches today, people tend to forget that churches are groups of sinners who have experienced the grace of God and are committed to walking in obedience. We don’t always do that well and unfortunately, major issues in our churches continue to make the evening news. Of course, there are struggles we are after all nothing but a group of redeemed sinners, but we have so many reasons to fight for unity after all we are all in this together.

(Also see Surrender)

When grace changes the heart, submission out of fear changes to submission out of love, and true humility is born.

—William Hendriksen, Exposition of Philippians

William Hendriksen

I recently read the story behind the well-known song ‘I Surrender All’

The lyrics of this song were written by Judson Van DeVenter around 1890 (later put to music by Winfield S. Weeden, published in 1896). Van DenVenter was an accomplished musician and worked as an art teacher and supervisor of art in local public schools where he lived. Records reveal that he was an active member in his church and involved in evangelistic meetings. We can suppose it was because of his fervent faith and involvement in the church that his friends encouraged him to leave his field of teaching and art to become an evangelist. An account left by Van DenVenter during this period reads:

“The song was written while I was conducting a meeting at East Palestine, Ohio… For some time I had struggled between developing my talents in the field of art and going into full-time evangelistic work. At last the pivotal hour of my life came, and I surrendered all. A new day was ushered into my life. I became an evangelist and discovered down deep in my soul a talent hitherto unknown to me. God had hidden a song in my heart, and touching a tender chord, he caused me to sing.” what song has the Lord placed in your heart to surrender all to Him. If you are subject or moved , please come forward as we together stand and sing.