The Mark of a Christian
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
If you were with us a couple of weeks ago, you will remember the command that Paul gave us in Romans 12:1-2.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Through the rest of chapter 12 we saw that Paul was helping us understand how we keep from being conformed to this world—or squeezed into the world’s mold. This thought is continued in chapter 13.
If you have your Bibles, and I hope that you do, turn with me to Romans chapter 13, and we’ll begin reading with verse 1.
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
A Believer’s Response to Government
A Believer’s Response to Government
We are to be subject (Gk. willingly submit to another’s orders) to the governing authorities. NOTE: For Paul’s original readers this meant submitting to the rule of the Romans (v. 1a).
Paul tells us we are to do tis because it is God who establishes EVERY earthly authority (v. 1b)
In case we missed it, Paul repeats the idea—The authorities that exist have been placed there by God! (v. 1c)
Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
Now comes the logical conclusion of verse 1. If one rebels against the earthly authority, one is actually rebelling against God (or what God instituted) (v. 2 a).
Rebelling against earthly governmental authorities will bring judgment on the person rebelling (v. 2b).
For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended.
Paul then talks about two people (v. 3a):
—Those who do right, well they are not afraid of the government officials.
—Those who do wrong have reason to fear.
If you done’t want to fear the governing officials—DO What is RIGHT! (v. 3b)
For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.
God has put governing authorities there for your good (v. 4a).
So if you do wrong—be afraid! After all the don’t carry swords for no reason (v. 4b).
Ultimately, they are God’s servants of punishment against those who do wrong (v. 4c).
Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.
“Therefore”—(1) because governments are instruments of God; (2) because they are ordained by God; (3) because they can hurt you—we are to submit to them (v. 5a). Gk. submit—to voluntarily place one’s self under the command of another.
Fear should not be the primary reason we submit to earthly authorities. No we should submit as a matter of conscience—because it is the “right” thing to do (v. 5b).
This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing.
Paul now ties our voluntary obedience to the one thing no one likes—TAXES! The reason we pay taxes is because the government authorities are God’s servants. And governing is their full-time job, so they should be paid (v. 6) Notice, Paul says nothing about the leader’s condition—good leader or bad, doesn’t matter, we still pay our taxes!
In verse 7, Paul widens out this idea of giving what is owed.
Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
—If taxes (payment for protection) is owed, pay the taxes!
—If revenue (a tax on goods and services rather than on a person or organization) is owed, then pay revenue.
—If respect is due, then we are to give respect!
—If honor is due, when we are to give honor!
NOTICE--nowhere in any of this idea does Paul address the government official’s character or goodness.
Owing Other People
Owing Other People
Paul continues his discussion on owing people things.
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.
Let no debt remain—don’t continually owe someone anything, accept the on going debt of love (Gk. agapao) (v. 8a).
Loving others—in all our interpersonal relationships—is how we fulfill the law of Jesus (cf. Matt. 5:43-44; Jn. 13:34) (v. 8b).
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Now he takes us back to the Old Testament. Breaking God’s commands on adultery, murder, coveting, as well as any of His other commands is NOT loving (v. 9a).
God summed up all of His commands in one command! Love your neighbor as yourself! (cf. Lev. 19:18; Matt. 5:43-44; Lk. 10:25-37) (v. 9b)
Story of the Good Samaritan
Story of the Good Samaritan
In Luke 10, a man comes to Jesus to ask Him a question. We’re told the man is “an expert in the Law.” He asks Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus asks him what was written in the “Law,” and the man quotes from two passages. First, he quoted from the Jewish Shama Yisrael (the foundation of the Jew’s morning and evening prayers) found in Deuteronomy 6:4-5
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
And the man quotes from the Levitical law in Leviticus 19:18
“ ‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
Jesus tells the man that he gave a wise answer, and then tells the man to live out these two passages in his life.
The man wasn’t satisfied with the answer, so he asks Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” (Lk. 10:29)
Jesus tells the Parable of the Good Samaritan.
A man is going from Jerusalem to Jericho. This was a dangerous road filled with all kinds of thieves waiting to attack their next victim. The man was attacked, beaten, picked clean (even of his clothes) and left for dead.
That’s when three people came by. First, came the priest (a church leader, teacher of the scriptures, a pastor)—he saw the man, crossed over to the far side of the road and kept going. Perhaps he was too good or too busy to help the man.
Next came the Levite (again a church leader. The equivalent to the minister of music)—he too saw the man, and he also crossed over to the opposite of the road and kept going.
The third man to come along was a Samaritan (a man hated and despised by the Jews because they were half-breeds, and for most Samaritans the feeling was mutual—they hated the Jews). He sees the man:
—Takes pity on him—he is concerned about the man.
—He stops and bandages the man’s wounds.
—He puts oil on the man’s wounds (medicates them).
—Then the Samaritan puts the man on his donkey and carries him to an Inn where he took care of him all night long.
—In the morning, the Samaritan pays for the room and gives the innkeeper extra money to nurse the stranger back to health.
—Finally, the Samaritan tells the innkeeper that if the money he left was not enough to meet the stranger’s need, continue to care for him until he is strong, and the Samaritan would pay the innkeeper for any expenses he incurred.
Then, Jesus asks the man who asked the question,
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Now, look at our passage for today. You see, Paul echos the Parable in verse 10.
Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Love--agape love--does not continue to do evil to a neighbor (v. 10).
Two of the three men in the Parable continued to do harm (evil) simply because they did not stop to help the man.
Only one, stopped the evil by rendering love and care!
So What?
So What?
If we are going to keep from being squeezed into the world’s mold, we must learn to care for others. The only way we can do that is by learning to love the unlovable!
For many, government authorities are not lovable!
For most, paying taxes is certainly not lovable!
Certainly, we are surrounded by people who are not lovable, and some of them are sitting in this room. That’s right, I have no doubt that some of you will look around you and see people who, by your standard, are not worthy of love.
So let me ask you a question. When can you stop loving those who are hard to love, or that you believe are unlovable? At what point can you say, “I’m not loving them any more?”
Here’s the answer! You and I can stop loving all of the unlovable people, when God stops loving us! And not a minute sooner!