Romans part XVII
Notes
Transcript
Tonight we are asking the question, “How should Christians act in their communities?”. We talked about how we interact with each other and having a good Christian ethic, but what about how we behave in school, in our community, and in our nation. As we look at this its important to remember who Paul is writing to. He is writing to Jewish and Gentile believers living in Rome. It was becoming increasingly difficult to identify as a Christian in Rome. There were already persecutions happening throughout the empire and Rome was about to get hit the hardest under Caesar Nero. In the midst of all the opposition and uncertainty Paul gives the readers encouragement for living under Roman rule.
Let everyone submit to the governing authorities, since there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God. So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves.
Paul begins this chapter by telling the Roman believers to submit to their governing authorities. This is not unlike the call Paul has already put on their lives. In the last chapter alone Paul has already called us to submit ourselves to God as living sacrifices, submit ourselves in service to the church, submit ourselves in love to one another, submit our character to what is right, and submit our vengeance to the Lord’s justice. This call continues this pattern.
It is important to note, these calls to submit are not calls to subject ourselves to injustice or immorality. God isn’t telling us to sin by being obedient to authority. They do not deprive us of individuality or character. God is calling us, in every aspect of life, to submit ourselves to His Lordship.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
Paul is helping us understand what it looks like to be a living sacrifice to God in every aspect of our lives. Christ our example demonstrates this for us. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords yet he humbled Himself and made Himself obedient to the authority of others. He was obedient to His parents, obedient to Government officials, He payed taxes, but most of all He obeyed the Father. There were times when Jesus did not listen to the authority of the Pharisees and religious leaders. Why? Because He was being obedient to the Father. We are called to be obedient to God first. There will be times when those in authority may tell us to be disobedient to Christ and we will have to politely disagree.
Then they sent some of the Pharisees and the Herodians to Jesus to trap him in his words. When they came, they said to him, “Teacher, we know you are truthful and don’t care what anyone thinks, nor do you show partiality but teach the way of God truthfully. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius to look at.” They brought a coin. “Whose image and inscription is this?” he asked them. “Caesar’s,” they replied. Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were utterly amazed at him.
This passage captures the heart of the idea. Give to Caesars what is Caesars, give to the Lord what is the Lords.
In Acts 3 Peter and John are arrested for healing a man and preaching the Gospel. They were made to stand trial before the Sanhedrin, which was this body of religious leaders put in place to judge crimes. After Peter and John give their defense this is what he says.
But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
Again this happens in chapter 5 and again Peter makes a defense for disobeying the authorities.
When they had brought them, they stood them before the Council. The high priest questioned them, saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. “He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. “And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
Paul says be obedient to authorities because God is the one who puts them in place.
For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through him and for him.
In obeying authorities we bring honor to God who put them in place. Does this mean God agrees with everything authority does? No. Is God unjust when authorities are unjust? No. The authorities over us have a responsibility to obey God too. Disobedient authorities will face judgement for being disobedient to God. For the Church in Rome being obedient to their authorities meant showing up on time to work, doing what their bosses tell them to do, paying taxes, promoting the welfare of their city. For the church in Rome being obedient to the authority of God meant not hating Jewish people, being kind and generous to the people around them, not celebrating in gladiatorial games, not participating in pagan sacrifices or worshipping the Emperor. There was a big overlap between what God wanted them to do and what the government wanted them to do, but there were times when they had to stand on the authority of God even if it meant the Roman authorities took their lives.
For us today it means honoring our parents, being respectful to teachers, turning in our homework on time, obeying traffic laws, living with integrity. It means honoring those who God has put in authority over us. There are times in my life when I don’t want to honor the authorities in my life. I want to do my own thing. I don’t want to drive the speed limit, I don’t want to do what others tell me. When I start feeling that way these verses always pops into my head.
Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.
Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
Paul says listen to authorities because God has put them in our society to provide structure. To function as a society there has to be a social contract where people have roles and responsibilities over us. If there was no authority or law of the land we would all just run around doing whatever we felt like doing. There would be no organization or accountability.
For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. For it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For it is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong. Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath but also because of your conscience. And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God’s servants, continually attending to these tasks. Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor.
In the complexities and moral ambiguity of living in a society, Paul tells us to simply do what is good. Being obedient to God and choosing the good is beneficial to any society you live in. The way God calls us to live is the ideal way for mankind to live amongst one another. Paul says when you choose to do what is good the society will notice. It is hard to be mad when people are feeding the poor, taking care of those in need, and loving sacrificially. Paul tells his readers, the judicial systems are in place to punish criminals. If you act like a criminal don’t be surprised when you get punished like one.
This idea of honoring authority can be difficult for us. As Christians we belong to another world. This earth is not our home. How are we supposed to live in place where we don’t belong? This question is not an unfamiliar question for God’s people. When they were being taken into Babylon to live in captivity God told them how they should live in exile.
Pursue the well-being of the city I have deported you to. Pray to the Lord on its behalf, for when it thrives, you will thrive.”
For the Jews living in Diaspora, For the church living under Roman rule, and for us today God calls us to be a light in the world we live in. We are called to choose what is good, to serve our communities, and be obedient to God’s call on our lives. The Christians in Rome would be heavily persecuted soon after Paul wrote this but it doesn’t change anything. When the people in authority treat us well or if they treat us poorly we are called to love.
Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not covet; and any other commandment, are summed up by this commandment: Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.
Do you love others?
What does it look like to love your neighbor?
Don’t commit adultery
Jesus tells us in His sermon on the mount that adultery is more than just sleeping with someone you aren’t married to. Adultery is from the heart. Jesus says that even if you look at another person with lust in your heart you are guilty of committing adultery with them. Using people as objects for our lust, using them for sexual gratification, is not loving. People are created in the image of God and are valuable.
“You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery. But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
Jesus uses this extreme language to communicate the seriousness of our sin. He does the same with murder.
Don’t murder
“You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder, and whoever murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Whoever insults his brother or sister, will be subject to the court. Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to hellfire. So if you are offering your gift on the altar, and there you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Reach a settlement quickly with your adversary while you’re on the way with him to the court, or your adversary will hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny.
Jesus tells us that if we have hatred and unforgiveness in our hearts we are guilty of murder. The words we use, our attitudes, our thought life, all these things matter to God. He cares about our hearts and offers healing and transformation to hearts broken by the effects of sin.
Don’t steal
Don’t take things that don’t belong to you. That’s pretty simple. God provides everything you need. He tells us later in the sermon on the mount not to be anxious about what we are going to eat or what we are going to wear but to just seek first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness and all those things will take care of themselves. We don’t have to take matters into our own hands. We don’t have to take from others which brings us to our next command.
Don’t covet
Paul says don’t desire in your heart something that doesn’t belong to you. Don’t be jealous of what you don’t have but be thankful and grateful for what you do have.
Do not covet your neighbor’s house. Do not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
Paul says love is the fulfillment of the law. Do you want to be obedient to what God calls you to do? Love your neighbor as yourself.
Besides this, since you know the time, it is already the hour for you to wake up from sleep, because now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is nearly over, and the day is near; so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk with decency, as in the daytime: not in carousing and drunkenness; not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires.
Paul tells us our time is near. Every day that goes by is another day closer to being face to face with Jesus. Paul says don’t waste your time. Our days are short. Don’t waste your life chasing sin. Take off the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Walk in decency as in the daytime. There is a temptation for us to stay in the dark. To keep our secrets and feed the sin in our life. The problem is that if we feed sin it grows. Even if you think its a little thing and not a big deal over time it can grow into something that causes serious problems in your life. There is always a consequence to sin. The more you feed it the hungrier and hungrier it gets.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires.
Memorize this verse. This is a great one to hold onto when you are feeling tempted. Paul says don’t feed the flesh and its desires. Don’t entertain the idea of it.
No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
What are some helpful ways to resist temptation?
Have a new heart: Resisting temptation begins with salvation. Understanding your sin and your need for a salvation. Trusting in Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
A – AVOID as much as is possible and reasonable the sights and situations that arouse unfitting desire. I say “possible and reasonable” because some exposure to temptation is inevitable. And I say “unfitting desire” because not all desires for sex, food, and family are bad. We know when they are unfitting and unhelpful and on their way to becoming enslaving. We know our weaknesses and what triggers them. “Avoiding” is a biblical strategy.
Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
N – Say No. Don’t give the thought or temptation room to grow. Cut it off quick. The longer you let it linger the harder it will be to resist. You can have confidence to say, “No”. We are overcomers through Christ. We can have courage knowing that the Holy Spirit is working in us to resist temptation.
Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
T – TURN the mind forcefully toward Christ as a superior satisfaction. Saying “no” isn’t always enough. You must move from defense to offense. Fight fire with fire. Attack the promises of sin with the promises of Christ. The Bible calls lusts “deceitful desires” (Ephesians 4:22). They lie. They promise more than they can deliver. The Bible calls them “passions of your former ignorance” (1 Peter 1:14). Only fools yield. “All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter” (Proverbs 7:22). Deceit is defeated by truth. Ignorance is defeated by knowledge. It must be glorious truth and beautiful knowledge. We must fill our minds with the superior promises and pleasures of Jesus. Then we must turn to them immediately after saying, “NO!”
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
H – HOLD the promise and the pleasure of Christ firmly in your mind until it pushes the other images out. “Fix your eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2). Here is where many fail. They give in too soon. Hold the promise of Christ before your eyes. Hold it. Hold it! Don’t let it go! Keep holding it! How long? As long as it takes. Fight! For Christ’s sake, fight till you win! Hold it and hold it and hold it and hold it. If you need help tell someone! (Accountability)
E – ENJOY a superior satisfaction. Cultivate the capacities for pleasure in Christ. One reason lust reigns in so many is that Christ has so little appeal. We default to deceit because we have little delight in Christ. Don’t say, “That’s just not me.” What steps have you taken to waken affection for Jesus? You were created to treasure Christ with all your heart — more than you treasure sin. If you have little taste for Jesus, competing pleasures will triumph. Plead with God for the satisfaction you don’t have. Then look, look, look at the most magnificent Person in the universe until you see him the way he is.
O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness, That we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
M – MOVE into a useful activity away from idleness and other vulnerable behaviors. Lust grows fast in the garden of leisure. Find a good work to do, and do it with all your might. “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord” (Romans 12:11). “Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). Abound in work. Get up and do something. Sweep a room. Hammer a nail. Write a letter. Fix a faucet. And do it for Jesus’s sake. You were made to manage and create. Christ died to make you “zealous for good works” (Titus 2:14). Displace deceitful lusts with a passion for good deeds.
Confide in an accountability partner