For Conscience Sake

Heavenly Father, we thank you for The many blessings you give us. Lordly.

Saro along with Karen at the loss of Ken Lord. But yet we Rejoice that he is finally with you that his body is completely healed, his mind is healed. Are we pray that you'll be with Karen and Lord help us to walk with her during this time? And Lord. We also Rejoice along with Jacob and Lexi at the birth of their daughter, eating Lord we pray that you are blessed Lexie with a speedy recovery and Lord that you'll be with Eden and just help her to grow strong and Lord. We just pray that she will come to know you as her savior one day. And Lord as we continue to work through the book of Romans. I pray that you will help each of us to hear what it is from your truth. We need to hear today. You play the song, your most, holy name. Amen.

Always made it all the way to chapter 13.

If you remember in our study of Romans chapter 12 that I split up into a couple different weeks there. I essentially discussed three important Concepts there. The first one was justification, which is kind of a central theme of the book of Romans that, you know, we are justified through Christ to be able to stand before a holy God. The second was vindication You know, Vindication is when someone who has been accused of a wrong, is found innocent. A lot of that has to do with what Paul's been telling us about as Christians, that we never have to be ashamed of the Gospel. Because he know a lot of those who were new to the faith, who were becoming Christians were looked down upon by their Jewish countrymen, and family member who's were around them. They said they were speaking blasphemy and things like that. And many of them were persecuted tried and even stoned for what they were believing. But Paul tells them they never need to be ashamed of the Gospel. The third team is Vengeance or pay back that one, we understand a little bit better, don't live what it means. You know, in vengeance is not always evil. We said it's a legitimate thing when it's carried out, just lie. But we also talked about the fact that only, God is the one who can carry it out, just lie. If we try, we always go too far. We never stopped where we should.

Yeah, it's only something God can do. And that is the precursor for what Paul jumps into here. At the beginning of chapter 13, where he talks about the civil government.

kind of surprising that scripture would talk about that, but you'll understand as we get into it, Romans chapter 13. I'm going to start with verses 1 through 4. Says, let everyone be subject to the governing authorities. There is no Authority, except that which God has established the authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebelles against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted and 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 of the one in Authority? Then do? What is right? And you will be commended 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.

yeah, we just talked about how in chapter 12 we said that God keeps for himself the prerogatives of Vengeance, you know he's The only one who is to dispense it. But he's also the one who establishes an order of things on earth, how things should be how he wants them to be. And as part of that, it says to us in Scripture that he has set up the authorities or the government that is over us.

And the reason he set them up is for justice to be carried out in his name under his authority, that is how things were intended to be.

Yeah, the Civil Authorities who are in place didn't come into being through the plans of mortal man, even though we would like to think so. God always has a hand in it.

I mean if you ever really pondered that that civil government is an institution that was established by God. He put it there for a reason. Your God establish the church with its Redemptive Mission and the government for the well-being of everyone.

One. Commentator said that government might well be called a common Grace Ministry. Yeah, the church is there to dispense the elements of special Grace, you know, everything that has to do with our Salvation Army, Redemption those qualities. Where the civil government attends to the common good of the human race? Not only the Christians, but of all people. now again, keep in mind what I said, That at least that was God's original intent for those things. But even throughout the Bible we saw times when that would go wrong right? God would appoint his man is King over the nation of Israel. Things would go good for a little while but then over the course of time they would start to wonder. So something would happen to bring the people of Israel back. But the truth remains that both church and state are established and governed by God.

And you know, we need to understand that, you know, and our society you constantly hear the outcry for separation of church and state. You know that separation originally meant a division of labor between the institution of the church and institution of the government meaning. These are the things the church is responsible for these are the things the government is responsible for, and they weren't supposed to interfere with each other. They didn't fund each other and that was what the separation meant. One wouldn't tell the other what to do, so that was served the separation. But the problem is today, that separation is come to mean the separation from God.

You always seem more and more that the government declares its independence from God and seeks to have its own rule over everything, apart from him. We see over and over again, where decisions are made on every level that trying our hardest to take God out of the equation, every time and just leave all authority in our own hands.

But you know, when the government does that whether it's the United States, whether it's Russia, China, any other country that's out there. That is when we need to worry. That's when problems begin because at that point, the government exists as an agent of opposition to God himself. When they've truly separated themselves when they've truly become Godless. And that is a danger that we face all the time in our modern society, all the time in our own government. Even it's something we must remain aware of

But it also doesn't change the reality. That as Christians, we are supposed to still be subject to those placed in authority over us. Romans 13 Verse 1. Very first, part of it says, let everyone be subject to the governing authorities.

It's obvious to see why we struggle with this because of all the corruption we see, right? We see the sinful corruption going on and all levels and of authority. And we think well, it's my duty as a Christian to not obey that

But sometimes, yes. And sometimes no.

You know, that the universal call. To be subject to Authority is a thing that we see in scripture, we see it over and over again, but it's that resistance to it that we all naturally have that kind of gets at the core of our corruption. Realize that everyone is a sinner and every sin is an act of revolt against Authority.

because ultimately, Send us a review refusal to submit to the governing authority of God himself.

Doesn't matter if it's our sin or their sin. If the state is doing something contrary to the law, love God, then okay, yeah it's theirs. But anyway, it's a part of our basic human nature. It's something God knew and fully understood when he made us.

but we have to realize this individuals if we're not willing to submit to God and His laws and what it says in Scripture, it's a lot more difficult for us to submit to any type of authority. We're going to have more problems submitting and respecting the police department. The government, you know, any Authority that rules over us. Anyone that is placed Over Us in any position.

I like I said, we're told time and again in Scripture that it's the duty of every Christian to be subject to the authorities.

you know, from the theological perspective, the principle is that of civil obedience Christians are called to be extraordinary models of civil obedience. Your people should see that hay, if anyone's following the rules, it's the Christians who are doing the best to live by the rules.

But that also brings us to the question must. We always obey the Civil Authorities

You know, when the Sanhedrin told the apostles to preach, no more in the name of Jesus. What was Peter's response? In Acts 5:29 Peter said we must obey God, rather than human beings.

And this is, when the whole conflict should come up for us as Christians. Cuz the conflict arises when the Civil Authority commands, or forbid, something that can Flix with what God's truth says.

That's when it should be a problem with, for us. You in such cases, not only. is it all right for you to disobey the Civil Authority and those cases you must disobey

When they're asking you to do something in direct violation of God's word when they're asking you to do something. that you know God would not approve of

you know, we're always and everywhere supposed to obey the authorities are boss, the police, the governor, whatever the authority maybe, unless That Authority commands us to do something that God forbids. Or they forbid us from doing something that God commands, you know, those are the only times we are supposed to disobey. So sometimes we must disobey.

Yep. The Civil Authority or your boss? Whoever it is cause you to sin. You must say, no. You know, in history is full of examples of governments that have commanded their citizens to do evil that have commanded their citizens to do wrong things, and sadly, enough, they've even commanded them to do wrong things. In the name of God,

Yeah, I can happen in any country, Any Nation, any race of people around the world, it can happen to anyone.

Continuing on in Romans 13 verses 5 through 8. Alright, therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment, but also, as a matter of conscience, This is also why you pay taxes for the authorities? Are God's servants. Who give their full-time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them. if you owe taxes, pay taxes if Revenue, then Revenue if respect then respect if honor than honor but no date debt remain outstanding except the continuing debt to love one another, whoever loves others, has fulfilled the law

are basically Paul's continuing on with that whole idea, but as Christians people should see a difference in the way that we live. in the way that we function, the way that we

Are subject to the authority over us. You know, we're basically a living by Christian principles and living by principles at the heart of Christian ethics.

And the Christian lifestyle. Yo, where we already know from? So many other things that we've covered that. You know, we're not supposed to just live a lifestyle where we do whatever our hearts do not desire. Her where, you know, we don't care how it impacts, anyone else, we're just going to do what we want to do.

Which is radically different than the world around us where everyone lives for them. Self for selfish reasons, you know if it's for you then pretty much whatever that might be is justifiable in many people's Viewpoint today. But it's Christians. Those aren't the principles we live by. We are supposed to be a submissive people remember. And mainly, that's submissiveness means that we are submissive to God and His law and what we see laid out in his scripture, And part of what we see there is that God has placed other authorities over us. Not just for our good, but for the good of all Society. So, we are to be subject to them. As long as they aren't asking us to send. We can still do what they asked us to do.

Nepal continues on by bringing in some of the Commandments. What he does when he ties these in his, he's continuing to run with this idea that the only debt that we should ever have that can never fully be repaid. Is the dead of love that we always feel that. We owe other people love. but that is something we always need to give them more of Like I said, he Ties That Into The Commandments here. 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 our summed up and this one command. Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore, love is the Fulfillment of the law. And do this understanding the present time. The hour has already come for you to wake up from your Slumber because our Salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over the day is almost here. So let us put aside the Deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not and carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather close yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

I think it's really interesting that Paul his tying, so many of these other Commandments, especially, knowing that you knows, he's riding to his Jewish brothers and sisters. You know, that was the core of their law. Everything was based off of the Mosaic law. We find in the Ten Commandments,

And he basically names a bunch of them off and says they can all be summed up by love your neighbor as yourself.

Meaning that the reason you won't have to worry about these Ten Commandments never violating them is because if you were truly loving your neighbor, like you should Then you would never think of doing those things to harm your neighbor. You would never think of adultery. You would never think of stealing something, from them all because you don't want to do harm to your neighbor. You respect them too much, you love them too much.

You know, we all know what it means to try to pay down a debt, you know, you can pay your debt to the bank. You can pay your bill at the store. When you check out, you can pay the credit card company after vacation, you know. Those are all debts, we can pay. Yeah, we can reach that point where we pay off the last amount. We no longer have a balance, they're finally paid off. The Paul reminds us, the one thing that we should never. Feel that way about is the death of love. That's because of what Christ has done for each of us in the love that he's giving us. We should feel like that we can never reach the point where we can say. I paid that off.

So when it comes to loving our neighbors, there's always something more that we can do, it's a obligation that we will always have no matter how much we've loved people around us. We can always love more. In Matthew chapter, 22 verses 37 through 39. Jesus replied, love the Lord, your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind, This is the first and greatest commandment and the second is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself.

you know, I think the big idea that Paul's trying to get at here in Romans 13 is the whole reason.

That we would be motivated to submit to the authority above us. Comes from. Our love forgot.

Because if we love God, then we should also love his law, right? Because God's love reflects the things that are pleasing to God. The way he intended this world to function, the way he wanted it to function, part of his original design before sin entered in and muddied up all the waters.

So, that is why we are willing. To submit to the authority above us, out of love. We're willing to make sacrifices in our life, to love our neighbor because we love God first.

Your Augustine made the statement. Love God and do what you want.

There's a lot of people who have enjoyed that statement in modern society and taking it too far, they've kind of changed it to. Well, as long as you love God, it doesn't matter. Go ahead and do whatever you want. Because it's okay cuz you still love Jesus at the end of the day. Which there's some truth in that, but there needs to be some clarification. You know what Augustine meant with that when he said love God and do what you want. He meant that if you truly love God.

You can do as you please, as your heart wills it, because if your heart and mind are focused on God, if it's filled with God, you're going to desire to do the things that please God. So that's why he said, love God and do what you want. You know, it is truly that simple if God is your first love. You're going to do the right thing. You will be pleased by what pleases God. And what pleases God is the things that we see revealed through scripture. The truth. That is there,

And as we continue to walk through all this year and Paul's trying to explain all this to the Roman Christians who are wrestling with the same thing, so many of his countrymen were of. Well, do I follow the law of Moses or these new things that Paul's teaching and Paul was trying to explain to them. I'm not sharing anything new. I'm just trying to show you that. They had some of the application of all of it wrong. They were more focused on just following the rules. Instead of understanding that all the rules were calling for them to love each other. To love their fellow man to love those who weren't even of the same Faith as them because that's how they were going to be drawn to the face. And we need to realize the same thing, you know, is that as Christians? We are first called to love God.

Because if that is our focus is, that is how every decision is guided.

Out of your love for God. You don't have to worry about the course that that decision is going to take after that.

Because if it's based off of your love for God, it will be the right decision. It will lead you down the right path. You may not always understand it.

Yeah, just like the whole part of him talking about being subject to civil Authority. There's times when we wonder. Okay. How did that person get into office? Well, if you read scripture, you quickly understand, especially through the Old Testament, God used good Kings and he used bad kings to direct his people where he wanted them to be.

so we may not always understand those who are placed into Authority, but we need to understand that ultimately, They're only there because it's part of God's plan. May not be a plan. We enjoy, it may not be a plan. We agree with it may not be pleasant for us in any which way. But ultimately of God's plan. And we need to trust and do our best to live out our Christian values underneath their Authority. Only bucking the system when the system causes to send. That's when we refuse. But then, that's when we can be assured. You know, like, Daniel in the Lion's Den or Shadrach Meshach in a Bendigo in the fiery furnace, you know, they win against the authority. Soap punishment came their way, but God protected them each time. God will protect us but he does want us to do our best to live under the authority, placed over us. cuz you never know sometimes you're Being willing to stick to your Christian values. No matter what that environment around you might be Can be the greatest, most impactful witness that you could have. To a group of people. so it's my prayer that God will use us, where he has each of us, placed To show people what it truly means to live by Christian principles. Please pray with me.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the blessings. You give us Lord, we pray that you will. Just be with us and guide us as we go throughout our work weeks. Lord and help us to live in such a way. That honors you? And Lord, May every decision we make be based off of our love for you. It's in your name. We pray. Amen.