Christian & Government, Romans 13

Background

Background

After 27 online relationship commands (chapter 12) a Roman Christian might wonder what their relationship to the evil Nero is.

Obedience,

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

Romans 13:1–2 ESV

1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

Obedience Discussion

· Why would persecuted Christians find this strange?

· Does Paul’s “free from the law” include civil authorities?

o What law will Christians ultimately be judged under?

Duty to Government Discussion

· Do I show submission or noncompliance to my Government’s authority, protection, and judgement?

· In Pilate says he has the AUTHORITY to let Jesus live or die. Jesus says, “You would have no power over me were it not given you from above.”

o Daniel also says God has this power,

o What happened to Nebuchadnezzar after he fails to learn this lesson?

Reason Discussion

· What is the reason we must submit to those who may even seek to kill us?

When Submission is hard

· If I don’t submit to Government, it is the same as not submitting to God – T/F?

· I must submit even when Government conflicts with God’s Word () – T/F?

· I don’t have to submit to laws I don’t like, bother me, and are inconvenient – T/F?

Three Reasons to obey Rulers,

For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval,

Romans 13:3–5 ESV

3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.

for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.

Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience.

· :3 How can we escape fearing rulers?

· :4 Why did God give rulers authority?

o How much authority do they have?

· :5 If I shelter an illegal from the “ICE” POLICE, for instance, how could this affect my conscience?

Taxes & Obedience Illustration,

For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.

Romans 13:6–7 ESV

6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

· We pay, pray, and obey our rulers because of who they are or because of who God is?

· What four areas to we owe?

· Who is our ultimate ruler in the USA?

o Do you owe President Trump anything?

o Do you owe IPP Obama anything?

It all comes down to LOVE,

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Romans 13:8–10 ESV

8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

· Can you see the connection between love and rulers?

o Have you read hateful comments to the President and IPP? How could love have changed this?

o Have you read hateful comments against the Police? How could love have changed this?

· Explain love from (ESV) — 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

o How can love make the Police serve better? How can love make citizens easier to be policed?

· :8 What do we owe each other?

· :9 What is the motive behind keeping the law?

o How can love keep you from hurting another?

· :8 & 10 What are the 2 “book-ends” in this section?

The Why and the How,

Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.

The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Romans 13:11–14 ESV

11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

· Note all the evil in Paul’s list.

o How can l love ungodly rulers and pagan citizens?

· To place light on the subject, who is our light?

o Jesus words

o The day star of

o Peter’s “the day”

o And Jesus “light of the world” .

· If you are constantly in clear line of site of good people, are likely to sin?

o In an evil crowd, to stand out, as light, must you speak up?

· If you are in a crises, do you cover up or expose ALL the facts?

· If you are approached by the police, who ask if they can search your car, what should you do?

· If you are arrested and offered an attorney, what should you do?

· The laws in Kentucky allow a rolling stop – true or false?

· The laws in Kentucky allow you to have a small amount of Marijuana – true or false?

· It is okay to get drunk, if you don’t drive – true or false?

Why should Christians be living by a higher standard?