Do What is Good

Do you think God is kind? What is the difference between His faithfulness and His kindness? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness… its a fruit of the spirit. Which means it is part of the very nature of God. He is kind.

Let my knowledge cause me to love others more not puff me up.

Correct any lies or misunderstanding

Give me wisdom,knowledge and understanding

Give me wisdom, knowledge and understanding

Guide my steps according to your Word

Romans 13:1–7 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. 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. 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.

Give me wisdom, knowledge and understanding

Teach me something I did not know before.

Let my knowledge cause me to love others more not puff me up.

Correct any lies or misunderstanding

Give me wisdom, knowledge and understanding

Guide my steps according to your Word

We move from ‘How to Act With Each Other’ to How to Act in the World’

And Paul starts with the divinely sanctioned role of authority.

Still building on the idea of “do not think more highly of yourself than you ought”. And he addresses everyone in this section of the letter. “Let every person/soul...” The word used here is actually psyche which we often translate into soul; the inner self. Interestingly he does not use the word for spirit. The use of psyche likely points to the idea of this being a submission that is not faked: willingly and maybe even graciously honor their position.

These instructions to the church in Rome (Roman empire right?), were clear direction on how to act in a governmental system. God established the home, government and the church as three distinct institutions.

In each of those institutions there is an authority. He set it up that way. God is the ultimate authority in all creation. He has measured out to us some authority where we live and operate. We have said that when we use that authority to make the thing most important to God, most important to us, we bring the kingdom here. He has given the enemy authority in certain realms. ALL OF THIS operates under the system of authority.

I was on a jury trial of a leader of the House of Israel a self-proclaimed separatist group. They were/are convinced the order established by the american governmental system was an infringement of their rights and that they were under no obligation to obey these laws.

I see posts on fb all the time about how taxation is robbery and we shouldnt have to pay. Our system is broken, no arguing that. But we have scriptural instruction to operate inside whatever system we are in.

The clearer I can see the past, the better I am able to navigate the future. Mater - I dont need to know where I’m going, I just need to know where I’ve been. Might need a little tweaking.

So I need to look back to see how this applies going forward. I can gain wisdom from scripture of how to submit to civic authority. I can also recognize when to obey God’s law instead of man’s. Daniel. Fiery furnace. Peter and the apostles in Acts.

Look at the story of Joseph in the old testament. One that is familiar to us and we like to refer to often here at FBC. We see a rare example of trust in God’s system. He submitted himself to the authorities. Sometimes doing so because he had no other choice. Other times confessing that God was fully in control no matter his personal circumstances. But he allowed God’s plan to direct his life without bucking the system.

We can take a word from the psalmist who said ‘the boundaries have fallen for me in pleasant places.’ He saw that God was in control, placing the boundaries of his life and was able to admit that God actually knew what He was doing in placing them where He did. When we recognize that there is a boundary we have come to, we need to stop and ask Him the question: Did You place this here for my protection? Are you hemming me in?

The clearer I can see God, the better I am able to follow His will.

Last week we said that our faith doctrine and our faith experience must be lived out in a way to demonstrate that our faith is in God. He is ultimately in control. If God is willing to control the heart of man (scripture tells and shows us He is), then we know that 1)He allowed that authority to exist and 2)is willing to use it for the good of those that love Him.

If I will point my focus at Him, I will ‘see’ Him. Understand, know, believe. All accomplished through learning and living scripture.

What is learned must be lived.

If I point my focus at ‘not God’ I will not understand, know or believe. All of my learning and living will be in rebellion to ultimate authority.

Our attitude about authority is a clear reflection of our attitude about God. Disagree with the authority in you life? Let it humble you to the point of total surrender to God and faithful prayer for the one in authority. Lord, you have put them there and I will obey your Word. Now give them wisdom to make decisions that will honor you and bless your people.