Untitled Sermon (63)

We are getting political here at Ramsey. I am not a very political guy in the pulpit. One thing that the Trump administration was going to do, and I am not sure if he has officially yet, was allow churches to endorse candidates. And a lot of people are celebrating that. Not me. First, it has no effect on me. You will not here me push the congregation to vote a certain way. You will not hear me endorse a candidate from this pulpit.

Listen for a little while and it wont be hard to figure me out or my positions but this is a sanctuary, this is a pulpit and this is only meant to proclaim Gods glory. I have no patience for pastors who use Gods platform to proclaim man. I have to patence for a sermon on the right candidate. This is where the proclamation of God takes place and we Worship God in Song, Prayer, and through His Word.

I would not dare to depart from that to endorse man, none of us should ever dare to use Gods platformer for something or someone lesser. Ever. I may have just put some of you in some uncomfy pants, well relax. First of all, if you have a problem with this being for Gods Glory alone, then you have a pretty big problem. I have no intentions of coddling your idolatry and I mean that in love if that is how you feel.

Do not assume I said something that I did not say. If a political party or offical does wicked things and it is in line with the text, it will be addressed. If a political party or official does something that is righteous or it is helpful to the church, and it is in line with the sermon, it will be addressed. And pay close attention to my words and the context of my words, we are talking about a worship setting. Not a discussion on Tuesday that may take place in the sanctuary.

But because we are to do one thing here, and one thing only, gorify God. And When God is the center of our worship and our discussion, there is no room for something or someone lesser and I will not apologize for such approach.

So granting me the freedom to endorse has zero effect on what I do here. Now, again- those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it. You should not celebrate the pastors ability to endorse. Here is the historical issue- At one time, the catholic church told its members how to vote.

The Pope would tell people how to vote. And the last thing this country needs now, is this specific pope telling catholics, the largest denomination in the world, how to vote. Further, Islam has grown quite a bit, the last thing we should do is support the right for religious movements to endorse candidates. It is just dangerous.

“pastor, ok. You do not endorse candidates. But would you discuss political issues?” no. No, I will not. Again, I have no patence who use the pulpit to talk about political causes. Its not ok, it bothers me, it should bother you. This is not the time or the place to do such a thing.

“Pastor what abortion, what about same sex relations, or the rise to transgender chaos. Not only have you spoke on all that but are saying you will not talk about it?”

No, I never said such a thing. Because homosexuality, abortion, transgenderism and many other stuff are not political issues, they are biblical ones and we have not option but to address them. The problem is we have conceded that fight and we now think those are political things that are up for debate.

No, The true church is not debating this things, we are declaring thus sayeth the Lord.

Now this particular section that we're looking at we should pay extra close attention to. the scriptures actually do not describe to us in a lot of detail how our relationship with ruling authorities should be.

We have this section and we have another section in Titus that we should pay close attention to but because it is not discussed that often when it is we need to pay close attention. And like I stated last week this is a very fitting time to be having this conversation period we as God's people need to be concerned with how our relationship with the a ruling authorities should be.

We are to be dictated by the word of God on this subject and not by our own mere opinions. As a matter of fact we should never be satisfied with our own mere opinions we should always be going to the word of God over this. so this section tells us how we should be with our relationship to ruling authorities to those who are in government so let's dive in.

Romans 13:2 NASB95

Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.

Last week we discussed the sovereignty of God when it comes to this specific office of ruling authority. There is not one elected official or earthly ruler that has that position outside of God's allowance or even perhaps his active movement to put such a person in that position.

Whoever is in control it is God's will for them to be in control. We asked the question last week does God put evil men in positions of leadership such as Hitler? And the answer that we gave was kind of not really. God will never actively put evil in charge but there are times or he will allow it to take place for whatever purpose he has.

I don't know God's purpose is for all things therefore I do not try to speculate I just know that he is in control and that there is not one thing outside of his control. But this is the point that the Apostle Paul is making that God is the one who's actively putting these people in this position or allowing them for whatever purpose but whatever the role is that person is there for a reason.

We also discussed that our role as Christians is to respect the office. The officer or the one who's fulfilling that office may be a person that we would typically not show respect to regardless we respect the office. We did not unpack that fully.

Now we're at burst 2 and Paul gives the warning on why we should take this so seriously. He says whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God. Do not let that go by your ears and your heart untouched. Take these words very seriously. Because Paul says those who oppose well received condemnation upon themselves.

This is why we respect the office. This is why we must use proper discernment and godly wisdom whenever we come up against the ruling authorities. Do not allow your hatred to cause you to rebel against God. The point is clear and dry right here. There's no need for me to further expand this verse.

All I can say when it comes to this verse is that you better take it seriously. Now this verse does have a context and we need to follow that context so let's look at verse 3

Romans 13:3 NASB95

For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same;

So this leads to us discussing what he government is and isn’t .

So this leads to us discussing what he government is and isn’t and we have to have this discussion in order to move forward. This will be brief.

The government is a God ordained institution that is meant to Provide law and keep order. that is the short definition of the government, that is what Paul is describing here in verse 3.

Now what that law in order looks like is they are to be active in areas that are traffic related, whether that be our modern way of traveling beer planes trains and automobiles or an old way of traveling.

They are too take care of public health things such as plumbing, the protection of a plague or contagious or deadly disease. In our modern culture they are to keep the roads maintained an in order. Make sure the proper taxes are being paid and the funds are going to the proper location. And when laws are violated or broken they are to bring justice on behalf of the people.

The government's duty in maintaining law and order is that they are to protect their people from any threat. This is the role of the government. Now the Bible does not tell us that there is one form of acceptable government. We're going to have to acknowledge that there have been other forms of government other than democracy that for a time have been successful.

Of course corruption is what brought the well lead times to an end and we can argue that is what we are seeing now and I believe many do argue that. But because there is no one given formula for government, God will use all forms of government for whatever purpose he has.

So that is how we should view the role of government period now even though I do not get very political in the pulpit that does not mean that we should not get political at all. We are not of this world but we are still in this world and we have a responsibility while in this world.

We are to be good stewards with this age and culture that we are in in the current time that we live in. The last thing that we should be is careless when it comes to our care for the world and creation around us, and those who are in positions of power.

Because of that we should not be careless about those who are elected and the things that they are doing rather we should be holding them to the standard that has been entrusted to us. not only that but we have an obligation, while we have a voice, while we have the ability to vote, we have the obligation to be faithful stewards in that area to this world or at least this nation.

I say this because there are Christians out there who believe that because we are Christian we are to never to have anything to do with politics at all. some people think that we cannot mix our faith an politics therefore it is OK to give in to certain movements like abortion or homosexuality.

They have surrendered to the culture and believe that those things are political issues and as I stated those things are not political issues they are biblical issues, moral issues. So there is a duty for the believer to get active in some way in some form.

Now I am expanding on something that is just hinted at. When we discover that God established an earth theme rule for his people he did it to establish law and order period this is the point of verse 3. You as a citizen if keeping law in order have nothing to fear because the government was not put in place to put fear into those who are doing good but to put the fear in those who are doing evil.

So what Paul is doing and what the purposes of the state is that they are to establish fear and to those who are considering doing evil or who have done evil. the fear comes with the threat of punishment and the actual executing of punishment. But this verse also plays a positive role as well that the state is to promote well-being for those who do good .

Under the reign of Stalin Christians were being persecuted. But they did not revolt , instead they follow the law. And I got to the point that those who managed the laborers started to communicate to stalling that the Christians were the better workers. They kept their peace and they got their work done and it was because of that that the persecutions against Christians started to come to an end.

Of course this was because they were receiving good labor out of the Christians but regardless they were no longer being persecuted simply because they took serious. And so those Christians under the reign of Stalin knows exactly what it means when Paul says do what is good and you will have praise from the same.

But this leads me into another discussion and it's one that's probably on your mind. What happens when we come under the leadership or dictatorship of a tyrant? Are we to lie down and take it? if you were paying attention to this chapter there is a subtle hint to what that answer may be.

Again, we do not have a lot of scripture text on how a christian's relationship with the governing authorities should be. So the sections that do state these things we have to really dive into them and dissect them to understand our responsibility on how God wants us to behave in the public realm of man when it comes to the relationship with the Christian and the government.

But this is no easy subject to teach on. especially in light of the day an age that Paul is writing this. He is writing this while a tyrant is in control love Rome. Not just Rome but across the Mediterranean. And So what we see here is a man who is stating these things knowing that there is a tyrant that could kill him. And he's telling a church in the very region of where that tyrant lives.

Then we have to consider the life of Paul, That while although he did not confront the civil authorities on their duties he did take the gospel to them. It could be that Paul's mind was the gospel must be proclaimed 1st before I can demand a tyrant to respect God's laws.

Could be. But we just don't know for certain. But the facts are laid out for us period the governing authorities are those that God have put into that specific office. The office itself was instituted by God. So we must respect the office and we must respect the officer who is filling that office.

And then we are given the reasons why, for these rulers are not the cause of fear for those who do good behavior but for those who practice evil. And then you move on to verse four let's look at that together.

Romans 13:4 NASB95

for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.