United States: The Last Great Hope of Indepence

Romans 13

Romans 13 HCSB

Everyone must submit to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those 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. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. For government 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 government 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 public 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. 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 whatever other commandment—all are summed up by this: Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law. Besides this, knowing the time, it is already the hour for you to wake up from sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is nearly over, and the daylight 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 daylight: 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 plans to satisfy the fleshly desires.

Who:

Author: The Apostle Paul

Audience: The Congregation of Rome; Jews and Gentiles serving in the Capital City/State

What:

Independence/freedom/liberty

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (Eleventh Edition) Independent

1in•de•pen•dent \ˌin-də-ˈpen-dənt\ adjective

1611

1: not dependent: as

a (1): not subject to control by others: SELF-GOVERNING

(2): not affiliated with a larger controlling unit 〈an independent bookstore〉

b (1): not requiring or relying on something else: not contingent 〈an independent conclusion〉

(2): not looking to others for one’s opinions or for guidance in conduct

(3): not bound by or committed to a political party

c (1): not requiring or relying on others (as for care or livelihood) 〈independent of her parents〉

(2): being enough to free one from the necessity of working for a living 〈a person of independent means〉

d: showing a desire for freedom 〈an independent manner〉

e (1): not determined by or capable of being deduced or derived from or expressed in terms of members (as axioms or equations) of the set under consideration especially: having linear independence 〈an independent set of vectors〉

(2): having the property that the joint probability (as of events or samples) or the joint probability density function (as of random variables) equals the product of the probabilities or probability density functions of separate occurrence

2 capitalized: of or relating to the Independents

3 a: MAIN 5 〈an independent clause〉

b: neither deducible from nor incompatible with another statement 〈independent postulates〉 synonym see FREE—in•de•pen•dent•ly adverb

2independent noun

1644

1 capitalized: a sectarian of an English religious movement for congregational autonomy originating in the late 16th century, giving rise to Congregationalists, Baptists, and Friends, and forming one of the major political groupings of the period of Cromwell

2: one that is independent especially, often capitalized: one that is not bound by or definitively committed to a political party

Governing Authorities

Monarchical

Dictatorial

Democracy

Republic

Theocracy

Communism

Socialism

A combination thereof

When:

During the reign of the Caesars (Pax Romana)

Where:

Corinth

Why:

Paul is explaining his ideals of the true believer of/on/in Jesus the Christ, and the lifestyle that followers should live. His persuasion is the transformation through the renewing of our minds (education), so that we may discern what is the good, pleasing, and satisfying requirements (perfect) through the habitual actions (will) of God. Romans 12:1-2

To inform the audience of the way that God sees and reveals the importance of authority beginning with His and then extending to those both of persons and documents He has ordained (order officially).

To inform the audience that charity (meeting the needs) is the action by which no law can be enforced. To show charity (meeting the needs) is the fulfillment (completeness - having all the necessary parts, steps and elements. Absolute and total)

How:

JOY

Jesus

Others

Yourself

Psalm 67 HCSB

For the choir director: with stringed instruments. A psalm. A song. May God be gracious to us and bless us; look on us with favor Selah so that Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. Let the peoples praise You, God; let all the peoples praise You. Let the nations rejoice and shout for joy, for You judge the peoples with fairness and lead the nations on earth. Selah Let the peoples praise You, God, let all the peoples praise You. The earth has produced its harvest; God, our God, blesses us. God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear Him.