2- When Civil Authority Commands
Notes
Transcript
Romans 13:1-7
Paul’s takes an interesting and surprising turn in chapter 13.
Those in Christ must be “subject” or submissive to their human authorities in government.
God is saying, one’s place in God’s kingdom does not allow us to ignore those in charge of whatever earthly kingdom we dwell in now.
Yes we are just sojourners in this land.
Yes this land is not our own! We are just a passing through!
20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
But just as we would expect those here on a visa to obey the laws of this land, we need to be subject to the civil authorities here as well.
If you resist authority, you resist God!
God says live peaceably with all men, then he goes in to chapter 13, let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.
This gives a clear path from, doing our best to reconcile with people but it also causes us to realize our responsibility to follow legal matters.
It crosses over from personal conflict to legal conflict, we must involve the civil authorities.
Churches for too long have had a way of rejecting civil authorities and replaced it with in house handling of clearly legal issues.
Paul says that the civil government are the minister of God for good.
Does that mean civil authority will always do the right thing?
Of course not, they are fallen man, just as we are.
We do not trust the man behind the authority, but the God who gave the authority.
But there is another line.
The line where civil authority commands something we are not able to do in Christian conscience.
We must obey God rather than man.
19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
Let’s look at Now What? When Civil Authority Commands
Paul is telling us that the government was
I. Established To Be Obeyed
I. Established To Be Obeyed
Strip away the fear we have of the direction this country is going.
Strip away the fear we have of how we have seen other countries that followed this same route.
Strip away the fear we have of how Christians have suffered in those conditions.
Realize God is in control!
He is in control in suffering and in ease!
Strip away everything except what the Bible says!
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.
A. Every Soul
A. Every Soul
That means every Christian!
I hear the objections, believe me I hear them coming from myself!
But what does God say?
We have to look at the whole of Scripture, not just in one section.
And we will!
But for now, What does the Bible say?
Every Soul!
That means you!
B. Be Subject
B. Be Subject
subject - to place ones self in subjection
What is subjection - to put under - to make one or oneself accountable to the discipline and control of a superior.
God is saying we are to put ourselves under our authority.
Do you have the power to resist - yes
Should you resist - no!
C. Higher Powers
C. Higher Powers
higher - hoop·er·ekh·o - to hold one over another
speaks to position or rank, not worth.
power - ex·oo·see·ah - authority
Any authority that is higher rank than you.
Sometimes it’s difficult when the power has gone to the authorities head.
Little Johnny, A first-grade boy was told by his mother to return home directly after school was dismissed, but he arrived home from school late almost every day. He was sometimes as much as twenty minutes late. His mother asked him, “You get out of school the same time every day. Why can’t you get home at the same time?” He said, “It depends on the cars.” “What do cars have to do with it?” the youngster explained, “The patrol boy who takes us across the street makes us wait until some cars come along so he can stop them.”
God never works through rebellion.
Why? should every should every soul be subject to the higher powers?
II. Established by God
II. Established by God
There is no power but of God.
All authority is God’s
When you stand in a position of authority you are utilizing God’s power.
Is it any wonder that he holds those in authority to a greater judgement?
1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
The powers that be are ordained of God.
God ordained three institutions!
The Family
The Church
The Government
Each of these he gave authority
He gave each of these three authorities guidelines and rules by which they were to use his authority.
The family exists so that members can share together.
The office of parents rule within the family.
The Church exists so that the people may share with God.
The office of the Bishop is to rule within the church.
The government exists so that citizens can relate to each other.
Government officials rule within the state.
These institutions are ordained by God, man is responsible for how they carry out their functions.
Rebellion in any of these ordained institutions is condemned by God, but on the other side of the coin, it is often a sign that a leader is not doing what they should.
Everything rises and falls on leadership.
Believe me, I’m frustrated with our government’s direction too!
Someone said, “Many people want ‘God bless America’ today. They just don’t want ‘One nation under God.’ The issue is that you can’t have one without the other.”
Notice however that the focus of this whole passage is not the leaders, it is the followers.
I can do very little to change how the president handles situations.
I can vote, but it is just one vote.
Many view leaders of the opposing political view as evil, and having a desire to destroy our nation.
I do not believe this to be true.
I believe they are sincere.
God says here that they are the minister to thee for good.
That doesn’t mean they are going to do God’s good, but that they try to do good.
The problem comes when our leaders are tainted by a sinful philosophy.
Their philosophy will define good for them.
How is the best way to change the philosophy of the nation?
The Word of God!
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
You always fight untruth with truth!
I may not be able to do a whole lot about decisions in Washington, but maybe I can teach the truth to children who will be the leaders of tomorrow.
We must deal with God’s ordained powers in the God ordained way!
III. Established To Do Good
III. Established To Do Good
vs 3-5
A. Promote Good and Restrain Evil.
A. Promote Good and Restrain Evil.
Verse 3
Rulers should not restrain good, but evil.
Laws exist to restrain evil.
When your philosophy is based on the wrong ideals, what you view as evil is going to be wrong.
This is why laws exist that allow evil.
They will answer to God about that!
But that doesn’t mean we can annul their authority.
We still are responsible to follow everything that we biblically can follow.
He says wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same.
When I’m driving down the expressway and I see a Michigan State Trooper parked at the side, why do I quickly take my foot off the gas and look at my speedometer? Because I know that I do not always do good in following the speed limit. If I always follow the speed, and constantly and vigilantly guard against disobeying the limit, I have nothing to fear.
13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
If you can obey an ordinance (by the way this is not just a law, it is any decree from any authority) without violating the Bible, we must submit.
Can I just point out that Peter tells us it is for the Lord’s sake!
It is a bad testimony when a Christian does not follow the law!
So if you feel that you are exempt from following any law, decree, ordinance, or authority you better have a very clear Bible verse to support it!
B. Rulers Are Ministers of God
B. Rulers Are Ministers of God
verse 4
minister - diakonos - same word for deacon.
One who executes the command of another - the deacons execute the commands of the Lord in caring for the church.
Our rulers are to carry out the commands of the Lord as well, and do good
God gives them the authority to require that obedience.
“he beareth not the sword in vain.”
He is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
So we must obey them as ministers of God 5
And the Bible gives us two reasons:
1. for wrath
1. for wrath
that is fearing the punishment of the state
authority is only as strong as its ability to enforce their authority.
for instance, An old lady returned home from a church service to find an intruder in the process of ransacking her house. "Stop!" she yelled. "Acts 2:38!" (which says, "Repent!") The burglar stopped dead while the old lady called the police. As he handcuffed the burglar, the officer asked, "How come you just stood there? All the old lady did was quote a Bible verse." "A Bible verse?" the thief replied. "She said she had an axe and two .38s!"
2. for conscience sake
2. for conscience sake
that is fearing the punishment of God
we are told that God ordained the government, and that resisting government equals resisting God’s ordinance.
As Paul told the governor Felix
16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
We need to have the same testimony in our community if we are going to do what God has put us on this earth to do!
IV. Established to Minister
IV. Established to Minister
6-7
God established government to minister by providing justice, protection and service for its citizens.
They make laws to establish those things.
The government is to keep the world from diving into chaos.
Here God let’s his people know that the believer ought to pay taxes, then to allow the government to do this!
We receive the benefits of living in this country.
Freedom, roads, health benefits for the elderly, safety.
Yes, decisions are made by those who are in government that we cannot agree with biblically.
Jesus in his day would not agree with the leaders like Herod, or Caesar Augustus and Tiberias.
Paul would not have agreed with the leaders of his day like Nero who murdered Christians viciously.
And yet, he commanded that tribute be made, why?
so they could minister to the needs of the people.
The Christian should pay the taxes that are due to every man.
The Christian is to live above reproach before all men.
This includes being a good citizen of his government.
34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: But sin is a reproach to any people.