Selfless Submission

There is an old country song that goes, 'you can talk about anything in this world, except politics, religion, and her.' Of course, the premise of the song is about a country singer who loses his wife, well country singers lose everything, but this one, in particular, George Strait, loses his wife. And to keep from having hurt feelings well up and to stay clear of an argument, he believes there are three topics off-limits to speak of, politics, religion, and her. I'm sure most people can relate to this song, we will just ignore ‘the her’ portion even if you can relate to it, it's not the point. The other two are politics and religion.

I find it interesting in today's society how these two topics are not so much off-limits, Christian or non-Christian. But of the two topics, politics seems to be a topic that is more important to most people above and beyond religion most times. We become more heated over politics than we do over sin. I think the major reason why is because we are Americans first. We're free, we can do what we want, we have a constitutional right to fight for what we want and do not infringe on my constitutional rights.

The problem with that kind of thinking is we are Americans first, we are Christians second. What informs your beliefs? What do you align yourself with and why? Do you submit to God in every part of your life or do you only submit only when you agree with Him and when you don't agree with Him you ignore Him?

Is your life marked with Selfless Submission or Selfish Rebellion? When you rebel is it because your personal rights have been infringed or because God's Honor has been tarnished? Throughout Scripture, we're called to be submissive to the authority of others. Children are to be submissive to their parents, wives are to be submissive to their husbands, and husbands are to be submissive to Jesus. It's the last one people tend to forget.

We are also called to be submissive to our governing authorities. 'The reason why we submit to our governing authorities is that they have been appointed by God, they are misters for good, and it is our duty to honor and respect them.'

Selfless Servants Submit to God’s appointed Civil Rulers with Respect and Honor

If you have your Bibles, turn with me to Romans 13:1-7, Paul is about to teach the Roman church, love for God means you submit to His sovereign election of governing authorities.

Romans 13:1-7 “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. 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; 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. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to …”

In verse 1, Paul writes, "Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established

by God. 2) Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. We have been learning what it means to be a Selfless Servant. A Selfless Servant has an attitude of sincere love. Sincere love places the interests of the object loved above and before your own. This sincere love is the catalyst for loving one another in the church and also for overcoming evil. Sincere Love comes from a life and out of a heart that has had a radical Transformation from accepting the truth of the gospel.

A radical transformation happens from the inside out, and it affects every part of your life. A Radical transformation happens in your behavior toward others. First, is your behavior in the church, that is, how we treat one another. Second, is our behavior toward our enemies and those who mistreat us. We generally think of those outside the church but sadly we are mistreated by those in the church too. Now Paul is moving forward to another sphere of our life where our behavior must reflect sincere love, and it is our behavior toward governing authorities.

In verse 1, Paul writes;" Every person, some translations might have Every Soul.' This is not only a lesson Christians must learn, but I would argue, that every human being should adhere to this truth. But for those who are followers of Jesus Christ who claim He is their Lord and Master. If you claim Jesus is your King, then you especially listen to this. "Every person is to be' in subjection to the governing authorities! This is present tense, and it's not a suggestion, this is a command. Now I know what you're thinking, 'well, what if it's not my party? What if I didn't vote for the person in office, what if I don't agree with his or her politics?

Paul doesn't say, submit only if you like them, submit as long as he or she is the governing party you voted for, submit only when you agree. When the gas prices are the way you want them and when they stop going after your guns and when they deal with inflation. Then you submit. That's not what Paul says. He is very clear, submit to the governing authorities it is present tense and it's not contingent on what they do or what they stand for. All too often, I hear Christians say things like, 'not my president,' or worse. And those who say that they don't have a problem with the president or senator or congressman or mayor, they have a problem with God.

"We submit to governing authorities because God has appointed them."

2 God Appoints Civil Leaders

Paul continues in verse 1 and in verse 2, 'For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. (2) Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves."

Do you see what Paul is saying here about governing authorities and why we must submit, it is because God has appointed them for the positions they hold. People do not become rulers by accident, in all honesty, people can't even steal elections. No matter how a person becomes appointed to the office they hold, one truth stands, it didn't take God by surprise. It was not out of God's sovereign will. God has appointed every ruler who has come down throughout history to take their place of power over their people.

God not only places these rulers in positions of power, but He also established the system of government. We know this by going back to Genesis, in the creation account, God created Adam and Eve, and what did He tell them to do? Subdue and rule over the earth. Their original role was to be perfect co-rulers with God over the earth.

Adam was appointed as the ruler over the Earth under God's leadership. That means Adam had authority but his authority was limited. God dictated how far Adam's rule would extend. What was Adam's limit? The tree of the Knowledge of good and evil. He was allowed to eat from any tree except that one. Limited authority, all Adam had to do was submit to God's authority. Eve as well had to submit to God's authority. The way she was to submit to God's authority was by submitting to Adam's authority as Adam submitted to God's authority. What happened when Adam resisted? They tarnished, ruined, God's original design; they tarnished God's design for marriage and also His design for government. So the government has become imperfect because of sin.

Regardless of how imperfect it is, the government was designed by Him, and it is a picture of our position under the authority and role of God in the heavenly kingdom. Not so much our modern government, more a monarchy, well without parliament, but God's design is that He would be King. So the governing authorities are an imperfect picture of the kingdom of heaven. What I mean by this is, that God will rule for all eternity, we're going to fall under His rule in heaven, as a Christ-follower today, we fall under His rule now, as though we are in heaven. So we follow Him by adhering to those who He has placed in authority over us now.

Since we fall under a system God has established and it is a picture of heaven with us falling under Jesus' Lordship then we're to submit to the governing authorities because we're in actuality submitting to Jesus Himself. The same goes for when we resist Governing authorities, when we resist governing authorities we are in opposition to God's appointed ruler. When we resist because we don't agree with their decisions or their plan for the country or just because they're a different party, then we are resisting God. When you say not my president, you are claiming God is not sovereign. Not one ruler in history has taken a position of power without God knowing about it or having an active role in it.

Oh, why would God put Hither or Stalin in positions of power? For the same reason, He put Pharaoh on the throne during the Exodus, for His glory. Do you know who the Emporer of Rome was as Paul writes this letter? Nero. He is the same guy who, in about ten years or so from the writing of this letter, will order Paul's head to be chopped off. He will also order the execution of another Apostle along with Paul, his name is Peter.

Turn with me to 1 Peter2:13-17; and Peter writes

1 Peter 2:13–17 (NASB95): 13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.16 Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.17 Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.

Peter, writes this letter about eight years after Paul writes Romans. He writes this at about the same time Rome is burned and there is a lot of animosity against Christians and Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit tells the church in Asia Minor, that is modern-day Turkey, just above Syria, that they must 'submit themselves for the Lord's sake to human institutions.’

Submission to governing authorities is a mandate, not a suggestion. Peter's first letter is written to encourage Christians in the midst of opposition and suffering, they are to have hope and persevere through this life fixing their eyes on the life to come. All the while submitting to human institutions, to those appointed by God.

You know I have read through the entire Bible and I have read through the whole New Testament and nowhere have I read if the government does something you don't like, fight against them, revolt, take them out. I've read it, it's not there, prove me wrong. Show me chapter and verse where Paul, or Peter, or John, or James says rebel against the government, I just gave you two passages that say the opposite. Now, this doesn't mean there is no place for Civil disobedience.

Paul and Peter are not saying follow blindly after the government. Submission doesn't mean blind obedience, it means you obey rulers as though they are listening to God, because God appoints them, and they are His ministers for good.

3 Civil Leaders are Ministers for Good

Look at verses 3-4; Romans 13:3–4 (NASB95): 3 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; 4 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.

There is no need to fear governing authorities if you adhere to the law of the land. Believe it or not, God set up the government for the purpose of keeping society from falling to anarchy. Without some system of controls, people would fall to their base natural instinct, sin. The design of government is to help enforce rules and laws. Not all rules and laws, follow Biblical principles but as long as rulers and laws are not counter Biblical then there is no reason for civil disobedience. Now society is deteriorating at a rapid pace. When America was founded, the leaders followed Biblical principles. Now they are openly defiant against God. So what do you do? Especially since Paul writes here they are a minister of God for good. Well, Paul doesn't spell it out for us but I will say this you still don't rebel. God has appointed them.

So what if they ask you to do something immoral if they ask you to go against God. That's when you do like the Apostles in the book of Acts, Acts 4:18–20 (NASB95): 18 And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; 20 for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

And then later in Acts 5, Acts 5:27–32 (NASB95): 27 When they had brought them, they stood them before the Council. The high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. 31 “He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32 “And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

Where was the rebellion, where was the overthrow of the authorities, there wasn't. There was a drive for reform through repentance, and there was a higher priority, which was to serve the cause of Christ, and it wasn't to be done with violence, but with peace.

So how do we fight against injustice? How do we fight when the civil leaders who use the sword in vain? Turn with me to Acts 12. Verses 1-3 set things up for us. Acts 12:1-3 “Now about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them. And he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword. When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. Now it was during the days of Unleavened Bread.”

See Herod was the ruler of Judea at the time. Was he appointed by God, yes was he serving God, no. In verse 4 we find Peter is imprisoned, why? Because it pleased the Jews and Herod wanted to be in their good graces. In verse 5 we find the Christian’s weapon of choice, the most powerful weapon we have in our arsenal to defeat injustice, prayer.

The church did not take up swords and clubs and call for the removal of the king. They didn't bust into the prison to free Peter, they prayed, fervently. It was continuous, they didn't stop praying for Peter. Then two incredible events happened.

First, an angel comes to Peter, wakes him up by kicking him, and leads him out of prison. When Peter realized this was not a vision but reality he went quickly to John Mark's mother's house, verse 12 look at what they were doing, praying. This was their strategy and it worked.

The second event, Herod's evil ways didn't escape God's notice. The end of chapter twelve, starting in verse 20; Acts 12:20–24 (NASB95): 20 Now he was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; and with one accord they came to him, and having won over Blastus the king’s chamberlain, they were asking for peace, because their country was fed by the king’s country. 21 On an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them. 22 The people kept crying out, “The voice of a god and not of a man!” 23 And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died. 24 But the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied.

We don't need to rebel, we don't need to think oh this is injustice. We need to pray, give the gospel, and further the cause of Christ. When we obey the Governing authorities we have no reason to fear, but this works best when you are Christians first and Americans second. Think about why you rebel against the government or fight against them. Is it because your American liberty has been taken from you or because God's honor has been tarnished. Remember when you rebel against the government you are rebelling against God. Instead of Rebellion, pray, pray fervently, and don't stop praying.

In verse 5 Paul sums up what he has just said, submit to escape the wrath and for conscience's sake." So we submit because God has appointed them and because they are God's ministers and we submit because it’s our duty.

4 Submit because It’s Your Duty

In verses 6 and 7, Paul writes, Romans 13:6–7 (NASB95): 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. 7 Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.

Our duty or a part of our legal requirement by God and man is to pay tax. Taxes, as unfair as you might think they are, go to pay for many things. God has appointed them and their job is to serve God. If they are not serving God, write to them, but be sure that your letter is written with Biblical proof as to where they are not serving God not just your opinion. As citizens of this earth, give to Cesar what is Cesars' and God what is God's. We pay tax, income tax, and property tax. We also pay customs, that is sales tax. We fear those we are to fear, respect those in authority and honor those in authority. It doesn't matter if you like the person or what they stand for, give them respect as a person as an appointed servant of God. When you respect them you respect God, when disrespect them or dishonor them you dishonor God.

There is so much to say on this topic, and living in a fallen world there are so many variables. Let me ask you a question, when you see someone fall off a bike or trip, do you worry if the person is hurt, or do you automatically think what a doop. I noticed an article this morning that the president fell off his bike while greeting a crowd in Delaware. Then someone I know on facebook posted, ‘can’t ride a bike or even walk how can he make decisions for us.’ Come on now, have you ever tripped, and I suppose everyone here has a perfect balance on a bike right. Don’t disrespect a person God has appointed to make decisions for us. Instead, pray for them. Pray for Spiritual healing. The next time you catch yourself thinking, oh I can’t believe the president has made this plan, or I can’t believe what AOC said, or even the next time you read something disrespectful about a civil leader, don’t jump on the band wagon, pray for that person. While you’re at it, ask God for forgiveness for dishonoring Him and disrespecting Him.