Sermon April 19th
Since Pastor Dan is on a short break, we paused 1 Corinthians, and instead this week’s sermon was from Romans 13:1-7
In our daily lives, when we break rules established by the governing authorities, things can go very wrong, and we might even hurt others unintentionally. Doing what is right sometimes can be difficult, can be counter-intuitive, but is absolutely necessary. Paul tells us that every government in the world today and in the past has been established by God. God holds the final authority, and governments are there to fulfill His purpose. Daniel 2:21 “God removes kings and sets up kings.” We submit to the government out of reverence for God and not for the ruler. God has stripped government of their final authority. Even those rulers who are considered evil (plenty of them can be found in the Old Testament) were established by God. For example, Nebuchadnezzar, Babylonian king that destroyed Jerusalem (Jeremiah 27:6).
It is good that there is government and not anarchy. Government is a gift of common grace to the world. Evil would break over the world if there were no civil authorities for restraint. Authorities are designed to be an effective tool in resisting the effects of man’s fallenness, our sinful nature. Paul invites us to be the best law-abiding citizens. Government carries the “sword,” prepare to be punished if you are not in subjection. But Christians should always advocate for justice to prevail over injustice. Some examples of authorities coming to Paul’s rescue are in Acts 16:35–39, Acts 22:25-29, and Acts 23.
Like in the church and marriage, submitting to one another does not mean blindly obeying. It is more about respect, honor, acknowledgement of legitimacy of authority and recognizing that it has a place in God created order. And we should not submit if the law of a governing authority contradicts God’s higher law. Examples are in Acts 5:28-29, Daniel 6:6-10, Exodus 1:15-20. When we submit, we submit to the will of God before anything and anyone else out there.
God’s law obligates us to live peacefully, respect authority, pay our taxes, work for the common good, but also to resist evil, act justly, advocate for justice, and engage responsibly as citizens who call government to account if they do not fulfill their roles as God’s servants for good. Instead of complaining, we should pray for those who are in authority. Meditate on the word, pray to God, listen to the Holy Spirit, guard your heart. This will help you to do what is right.
Discussion Questions
- Knowing that all authority ultimately comes from God, how does that influence your view on government & politics?
- Are we, as Christians, the best law-abiding citizens of all? How do we demonstrate that?
- How often do you pray for governing authorities? How often should we?
- Do we pay what is owed to others: taxes, revenue, respect, honor?
