Our Relationship With Our Government-2
Our Responsibility To The Government
Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D.
Sermon Delivered 11/26/00
Text: Romans 13:1-7
General Outline Overview
I. Our Relationship With Other Believers – Rom. 12:9-16
II. Our Relationship With Our Enemies – Rom. 12:17-21
III. Our Relationship With Our Government – Romans 13
Review
God established human government when Noah came out of the ark for the order
human society and the punishment of evildoers (Genesis 9:1-17). In our study so far we have
also noted that…
Government Officials Are Servants Of God – That is, they are
the servants of God because it is God who instituted human government as a means of
regulating the affairs of the human race according to His commands. (Romans 13:4a)
Government Officials Are To Promote Good, Punish Evil & Praise
Right – These duties can clearly be seen in Romans 13:3-4
Today’s Message
- Christian Citizens Are to Obey Governmental Authorities Because God
Designed it That Way
- Christian Citizens To Obey Governmental Authorities So They Won’t
Be Punished
- Christian Citizens Are To Obey Governmental Authorities Because They
Fear Punishment & Because of Their Conscience
As we begin today’s message, I remind you that the purpose of public
office holders is to uphold good and punish evil. The Christian citizen is to obey the
government, as long as the government does not require the citizen to violate the Word of God.
When required to violate God’s Word the injunction of Acts 5:29 comes into play –
"Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather
than men." Dr. Kenneth Wuest says in his Word Studies of The New Testament "If
it (the government) commands us to disobey the common laws of humanity, or the sacred
institutions of our country, our obedience is do the higher and more general law, rather than
the lower and particular law."
I want to draw your attention to two other passages that relate to what we
are studying in Romans 13. First, look at 1 Peter 2:13-15 "Submit yourselves to
every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; 14 Or
unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the
praise of them that do well. 15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may
put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:"
Peter’s emphasis is very similar to that of Paul in Romans 13. We see that
Peter says that those who govern are sent by God to punish evildoers and praise those who do
right.
Next, we come to a brief statement by the Apostle Paul in Titus 3:1
"Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be
ready to every good work."
Now, let’s move on to an explanation of the passage at hand.
- We Are To Obey Governmental Authorities Because God Designed It That
Way
William Tyndale did a good job of translating Romans 13:1 in his revised
edition of 1534 Tyndale. It reads -- "Let every soul submit himself unto the authority of
the higher power. For there is no power but of God. The powers that be, are ordained of
God." In fact, the word "submit" in Tyndale’s translation and the word
"subject" in the King James Bible is a translation of the Greek word upotassw
hupotasso (hoop-ot-as'-so; 5293) which is a military word speaking of soldiers lining up
in order under a general. A soldier is subject to the general’s orders. Likewise, "every
soul" or every person is under divine obligation to obey governmental authorities.
But why is that? "Verse 1 says, "For there is no power but of God…"
That means God is the fountain of all power and authority. The power that man has over
all the creatures, the beasts of the field, the fowls of the air, the fishes of the sea, etc.
is originally of God, and by a grant from him, we, the lesser powers, exercise dominion over
them. Likewise, the power the husband has over the wife, or that parents have over their
children originates with God and has been delegated to them. So it is with governments and
leaders of governments. The power of civil governments is derived from God. God it the one who
has ordained civil governments and their power is derived from Him.
Let go one step further. The last phrase in Romans 13:1 says, "the
powers that be are ordained of God." The phrase "powers that be" is not
a reference to individual office holders but the power of rule or authority of government. The
word ordained is a translation of the Greek word tassw tasso (tas'-so; 5021)
which means to assign a place. Tasso – ordained is in the perfect tense, indicating
that human government is a permanent institution brought into being by God for the regulating
of human affairs. Simply stated, we are to obey governmental authorities, because God designed
it that way!
- Christian Citizens To Obey Governmental Authorities So They Won’t
Be Punished
Verse 2 says, "Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the
ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation."
The key to comprehending this verse lies in understanding what damnation refers
to. What the verse is NOT a reference to eternal judgment, saying that someone who disobeys
government authorities will be eternally damned to Hell, but rather that earthly
judgment will be imposed by a magistrate or court of law. When someone resists the human
authorities that God has established, God has delegated to governments the power to punish
offenders!
Romans 13:3-4 supports the interpretation that the damnation
is not eternal damnation, but earthly judgment when it says, "For rulers are not a terror
to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is
good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 4 For he is the minister of God to thee
for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in
vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth
evil."
As we saw in our last message, governments have the job of promoting good,
punishing evil and praising right. Right and wrong are determined by the municipality, state or
country, and, as long as the government does not demand that its citizens violate the Law of
God, then we must obey.
That brings me to the sword in verse 4. Without a doubt the sword
symbolizes the governments authority to punish evildoers including the administration of
capital punishment. Yet, there is another aspect of the sword that my Nelson Study Bible
points out in a note on verse 4 -- "The sword is a symbol representing the authority of
the government to protect its citizens by punishing those who do what it has determined is
wrong. It is important for Christians to be actively involved in government so that the
government’s values are consistent with the Word of God."
Far too many Christians have abdicated being involved in government,
claiming that Christianity and politics are don’t mix. That is completely contrary to what we
see recorded in the Bible! You need only study the lives of Daniel, Joseph and Esther to shoot
that down. Not to mention Paul’s testimony to Felix and his wife Drusilla (Acts
24:23-25) as
well as to Festus, Agrippa and his wife Bernice (Acts 26:1-29). In truth, a careful study of
documents from our nations early history would prove that Christianity, Christians and
Christian doctrines were an integral part of this nation.
If you doubt that, I urge you to get a copy of the original constitution of
North Carolina. Article XXXII says ; "That no person who shall deny the being of God, or the truth of
Protestant religion, or the divine authority of the Old or New Testaments…shall be capable of
holding any office or place of trust or profit in the civil department within this state."
In 1864 the Constitution of the State of Maryland required all State
officers to make: "A declaration of belief in the Christian religion, or of the existence
of God, and in a future state of rewards and punishments."
In Massachusetts, all persons elected to State office or to the Legislature
had to ascribe to the following declaration – "I _______, do declare, that I believe the
Christian religion, and have firm persuasion of its truth."
These are just a few examples of how Christians, in the early days of our
country perpetuated biblical values within our culture. But, after the Civil War preachers
began to tell their congregations that "religion and politics didn’t mix." One of
the reasons we are where we are today is because Christians believed that lie. It’s time for
Christians reenter the political arena at all levels if they will take their biblical values
with them.
- Christian Citizens Are To Obey Governmental Authorities Because They
Fear Punishment & Because of Their Conscience
"Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but
also for conscience sake. 6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's
ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their
dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour
to whom honour." Romans 13:5-7
Verses 5 points out that there are two reasons for obeying governmental
authorities. The first is an external one that is a restatement of the one we just looked at in
the previous verse: "for wrath." Or as the 1568 Bishops Bible stated it – "for
fear of punishment."
The second reason to obey is an internal reason: for conscience sake.
God does not allow us to "do that which is right in our own eyes." Anarchy is NOT his
plan. The Christian’s conscience recognizes the divine right and function of government as
being ordained by God and therefore freely submits to it. An indication of this submission is
paying taxes, sales taxes, tariffs, tolls and assessments as well as show honor, deference and
respect to those who hold office public office. This is our duty as Christian citizens.
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