Title: Submission to Authorities
I. Paul calls every person to Civil Obedience
v1 “every soul” Paul is not just talking to Christians in his letter to the Romans, moreover, he is writing to more non-Christians than Christians, and calling all people to a level of civil obedience. This is interesting because:
1. Romans was written to the Roman authorities as a defense of the Christian faith, this could be seen as Paul “kissing up” to Rome because they were the dominant authority on earth at the time. But God is who Paul is really obeying here with the writing of this letter.
2. The Jews, of which Paul was one, were constantly at odds with the Romans, especially in Jerusalem. Now the Christians were complicating the issues a great deal and Paul is writing this letter to Rome that they might understand that Christians were not to be associated with the Jews, particularly the Jewish leadership, but that Christians were their own group.
v1 “governing authorities” Who is this?
1. People of office-police, judges, etc.
2. The laws themselves-speed limits, civil, criminal laws
ON a personal note: 1. Anyone who has been placed above you i.e. Supervisor at work, Parents, Bible Study teacher, etc.
II. God is an active God, not a passive one
v1 “All authority has been appointed by God.” Paul is not describing a passive God. He doesn’t write, “God allows so and so to become President.” He says God appointed them. Now, that causes a great trouble for us here today because we have not had the most moral leaders in our country’s history. But David was immoral once too, and God used him for his Glory. Pharaoh’s heart was one of the most stubborn ever, and God used him for his Glory.
**Key point: We will not always understand God’s selections for authority, but we don’t need to, we only need to honor them. And we can honor them by praying for them!!! How many of us regularly prayed for Clinton? We should have, he needed it, and so did our country.
Now, we are in the midst of one of our Country’s darkest hours, our leadership needs our prayers!!!
III Paul gives us a forbidding warning
v2 “Therefore…” (Story of Ben teaching this passage at WOC)
*You dishonor God when you dishonor his selections. And you will suffer judgement for such decisions.
(Bride who loves a wedding dress, puts it on, with tears of joy running down her cheeks-her father takes one look at is and says, “you look horrible.”)
How would we react if our boss shows us his new watch he is very excited about and we thinks it horrible.
WE would honor his selection. So why don’t we do this with God’s selections???
IV Do What is Good!
NOW, I know where this is all leading you in your thought. Okay, what do we do then when the authority that be, is against what we believe as Christians?
Fortunately, we look at Verse 3.
v3 Do what is good. Do not be afraid of authority, remember the ultimate authority in your life!
God does appoint the leaders, his hand is on these things, but those leaders will not always do the right thing, because they are men, just like us.
Look at us, we’re saved, do we err? Of course! But when we do, we appeal to the greater good, the word of God, we repent, and hopefully grow.
***Key Point: God will put obstacles in our life, why? To strengthen us! He will put people over you that you can’t follow because following them means disobeying God.
(Moses V. Pharaoh)
(Daniel V. King)
(Paul V. Felix)
Expect this, it will happen. Be prepared to follow God, and when in doubt, do good.
Honor the ultimate authority.
Close:
Recap.
Always measure your decision to follow the current leadership against the word of God. The issue isn’t weather YOU agree with that leader, but that SCRIPTURE agrees with you.