It's wonderful to be here with you today.
We appreciate each and every one who have come to be with us to
worship God, in spirit, and in truth this morning.
And if you consider yourself a visitor, we would hope that you
would feel as you are. And that is, as our honored
guest, as always is the case, it is a privilege and an honor to
speak concerning the word of God, and I hope and pray that
what we have to consider for a little while this morning would
be edifying to you and encouraging to you in some way.
I will say though also it's wonderful to see brother Ruben
with us, very saddened with the passing of Mary and our prayers
are certainly with and for Ruben and his family.
At this time, I want to invite your attention to the Book of
Romans the 13th chapter and we want to begin reading there in
verse 1. Romans chapter 13 beginning in
verse 1. Paul said, let every soul be
subject to the governing authorities for there is no
Authority except from God in the authorities that exist are
appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists The
Authority resist, the ordinance of God and those who resist will
bring judgment on themselves for rulers are not a terror to good
works but to evil. Do you want to be of unafraid of
the authority do what's good? And you will have praise from
the same for he is God's. Minister to you for good.
But if you do evil be afraid for he does not bear The Sword in
vain for. He is God's Minister and
Revenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.
Therefore, you must be subject, not only because of Wrath, but
also for conscience sake. Okay, the reason for the lesson
I was watching the presidential debate the other day and I got
to thinking about this, there was a question that was asked to
each one of the candidates and it was this would you accept the
fact if the other person your opponent is elected, will you
accept that fact? And will you support that fact
the other person? And when they asked, Hillary
Clinton, what she would say about that, she immediately
said, yes I would, I would support Donald Trump.
When they ask Donald Trump, he kind of him hot around a little
bit. He told a few more stories and
said a few more things and then finally afterwards, as he walked
beat and front of a stage, he was asked in an interview, would
you support Hillary Clinton if she was elected president?
And then he said, yes I will. I would support that.
Well, the question is, we have a presidential election that's
about to happen in our country. The question is, what is God's
dealings with all of that? How does God look upon that
election and what's God's dealings with?
What's God's wrong? And all of that.
Well, let me just simply say this.
Please get this, this is by way of encouragement.
Whoever is elected, president of the United States.
Remember this God is Thoroughly and control, thoroughly in
control. And number two, God's people
will be just fine. I want to say this before we
begin. And in my introduction in no
way, was I trying to promote a political candidate?
I am not interested in that. In fact, I think when
denominations use the Forum of the pulpit to promote politics,
I think that's wrong. I think it's inappropriate to
do, so I'm not doing that today. In fact, when I made the
statement about the question that was asked to each
presidential candidate, would you accept the other, would you
submit to the authority of the other?
If they were elected? The question before us is, will
you will? I will we accept the candidate
that's chosen and submit to them.
In fact, the Apostle Paul in our passage is going to give seven
different compelling reasons why we should submit to the
governing authorities that are over us.
In fact we're just going to use Romans 13:1 through five as the
outline for our study today. Keeping that in mind going to
back to verse number 1. In our text, the Bible says Let
every soul be subject to the governing authorities.
Now, that is an unqualified statement.
In other words, it doesn't qualify who the governing
authorities are, and it doesn't qualify.
What subjection might mean, and if that's the case, then we must
conclude, we must say, we have an unqualified unmitigated
command, to be subjected to the governing authorities that are
over us. Whoever they are and whatever
they are. Now, that's Paul's writing here
in Romans 13, Peter dealt with this in a similar fashion in 1st
Peter chapter 2, listen to this. This is talking about Peter
giving instruction when living among the world.
First Peter 2 beginning in verse 12.
Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles that when
they speak against you as evildoers they may by your good
works which they observe glorify God in the day of visitation.
Therefore submit yourself to every ordinance of man for the
Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme or to Governor's, as
to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and
for the praise of those who do good for this is the will of
God. By doing good.
You may put to silence the ignorance of foolish, man.
Now What I'm saying is this, both the Apostle Paul and the
Apostle Peter make it clear our responsibility is to submit to
the governing authorities that are over us.
And as I said, a moment ago there are actually seven
motivations for doing just that seven reasons by following what
God has given us. Notice, first of all, number
one, Number one, government is by Divine decree, It Is, by
Divine decree in verse 1. Again, it says, for there is no
Authority except from God and the authorities that be notice
are appointed by God. Now, what did that just say?
It says there's no Authority, except by God, and the
authorities that be. They all are appointed by God.
Now, Authorities that exist whoever they are, are
established by God. I'm talking about civil
Authority, I'm talking about governmental Authority and it
all comes from God. Now, there's two other
institutions that God gave man is great for the well-being of
May. Number one is marriage.
That's an institution that was ordained or appointed by God for
the benefit of, man. What else?
The church? The church is for the spiritual
well-being, of, man. Notice how it works government
is for man's public well-being. Marriage is for man's personal
well-being, and the church is for man's spiritual well-being.
And all of these come from God and they are given to man for
man's well-being. Now, When it says there's no
Authority except from God and power belongs to God.
That's exactly what Jesus meant in.
Matthew 28, in Matthew 28 before Jesus gave the Great Commission.
Verse 18, He said all power or all authority is given unto me
in heaven and in Earth who gave Jesus that Authority, the only
one who had it And that was God. Psalm 62 and 11 listen to this.
God has spoken once twice. I have heard this that power
belongs to God. All right, we get that, we
understand that. The question is, does God care?
Or does God have anything to do with our Three.
Does God have anything to do with all the other countries in
the world? Well notice.
Yes, he does. In fact, the Bible would say
that God actually determines the times of Nations.
And by the way, when I say the times of nation time talking
about the beginning of patients and the end of Nations, don't
ever be confused as to think that God is in his Heaven
somewhere and this world is just existing as it wants to and God
has no dealings with it at all, all the countries in the world.
World are subjected to God, not only that he determines when
they begin and he determines how they end.
Let me put some scriptures to that, in Acts, chapter 17 and
verse 26. The Bible says, and he has made
from one blood every nation of men to dwell on the face of the
Earth and has determined their pre appointed times and the
boundaries of their dwellings. Doesn't that sound to you, like
God's in control? We've got all this stuff going
on in the world. We've got all these things that
happen in various countries and yet God is totally in control
and God determines their beginning.
He determines their dwelling and he had traded determines that
ending of them and their boundaries to.
All right, well what about this? What about this?
Does God have anything to do with who's going to become
president of the United States? That's the question.
Does God have anything to do with that and Daniel chapter 4
and verse 17 wants this? The decision is binding divided
by the decree of the Watchers, and the sentence, by the word of
the Holy ones. In order that the living may
know, get this, that the most high rules in the Kingdom of men
and gives do Whomever he will and sets over it.
The lowest of men. That tells me that the most high
by the way, that's God. He is the most high.
There is no one higher than God. He rules and Reigns in the
Kingdom of men. What else does he do?
He gives the Kingdom's to whoever he wants to and what
else he sits over it. The lowest of men.
I've heard people say, you know, there's no way that God has any
dealings with politics if he would put that man in office.
And sets the lowest of men over it.
More on that in a minute. First of all, I have to say this
though, the Bible does not give a theory of government.
The Bible does not uphold one form of government over another
like a monarchy, for example, that ruled in Europe for
centuries. In fact, the Bible does not
uphold a democracy. You can't find a democratic
social civil structure in all the Bible.
We're talking about governments in general now.
I have to tell you something about me, okay?
And, first of all, I understand God's not in America.
God is not in America, okay? But I will tell you this.
I'm a patriotic person and I love our country.
I think there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.
I love our country. In fact, I love our country so
much that if it wasn't for preaching, the gospel outside of
this country, I would have no desire to even leave it at all.
I love the country. We live in.
I still believe it's the greatest country in the world,
but don't make the mistake into thinking that God is for our
country and God is against all other countries.
He is not, in fact, God's not an American.
God is a spirit, John chapter 4 and they that worship Him must
worship Him in spirit and in truth So is there anything wrong
with being a paint of patriotic type of person?
Absolutely not And you know what, when your kids go to
school, there's nothing wrong with them, doing this flag,
salute and the Pledge of Allegiance, nothing wrong with
that at all. There's also nothing wrong with
staying there, in respect, as you look to the flag of the
United States of America and during the national anthem.
And I got to tell you this nonsense is going on in sports
today, with these disrespectful. People that are taking a knee or
even heard this laying down during the national anthem and
some platform if they're trying to sell.
Well. I think it's ridiculous and I'll
tell you this. I have not fought for my
country, I'm a preacher of the Gospel.
I don't go to battle. I don't fight in Wars.
I preach the word of God. But I'm going to tell you
something, it doesn't mean that I'm not thankful and grateful
for the men who died to buy my freedom.
I'm going to tell you that right now.
If people don't like our country folks, it's really easy.
All you got to do is just get your passport and leave.
I think it's a greatest country in the world that's going to
make that point. But God does not feel better
about America that he does about another country.
God is not American. So, however, the rulers come to
power. However, that is, whether by
dynastic descent inherited, or by aristocratic family
connection or a democratic election.
There is no governing power. That is outside of the purpose
of God, and God has given authority to the authorities
that exist. So somebody might say, well,
what about the what about the bad guys?
What about the crew, guys? You know, the crew ones are not
a reflection of God's goodness or nature.
If somebody abuses the position that they're in, it doesn't mean
it's a reflection on God. Give you a little example.
When I said, God gave to other things for Society, for for man
for man's benefit. One is marriage and the others,
the church, Okay. Divorce tears, marriage apart,
but that's not a reflection on God's nature.
Apostasy and worldliness tears, the church up, but that's not a
reflection on God's nature. And abuse is in government, Tara
Nations. But that doesn't mean that God.
That's a reflection of God's nature.
Not at all. Abuse is do not in any sense.
Diminish, the truth. That these institutions are
ordained. Of God.
I read one scholar. This what he said about Wicked
rulers. Let this soak in for a second.
Wicked rulers are part of God's plan to punish Wicked Nations
and to allow evil to run its course toward destruction as
pretty sobering it Remember when the prophet habakkuk was praying
to God calling out to God, how long am I going to call out to
you? Not going to hear me?
What did God do? He raised up a terrible people?
The Chaldeans to punish them and then what did he do?
He destroyed the Chaldeans. And somebody might say, well,
how is that possible? Why did he do that?
I don't know. I don't know, I don't care.
The Bible says that God's thoughts are not our thoughts.
His ways are not our ways for as the heavens are higher than the
earth. So are his thoughts in our
thoughts, and his ways in our ways, he just submit to that,
that's enough. And that's good enough.
Now, why do we have? Back to the seven motivations.
Why do we have governmental structure?
Why do we have that? Well, really we have it.
The reasons are the purpose is twofold.
Number one, it was for the repression of evil.
And number two, it was for the rewarding of good and virtue
those two reasons. Now, it was never to be ordained
by the opinions of the governed, or the will of the majority.
I'm talking about the structure. God willed a, the structure.
That's what I'm talking about. It was always for there were
question of evil, and it was for the rewarding, a virtue and
good. It was not ordained, it was
ordained of God. It was not ordained by the
opinions of the Govern, nor the will of the majority.
Now, What about Wicked rulers? What about Wicked forms of
government. What about wicked men, that,
that take office? Let me just simply say that they
accomplish the purpose of God, to member fero member fero.
God didn't make him bad, but when he wouldn't repent, he
turned him over to a hard heart. In fact, the Bible says, he used
him to declare his power and all Egypt, and Israel as well.
Romans chapter 9, listen to this, Romans 9 and 17.
For the scripture says of pharaoh for this very purpose, I
have raised you up. That I may show my power in you
and that my name may be declared on all the Earth.
Even Wicked rulers declare, the purpose of God.
So what's the first reason or motivation that we have to
submit to the governmental authorities that are over us.
Well, number one is by Divine decree, it's appointed by God.
There are no authorities that exist except that which is
ordained of God, that being the case.
That brings us to number two, if you resist the authority, you
rebelled against God. If you resist the authority, you
rebel against God. Going to verse 2 of Romans
chapter 13. Therefore whoever resists The
Authority resist, the ordinance of God, and those who resist
will bring judgment on themselves.
You know, the word ordinance is an interesting word.
It comes from the Greek word, diet Aaj, and it means
institution or establishment of God.
In other words these governmental authorities are the
ordinance or establishment of God.
All right. One scholar wrote in the 1800's,
listen to this. About our thoughts about that.
and resistance in all of that, he wrote this, in the 1800's, he
said this and I quote, The people of God should consider
resistance to the government under which they live as very
awful and even an awful crime, even as resistance to God,
himself. And somebody might say, no, wait
a minute. I just don't like what's going
on in our country. You think God does?
I'm sure God's not happy either. We still submit by the way, I
understand passing. So I'm not misunderstood we
submit until the laws of the land.
Tell us, we cannot worship God. Then we obey God and we resist
the authorities that are over us whenever the commands of the
authority. Contradict what God has
instructed us to do? Then we do with the Bible says,
I appreciated Darren so much about his prayer and he talked
about About those that are over us and those that are in
governing authoritative rolls over us, that they would not
enact any laws that would keep us from worshiping God.
We don't do that very much anymore.
We don't pray that a whole lot. We need to pray that Now, let's
just back up for a second till about resisting Authority.
You know what resist means, watch this.
It literally means by definition to arrange yourself with the
opposition to permanently line up against God.
In other words, if I resist the authority, that is over me,
guess what? I'm doing, I am lining.
My self up with the opposition against God.
The only time I'm ever allowed to do that is when man's laws
contradict God's laws, then I stand with God.
All right. What should our attitude be even
if we don't like the president? I got to tell you something just
in passing. You probably heard me say it so
I'm just going to admit that. I said it may be so I'm not
reminded of it later but I said yes I did.
If Hillary Clinton's elected president, it can only mean that
God's really mad at us. I said that. the question is,
what's my attitude going to be? If she is elected.
And I this is not a political platform.
What's my attitude for the current president?
What's my attitude for any past president or future president?
What's the Bible say about that? Exodus 22 and 28, watch this,
watch this be careful what you say.
You shall not revile God. North curse, a ruler of his
people. That means I got to watch my
tongue about what I say about those that are in positions of
authority. Those that become president, I
got to watch that. Listen, I'm going to tell you
something. The current President we have he
doesn't need people bad-mouthing him when he needs.
Is he needs God's people praying for him?
There's a greater need for prayer right now and going into
this election. There's a greater need for
prayer from God's people than ever before.
Not being critical and bad-mouthing, pray for him.
And I'll tell you something right now, too.
I'll tell you. I'm not concerned.
A bit. A few days.
I will be 50. And you know what?
In my life, I've never missed a meal.
I've always had a home. I've got a wonderful wife and
children, great family. I'm a member of the Lord's
church. I've been washed in the blood of
the Lamb. I'm a preacher of the Gospel.
I'm living my dream of being a preacher.
My bills. Get paid somehow they get paid
always. And I guarantee you this, if it
is the Lord's will tomorrow, I'm going to open my eyes and I'll
be sunshine. I'm going to live tomorrow The
question is though instead of worrying about the future
instead of worrying about what the future holds then?
Just remember who holds the future.
I'm not concerned about politics at all.
Why God's got that taken care of?
I'm just going to do what he said.
He will preach the gospel. That's what I'm going to do and
live our life. Now you know God has always
though been against resistance to Authority, in fact even with
children you know as a coach I've said this in the past but
as a coach you can tell how a child was raised based upon how
they are and act with Lee as a coach.
You can tell you can tell if your child was raised under the
proper Authority structure in the home or not, But does God
care about how we submit ourselves to Authority?
Absolutely. And he goes all the way back to
the home when the kids are little Under the Old Law.
You know what happened when a child was disrespectful and
disobedient and did not submit to the authority of their
parents. They're one of the timeout.
They didn't stand in the corner and they didn't get a spanking.
You don't they got they were taken outside the camp and they
were stoned to death. You think God cares about how we
submit to the authority that's over us.
I think he cares. And if the child will not submit
to the authority of his parents, he's not going to submit to the
authority of his teachers, not going to submit to the authority
of the laws of land. And he's not going to submit to
the authority of God. But again.
If the law says, we can't worship.
You know, we're going to do what I'm break the law, we break the
law, or you go to jail. That's why we have to pray that
the rulers that are over us will never make that long.
They don't need us to bad-mouth and folks, they need prayer.
They need God's help. Thirdly.
Here's another reason to another motivation.
If you resist The Authority then you are punished verse 2.
Again, those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
In other words, the consequence of rebellion is Judgment that
were judgments and interesting word.
It's the word that Greek word Crema, and by the way, that is a
word that's found in 1st Corinthians chapter 11, and
verse 29, when Paul was dealing with the communion the Lord's
supper and he said he that eateth and drinketh unworthily
eateth and drinketh Damnation to himself, not Discerning the
Lord's body. In other words he eats and
drinks judgment to himself that case.
We're talking about God's judgment.
But here's a motivating factors to submit to the authority of
the land if we don't. And we resist we are punished by
that Authority. By that Authority.
Now, God gave him that power and that Authority Under the Old
Law. We find that there was always a
punishment and a penalty that ran hand-in-hand with the crime,
for example, under the Old Law, and eye for an eye, and a tooth
for a tooth or equal punishment for the crime.
Now, somebody might say, well why was the punishment?
Why they, why were they punished what purpose does that serve?
Watch this? That did five things punishment,
did five things. And here they are.
Number one, it declared what was right?
Number two, it acted as a deterrent.
You know why? Because under the Old Law, you
didn't get the Dream Team to get job under the Old Law.
The punishment was Swift and it was immediate Number three, it
was used or the idea of punishment was to restrain evil.
It was also a means of Rehabilitation and also to
prevent private vengeance. That's the punishment for doing
something wrong. I don't understand today.
Why people say? Yeah, you did all that but it's
not your fault. Why aren't you say it is my
fault and I'm going to make it right and fix it.
Why not? We have our entire Society
saying yes, you are all this but you had a lousy upbringing at
your parents fault or somebody else.
I don't get that. It's a means of in the always
wasn't of the Old Law and means of Rehabilitation.
In other words, I'm going to fix it.
I'm going to get better. I'm going to make better choices
that's the reason for the punishment.
So that's another motivation though.
If you resist and you're punished by The Authority that
God has given in. Fact, under the Old Testament.
There was no Jewish prisons at all.
The prison system did not exist under the law of Moses.
The Gentiles had prisons, and you remember Paul was in a
number of them. They were part of the Roman
social order. Going back to early Americans.
Also, an early American prisons did not exist.
Either the form of punishment was physical punishment,
followed by restitution. That's pretty good.
Direct and immediate, they have places that they called the jail
cell, but really all that was, was a place to hold them over
until they can do. One of two things they can
either be corporally, punished, physically or, and, or they can
have a way to work and make amends, or make restitution.
God is always wanted man to make restitution for the things in
which we do that are not right to make it right.
The prison systems in early America didn't exist either.
In fact, the Quakers changed all of that.
When they introduced prisons in Pennsylvania, in fact, the first
prison in America was called The Wall Street jail and by the
year, 1790, the law established imprisonment.
You know what they called it penitentiary's.
You know why they called it penitentiary's?
Because they felt like if you were there, you would become
penitent. Sorry for your actions.
I don't know how that's worked, but I'll just say this, the last
statistic I heard is this That we and our country, punished 25
out of 500 people that commit a serious crime.
You've heard me say this over the years like in Singapore.
They have an immediate death penalty or life sentences for
crimes that happen in Singapore. Guess What that particular crime
is non-existent. You know why?
Because crime is not deterred by the severity of the punishment
crime is deterred by The Surety of it.
If I know that if I commit this crime, there's no way.
I'm getting out of it. I'm busted.
I'm not going to do the crime, you know.
People do though they take the chance because there's always a
loophole and yes, 25 out of 5. 500 that commit a serious crime
today, are punished. In these prisons, there's also
no way of restitution. And the Old Testament X is 21
and 22. When someone took from another,
they had to make restitution. Remember the tax collector
members, the key is the little guy and gal from the sycamore
tree to see the king, remember him?
You know what he said? Jesus Jesus said salvation has
come to thy house Zacchaeus said if I have taken anything from
anyone. I restore him for fold.
Restitution. Restitution.
God ordains governments to punish but also to provide a
path of restitution. As someone who violates these
governmental laws God has given such governments the authority
to judge and punish them. But next there's another reason
why we have these why we should submit to them is government
serves to restrain evil in verse 3.
It says, for rulers are not a terror to good works but to
evil. Now, this is connected closely
to the last verse obviously, but I want to make a point. when I
go to the to the airport, I don't care if they take my
briefcase, I don't care if they search through my belongings.
I don't care if they take off my shoes and take my belt, I don't
care if they make me randomly stand over there and get patted
down, you know why? I'm not guilty of anything.
I don't have a problem. Somebody frisking me, it's not
unconstitutional. For me.
I don't care. You know why?
I'm not guilty of anything. The only reason that you are
scared is when you're guilty, Rulers are not a terror, Paul
said to good works, but to evil. Now this word Terror, it's the
word Phobos and it means to terrify.
So, in other words, don't worry about the rulers.
If you're doing the right things, it's only going to
terrify someone who is guilty. And, by the way, the words
Phobos there to terrify, it's where we get the word phobia, or
fear, Rulers are not to terrify us they tear.
They are a terror to those that are evil government serves
serves to restrain evil. So we have nothing to fear.
All we need to do is obey and submit to those authorities.
And we have absolutely nothing to fear at all.
Okay question though. Yeah, I understand that.
We're Christians and we know what's right and wrong and all
that. But what about non-christians?
What about non-christians? Is the law really that
Universal? That everybody knows what's good
and what's evil, okay? In a general sense.
Yes. Yes.
Even if you know nothing about the Bible Romans chapter to them
and give you a passage of supports that Romans 2
beginning. In verse 14, listen to this for
the Gentiles who do not have the law by Nature.
Do the things in the law. These, although not having the
law are a law to themselves who show the work of the law written
in their hearts, their conscience.
Also, bearing witness and between themselves their
thoughts accusing or excusing them.
Now I heard somebody on the radio say this, this is not
true. That everybody is created
depraved. And bad.
That's not true. In fact, I think people
understand the kids understand it's wrong to take from someone
else wrong to hurt someone else and you're someone else.
People in life as they grow in life are influenced by the
surroundings that are around him.
But it's not innate inside them to be rotten.
It isn't That which God creates is good.
And that's why little precious children that died before they
ever reach. The age of accountability are
going straight to heaven. You know why?
There's no rot in that kid. There's no rotten in that.
Child rotten comes from the outside and when they get older
and they act upon it, that's what becomes rotten.
So it restrains evil. That's what it's for, but here's
a positive one. Here's a positive side and
that's number five. Government serves.
To promote good. Verse 3, do you want to be
unafraid of the authority? Do what is good?
And you will have Praise of the same.
The first part of verse 44. He is God's minister to you for
good. Who is God's Minister?
God's minister is the one that's in Authority.
So God's Minister, the one that's an authority has the
ability to take care of all the negative stuff.
But it's also for the good, you'll have Praise of the same.
It says, if you do that, which is good.
Don't be afraid. In fact, First Timothy Chapter 2
beginning in verse 1. Therefore I exert.
First of all that supplications prayers, intercessions and
giving of thanks be made for all men and get this.
Here, it is again for kings and all who are in Authority that we
may lead a quiet and Peaceable life in all godliness and
reverence, if you want to know what to say to.
God. Say that to God, pray that to
God about the rulers that be in our existence over us.
Government's primary role is to restrain evil.
That's basically a given, but the positive one is this
promotes good. In fact, the word good, there is
the word agathon and it means to be intrinsically, good.
In other words, good for your own sake.
Good for your own sake. That's what Peter said in First,
Peter 2 verses 14 and 15 when one does good.
He silences even his critics verse 15.
And first, Peter 2 says this for this is the will of God that by
doing good. You may put to silence the
ignorance of foolish men. I'm going to tell you something.
If you're a Christian and you stand out, somebody is going to
criticize or make fun of you. Yes.
It's okay. Just keep doing that, which is
good. And you'll have Praise of the
same of the authority. That's number one.
And number two, guess what? You will put a stop to or
silence muzzle. The critics It's the life that
we live. And by the way, let me just say
this in passing. That's how far the Muslim world
has gone from God. Obviously, they have an agenda,
that's to terrorize the entire world disrupted and disrupt and
Destroy. And we know that that doesn't
come from God, that comes from the devil that comes from safe.
So yes, there is bad things in the world but here's another
one. There's another motivation for
submitting to the governmental Authority that is over us and
that is that rulers have the power to inflict severe
punishment in verse 4 Back to our text.
But if you do, if you do evil, be afraid for he does not bear
The Sword in vain for. He is God's Minister and Avenger
to execute wrath on him. Who practices evil.
Now, what is the sword mean? The word sword is defined from a
word that means the instrument that brings about death. you
know about five years ago or so when I study this passage I
tried to make this mean anything in the world but what it is I
tried to make this mean something other than what it is.
Another words, the one that's in the governmental Authority, the
one that's in that Authority, guess what?
God gave him. What even gave him the authority
of the sword. In fact, it says he doesn't bear
The Sword in vain. You know what that's talking
about. As talking about the death
penalty. Now, I got to say this.
I say this Christians can't take lives.
We cannot. We don't take lives.
We're not allowed to. But that doesn't mean it.
God has not given authority to someone to do.
So when their crime proves that, that's what it should be.
This is not just a symbol. this is not just a phrase in passing,
this is talking about capital punishment, even back in Genesis
chapter 9, The Bible says, whoever sheds man's blood by man
shall his blood be shed. In other words, the death
penalty for taking a life. Now, the question is this, it's
all that. Here's really simple, the simple
way to look at this, the only thing that matters is ask
yourself who Bears, The Sword and Frank Frank, Frank Cuddle,
Bear the sword. Nope, cannot can't.
But he is the governmental structure of the authoritative
role of someone in our country. They don't bear The Sword in
vain and by the way, I got to say, haven't you found in your
life that the majority of people that oppose the death penalty
Are the same people that support abortion.
Makes no sense to me. We don't want to take someone's
life that brutally mass, murder people, but we want to take the
life of an innocent baby. Interesting, isn't it?
I'm so glad that God has taken care of all of that.
But finally, finally, Here's another reason to we obey for
conscience sake in verse 5, therefore you must be subject.
Not only because of rap. but also, because of conscience
sake, you know, at the end of the day, Why do we obey God?
We obey God because God said, so why do we made a laws away
because God said so. But here's a secondary benefit,
if the secondary xenophon is, we're going to have a clear
conscience, nothing to worry about.
We have to worry about that at all.
In fact, if a policeman shows up, I'm not guilty.
How you doing, talk to him, you don't care, you got a clear
conscience. Haven't you ever been in that
situation? We've all been in that situation
when you're guilty of something, maybe as a kid as a child and
you're guilty of something, But if you have a clear conscience,
you got no worries. You have nothing to hide.
And your life is an open book in conclusion today.
So the benefit of doing right is a clear conscience but in
conclusion Why do we obey the authorities that are over us
here they are number one. They're appointed by God.
And because of that, to resist the authority that's over, us is
to rebel against God. And we showed that what that
means is, you literally are lining yourself at opposition to
God. Also, another reason is, when we
resist, were punished by The Authority that's over us.
Number four, government serves to restrain evil number five
government serves to promote. Good.
Number six, rulers have the power to inflict, severe
punishment, even the death penalty.
Got to obey. And finally, we obey for
conscience sake. Now, I'll tell you all that
being said, I don't know who's going to be the president, the
next prison. I don't know.
But let me just say this to you,
please, whoever it is. Don't badmouth, the president,
pray for the president. Number two prayed, no laws will
ever be enacted. That would keep us from serving
God, the way, the Bible says, we must serve him number three,
understand beyond a shadow of a doubt, understand that God is
totally in control. And number four, understand
this. All that being said, God's
people will be just fine. We're gonna be fine.
So when people go oh it's going to now.
It's not so it's good. That was no, it's not going to
be just fine. We never know the hearts and
minds of those that are present. Maybe you're here today and
you're not a child of God, we never know the hearts and minds
of those that are with us. So we want to extend now an
invitation to someone that might be subject to the gospel call.
If you're not a Christian and come believing in Jesus, repent
of your sins confess, his name as the Son of God and be
baptized in water for the remission of your sins, be added
to the body of Christ. Have your sins washed away, be a
member of the Lord's church today.
Maybe you've taken those steps, but you bear this straight away.
Something of a public nature that be the case to repent of
those things, confess those things and we'll pray with you
and for you, and God will forgive and restore.
If you want to be the class come forward, while we stand, and
what we say, Maybe you've taken those steps, but you bear this
straight away. Something of a public nature
that be the case to repent of those things, confess those
things and we'll pray with you and for you, and God will
forgive and restore. If you want to be the class come
forward, while we stand, and what we say,