Introduction:
Mandatory seatbelt laws, the talk of Greeley in recent days! I am not sure what your position is on the subject. Opinions have varied in recent newspaper letters to the editor. One resident’s philosophy is that it shouldn’t be forced on people, after all she wrote when it’s your time to go it’s your time to go! While I agree that our departure is up to God and his timing, I believe He gives us brains for a reason! As chaplain of the Colorado State Patrol, I can assure you that seat-belts can and do make a difference! It takes three seconds to buckle up, three seconds that can alter an individual life, and affect a family. We have car insurance, and fire extinguisher’s yet when someone tells us we must where seatbelts we complain, that our rights are being violated!
Derrick Thomas the late defensive end of the Kansas City Chiefs wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, earlier this year when he lost control of his car on an icy highway. He was ejected as was another passenger, and both died from their injuries, a friend in the back who was wearing his seatbelt was treated for minor injuries and released!
The "when it’s your time to go" philosophers can say what they want, but I believe He would still be alive if he wore that seatbelt! I wouldn’t be surprised that if I died because of not wearing a seatbelt that God would set me down and say Mark, why didn’t you buckle up?
Transition:
Believers have a responsibility to take full advantage of safety features. When we willfully neglect them we presume upon God! This message you may be interested to know isn’t really about weather you should wear your seatbelts, it is how ever about a Christians responsibility to observe the laws of the land. 1st Peter 2: 13-15.
"Submit yourself for the Lords sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king as the supreme authority, or by the governors who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men"
I. Believer’s should be submissive:
"Submit yourself for the Lords sake to every authority instituted among men: The command is simple, "submit yourselves," from the Greek word hupotasso, it literally is a military term meaning to arrange in military fashion under the commander. It’s talking about being subject. The best translation would be, "Put yourselves in an attitude of submission.." By the way, that is distinctively Christian because attitudes of submission and humility in ancient times were looked upon as those things which characterized cowards and weaklings. And no man of strength would ever think of submitting himself or being humble.* John Mcarthur
The Bible makes clear the need for submission. And be subject to one another in the fear of Christ (Ephesians 5:21). In the context of his teaching on submission, Peter calls upon the saints to "honor all men." I believe this is a manifestation of submission. Peter commands the saints to submit to the king as the one "in authority" (verse 13). The Greek term rendered "in authority" is the same term Paul employed in Philippians 2:3:
"If therefore there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not [merely] look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:1-5).
While God has sovereignly ordained governmental officials to hold positions of authority over us, we are also to regard our fellow-believers as having a higher claim on us than our own selfish desires. Therefore, submission is not only a matter of authority but also a matter of priority. *From a sermon by Robert deffeenbaugh
II. Why Should We Submit?
Look again at verse 13. Here is Peter’s first reason for us to obey authorities. "Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake." The motivation is not just to avoid punishment, but because of the Lord. God wants you to submit to authority. If you don’t respect authority, how can you claim to respect God who is the ultimate authority. If you don’t submit to your parents, you are in essence disobeying God. If you do not submit yourself to the laws of the country you live in, you are disobeying God.
God has a purpose for all such authority.
Paul mirrors Peter’s thoughts in Romans 13:1-5
"Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience."
Peter says, that these authorities are sent "by him" (verse 14) but a more likely translation here would be "through him." God is the sender, and he uses higher authorities to send out lessor ones. All of whom we are to obey.
But what if they are corrupt or evil? We don’t have too look to far to find some examples of this. Just turn on your nightly news!
Peter and Paul don’t say that God only institutes those governments and authorities which are good and righteous. God has established EVERY authority. They are God’s servants for his purposes. God has established and raised them up for a reason. This is lesson from as far back as the Pharaoh in Egypt.
In Exodus 9:16 God tells the Pharaoh, through Moses,
But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
We don’t always see God’s purposes, but that is not our concern. Our concern is simply being obedient to them, whether they are evil, corrupt, or womanizing liars.
What God’s will is, as Peter says, is that by doing good, we will silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. If we are obedient and are punished or persecuted, the world will see that we have been wronged and for God’s sake, and God will be glorified and the evil rulers will be silenced. The world will have no case against us. Just as they had no case against Jesus, or Peter or Paul, likewise, by being obedient to authority, we will silence those who seek to persecute and mistreat us, and God will be glorified.
Think about it. Nero savagely persecuted Christians, and yet the gospel spread like never before and the church grew stronger. Nero and most of the other emperors either committed suicide or were killed by their own men.
On the smaller scale, therefore, it is God’s will that you should also submit to your parents and wives to your husbands, and church members to your pastor and elders. God has established these authorities for you to obey. If you do not, you disobey God. You also show to the world that you do not like authority, and how will that spread the gospel, and help others understand how important being obedient to God is?
But you still might be saying and even perhaps rationalizing in your mind, but what if the authority is evil and incompetent. That doesn’t matter, it has still been established by God.
Okay, then, what about if the government or someone tells me to do something which is directly against God’s law? Then what do I do? First of all, be careful to make sure it truly is against God’s law and not that you are just trying to find some loop hole for not obeying. Peter is not silent on this issue.
Although he doesn’t state it here, Peter gave a speech in Acts which does address this question. Look at Acts 4:18-21.
"Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, ``Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. 20 For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." 21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened."
Notice though how Peter still remained respectful, even though he asserted his obligation to obey God’s commands over mans. Remember that God has a purpose for those authority figures in your life. They are His servants to train you, so submit to them for the Lord’s sake.
How do you react to authority--whether it comes from men or governments or fellow Christians? Remember that God hates disobedience and rebellion, but loves His servants who submit themselves to the authorities God has ordained. Do you scoff at authority? Do you roll your eyes anytime some tells you what to do? Do you think to yourself, "Nobody is going to tell me what to do"? If so, you are not living by the code God has established for His people he has placed in this world.
"Examine carefully your actions and motives to make sure they are in line with Peter’s commands to respect everyone, continually honor the king, continually love your fellow Christians, and continually fear God!" *Evan D. Baltz
*The captain of the ship looked into the dark night and saw faint lights in the distance. Immediately he told his signalman to send a message" "Alter your course 10 degrees south." Promptly a return message was received: "Alter your course 10 degrees north."
The captain was angered; his command had been ignored. So he sent a second message: "Alter your course 10 degrees south--I am the captain! "Soon another message was received: "Alter your course 10 degrees north--I am seaman third class Jones. "Immediately the captain sent a third message, knowing the fear it would evoke: "Alter your course 10 degrees south--I am a battleship. "Then the reply came "Alter your course 10 degrees north--I am a lighthouse."
In the midst of our dark and foggy times, all sorts of voices are shouting orders into the night, telling us what to do, how to adjust our lives. Out of the darkness, one voice signals something quite opposite to the rest--something almost absurd. But the voice happens to be the Light of the World, and we ignore it at our peril.
"Submit yourself for the Lords sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king as the supreme authority, or by the governors who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men"
