Respect And Obey God’s Delegated Authority (How Christian Ought To Behave Continue)

Sermon – Respect and Obey God’s Delegated Authority (How Christian ought to Behave)

Romans 13: 1-10, “Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. 2 So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. 3 For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. 4 The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. 5 So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. 6 Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.

8 Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. 9 For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.”[a] These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 10 Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.”\

Introduction: God wants only what's best for us as His children. Our lives will only be full and complete as we fulfill the will of God for our lives. Romans 13 is a continuation of Paul’s teaching on How Christians ought to behave. Remember in Chapter 12, Paul teaches us to: Give your body to God; Give your mind to God; Give Your Gift to God’s Church; and Give your love to all men. Here in Chapter 13, Paul teaches us to have respect for authority by giving obedience to God’s delegated authority.

Christians generally understand this chapter in different ways. All seem to agree that we are to live at peace with the state as long as the state allows us to live by our religious convictions. There are generally three ideas adopted by Christian families. First, there are some Christians who believe the government is so corrupt that Christians should have as little to do with the state as possible. So they choose not to work for the government, vote in elections nor serve in the military. Secondly, there are others who believe that the government is given by God for the benefit of all. They believe the government has authority in some areas, while the church has authority in other areas. The state is generally concerned with the physical world while the church is concerned with the spiritual world. The authority of the state and the church complement each other but they do not work together. Finally, there are other Christians who tend to believe that the Church has a responsibility to make the state better by electing moral, godly leaders or by serving as an elected official. They believe the church is called to work with the state for the betterment of all.

None of the three groups supports the idea of rebelling against God’s delegated authority or refusing to obey the laws of the land unless those laws clearly violate the laws of God. Wherever we find ourselves, we must be responsible citizens, as well as responsible Christians. If we love God, we will keep His commandments.

God does not want obedience out of compulsion, but out of a heart of gratitude. Responding to God out of gratitude is what the Bible calls Spiritual Worship. In Chapter 12, it is referred to as “your reasonable service.” It translates “your spiritual worship.” Every child of God is called upon to give God spiritual worship because of what God has already done. There is a new teaching that calls on believers to worship God to get Him to do something new. The common expression is “when the praises go up, the blessing come down.” Paul calls spiritual worship the reasonable act of a grateful heart. Worship has at least two distinct aspects (1) adoration or praise and (2) obedience or service.

Worship must include those times when we celebrate God with praise and adoration. We should lift our voices, clap our hands and humbly bow before our God. Our worship must also include obedience to God and service to others. To worship God is to "serve as a slave" (Hebrew 'abad), that is to do the work of a slave (Hebrew 'ebed). Such worship and service is done in reverential fear and adoring awe, not grudgingly in face of threatened punishment. Service to others grows out of our love and devotion to God. Worship includes both outward actions and inner devotion. Spiritual worship includes both obedience to God and service to God’s world. We are to be living sacrifices to God. One theologian cautions, “Living sacrifices have a tendency to keep slipping off the altar.”