"Saints Submit To Authority" Romans Pt 19 Series

"Saints submit to authority"

Romans pt 19

Thesis: A "saint" will submit to authority because they know that God has set up the authority - where as an "aint" will not submit to authority because they think they are in charge.

Scripture Text: Romans 13

1Everyone 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. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For 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. 4For 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. 5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.

6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

8Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. 9The commandments, ’Do not commit adultery,Do not murder,Do not steal,Do not covet,’ and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: ’Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 10Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

11And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

Introduction:

Paul tells us that the time is short "Jesus coming is closer than when they first believed so it’s important to be ready! It’s important to clothe yourselves in Christ - to wrap Him around you and to make sure that you don’t have stinking thinking. He tells them that everyone must submit to authority because God placed it here for the preservation of society. God has established authority and if you yield to its direction everything will be fine with you. But if you break the rules then you had better watch out because you have just rebelled against God Himself. So Paul is saying wake up and see what time it is!

Charles Salmon from his sermon "Wake up!" on sermoncentral.com states, "The thought of the return of Christ adds urgency. Not only is time passing, but with every hour and minute the coming of Christ draws nearer. We don’t know when He will come, but we know He will and we know He will come at a time unexpected. This is the constant teaching of Scripture.

" the time is short". - I Cor. 7:29

"The Lord’s coming is near" - Jas. 5:8

"The end of all things is near." - I Pet. 4:7

"This is the. last hour" - I John 2:18

"The time is near." - Rev. 1:3

Paul tells us that the time is short and therefore it’s imperative that the Christian live the way Christ intended them to live and that is by submitting to the governing authorities.

Lorne Sanny stated, "Who must I listen to, and who should listen to me-and why? Authority and submission to authority have a critical place in God’s design for peace and order on earth" (Discipleship Journal Issue 8, page 32).

Paul tells the Romans that God is in control of all authority and He will hold us responsible for how we act toward the authority He has established. Paul is making a point in chapter 13 for order not anarchy - for submission to legitimate authority - not evil authority - He is saying that saints understand the importance of living under authority. I believe it all points back to Romans 12:1, "That we must be living sacrifices!"

Illustration: From Illustrations of Bible Truths - Punishment Necessary

A young man speeding along a highway crashed into an oncoming car, and the resultant chain reaction caused the death and crippling of several innocent victims. Yet the judge, after only five minutes deliberation, let him go free. The ensuing public uproar caused a re-opening of the case and a conviction although ultimately the sentence was suspended. The public outrage in this case, and in similar instances where justice is flouted, shows that men have a built-in recognition of the fact that, where wrongdoing goes unpunished, the law-abiding are threatened and the innocent victimized. Parental love cannot allow disobedience to go unchecked or let continued rejection of authority go unpunished. To do so would be to encourage anarchy and to discourage those who are trying to do what is right. The doctrine of love that the Lord Jesus Christ preached was no wishy-washy affair of permissiveness, of "anything goes," but was balanced by stern warnings about sinning against God and man.