¡§applying Our Doctrines As Citizens¡¨ Series

Sermon Series ¡§The Gospel of God ¡V A Study of Romans¡¨

Week #7 ¡§Applying our Doctrines as Citizens¡¨

Sermon Text: Romans Ch. 13

Opening Text: Ch 13:1-7

OPENING JOKE:

INTRODUCTION: I honestly hope that the last few weeks of studying the church doctrines have been a blessing to you. When studying the doctrines of the Bible, especially in Romans, I get a real excitement because I feel as if I am getting to know better the personality of God.

„X The Doctrine of Sin gives me insight into my place

„X The Doctrine of Righteousness and justification gives me insight into the purpose of Christ¡¦s sacrifice

„X The Doctrine of Sanctification gives me insight into God¡¦s plan to make me holy as He is holy

And learning to apply these doctrines to our lives is what we began last week by discussing what it means for us to give ¡§our bodies as a living sacrifice¡¨

***This week we are going to learn about applying our Christian doctrines as citizens of the government of the United States

INTRODUCTION: Many of the early Christians believed that we should no longer obey the government because of our liberty in Christ.

Paul was answering this question by explaining How God uses the Government in the life of the believer.

I. GOD¡¦S SOVEREIGNTY (v. 1)

READ VERSE 1

Keyword: Subject (Greek: Hupotasso [hoop-ot-as’-so]; which means to submit to control)

1. Everyone of us, who are Christians, have been called to submit to the control of the government.

2. This includes paying our taxes properly, obeying civil laws and even driving the speed limit

Key phrase 1: Except from God

1. I said earlier that God is sovereign.

o Ms. Christine has a sign in her Sunday school class that reads: ¡§Nothing touches the child of God without His permissive will¡¨

o I believe that phrase, and it is an example of God¡¦s sovereignty

2. God¡¦s sovereignty is accepted by most Christians until they realize its true implications

3. If God is in control, that means we are not

4. This diminishes the popular notion that we make all of the decisions and God is just a Holy spectator with a close eye on things, but never gets involved

„X Some of us believe God is sovereign in some areas and not in others.

„X He is ¡¥on the throne¡¦ in our hymn books, ¡¥In control¡¦ in our prayers and ¡¥lord of all¡¦ in our praise choruses ¡V but many think His lordship and control only go so far

Key Phrase 2: Appointed by God (KJV says, ¡§¡Kordained of God¡K¡¨)

1) Appointed, ordained or the Greek word ¡¥tasso¡¦ all mean the same thing: to assign, to put into order, to station, or to order to a responsibility

2) Does this mean that God appointed Sadam Hussein to power in Iraq?

a. Read it again, ¡§¡Kthere is no authority except from God¡K¡¨

b. I am preaching straight from the book so that you know this is not my opinion

3) If this is troubling you and you want further evidence of this look to John 19

a. Read: John 19:10,11

b. Jesus said to Pontius Pilate, a horrible dictator who executed hundreds by crucifixion, ¡§¡KYou could have no power¡Kunless it had been GIVEN you from ABOVE¡K¡¨

4) NOTE: We often want to claim control, but the truth is that God is in control

a. I can say, Biblically, George W. Bush is in the White House because God wants him there, not because the GOP and the Republican National Committee and the Swift Boat drivers put him there

b. But I also have to say that Bill Clinton (though I don¡¦t understand why) was in power eight years because God ordained him to that position

5) God is in control - again this is not my opinion, this is the Word of God

This is all an introduction to the rest of the verses in Chapter thirteen concerning government.

Paul wants us to know that, even if we think the government is out of control, God is still in control

II. GOD¡¦S SETUP (v. 2-3)

READ VERSE 2-3

Keyword: Therefore (Basic rule of Bible study, anytime you see the word ¡¥therefore¡¦, look at the preceding verse to see what its there for) The preceding verse is about God¡¦s control, so this verse could go like this:

¡§Because of God¡¦s control, whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance

of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.

Key phrase 1: Ordinance of God (Greek word means ¡¥arrangement¡¦)

1) When we resist governing authority we are resisting what God has arranged

2) This verse equates the laws of the land to the laws of God

a. When we break God¡¦s law, we are no longer in our proper standing with Him