THE CHRISTIAN AND THE HUMAN FAMILY
Romans 13:1-7
Intro: -
I. Submit Yourself to the Governing Authorities.
A. Willingly, “place yourself under” them.
B. Anarchy is never of Christ.
C. To oppose governmental decision sometimes is of God It must be an ungodly decision. I must be willing to accept the consequences of my principled opposition. I may disagree, but I am never immune from any punishment that comes from having broken the law.
II. Do What Is Right!
A. It must be right by divine definition.
B. Then you make a special, most important contribution to society.
C. The fruit of the spirit is a good place to start—fruit that we are to produce, which demonstrates the Holy Spirit in our lives (Galatians 5:22). “Against these there is no law.”
III. Pay Your Taxes.
A. “But I don’t agree with the military-industrial complex. I don’t agree with social welfare. I don’t agree with those enormous highway expenditures. How could we spend $3.3 million to rearrange High Street? I don’t agree with the raises given in our city schools.”
B. It doesn’t matter whether we agree or not.
C. We live in this country. We are beneficiaries of the heritage, of the bridges built by those who have gone before, and of the “ministry” that government offers now.
D. Pay your taxes, and be scrupulously honest about it
E. Coins are Caesar’s business. Let him make the rules about what we do with them. Hearts are God’s business—and our attitudes, and our relationships, and eternity. He’ll make the rules about what we do with them.
IV. Give Honor and Respect to Those in Positions of Authority.
A. When they demonstrate their responsibility, cheer.
B. When they think differently from you, listen.
C. Undergird them with prayer.
D. Accept their service with gratitude.
E. Offer your partnership.
Conclusion
Honor and respect! What will that mean?
• What will it mean for me to respect the officials?
• What will it mean for me to respect my family, my parents, my friends, my church leaders? (The way I talk with them, the way I talk about them, the way I pray for them)
• What will it mean for me to respect God
