INTRODUCTION
• How many of you love to pay your taxes? Some of the creative ways the government has learned to waste our hard-earned money makes it difficult to be a cheerful giver!
• We have been looking at some various issues concerning the Christian and our conduct. We have looked our relationship to the church, to those who are a part of the church, and we have looked at what our relationship to those without Christ should be. Now we will look at what our relationship to the governing authorities.
• I believe we live in the greatest country in the world, even with though as a nation we have problems.
• We have been in the middle of a regime change in Iraq and we are closing in on elections in this country.
• What is the role of government? What responsibilities does it have towards us? What is our responsibility towards government?
• READ ROMANS 13:1-7
SERMON
I. GOD ESTABLISHES THE AUTHORITY FOR GOVERNMENT
• In verse 1 we are told that there is no authority except from God and those which exist are established by God.
• That is a loaded statement. We need to consider this was written during a time that Rome ruled Israel. It was written during a time in which political persecutions were taking place.
• Paul was telling his readers that the evil Roman government received its’ authority from God and was established by God!
• The word or establish means to set in pace to appoint, to set in order.
• One of the things we need to understand is that all true authority comes from God.
• The idea that society needs to be governed originated with God. We honor God be honoring His system.
• If God is the originator of government, and if God is all-powerful, it only makes sense that government derives its authority from God. We will look at the implications of that thought to those who govern later.
• Daniel 2:21 tells us, "It is He (God) who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding.
• This whole thought of God establishing government is difficult to comprehend when you look at what governments throughout the world and throughout time have done to those it rules.
• The one thing we have to go back to is the fact we live in a fallen world and because of that some of the best things God created will be used and abused by people. We also have to remember that there will be a day of reckoning for those who abuse the power entrusted to them by God.
• The thought that there is no authority except from God is one we really need to grasp. Many people think they have authority over God, they want to change the rules, they want to set things the way THEY want them.
• I believe our founding fathers understood the concept of where government’s true authority came from and they understood the concept of accountability to a higher calling. I also believe the reason this nation has been so great is because as a nation we understood this concept also. Nations fall because they forget where they came from, where there authority comes from and a loss of a sense of accountability to a higher power.
• Before we look at our responsibilities to government, let’s look at a government’s responsibility to its people.
• Since their authority and very establishment comes from God, there are implications from this.
II. THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF GOVERNMENT TO THE PEOPLE
• The bible does not lay out EVERY responsibility of government, we are given the basic purposes and we have to use some sense of common sense from there.
• One of the duties of a God ordained government is to praise the righteous.
• Look at verse 3. We are told if we do good, we are to have praise from our ruler’s.
• How does this work? We are not told the specifics, but we know one of the jobs of government is to not punish good behavior.
• Verse 4 says government is a minister for God for good for us.
• The government leader is God’s minister even if he does not know God. The governing authority’s job is to promote good behavior among the citizens.
• I have been seeing people protest the abstinence education programs. What are those people afraid of? If the government is going to get involved in the sex education business, this is something they should be promoting. It is good and righteous behavior.
• Why would a government want to promote good behavior among its citizens? Because it is best for everyone. Look at how much money is spent because of bad behavior. Society benefits from well behaved citizens.
• Another responsibility of government is to punish evil-doers.
• Look at verse 4.
• FOR IT DOES NOT BEAR THE SWORD FOR NOTHING... The Romans magistrate carried a sword and it was used when necessary. The short sword worn was used for executing citizens on whom the death penalty was pronounced.
• Government is called an avenger. "Avenger"- one who deals out justice, one who exacts a penalty from someone.
• Another function of government is to collect taxes.
• When you look at verse 6, we are told we are to pay taxes.
• We have to remember at the time this was written, the Jews were paying tribute to the Romans government. They were paying taxes to a foreign power.
• FOR BECAUSE OF THIS YOU ALSO PAY TAXES... Because 1- government officials are God’s ministers 2- because Christians are law-abiding 3- because of fear of punishment 4- because of conscience sake. These among others are reasons we pay taxes.
• The leaders are to be devoted to praise and punishment, keeping order, and collecting taxes.
• It costs money to carry out the functions of a government and it is not unbiblical for a government to collect various taxes.
• In verse 7 we are told to render what is due, tax to whom tax, custom whom is custom. Custom is a tax on "Custom" is a tax levied on goods and merchandise, whether imported or exported. The Romans world was full of these taxes.
• A government has the responsibility to make sure that law-abiding citizens have no reason to fear it and that those who break the law do.
• In too many countries around the world, law-abiding citizens live in fear of their governments. This is not right; the righteous should not have to live in fear.
• A government also has the responsibility to be good stewards of the money it collects to function. I fear many if not all fail in this. The money they use to operate is not theirs; it belongs to the people who sent it in.
• Political leaders need to have the courage to do the right thing, even when it is not popular. As a leader, if you have no sense of a higher calling or higher authority, you will do what ever you need to do to stay in power, or in this country you will do whatever your party leaders tell you to do to keep them in power.
• Now let’s look at the Christian’s responsibilities toward government.
III. THE CHRISTIANS RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS GOVERNMENT
1. We are to be in subjection to the governing authorities.
• In verse 1 we are told this.
• Subjection-voluntary submission to governing authorities. The word does not teach a "blind" obedience.
• Subjection is a word which was often used as a military term referring to soldiers who were ranked under and subject to the absolute authority of a superior officer.
• The reason we are to be in subjection goes back to the issue of a government’s authority coming from God.
• What if a government tells you to do something that is contrary to the will of God? What if they tell you to go kill your neighbors? Do we blindly follow? NO!
• In the bible we have several examples of people going against the civil authorities when they would overstep there authority by telling people to do things that contrary to the will of God.
• In Exodus 1:17, when the Hebrew midwives were told to kill any male Hebrews born. EXODUS 1:17 But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live. In verse 21 we see God blessing them for their stand.
• Other passages are Daniel 1:12-15, 3:16-18, 6:7; Acts 4:18-20, 5:28-29 are but a few.
• All these were examples of people being asked to clearly violate one or more of God’s standards.
• If we are resisting the God-ordained Government who is carrying out God’s work, we are standing in opposition to God.
• There are internal and external reasons for a person to submit themselves to the ruling authorities. Look at verse 5.
• The external reason is because of wrath. This is wrath from the government given out as a deserved punishment for breaking the law. When we break the law we are not shielded from the consequences from it.
• The internal reason is for conscience sake.
• Conscience is the innate faculty that prompts a man to do what his mind thinks is right, and criticizes him when the man does what his mind thinks is wrong. When we break the law, our conscience bothers us. The word can also mean “an awareness”. Since we know what the laws are and that God ordained the government, we are to submit ourselves to it.
2. We are to be law-abiding citizens
• If we want no fear of government, be a good citizen. If we do not like the way things are, we need to work hard at making things better. Our country is in the shape it is in because good people have stood back and done nothing. We put people in office who are not within a mile of our Christian standards because they are part of a party.
• Government cannot restrain ungodly people. Our founding fathers stated this.
4. We are to pay our dues.
• Look at verse 6-7
• We are to give tax to whom tax is due, custom (more tax) to whom custom is due, fear to whom fear is due and honor to whom honor is due.
• Fear is respect and honor is a little bit lower form of respect that is given to someone who is an equal. The fear or respect is to be given to those with the ultimate power.
CONCLUSION
• Sometimes it can be difficult to do what God wants us to do. It is hard at time to respect and to give honor to those in power. If nothing else, we are to respect and honor the office.
• We need godly men and women to run for political offices. We need people who understand where there authority comes from and the awesome responsibility they have. I believe based on Romans 13, people who are in power will be held accountable for how they carried out there duties.
• It is important for Christians to play their part in society. With the elections coming up in a few short months, make sure you become a part of the process.
• Today if you have not done so, there is one thing you can do that will help you out for eternity. Give your life to Jesus!
• Prayer if needed
• Membership transfer
