The Powers That Be.

The Powers that be Power Looking at elections and the roll of Christians. Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject {1. One that owes allegiance to a sovereign and is governed by his laws. } unto the higher powers {government}. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained {Appointed; instituted; established;} of God. What does this verse actually mean? People speak of bad judgments on behalf of those that have voted in the past. But what of Pharaoh? Pharaoh being in power was cruel and inhumane to the children of Israel. Was he destroyed by God and replaced by a more acceptable leader? What about, Pontius Pilate, Herod, Caesar, Stalin, Hitler, and the upcoming antichrist, the ruler of Assyria? None. Where some make a mistake is in believing that voting one way or another will change the course of this world, prophecy will be fulfilled. This sermon is not intended to tell anyone, who to vote for, or what party to belong to, but to shed some light on the truth of Gods word toward elections. Remember that Jesus called some religious leaders hypocrites and doctors and lawyers, He reproached. Luke 11:44 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.

Luke 11:45 Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also.

Luke 11:46 And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.

Luke 11:47 Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

Luke 11:48 Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. Luke 4:23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.

A saying which Luke alone records, and which would forcibly appeal to him as a physician. Galen speaks of a physician who should have cured himself before he attempted to attend patients.

So what does Jesus say about leaders that are,

Mat 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? {Jesus, then, as now, can call upon the Father and destroy this world and change leadership of it in a moment; do you believe that He can? I do.}

Mat 26:54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? {If I interfere with this judgment on me then how can I fulfill prophecy?}

The key here is, Jesus was saying that, 1. The Scriptures {Prophecy} must be fulfilled. 2. God is in control and His will shall be done. We are to be subject to the higher powers {Government} but it doesn’t say that we are to be manipulated by it, this is a common mistake when reading Romans 13:1. Politicians are ONLY MEN; all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Sense the establishment of the United States; we have been lead by, alcoholics, corruption, adulterers, liars and thieves, this pattern will not change. Still God has protected us for the sins of one are not held accountable to another, we are held accountable only for ourselves. He has made this Nation the greatest of all, but remember this nation has a destiny also, that will be fulfilled. God not man established laws and Government. Laws are for the Lawful, for the unlawful obey the lust of the flesh. This verse brings back to memory an old saying, “Locks were made for an honest man and not a thief.”

[MH] The grace of the gospel teaches us submission and quiet {not blind obedience}, where pride and the carnal mind only see causes for murmuring and discontent. Whatever the persons in authority over us themselves may be {righteous or unrighteous}, yet the just power {Power ordained by God} they have, must be submitted to and obeyed {not withstanding any law keep us from serving God}. In the general course of human affairs {Lawful}, rulers are not a terror to honest, quiet, and good subjects, but to evil-doers. Such is the power of sin and corruption, which many will be kept back from crimes only by the fear of punishment. Thou hast the benefit of the government; therefore do what thou canst to preserve it {vote to preserve and fight, if necessary [Military service], and nothing to disturb it {So long as the Government does not stop us from serving God, keep the Government in its rightful place}. This directs private persons to behave quietly and peaceably where God has set them {we were blessed by God to be placed in America}, Christians must not use any trick or fraud. All smuggling, dealing in contraband goods, withholding or evading duties, is rebellion against the express command of God. The lesson here taught it becomes all Christians to learn and practice, that the godly in the land will always be found the quiet and the peaceable in the land, whatever others are. {If we live in an unrighteous land, be peaceable and God will separate wheat from chaff at the Judgment} We are not to follow after the crowd, we walk a separate walk. Whatever the crowd does is immaterial to us; we are to do what we must to assure that nothing comes between us and serving God.