The Christian's Responsibility to Government Part 3

Christianity in good citizenship goes together and good citizenship isn't just a question of not committing crimes. It's also a question of monitoring and respecting and giving dignity to those in authority over that stirs concern and anxiety about the future of this country and that can be good, it can increase your desire for heaven but while you're serving the Lord here. How can you make sure your earthly citizenship honors Christ and if someone who rejects God and his word comes to power.

Does your responsibility change.

John MacArthur's current study on grace to you is helping answer those practical questions. It's a look at the Christian and government now with today's message.

Here's John were looking at Romans 13, 1 to 7 and wonderful time in the epistle of Paul to the Roman church.

The title of the section is the Christian's responsibility to government me say at the beginning as Christians it's obvious I think to all of us that we are in the world but not of the world were pretty clear on the fact that our citizenship is in heaven. Our allegiance is to our Lord. But at the same time we realize that we have to exist in this world we have to live on this earth.

So we have a certain citizenship function here that has to be fulfilled and discharged properly. We are sort of a society within society. We are a community within the community and we must fit within that society. We must fit within that community. And yet our priorities are totally unique and distinct from the society in which we live, we live for eternal reasons. We follow the directions the commandments and the standards of our God, the Lord Jesus Christ given to us in the Scripture and energizing us by the Holy Spirit, and so we live for eternal matters. We live with a whole different set of priorities and because of that we need clear teaching as to how we are to relate to the government in which we exist many key people in government today as well is then our Christians.

Thank God for that. Even in the Old Testament. Thank God for Joseph in Egypt or the Daniel in Babylon and Medo Persian or Shadrach me shack and Abednego princes in a pagan government. But wherever we are, whether we serve the government are not. We are to live as Christians whose preoccupation whose priorities whose perspective is at a different level a different dimension then to try to use political means to accomplish spiritual in essay than what is a Christian to do with his government to things. Paul tells us here first submit to it. Secondly, pay your taxes will notice the principle is outlined here in verse one. Here's the first principle that every soul be subject unto the higher powers. Now that's the first principle. The second principle comes in verse six for this cause. Pay your taxes and any kind of expands on that but principle number one is this idea of submitting to the government every one of us is to be subject unto the higher powers and that has reference to government we are called to a role of submissiveness.

We are called to maintain good works in a context of peaceful, honest, godly, quiet living as model citizens who solve our problems with government by prayer and to accept whatever situation we are in, with thanksgiving, knowing God has ordained it for his own purposes.

I'm not saying that that our government is something special and so we want to be sure were subject to ours because we have a quote unquote Christian nation listen if you think America is a Christian nation you're wrong. There is no such thing as a Christian nation there only are Christian people can't have a Christian nation, we have had civil religion. I mean we have in God we trust on our coins.

Unfortunately, we have me first in our hearts we have in God we trust on our core.

That's a very vague kind of thing that could be anything. Our tradition is a civil religion, tradition, but when I look at our government I see a lot of things in our government that disturbed me greatly.

I mean, I like in our government.

I see graft. I see people in high places who are immoral. We hear all the time about bribery I have that I have very little toleration for allowing homosexuals to have freedom and equal rights with everybody else's. If there only a sort of sexual preference rather than a vile sin. I don't like the fact that our government contributes by its laws to the destruction of the family and the destruction of marriage and the promotion of a role for women that is the opposite of Scripture.

I don't like it that our government makes laws against reading the Bible in school and praying.

I don't like it that our government has what I believe to be very in adequate punishment for criminals. A failure to prevent immorality in the media and lets people publish absolute filth ends bladder at all over the place. I don't like it that our government does that in the name of free speech. I don't like it that our government legalized abortion and allows millions of persons still in the womb to be massacred. I don't like it that our government gives children rights apart from their parents so that a 15-year-old girl has the right to have an abortion without letting her parents know I don't like it that our government seems more concerned sometimes to protect criminals than it does law-abiding citizens. I don't like it that there are stifling rules constantly being made to restrain law enforcement. I don't really believe we have the ideal system here. I'm, it's, I'm not asking for my walking papers. I'm happy to be here, but I'm not under any illusion that we have some very special Christian approach to everything.

But in spite of all of those things, I still find myself coming under the statement of verse one that I am to be subject to the higher powers. I do like it that my government wants to protect my life and property. I do like it that there are laws instituted to indicate that if something is mine is mine and you can have it unless I willfully give it to you and that anyone who tries to harm me or those I love will be brought to the law.

I'm appreciative of those things I'm appreciative of the great freedoms that we have in this country for the ministry of the word of God in the preaching of the gospel. Although I'm not under any particular illusion that the Lord needs are kind of government to build his church.

There are many things I'm thankful for and I'm not saying I'm not. I just want you to know that I don't find as I look at this passage that it might be any easier for me to think about being subject to the higher power that it is for somebody in a country that we might think is far worse. Any Christian is going to find difficulty in his country just as we do, and I asked the same questions you do.

It's awfully difficult sometimes to send my check to the IRS.

If I were to believe that the government was going to fund abortions with I'm called to be subject to those powers that be there ordained of God. God has his purposes.

His reasons now the only time that I'm ever permitted to violate the government that is over me is if that government makes a law that violates the law of God right we see net annex four and five. Not for a moment I want you to turn back to Matthew chapter 10 in Matthew chapter 10 in verse 16. And all this is so important. The Lord gives us here some very basic information that we can assume is going to be very helpful to us. I send you forth. Verse 16 as sheep in the midst of wolves not get it straight folks.

He says this in general to all who go out representing him.

You're going to go out as sheep in the midst of wolves in other words, you're going to be headed for some difficulty. Whatever governmental system you're finding yourself in that you're going to find that your strong Christian testimony will generate certain hostility. So be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. That is such a very important statement that tells us the profile of a Christian in a hostile environment. Why is this urban assortment of course is the model of cunning shrewdness keenness caution serpent is not done a fierce attacker. A serpent is stealthy a serpent is calculating a serpent dozen court trouble serpent doesn't force the issue.

They were the model of shrewdness. The model of caution and that's what he says to begin be very cautious.

Be very shrewd.

Be very keen minded secondly be as harmless as does and that was proverbial also. Nothing is more harmless than a dove going to harm to anything adult was a symbol of purity adult was a symbol of innocence.

So he says whatever you are even if you are in the midst of wolves, even if the environment is as hostile as wolves are to sheep. Be wise and cautious and shrewd and keen and don't court trouble and don't force the issue and be as harmless as a dive as innocent as honest as full of integrity as non-retaliatory seeking no hurt for anyone that's our to be marked by wisdom marked by purity marked by gentleness without compromise. We are not to be vengeful, you remember don't you Romans 13 department Romans 1217 recompense to no man evil for evil. If they do evil to you, don't give them evil back don't slander and slam and slur them if it's possible as much as lies and you live peaceably find a way to live peaceably if if there's some paper you need to sign, then maybe there's a way you can sign the paper not compromise your own art conviction and don't avenge yourself if your enemy is hungry, feed him if he is thirsty, give them a drink and overcome his evil with good.

That's the attitude of the Christian were not trying to pick a fight when I try to start a war, we want to be as gracious and loving and gentle as we can and not compromise and if in the end we are persecuted for the sake of our message and the sake of our life then let it be. But let it only be in that case, and he goes down in the verse 17 it says, beware in Matthew 10. Beware of men. They're going to deliver you up to the councils and scourge you in their synagogues are to be treated unjustly. They're going to whip you and you to be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them, and he then or the Gentiles. Yes, the time is going to come when the state persecutes believers. It's been that way all through history the state is going to slaughter the sheep the Kings and the governors are going to call you in, and sometimes this is going to happen. But remember this when it happens it will be a testimony. It'll be a testimony. That's right.

It will be a witness and I want to know that whatever the church is persecuted tends to what to grow in the blood of the martyrs becomes the seed of the church. Sometimes this is what purges the church and then in verse 19 he says. And when they deliver you.

That is when they take you prisoner will be anxious not even then, no, no, don't make a protest don't make a case out of it. Don't worry about what you're going to say for to be given you in that same hour what you shall speak is not wonderful Lord promises to give you what to say become independent, for it is not you that speak, but the spirit of your father who speaks in you. Verse 20 is not great. So we want to do all we can to be peaceable. All we can to be loving all we can to be the best citizens possible and quietly and honestly with integrity and virtue and piety. So the seeds of spiritual truth in our society live godly lives, influence our world and if indeed they decide to persecute us. Let it be only for our faith let it be only for our testimony and even then we have no anxiety because the Lord will give us what to say in the moment that we are to say it and then I like what it says in verse 21 to 23 it says a brother will deliver up the brother to death, it'll happen even in a family and fathers are going to give their children over to death. Children are going to rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death in the history of the church tells us this is really true.

This is really true. There's conflict in a family.

It's not uncommon that there is a conflict even within a family, and he says in verse 22.

You will be hated of all men for my namesake but he that endorsed the end of be saved and then I like verse 23 so when they persecute you, what you do just say here hit me all hit me again, this is wonderful. No verse 23 when they persecute you in this city. What play get out of there. You're not supposed to be cultivating a martyr complex, get out of there and go to another place and keep going as long as you got another place to go. In other words the Lord says I'm not asking to stand there and get beaten to a pulp. You can find a way out. Get out. The patient does have a limit leaves we submit quietly, peaceably we are as wise as serpents harmless as the and we infect our society with our godliness, not with our political clout. Not with our worldly gaudy show we materialism owes things defeatists they don't help us world. Lisa know clearly what we are, doesn't and why do we submit in Romans 13 he gives us seven reasons why we submit reason number one is government is by divine decree for there is no power but of God.

The powers that be are ordained of God, and we been making that point, I think, over and over again that whatever the government is God put it there for whatever purpose he wants. If it's a good government. He put it there for good. If it's an evil one.

He put it there to accomplish something.

I mean, God has put all government into place. There is no power that isn't of God and all the powers that are ordained of God that saying it both ways. There is no power that is not of God, and all power is of God same thing said two ways exclusively and inclusively government is by God.

Even governments that have a lack of freedom reflect the purpose of God and the people who are under the illusion that you have to preserve American democracy to preserve the kingdom of God are wrong. They're not connected even Nero who burned the Christians was ordained by God and the death of those Christians became the development of the church. God knew what he was doing so we are subject because government is ordained by God.

Secondly, because resistance to government's rebellion against God. Verse two whosoever therefore resists the power resists the ordinance of God. So, we submit, because if you resist your resisting God and these people who supposedly in the name of Christian freedom resist what the government wants to do by some carrying out some legal function or having them sign some papers go through some qualifying thing there resisting the ordinance of God for this time and that place God has instituted that are allowed to be is that I don't mean by that that the God is writing all the laws but there within the framework of his tolerance and purpose, and they resist God and we saw the third reason did with the universe to we submit. First of all, because government is ordained by God. Secondly, resistance to government's rebellion against God. And thirdly, those who resist will be punished. It says and they that resist shall receive to themselves punishment or judgment. And it's talking there are not only about the judgment of God, but about the judgment of man God has given government the right to punish evildoers God has granted the government the privilege of punishment turn to be for me to back to the Pentateuch was go back to Exodus. I'll just give you a brief look at this, God instituted a law and the law was that government had a right to punish Exodus 21 verse 23 and if any mischief, then thou shall give life for life. I fry tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. In other words, any crime committed deserves corresponding punishment.

If a life is taken. A life is owed if and I is taken and I is owed.

The truth is taken into the soda hand-to-hand foot to foot burning is occurred. Burning is owed, stripes have been given.

Stripes are owed and here is the institution of governmental privilege in punishing evildoers.

This is not personal vengeance. These were never given for personal vengeance.

This is for government carrying out of punishment so this is a function of government from the very beginning when God laid down the laws of government.

He established that there were principles to be followed. Go to Deuteronomy 35 and again we find there many other chapters.

I'm just giving you some highlights of Deuteronomy 3519. The avenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer when he meets him he shall slay him. In other words, if somebody murdered someone. There is to be in avenger and the avenger goes in and takes the life of the murderer. Me, that's capital punishment.

That's the institution of the law again in verse 21 says the same thing then over in Deuteronomy chapter 22. By the way, it was kind of an interesting thing that when someone committed a murder someone close to the murdered victim was the avenger who would go and take the life under.

Of course the direction of the court take the life of the guilty party in Deuteronomy 2218. It talks about a man who has committed a crime and it says in verse 18 of Deuteronomy 22 the elders of the city shall take the man chastising find him 100 shekels of silver, give them to the father of the damsel, because he's brought up an evil name upon a virgin of Israel, and she shall be his wife. He may not divorce her all his days so here is a man who has slandered he is given a fine and his penalty is to marry the girl and that's of course for life by God standard. I mean it goes on and on like this. I'm just reminded also. I think it's the 31st chapter of Job in verse 11 might be wrong on this, but I think it yes it says, for this is a heinous crime. Identifying a heinous crime. EA is an iniquity to be punished by the judges. In other words, it's the same idea the judges the leaders the rulers have been given by God, the right of an acting on those who commit a crime, a corresponding and righteous punishment.

And when a government punishes a criminal is enacting the will of God. You understand that and went fails to do that. It has blood on its hands. And I believe the absence of capital punishment makes the nation blood guilty before God for where life is not taken for life. The ground even in the case of Cain and Abel. The ground cries out on the God of unrequited blood you want to know why the murder rate in our country goes higher and higher and higher and higher and higher, that's the reason. So the instruments of punishment are human, but the source is divine is the purpose and plan will of God carried out by earthly government and when this breaks down when criminals are not properly punished an institution of God is destroy dislike the home when children aren't properly punished what happens to the family. It disintegrates and the same is true in society. And I really believe that America's is headed for destruction. I don't think it's going to come from some outside power conquering as I think our destruction comes from within our lowering of moral values putting a high price on material things, massacring unborn babies failing to quickly and strongly punish evildoers tolerating vice taking women out of the home armies go on and on with this kind of stuff and that's the devastating reality of the fall of our country and, ultimately, as in the case of individuals. I think God will give us over to a reprobate mind. The answer dear ones is not politics understand that ownership and the answer is not. Let's be like them and have our own Christian materialism. The answer is to put our money and our time and our effort and our prayers and our lives into living a godly life and speaking boldly the gospel of Jesus Christ, which alone can change your heart and change hearts can turn around the nation.

So we submit because government is from God, to rebel is to resist God to resist means punished you're listening to John MacArthur, Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary, and he is the featured Bible teacher here on grace to you. Today's lesson is part of his study titled the Christian and government will John we been stressing throughout this series. The importance of the biblical command for believers to submit to those who are in authority, but I'm wondering to what extent does that allow for us to disagree with those who are in leadership or to put it another way, can you protest against civil authority and at the same time honor the Lord while I think the answer would be yes.

Depending on what you mean by protest right II protest all the time against the things that I think are ungodly.

Whether they're coming from leaders in the state are leaders in the federal government by protest every time I pay my taxes, but to pay my taxes right is not that you're not willing to pay your taxes for the services that you use in that benefit you and for the protection they provide you, but you don't like paying your taxes when you know the government is using your money to fund things that are I dishonoring to God, but you don't dinner Jesus even said that in the New Testament render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's is not up to you to decide what Caesar does with the money.

It's up to you to submit and pay your taxes, and it even with wench. When Jesus was talking to the disciples about the tax issue he provided for them in a kind of miraculous way.

A coin in the mouth of official they could pay their taxes so so we do that, but we can protest in our hearts, the things that are wrong in the government and I think if we were prophets in the Old Testament, we would confront those things right.

Even in the theocratic kingdom of Israel. The prophets confronted what was corrupt. They confronted corrupt kings. So, do we have a right to confront that evil. Yes, do we have a right to revolt and create a revolution. No, even the apostle Paul saw the church being persecuted, Peter wrote to a persecuted church. He never said rebel. He never said protest always the message was endure endure when Christ was reviled, he reviled not again Peter says to the persecuted believers. When Christ was reviled.

He didn't revile in return, but he committed himself to a faithful Creator when you're suffering for doing wrong that's no honor. But when you're suffering for doing right. The spirit of grace and glory rests on you. So when the government turns against us because we do protest it's evil we may suffer.

But we suffer not responding in revolt, but committing our souls to a faithful Creator and letting God determine what he'll do with us.

That's a helpful distinctive minute and a helpful perspective. Thank you John, you know, friend.

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