Good morning to everybody. Good to see you here this morning. Beautiful weather we've been having. Another sunny day today, so we'll take winter like this. 

We're having our communion service last Sunday of every month. We have communion as the Lord commanded, and we're working through the Book of Romans. We've moved into the application section of the Book of Romans, and we're ready for Romans 13, 1 to 7. This is an important passage, and I think it's a very clear passage. But it's also a controversial passage here in the Book of Romans. 

Paul has transitioned to this application section. In chapter 12, he's been exhorting us concerning our responsibility as believers toward one another in the body of Christ, emphasizing our relationships to one another. In this chapter, he's going to expand his teaching to the believer's relationship to the world, particularly to those who are in authority over us. 

In 1 Corinthians 11.3, it says, "but I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God." It is God's design for every relationship he has created for there to be one in authority and one in submission. This is his design and his plan. And it does not imply any inequality or any difference in value or importance, as we see in this verse in 1 Corinthians 11. God is the head of Christ, it says. In the relationship of the incarnate Son to the Father, Christ is in submission to the Father. This is his role in this relationship.

Turn over to Philippians 2 with me, please. And Paul explains this further in Philippians chapter 2 at verse 1. He writes, "therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. He was equal with God, he is equal with God. But he made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men, and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

Paul tells us that Jesus took on flesh. He took the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men, he humbled himself, submitted himself to the Father's will, and became obedient to the point of death on the cross. Jesus is God; he is eternal God; he is the fullness of God; he is the exact representation of God. There is no inequality between God the Father and God the Son, and yet God is the head of Christ. This is an authority-submission relationship, and this is the same thing in the home. The man is the head of the woman, and Christ is the head of every man. Children are in submission to their parents, employees to their bosses, and citizens to their government. 

Every relationship that God has designed is an authority-submission relationship. And it is God's design that humans function in a society in this manner, being submissive to those in authority over them, in order that there may be peace and prosperity and the opportunity for men to live a quiet and peaceable life, working with their own hands, providing for those who have a need. And this makes for a culture of contentment and order. This is God's plan in order to accomplish his purpose through men. 

Unfortunately, sin entered the world and turned everything upside down. We see all the way back in the garden that part of the curse would be the desire of the woman to rule over her husband, that man would now have a rebellious spirit in sin and selfishness. And from the beginning with Cain and Abel, we see envy, hatred, murder, and strife, each one seeking his own profit and an unwillingness to submit to one another. And this sin, of course, permeates every aspect, every facet of our lives. It is an inner corruption that brings conflict to every relationship in our world. And we see the evidence of that all the time in the affairs of men.

So in order to maintain order over the affairs of men, God has ordained government. And that is the heart of our passage this morning. God has given government to restrain the evil that exists in our world and to maintain order, to create an environment conducive to law and order, to peace for the good of men. This is the purpose of government, as God's minister to pursue the guilty and protect the innocent, to maintain order in our society and as an enforcer of the law.

Now in our text, Paul is writing to believers. And his expressed purpose is to instruct us on how we should relate to government and to those who are in authority over us. And this instruction is based on the truths of this great epistle, the mercies of God, just as we saw in Romans 12, 1 and 2. Remember, he said, "I beseech you by the mercies of God," those great doctrines of justification, regeneration, sanctification, which we have been discussing, "to present our bodies a living sacrifice to God," which he says is our reasonable service. 

You see, my brothers, my sisters in Christ, you have been redeemed. You have been born again, recreated and released from that controlling power of sin in you. You died to the law, to sin, and were released from the bondage of the fear of death. You are a new man, and now sin does not reign over you, causing you to be a rebel at heart, resistant to God's will and plan for your submission to authority. But you can now present your whole self, your whole life to God as a living sacrifice. And concerning relationships in this world, in the workplace, in the home, you can submit yourselves to one another and to those in authority over you in obedience to God for your good. 

This is the example of Christ. And we will see that this is ultimately obedience and entrusting yourself to God and His will and His power and His purpose in you. Let's look at our text, Romans 13, 1. Very clear words. "Let every soul, every man, be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is God's minister and avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore, you must be subject, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience' sake. For because of this, you also pay taxes. For they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render, therefore, to all their due, taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor."

Well, I've given you five points on the outline. First, the plan of God. Second, peaceful life. Third, prosperous life. Fourth, powerful witness. And fifth, place for resistance. 

Well, first in our text, we see that government is the plan of God. There's no authority except from God. And the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God. The word translated resist here is a military term. It literally means to line up and set oneself against. These are pretty clear words from Paul. The organization of government, whatever type that may be, is ordained by God. The offices, the structure, is God's idea and God's plan to govern in the affairs of men. It's not about the individual personalities that occupy those offices, good or bad, but about the authority structure itself as a restrainer of evil. 

And to have a rebellious spirit, to be a continual resistor of authority, to chafe against it, is to line yourself up against God. We see this vividly in the nation of Israel. Even in the time of Jesus and Paul, the people of Israel continually resisted those in authority over them and had a spirit of rebellion. They hated the idea that they would be in submission to any human government. In John 8, 32, Jesus said to the Pharisees, "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." And they answered and said, "We are Abraham's descendants. We have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say you will be made free?" And Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides. Therefore, if the son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."

Jesus talking about spiritual slavery to sin here, but in the mind of the Pharisees, they were saying, "We're not in bondage to any man." They had been in bondage to some oppressive governments all the way back to Egypt, to Syria, Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and even to Rome the very day they spoke these words to Jesus. And they hated that Gentiles ruled over them and were in constant rebellion and strife with the government. There were groups such as the Zealots who thought that overthrowing the Gentiles was the plan of God and caused continual strife in Rome, murdering people. 

And there were national rebellions, at least three major conflicts with Rome, resulting in the destruction of the temple in 70 AD and a massive reduction in the Jewish population, scattering them abroad and largely decreasing the scope and impact of Judaism in history. But I think an interesting observation is that this rebellious spirit among the Jews was really an extension of the rebellion against God. For nearly their entire history, they struggled mightily to submit themselves to the authority of God. Isaiah 65:2 says, "I have stretched out my hands all day long to a rebellious people who walk in a way that is not good according to their own thoughts." 

Paul quotes this passage in Romans 10:21, speaking of Israel's rebellion against God and their persistent unbelief. He says, "All day long, I have stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." Even in the very issue of salvation, their own personal salvation by faith in the promised Messiah, Israel was unwilling to submit themselves to the righteousness of God. In Romans 9:30, it tells us they did not find righteousness because they would not seek it by faith. They would not submit themselves to the righteousness of God, but sought to establish their own righteousness through the law. 

Jesus wept over Jerusalem as he came into that city to offer himself as a sacrificial lamb to take away the sins of the world. And he said, "Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her, how often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But you were not willing." Second Kings 17, "Yet the Lord warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets every year, saying, turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments, my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers and which I sent to you through my servants the prophets. However, they did not listen, but stiffened their neck like their fathers who did not believe in the Lord their God." 

In Acts 7:51, Stephen said, "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised and hardened ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the just one of whom you now have become betrayers and murderers." They turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their necks, the scriptures say, again and again, and did not believe in the Lord their God. This is the issue, my friends, and we must establish this right at the beginning as we talk about authority and submission. 

Because the natural tendency of men is to stiffen their necks, is to resist authority and seek their own will. But what this means is that we do not believe, we do not trust the plan of God for the affairs of men. And I think that salvation, while it frees us from the controlling power of sin, does in a sense complicate this issue a bit. Because I believe regeneration and the life of Christ in us also brings a great longing for justice, for righteousness. And we want this as the sons of God. 

We see David pray so passionately for justice in those imprecatory Psalms. We see the heart of Jeremiah crying out for justice. Even the saints in Revelation, what do they say? How long, O Lord? How long till you avenge our death? We have that in us, and that's good. The evil of this world is hard to take. And it's right and good to stand for truth and to speak the truth against the lies of this world system and the wiles of the devil. But the wrath of man does not accomplish the will of God. 

Don't forget the message of Paul we just studied last time in chapter 12. Look at Romans 12:17. "Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men, if it is possible, as much as depends on you. Live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath, for it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. Therefore, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." 

And this ties in so beautifully with the text before us. You know, I often hear men talk about the Old Testament doctrines of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. My old buddy from Sweden, Anders Gehr, he's an atheist and an evolutionist, but whenever I'd start to witness to him, he'd say, "I am a bit more Old Testament. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth." But this is a misunderstanding of those texts. Those speak of government, of those in authority acting as the ministers of God to punish those who break the laws of God. 

Jesus teaches us about personal relationships, turning the cheek and so forth. And Paul reiterates this teaching here in chapter 12, vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. And how does he control evil? He controls evil through his ordained ministers, those in authority, the police, the courts, the government. For he does not bear the sword for nothing. This is God's plan, but we are to leave that to God. 

Now hear me, it's not our place to make things right in this world. It's not our place to exercise wrath on evil men. It's not our place to exact vengeance to overcome evil, but it's our place to overcome evil with good. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, they're mighty in God. Our sword is the word of God, the truth spoken against error and lies. And I believe things are a bit complicated for us by the system of government in which we live in this time. 

The vast majority of human governments over time have been totalitarian, such as was the case in Paul's time when he wrote these words. And such as was the case in his time, these governments are often brutal and oppressive empires. But God has allowed us a representative form of government in which we are allowed to participate and exercise certain rights and influences. And I think this is right and good in order to proclaim the truth, to stand for what is right, to do what we can, but this is a blessing and a curse. 

At least it has been for the church and its mission, in my opinion. And the reason for this is that it's so very easy for us to lose sight of our mission and our means. Although it is right and good to always speak the truth, to bring the word of God to bear on every situation, it's right to stand for the truth and the word of God, we must always remember that it's not the means of men. It's not carnal means by which we are to wage our war. Our battle is not against flesh and blood, nor is it to bring the kingdom and justice on this earth. We cannot moralize a society of lost men through legislation or government force. 

But we are to bring salvation to individual hearts, preaching the gospel to every creature, leading men to faith in Jesus by the word of God. This is our mission, to be heralds of the good news message, the word of reconciliation that has been entrusted to us. And that word, that message is the means by which we are to accomplish our mission. We must never lose sight of this vital truth. 

So how does this relate to submission and government and those in authority over us and the plan of God for overseeing the affairs of men? So glad you asked. Our text says, "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities." There's no authority except from God, the authorities that exist are appointed by God. So if we resist the authority, we resist God. We see clearly in these words that God's plan for overseeing the affairs of man and maintaining peace and order is God-ordained government and that He sets government in place as He sees fit. 

But how does this relate to our mission, the reason that God left us in this world? There's no shortage of texts that explain this, and I find them most fascinating. Turn to 1 Timothy 1 with me, please. In 1 Timothy 1, Paul is exhorting Timothy to teach no other doctrine than the gospel of grace by faith, to instruct the believers to live by God's grace through faith and not fall into all kinds of distractions in the Christian life; he uses law teaching as the example there. In verse 15, Paul says this, "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief." 

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And Paul goes on to say that Jesus called him to bring this message of salvation to the lost as a minister of the gospel. Now notice what he says in chapter 2 and verse 1, "therefore," therefore, that points you back to what he just said, Jesus came into the world to save sinners, by His grace He made me a minister of the gospel to the Gentiles, therefore, I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, why? That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence, for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, look at verse 4, "who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." 

These are absolutely amazing words. He tells the young pastor Timothy in Ephesus to preach the word, stay focused on the gospel, on grace and the power of God, faith and trust in Him. He emphasizes that God has called him to be a minister of the gospel by His grace, and that the very reason Jesus came was to save sinners, not to bring justice on the earth, not to right all the wrongs, that's going to come next time, as we sang about in all those hymns this morning, joy to the world, by the way, about the second coming, right? He came to save sinners in His first coming. 

And Paul says this is the very reason that God called me and made me a minister to the Gentiles. I want you to listen to Paul's words in his testimony to Agrippa in Acts 26, he says, talking about what happened to him on that Damascus road, he said, "who are you, Lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness, both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you." 

Why did He send Paul? Why does He send us? "To open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me." And then Paul says, "therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision." He was not disobedient. His entire life was preaching the gospel, was opening their eyes through the truth preached. He didn't do any social justice work, nor did he get involved in the rebellions against the government or the curing of the social ills of society. He preached Christ crucified because he believed that the plan and purpose of God for the believer on this earth was to bring men to salvation, to turn them from darkness to light. 

When he had opportunity, he spoke the truth into every situation. And he stood for what was right, and it cost him dearly sometimes. But he never lost his focus on his mission, nor on his means. This was given to him by Jesus when he called him into service. So Paul says to Timothy, pray for those in authority, live a quiet and peaceful life so that we might further the gospel, so that God's will might be accomplished to bring this message to all men, that they might believe and be saved. 

And he ties our submissive spirit, our obedience to authority to the very mission that we have. The spirit of submission, this quiet and peaceful life where we obey those in authority over us is conducive to our mission, to bring the good news to the lost men, and also it's a good witness that bolsters the message we preach. Turn over to 1 Peter 2, 1 Peter 2, please, at verse 11. "Beloved, I beg you, as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works which they observe glorify God in the day of visitation. Therefore, submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king of supreme or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men." 

The word "day," day of visitation in verse 12 here is also used in Luke 19. In Luke 19:41, it says, "now as he drew near, he saw the city and wept over it." This is parallel to that passage we read in Matthew 23, and he says, "saying, if you had known, even you, especially this your day, the things that make for your peace, but now they are hidden from your eyes." Here their day speaks of a day of blessing, the coming of Messiah for salvation. 

I believe this is how Peter uses it as well; they will glorify God in the day of visitation. When they observe your good works, they will glorify God. There's a cause and effect in this verse, live such a good life among the pagans that if they by your good works might glorify God in the day of visitation. If this day speaks of the judgment of God, then the witness of the Christian is irrelevant. For every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord on that day of visitation. 

But if it's a day like the day in Luke 19 of God visiting them for a blessing, drawing them, then the witness of the Christian life, the quiet and peaceable life, the such a good life when God comes to them in the drawing of the gospel, they will glorify Him. They will see a consistency in the way that we live our submissive spirit, our quiet and peaceable life working with our hands and God's purpose to save men. 

An attitude of submission means a quiet and peaceable life, it also means a prosperous life. Not in the way the word-faith heretics preach it today, but in a biblical sense. Turn to 1 Thessalonians 4 with me, please, 1 Thessalonians 4:8, Paul says, "therefore he who rejects this does not reject man but God who has also given us the Holy Spirit. But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another, and indeed you do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia, but we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more." 

Look at verse 11, "that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, to work with your hands as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing." That you aspire, he says, what should our aspiration be in this life? What should our aspiration be? To make lots of money? To be really successful? To get all we can? He says aspire to lead a quiet life, and mind your own business, and work with your own hands as we commanded you, why? That you may walk properly toward those who are outside, isn't that amazing? 

Again we see the tie from God here that we live this quiet, submissive attitude, esteeming others above ourselves, working with our hands; we see Him tie it to our witness toward the lost. And then look at the end of verse 12, "that you may lack nothing." This is the biblical definition of prosperous, having our needs met, lacking nothing, particularly spiritually, but we also find the general rule that if we work with our hands and mind our own business, that our physical needs are met as well, so much so that we have enough to share with Him who has a need. We work with our hands, quietly, peaceably, minding our own business, that we may provide for our needs, the needs of our family, the needs of our church, and also to Him who has a need to one who is outside. 

When we submit ourselves to the plan of God and the authority submission principle in all of our relationships, when we aspire to lead a peaceable and prosperous life, trusting the Lord and trusting ourselves to Him, we see that our lives are a powerful witness to the transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The ultimate example of this is Jesus. 

Go back to 1 Peter 2 with me, at verse 13. "Therefore, submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king and supreme or to governors, as to those who are sent by Him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bond-servants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. But what credit is it if when you are beaten for your faults you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow his steps, who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth, who when he was reviled he did not revile in return, when he suffered he did not threaten, but committed himself to Him who judges righteously, who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we having died to sins might live for righteousness, by whose stripes you were healed, for you were like sheep going astray. But now I've returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls." 

We see some tremendous lessons in this passage. First of all, it's God's will for us to be in submission to those who are in authority over us, to the government, or employers, or in the family. God wants us to have an attitude of submission. And please notice he says not only to the good and gentle, but to the harsh. 

I've heard Christians make the argument that we do not have to obey the government if the government is not a minister for good, if it's evil. I want to make this very clear. God says we are to obey those in authority over us to be submissive to Him by being submissive to the governing authorities. Paul wrote these words to those in Rome, in the context of Nero. He was a wicked ruler and excessively abusive in many ways. But the office, the institution of God was to be obeyed. In fact, Paul would lay his head on the block and allow the Roman soldier to remove it from his body in submission to this very authority. Was this a good act? Was it noble? What about when the Roman government crucified Christ? Was this good? No. 

It was an abuse, it was an injustice in the highest degree. But Jesus opened not His mouth. He submitted Himself to the authorities and suffered wrongfully. Jesus is the chief example of this. We are to follow His example, Peter says, because we were called to suffer. And notice that when Jesus suffered, He suffered the ultimate injustice. Whatever injustice we see in our world, Jesus, the Creator God of the universe, the One who never sinned, who deserved no wrath but only worship, suffered to the fullest extent possible, even submitting Himself to the cross. He who knew no sin became sin for us and took the wrath of God in my place for my sin. He was separated from the Father. 

And Peter says that when He was abused, when He was unjustly persecuted, when He was reviled, He did not respond in kind; He did not defend Himself; He did not seek to exercise His rights; He did not even revile in return. But here's the key, He committed Himself to Him who judges righteously. Jesus is the greatest example of submission. 

God wants us to have an attitude of submission, loving one another, esteeming others higher than ourselves, serving one another. Jesus said the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve. It's not about me, it's not about my rights. 

We should make one clarifying note here. Our last point, there's a place for resistance, a time to rebel against those who are in authority over us. And there are really only two instances where we are to disobey or to refuse to submit to authority. In Acts 5 we see the example of the Apostles; they'd arrested them for preaching and put them in the prison and they went to get them out of the prison, they weren't there, they're in the temple teaching and they get them and bring them. And in verse 28 it says, "Did we not strictly command you to not teach in this name? And look, you have filled all Jerusalem with your doctrine and intend to bring this man's blood on us." But Peter and the other Apostles answered and said, "we ought to obey God rather than men." 

Here we had a corrupt government, the Sanhedrin, the Jewish authorities. They were wicked, unjust, they had made a mockery of the law in the trials and murder of Jesus. And here we see that they forbid the Apostles to preach the gospel. Here they forbid something that God has commanded us to do. And the answer of Peter is, "We must obey God rather than men, do what you will." 

And likewise, if we are commanded to do something God forbids, then we must resist the authority and obey God. But these are the only two instances where there is a place for rebellion against authority. 

I remember years ago, 2002, I remember because it was the year they outlawed baiting for deer. It was kind of important to me at that point. And I had this couple, older Christian couple, come up to me at church and this woman was complaining that bears kept coming into her deer bait, or her deer stand. Bears, got bears all the time. I said, "Well the only reason you'd have bears is if you have bait." And she slapped me in my face a little bit. 

We can rationalize a lot of things, can't we? I mean, that's not a moral issue, baiting deer, you know? What about shooting a wolf? He's biting my cow, should I shoot the wolf? How do you like the local headline? Local pastor shoots wolf; 23 federal wardens haul him off to jail. Does it matter that I'm submissive to the government? May I ask you this, does it matter eternally if the wolf eats my cow? These things strike very deep in my emotions, in my heart, in my huper mentality, right? 

But what God's saying is, your submissive attitude and your obedience to authority matters to your witness. And if you're resistant and rebellious in your spirit, whether that be a woman to her husband, or a child to their parent, or maybe your boss at work, or maybe you're an abusive boss to your employee, all these things undermine our witness. 

So we want to have a submissive attitude. So we disobey when they tell us to do something God forbids, or forbid us to do something that God commands. These people that the Apostles dealt with, that Jesus dealt with, this Sanhedrin, were so wicked. You think about what they did to Jesus; what they did to the Apostles, what they were doing, you know, Annas and Caiaphas, all the corruption that was going on in that religious governing body. 

Listen to what Jesus taught the Apostles about this same governing authority back in Matthew 23, 2. He said, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat, therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do. But do not do according to their works, for they say and do not do." The Apostles were to be submissive to the Jewish leaders because they were instituted and placed there by God; they were in Moses' seat. It's the office, the government that God has set for order, and they were to obey, to submit to them because of the fact, even though, because of that fact that they were in Moses' seat, even though their works were evil. 

But when the government forbade them from doing something God commanded, they had to resist the authority. God has instituted authority and submission relationships and institutions for order and for our God. Think of it this way, God has instituted marriage, hasn't he? Are marriages always good? Do husbands always love their wives as Christ loves the church and gave himself for her? But this does not impugn the institution of marriage or mean that we are exempt from obeying God's command to submit to one another in marriage. 

God also instituted the church as an institution, as his people. Is the church perfect? No, it's very messy. But it's still good, and it's still for our good, and so it is for government, often corrupt, often bad, often abusive, but still God's institution for our good, for order, for a quiet and peaceable life as we submit to those in authority over us. Our government is very corrupt today, but it's still true that if we steal and murder, then the government has the right to punish us to maintain order. If we don't want to be looking over our shoulder, if we don't want to be afraid, do what is right. Don't speed and you don't have to cringe when you see Kyle sitting up there on Highway 51. 

Paul says we need to obey not only because of fear but also for conscience' sake, he says. I thought of it this way, if I could break the law without fear of retribution, would I? Like now in our cities, you can go in and steal from stores up to a certain value and no one will arrest you or prosecute you, so if there's no fear, you gonna drive down to Minneapolis and get you some stuff? No, why? Because of conscience' sake. 

You see, we as believers have a much higher motivation than the law and fear. Those things are there, but we want to obey God because of love, because of witness, because of his glory. So we are to obey those in authority; we are to have an attitude of submission. Why? Because it's the plan of God. Because it means a peaceful and prosperous life. Because it is a powerful witness and testimony to the lost. Because it is part of God's plan to bring men to salvation and glory to himself. 

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. Ultimately, my brothers, my sisters in Christ, we are obeying God. We are entrusting ourselves to him who judges righteously. And there's some rotten scoundrels in those offices, no doubt about it, and they're doing some wicked things. And there's nothing wrong with doing what we can within the system that God has given us to do what's right. But don't forget your mission and don't undermine your mission by how you live. And trust yourself to him who judges righteously. And we didn't even make it to pay your taxes. Let's close in prayer. 

Father, we thank you for your Word, your truth, the clarity of your Word, the way your Word works together to teach us these important practical principles. Lord, help us just to trust you, to believe you, and help us to do what is right. To speak the truth in love. And help us to be powerful witnesses as we submit ourselves to those in authority over us and ultimately submit ourselves to you knowing that you're fully in control and that you operate according to your will to accomplish your purpose in us. Help us to believe you and to trust you. In Jesus' name. Amen.