The Christian's Relationship to Society 2 Relation to Civil Laws/Authorities

Q: What does the Bible say about the Christian's duty to civil authorities?

The Bible asserts that Christians are to render principled, exemplary obedience to civil authorities as ordained by God (Romans 13:1-7). The Scriptures clearly articulate that Christians have a duty to respect and obey the civil authorities established by God. Romans 13:1 emphasizes that every person should be in subjection to the governing authorities because all authority is instituted by God. This includes recognizing the legitimacy of governmental powers and fulfilling our obligations, such as paying taxes and honoring those in positions of authority. As Christians, we demonstrate our allegiance to Christ by obeying the civil laws that align with His Word, which reflects our submission to God’s ultimate authority. However, should these authorities require us to act contrary to God's commands, we must obey God rather than man, as indicated in Acts 5:29.

Q: How do we know that civil disobedience is justified in Scripture?

Civil disobedience is justified when authorities require actions contrary to God's commands, as exemplified by Daniel and the Apostles (Acts 5:29). Scripture outlines that while Christians are to generally obey civil authorities, there are clear boundaries. When any earthly authority demands actions that violate God's law, the Christian's obligation shifts to obey God first. This principle is beautifully illustrated in the life of Daniel, who refused to bow to King Nebuchadnezzar's edict (Daniel 3), and the apostles, who declared, 'We must obey God rather than men' (Acts 5:29). Such instances serve as a reminder that God's authority supersedes human authority, and believers must remain vigilant to discern when obedience to God necessitates disobedience to man.

Q: Why is it important for Christians to pray for civil authorities?

Christians are called to pray for civil authorities to lead tranquil lives in godliness, which facilitates the spread of the gospel (1 Timothy 2:1-4). Prayer for civil authorities is fundamental in the life of a Christian as instructed in 1 Timothy 2:1-4. The passage explicitly encourages believers to offer various forms of prayer for all people, particularly for kings and those in positions of authority. This practice is rooted in the desire for a peaceful and quiet life that allows Christians to live out their faith without hindrance, promoting an environment conducive to the spread of the gospel. Additionally, praying for leaders aligns with God’s will for their salvation and for those around them, thereby fostering a society that respects and reflects godly principles.

Q: What does 'render unto Caesar' mean for Christians today?

'Render unto Caesar' means that Christians are to fulfill their civic duties, such as paying taxes and obeying laws, while remaining ultimately devoted to God (Mark 12:17). 'Render unto Caesar' encapsulates Jesus's teaching regarding the appropriate response of Christians to civil authority. It signifies that while Christians owe respect and obedience to governmental structures, their ultimate allegiance is to God. Mark 12:17 illustrates that civil authorities, represented by Caesar, have rights over their citizens, including the demand for taxes. However, this command does not diminish the equal duty Christians have to God. Therefore, while fulfilling earthly obligations, believers must ensure that their spiritual commitments and moral principles remain central. The challenge lies in balancing civic responsibility with the exclusive rights and honor due to God, particularly when civil demands conflict with divine mandates.

The following message was delivered
on Sunday morning, February 14, 1993, at the Trinity Baptist Church
in Montville, New Jersey. Now will you follow with me,
please, in your own Bibles as I read in your hearing from the
twelfth chapter of the Gospel according to Mark, Mark's Gospel,
chapter 12, beginning with verse 13 and reading through to the
end of verse 17. Mark 12 and verse 13. And they sent unto him a surgeon
of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, that they might catch him in
talk. And when they were come, they
say unto him, We know that thou art true, and carest not for
any one, for thou regardest not the person of men, but of a truth
teachest the way of God. Is it lawful to give tribute
unto Caesar, or not? Shall we give, or shall we not
give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy,
said unto them, Why make ye trial of me? Bring me a denarius, that
I may see it. And they brought it. And he said
unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they
said unto him, Caesar's. And Jesus said unto them, Render
unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things
that are God's. and they marveled greatly at
him. Let us now once again pray for
the enablement of God's Holy Spirit as we study the words
of the Lord. Let us pray. Holy Father, we thank you for
the privilege that has already been ours in this place this
morning. to lift up our voices as rational
human beings, singing the praises of You, our God, acknowledging
our utter dependence upon You as we have prayed for grace and
pardon and mercy, as we have together sought Your face for
Your blessing upon the proclamation of the Word throughout the earth
and upon the lives of Your people. Now as we come again to the study
of your word, and in particular, as we come desirous of knowing
your will for us, as we seek to live in our society according
to your will as revealed in scripture, may the Spirit be given in copious
measures that the one who attempts to expound and apply the word
may do so accurately and in the power and demonstration of the
Holy Spirit, and that everyone who receives that word, young
and old alike, from the least to the most instructed, grant
that each of us will know your word coming to our hearts. with
light and with power. O Lord, bind the powers of darkness,
and may your word run and have free course, and may we think
your thoughts after you. Hear us, we plead, in Jesus'
name. Amen. Now, as most of you know, it
has been our privilege this weekend as a church to host the 8th Annual
Reform Baptist Single Conference, which at least for the past several
years has met over what we now designate as the long President's
Weekend Holiday. And the theme chosen for this
year's conference is the Christian and his relationship to society. And as I indicated in the previous
hour, the theme is not the Church and its relationship to society. That theme was very helpfully
and, I believe, accurately addressed by Pastor Jim Hufstetler of our
sister church in Grand Rapids, and the tapes are available in
a lovely album in the Trinity Book Service. but rather the
concern of the committee was to address the issue of the individual
Christian and his relationship to the society in which God has
placed him. And in our opening session yesterday
morning, I sought to demonstrate from the Scriptures that everything,
particularly in the New Testament that addresses this subject,
assumes two things of those who are addressed. It assumes that
they possess a biblical experience of the salvation of God, and
it assumes that they sustain a biblical attachment to the
Church of God. We then proceeded to consider
in the previous hour what I call the paradoxical relationship
of the Christian to society, or more biblically defined, to
the world. And we saw, first of all, a biblical
description of the world, and then a biblical description of
the Christian's paradoxical relationship to the world. He is not a part
of it, but has been delivered from it, and yet he is a part
of it in order to minister to it. And then we looked at a biblical
description of the Christian's general duty to the world negatively
considered and positively considered. Now in this hour we're going
to address the very burning issue of the Christian and his civil
duty to society. As one whom God leaves in this
world, We as Christians are not called to retreat into caves,
into monasteries, or nunneries, or into geographically isolated
Christian communes. As Christians, we necessarily
sustain relationships to local, to state, and federal officials,
both elected and appointed. As we seek to live our lives
in the world as Christians, we face rules and regulations that
it is incumbent upon us as citizens of our own society to respect
and to obey. These rules and regulations touch
such things as how much pressure we place upon the accelerator
of our cars in one section of town or on a given section of
a state highway. These rules and regulations touch
what we do when we purchase goods and services and have certain
percentages added in terms of taxes. And certainly this time
of the year we are conscious of the implications of being
citizens of the United States as the dreaded April 15th date
approaches. Well, what precisely is the duty
of a Christian with respect to these things? How can a Christian
best glorify God and validate his profession of allegiance
to Jesus Christ? In these circumstances, with
regulations and demands and relationships imposed upon us, how best can
the child of God validate the power of the gospel in his own
life and commend the gospel to those around him? This question
is not a simple question to answer, for we read in such passages
as 1 Corinthians 7.23 that we, the people of God, have been
bought with a price, and therefore we are not to become the bond
slaves of men. I am supremely, as a Christian,
the purchased property of Jesus Christ. He alone has absolute
rights of sovereignty and ownership over me. And yet the same scripture
that teaches that truth clearly teaches us that every single
Christian does indeed have distinct responsibilities to the society
in which God has placed him, responsibilities that can be
called his civil duties. And there are five major passages
in the New Testament that address this matter. The passage read
in your hearing, Mark 12, 13-17, with its two parallels in Matthew
22 and in Luke 20, Romans 13, 1-7, 1 Timothy 2, 1-5, Titus
3, 1-2, and 1 Peter 2, 13-17. And in the time allotted this
morning, it is my purpose to give at least a token exposition
of these passages And I've attempted to do so by organizing them under
three basic headings. So that when you and I ask the
question, what is our civil duty as those who own the name of
Christ, these passages should be the fundamental passages that
are our constant sphere of reference. I will not be addressing all
of the exceptions, all of the possible principles that enter
in to regulate and to alter a strict adherence to all or any of these
individual passages, but it is my purpose to give a responsible,
basic acquaintance with those five pivotal passages given to
us in the New Testament. And as we look at them, we'll
consider them, as I've indicated, under three headings. The first
heading being this. The Christian is to render principled,
exemplary obedience to the constituted civil authorities. The Christian
is to render principled, exemplary obedience to the constituted
civil authorities. Turn with me to the passage read
in your hearing, Mark chapter 12. This is the most significant
pronouncement in all of the recorded sayings of our Lord Jesus Christ. And as is so often true with
the sayings of our Lord Jesus, it is in a very real sense the
seedbed out of which the more particular flowering of subsequent
New Testament teaching emerges. Here you'll remember, as the
passage was read in your hearing, the enemies of our Lord Jesus
were seeking to trap Him in His words. On the one hand, there
were the Pharisees who were desperate to prove him to be something
less than a loyal Jew fully respecting the law of Moses. And then there
were the Herodians, and while there is much discussion and
debate among New Testament scholars with reference to their precise
identity and their precise code of allegiance, etc., one thing
is clear is that they had a sympathy with the Herod. That is, with
that line of leaders that had their ultimate loyalty to Rome,
and in that sense they would have delighted to prove our Lord
to be something less than a loyal subject of the usurping government
of Rome. And so our Lord is caught, as
it were, in a verbal pincer move. The Pharisees pressing in on
the one hand, trying to prove him a disloyal Jew, and the Herodians
on the other, seeking to prove him to be a disloyal Roman subject. And as they attempt to do this,
our Lord, with Solomonic wisdom, asks them to give him a common
coin. And when they put that coin in
his hands, with the question ringing in his ears, shall we
or shall we not give tribute unto Caesar, our Lord asks them
a question. And reading now from Mark chapter
12 and verse 16, And they brought it, that is, the denarius, the
common coin, and he said unto them, Whose is this image and
superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar's. For on one side of all of those
coins that were the legitimate coinage of Roman exchange would
be found the head of Caesar. And our Lord points to this reality
and then gives his famous words, Jesus said unto them, Render
unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's. and unto God the things
that are God's, and they marvelled greatly at him." Now what is
the basic truth asserted by our Lord in this passage that relates
to the question that we are wrestling with this morning? What is the
Christian's duty to the civil authority? What is the Christian's
duty with reference to civil government? Well, in this passage,
our Lord clearly asserts, number one, that Caesar has legitimate
claims. Look at the text. Render unto
Caesar the things that are Caesar's. And here our Lord unequivocally
asserts that Caesar possesses certain rights. Now he does not
possess them because he is Caesar, or because he was given these
rights by the consent of the people, but as we shall see in
the most definitive passage on the Christian's relationship
to the civil government, Romans 13, Caesar was given this authority
by God, but having been given it, it is rightfully his possession,
and as he exercises it, Caesar has his just dues. Our Lord does not say Caesar
has no right to your coins. He has only put his face upon
them in one perpetual ego trip. Ignore them. The earth is the
Lord's and the fullness thereof. Everything belongs to God. Give
nothing to Caesar." He did not say that. Our Lord said, Caesar
has legitimate claims. Give him his dues. But then he
says, God has his legitimate claims. Render unto Caesar the
things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are
God's. As surely as Caesar has legitimate
claims, and he is to be given his due, God has his legitimate
claims, and we are to give to God his due. And the great principles from
this simple statement of our Lord are two. Number one, there
is no necessary contradiction between rendering to Caesar what
belongs to Caesar and rendering everything to God that belongs
to God. Because, you see, it is God who
has given to Caesar the right to make certain claims upon his
subjects, and therefore to give to Caesar the things that are
Caesar's is simply to be giving one aspect of what belongs to
God and rendering it to God. On the other hand, We learn from
this passage that there is no equal dividing of the spheres
of claims over men, though there is a parallel structure in the
language. Render unto Caesar the things
that are Caesar's, and the verb render, understood, and render
unto God the things that are God's, Our Lord is not saying
that these are two parallel objects of our loyalty. No. God has rights
that Caesar never dare usurp, and at any point that Caesar
would usurp rights which belong only to God. and which God is
not conferred upon Caesar, then the language of Acts 529 kicks
in, we ought to obey God rather than man. So that our Lord in
this passage is teaching there is no contradiction between rendering
to Caesar his legitimate claims, but he is not in any way teaching
that there is an equality of claims. God is God and is therefore
worthy of being loved and served with all the heart, mind, soul,
and strength So to love any human authority is to be guilty of
idolatry. And it was for the very refusal
to say, Caesar is Lord in a religious sense, while making the confession
that Christ is kuria, Christ is Lord, that many were thrown
to the arena in the early persecutions under Nero and subsequent Roman
rulers. What then is the Christian to
do with the civil authority? The Christian is to render principled,
exemplary obedience to the existing civil authority. In this particular
context, it covers the matter of taxes, tribute, but to demonstrate
one other example that our Lord Jesus was not limiting it to
that, turn to Matthew chapter 5 for but one other example,
for remember this is a survey and not an exhaustive study this
morning. Matthew chapter 5, in the Sermon
on the Mount, where our Lord is exposing the wickedness of
the tit-for-tat, eye-for-eye, tooth-for-tooth, personal, vengeful
spirit which was justified by the perverted teaching of the
scribes and the Pharisees and the rabbinical traditions Our
Lord says in Matthew 5 and verse 40, And if any man would go to
law with you and take away your coat, let him have your cloak
also. And whosoever shall compel you
to go one mile, go with him two. And most responsible commentators
and New Testament scholars are agreed that what our Lord is
referring to in verse 41 was the right of a Roman soldier
to conscript anyone to be his porter, to carry his knapsack
or his military gear from one place to another. And our Lord
is saying, when that soldier would compel you to carry his
knapsack from this point to that point to demonstrate that you
have the spirit of willing, joyful submission to constituted authority,
don't go simply as far as he expects, but as those who do
more than others. who are activated and motivated
by the principles of the kingdom of grace and of God, you show
a joyful spirit to carry his knapsack twice as far as he mandated. And when you come to the end
of that twice the distance carrying of his knapsack, that soldier's
going to find it awfully hard not to say, what in the world
makes you dick? And then you will be able to
say, as one who has been light in the midst of darkness, sought,
checking the putrefaction of the resentment with which the
average Jew would take that knapsack and drop it, just one inch shy
of the distance demanded, you will have manifested as a son
or daughter of the kingdom that you are made of different stuff
as you render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and
unto God the things that are God's. Then we turn to the second
passage. That second passage is Romans
chapter 13. The Christian and his civil duty
to society, we have those pregnant words of our Lord as the foundational
passage. Now as the most extensive passage,
Romans chapter 13. Romans 13, verses 1-7, and in
order to help you think your way through the passage for future
and more extensive study, I would urge you to consult the commentary
of Professor John Murray, particularly pages 145 to 147, in which he
describes the social setting which made this directive peculiarly
necessary at Rome. Why is it that in the epistle
to the Romans we have the most complete treatment of the question,
how should a Christian relate to the civil authority? And Professor
Murray sets forth some very helpful as well as convincing insights
as to why this is so. But then as you think of the
passage, look at it and note with me again just a brief survey
of its overall content. We have in verse one the summary
and the heart of a Christian's duty to the civil authority. Let every soul be in subjection
to the higher powers. There's the summary statement. Let every soul, not just the
one who is more naturally pliant and trusting, not just those
who are naturally followers, not just those who are uninformed
about governmental policies and principles, not just those who
are ignorant of the character and the backgrounds of those
in places of leadership, The language is sweeping, it is unequivocal,
it encompasses all of the people of God. Let every soul be in
subjection to the higher powers. There is your duty and mine in
a nutshell. We are to be in subjection to
the higher powers. And with reference to the verb
used, subjection, I quote Professor Murray, the term for subjection
is one more inclusive than that for obedience. It implies obedience
when ordinances to be obeyed are in view, but there is more
involved. Subjection indicates the recognition
of our subordination in the whole realm of the magistrate's jurisdiction
and willing subservience to their authority. This is enforced still
more if the rendering of the whole clause is given the reflexive
form, let every soul subject himself to the governing authorities. This rendering, for which much
can be said, stresses active participation in the duty of
subjection. This is why I've used the term
we are to render principled exemplary obedience to the existing civil
authorities. That is the sum and substance
of the Christian's duty. Then in 1B through 2A we are
given the basic rationale for this duty. Four, there is no
power but of God and the powers that be are ordained of God. Therefore, he that resisteth
the power withstandeth the ordinance of God." The apostle gives the
sweeping duty But then he buttresses it with the rationale for the
performance of that duty. Why is every soul to be in subjection
to the higher powers? Because the existing powers are
ordained of God. Therefore, to resist them is
to resist God. Now, what a contradiction. In
the earlier chapters, the Christian has been described as the bondservant
of God. He has been described as the
one who, in response to the mercies of God, presents himself a living
sacrifice unto God, who is committed to prove the good and acceptable
and perfect will of God. And now the will of God is expressed. Let every soul be in subjection
to the higher powers. Refusal to do so is defiance
of God, and it tangles against the whole motif of what it is
to be a Christian who has joyfully embraced the rule of God over
him in gratitude for God's mercy in the Lord Jesus. So we have
the summary of the heart of the Christian's duty, then the rationale
for that duty, then in 2B we have the implications of refusing
this duty. And they that withstand shall
receive to themselves judgment. You do not get away with defying
God. Therefore, Paul underscores the
implications of refusing this duty. Then in verses 3 through
6, he gives added incentives for compliance with this duty. Rulers are not a terror for good
works, but to the evil. Would you have no fear of the
power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise for
the same. He is giving added incentives
for compliance with the duty. And then in verse 7 we have a
summary of the specific duties we are to render to the civil
authorities. So you see how the passage is
organized? The sweeping general statement
of our duty to the civil authority. Let every soul be in subjection
to the higher powers. The rationale given to us, no
power, but that which is ordained of God. Whoever resists the power
resists God's ordinance. That has implications. Then to
encourage us, verses 3 to 6. But then it's as though someone
says, well, Paul, I've got the message, but now where the rubber
meets the road. When April 15th comes, when I
go down to Sears and I've got to pay the New Jersey State sales
tax. And when I get on the turnpike,
and I have to pay the toll, and when I drive on the Garden State
Parkway, and every time I get up to the speed limit, I've got
to stop and plunk in my 35 cents, and wherever I turn, I see Uncle
Sam, or I see Mr. Florio, or I see someone else
sticking his hand into my pocket. And when I go downtown and I
see town officials and must pay my local property taxes and know
that 75% of it goes to support an educational system that undermines
everything I hold dear, Paul, what do I do? In the nitty gritty
of those things, give me a word. Paul says, all right, I'll do
that. Verse 7, render to all their dues. Now, does that language
seem to have overtones of the words of Jesus? Render unto Caesar
the things that are Caesar's, unto God the things that are
God's. Render to all their dues. And then you have four things.
Tribute, to whom tribute. Custom, to whom custom. Fear, to whom fear. Honor, to
whom honor. Those are the specifics. Tribute. This refers to taxes,
whether levied on our persons or our property. And he doesn't
say if you had a voice or vote concerning the equity of the
tax. Nobody was casting votes there
at Rome concerning what Caesar would demand. The whole notion
that those who govern receive their power to govern from the
consent of the governed is not rooted in the Bible. And the
idea no taxation without representation may have resulted in the Boston
Tea Party, but it never got its teaching out of the Bible. Let
God be true, and every cherished American notion a lie. Paul said under the shadow of
imperial, militaristic, expansionistic Rome, tribute. To whom? Tribute. Custom to whom? Custom. That's like our toll
roads. You want to take a load to your
grandma's house? And all along the way, somebody
was sticking his hand in your pocket. And some of them were
the Zacchaeuses. And the Levites, who bought the
privilege of operating the tollbooths along Roman roads where there
was Roman occupation, and there was no graft, all says, gustum dum gustum,
cough up. I didn't write it. Holy Ghost
Room. Custom to whom custom. Then it
says, fear to whom fear. What is the word fear used here?
Same sense as you have in Ephesians 5.33, let the wife see. Same
Greek word that she fear, that she reverence her husband. Same
word in Ephesians 6.4, that servants are to render obedience to their
masters with fear. It's not the cringing fear of
the criminal, it's the reverential awe that is due to the person
who by God has been put in the place of authority. Fear to whom
fear, and then it says honor to whom honor, the proper recognition
of the dignity of the office as appointed by God. Whether it's Mr. Clinton, Mr. Florio, Mr. anybody else. Christian, what
is the will of God for you in relationship to the civil authority?
Here it is. in concrete specifics, tribute
to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom
fear, honor to whom honor. And that's why I said you must
render principled, exemplary obedience to the existing civil
authorities It has nothing to do with whether you like them,
whether in our system you voted for them, whether you had anything
to say about their appointment. None of those factors enter the
picture. And in the crass individualistic
me-ism of our day, this teaching of Romans 13 is nothing short
of radical. But until God the Holy Ghost
comes back and rips it out and rewrites it, this is the will
of God in Christ Jesus concerning you and me. This is the good,
acceptable, and perfect will of God for you and for me. And we show our love to Christ
by our strict, principled commitment to the word of his apostle. But
then there's a third passage that teaches this matter of principle,
exemplary obedience, and that's Titus chapter 3. Again, just
a broad overview of the pivotal passages, looking at their basic
content and structure. Titus 3, verses 1 and 2. Put them in mind to be in subjection
to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready unto
every good work, to speak evil of no man a strong word. Word for blasphemy. Not to be
contentious, to be gentle, showing all meekness toward All men. Now it's very interesting, you
notice the immediately preceding context of this directive. Paul
has been giving to Titus directions concerning Titus' pastoral input
to the various groups of people within the church at Crete. Speaking
to older men, older women, younger men. speaking to servants and
how they are all to relate to the end that they might adorn
the doctrine of God our Savior in all things, chapter 2 and
verse 10. And he says, this is necessary for this reason. The grace of God hath appeared,
bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to the intent
of denying ungodliness and worldly lust. We should live soberly,
righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for the
blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and
Savior, Jesus Christ. What does it mean in specific
and concrete terms to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this
present world? Well, it means that we not only
take our directives from the earlier part of chapter 2 with
respect to older men, young men, and older women, and servants,
etc. But that as we relate to the
powers that be, and remember, he's writing this epistle to
a man laboring in a pastoral situation in the Isle of Crete,
an island in which there was a governmental structure far
from theonomic, far from Christian in its perspectives, and yet
he says, put them in mind to be in subjection to rulers. to authorities to be obedient,
and in the context, being ready unto every good work to speak
evil of no man, not to be contentious, to be gentle, showing meekness
to all, though not having an exclusive reference to the matter
of civic responsibilities and the relationship to civil authorities,
Surely it has dominant overtones of the attitude with which we
carry out our subjection and obedience to the authorities
that God has placed over them. And so as the people of God asking
the question, how am I as a Christian to relate to society, in particular
to the civil authority, The Scriptures tell us in this passage that
I am to be exemplary and principled in my obedience. I am to do it
from the heart. I am to be in subjection. I am to range myself under that
authority, recognizing that behind it stands the activity and will
of the living God, without whom there is no authority. And I
am in that context, not to be one continually grousing and
bad-mouthing and mocking. I find it, I'm going to say something
that some of you won't like, but I don't care. If you can
square Rush Lumbaugh with this passage, then be his devotee. Now some of you are going to
get mad at me. I don't care. I don't care. You have your liberty to
listen to Rush Lumbaugh. I would not impinge on that liberty,
but I'm asking you if, as a Christian, you can share his spirit and
square it with this passage. For some of you don't know who
Rush Lumbaugh is. He's the new darling of conservatives, who
has an unusually canny ability to mock and make fun of and to
pillory the woolly-headed left and liberals. But he's as pagan
as any leftist. He's as godless as any leftist. And I'm disturbed when I find
Christians making him their model. Be not deceived, evil companions
corrupt good morals. Now, I know somebody's going
to go out and say, Dr. Martin said you can't... You say what
you want. There's lots of witnesses. I didn't say it. But I am saying this, does Rush
Lumbaugh say, you who are conservatives, though you may be grieved at
this policy of Mr. Clinton and that, manifest a
disposition of intelligent, principled submission. Be ready to every
good work. Speak evil of no man. Do not
be contentious. Be gentle. and show meekness
to all men. Will you learn that from Rush
Lumbaugh? Not in a hundred years, unless
he gets converted. Then the final passage, and this
first heading is our main heading, so don't be scared, the others
will be much briefer, because it takes us through all but one
of the major passages. First Peter, chapter 2. Want
to know the will of God? How am I as a Christian to relate
to the civil authorities? I am to render principle, exemplary
obedience to the existing civil authorities. This is the word
of Jesus. It's Paul's word in Romans 13. It's the Holy Ghost through Paul
in Titus 3. But now it's Peter's word as
well, 1 Peter 2.13. It's very interesting. He has
just issued an appeal to believers as those who are on their way
to their ultimate destiny, their heavenly, upward destiny. They are sojourners and pilgrims
on their way to a better land. They are to abstain from fleshly
lusts that war against the soul. Verse 12, having your behavior
seemly among the Gentiles. That word seemingly means having
your behavior consistent with what you claim to be and with
what you are as disciples of Christ, that wherein they speak
against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which
they behold, Glorify God in the day of visitation. There's the
general call to a life of consistent holiness lived out before the
eyes of the ungodly. And then what is the first specific
thing that he focuses upon? Be subject to every ordinance
of man for the Lord's sake. And then he gets specific, whether
to the king as supreme, or unto governors as sent by him for
vengeance on evildoers, and for praise to them that do well,
for so is the will of God that by well-doing You should put
to silence the ignorance of foolish men, as free, and not using your
freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God, honor
all men, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the King. Again,
a brief outline of the passage, the heart of our duty, verses
13 and 14, subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, including
everyone from the king down to those who share authority under
him. What's the rationale for the
duty? Verse 15, that by so doing we'll put to silence ignorant
and foolish men. That is, that we will validate
our testimony as the people of God. And what then is the potential
hindrance to this duty? Verse 16, a false sense of our
freedom. as free, and not using your freedom
for a cloak of wickedness, but as bond slaves of God. Someone says, look, I've been
set free. I'm liberated in Christ. I call
no man master. Why should I honor the king and
obey the governor? I'm a free man in Christ. Peter
says, don't use your spiritual freedom as a pretense for civil
disobedience. He was a realist. And he understood
that the most precious truths could be taken and made the handmaiden
of the purposes of the devil. He was not ignorant of Satan's
devices. And then he gives a summary list
of specific duties in verse 17. Honor all men, love the brotherhood,
fear God, honor the king. Give to the king the one in supreme
place of authority that honor due to his position, even though
there be much about his person that you abominate, and if possible,
you would rebuke and call him to account in the presence of
God. Yet you honor the king because he has been placed in his position
in the sovereign will of God. Now, in summary, I realize there
are many questions not answered. But I do ask you to remember
pagan Rome was in power when all of these passages were written,
when our Lord's words were uttered. Persecution had already begun
in the setting in which Peter wrote it would soon come to the
people at Rome. And there's no indication that
any apostle was moved to rewrite Romans 13 when persecution broke
out under Nero. It stands as the word of the
living God. If the government commands you
or me to violate some clear biblical principle, then like Daniel,
we must be prepared to say, Caesar, you have required something which
God forbids, and I must obey God. and in so doing disobey
you. They could find no fault in anything
with respect to Daniel save in the matters pertaining to his
God. If Caesar ever intrudes into
realms that God has marked out as his exclusive turf, then we
defy Caesar and we are prepared to pay the price. That's the
justification for martyrdom. that it is right to lose my life
rather than to allow any human being to usurp rights which belong
only unto God. But as a general rule, here is
the great truth. In answer to the question, what
is my responsibility as a Christian citizen to the civil authority? It is to render principled obedience
to the existing But then, secondly, and very quickly, because it
takes us to the one other pivotal passage, the Christian is to
engage in thankful, fervent prayers for the civil authorities. 1
Timothy 2, 1-5. The Christian is to engage in
thankful, fervent prayers for the civil authorities. And here we go back to our first
message, where it's assumed that all who are given these directions
have a biblical attachment to the Church of God. And that's
assumed, for these are church directions, according to chapter
3, verses 14 and 15. I exhort, therefore, first of
all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings
be made for all men, for kings and all that are in high place,
that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and
gravity. This is good and acceptable in
the sight of God our Savior, who would have all men to be
saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one
God, one mediator between God and man himself, man, Christ
Jesus." You see, the Christian is not only to render principled,
exemplary obedience to the civil authorities, But he is in the
second place to engage in thankful, fervent prayers for the civil
authorities. Now let's again look at a brief
outline of the passage. What kinds of prayers are to
be made? all kinds of prayers join to
thanksgiving. I exhort therefore first of all
that supplications, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings
be made for all men. The Christian is to engage in
all kinds of prayer mingled with thanksgiving. For whom are such
prayers to be made? For all men in general, but for
existing leaders in particular. Be made for all men. Paul obviously
can't mean for every single individual living on the face of the earth
by name. That would be an utter impossibility. But be made for all men in general,
but in particular for kings and all that are in high place. And when he wrote this, you know
who was most likely emperor? Nero. Pray for Nero. And pray for all of Nero's henchmen. Pray for the Herods in Jerusalem. Pray for these whose morals and
whose personal lives are such as to sicken all sense of decency
and uprightness and morality. This is the command of God, that
all kinds of prayer mingled with thanksgiving are to be made for
all men in general, but for all existing leaders in particular. Some of them are broken down
in Acts 19, where you have the pro-council in verse 38, the
local leaders in verse 31, the town clerk in verse 35, and Timothy
working in the area of Ephesus. Perhaps it was all of these different
people in the concreteness of specific ones that would come
to mind to Timothy and to the existing congregation there at
Ephesus. What kinds of prayer? He answers. For whom are such prayers to
be made? He answers. But now thirdly,
for what are we to pray? The end of verse two. That we
may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and gravity. We are to pray that God would
so guide the decisions and policies of those leaders for whom we
pray that the people of God may carry out their lives and witness
in a context of civil stability conducive to godliness and inner
quietness. Hendrickson's comments on this
part of the text are most helpful. He speaks, first of all, of the
rarity of these adjectives, tranquil and calm, the latter being found
only in this passage, slightly different meaning in another
setting. And this is what he writes. The first, that is, the
tranquil life, seems to refer to a life free from outward disturbance. The second, the calm life, to
a life which is free from inner disturbance. Of course, this
merely hints at the real purpose of praying for the rulers. Paul
certainly does not mean to encourage a life of ease. His aims are
never selfish. Rather, the idea is this. Freedom
from disturbances such as wars and persecutions would facilitate
the spread of the gospel of salvation in Christ to the glory of God.
One must read the present passage in the light of the immediately
following context, verses 3 and 4, and of other passages from
the pastoral epistles. Included in the purpose of Paul's
prayer is this, that believers leading a life of tranquility
and calm may do nothing to create unnecessary disturbance, and
may conduct themselves in all godliness and gravity, that is,
in all piety and respectability or dignity, striving to be blameless
in their conduct or attitude toward God and towards men. Now this is what we are to pray.
When we pray for kings and rulers, we're not to pray that God will
so help them that we will have an increasingly burgeoning GNP
until the Lord comes. The whole idea that God owes
to America an ever-increasing standard of living is sheer nonsense. It cannot be founded in the Word
of God. What are we to pray for as Christians? We're not to be praying, Oh God,
purge the church with persecution, send earthquakes, calamity and
famine. Where do you find that in the
text? I don't. I find that I am to pray For
those who are over us in authority, that we, the people of God, may
lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and sobriety
and steadiness, to what end? It's obvious in the following
context. It has great gospel ends in view. This is good and acceptable in
the sight of God, who would have all men to be saved and come
to the knowledge of the truth. O Lord, create conditions that
will be most conducive to your people being vibrant and holy
and committed to the work of evangelism and able to advance
the cause of your kingdom. If a period of greater, tighter,
more lean economic circumstances will make us more prayerful and
less worldly, and less possessive of things, and therefore more
prayerful and more careful to invest in the gospel, then so
be it! But it's the great concerns of
the gospel that beat within our breasts, We must not be caught
up in this obsession with the great problem of our nation is
the economy. That's not the great problem
of our nation. It's its moral degeneration. It's its rootlessness
cut loose from every concept of the law of God and of decency
and of righteousness. This is the great plague of our
nation. It is not the lack of universal
health care. It is the absence of the impact
of the law and the gospel upon the conscience of this society. Therefore, we have a responsibility,
and I think of you young men and women who will carry on while
some of us are in our great And would to God the vision of this
would grip you and regulate you. And as the churches move into
this new generation and some of the leaders through whom your
life has been formed and molded and you're thinking about reality's
shape when they're in their graves, the pressure comes to move aside
to make the church's agenda something other than this. May you be brought
back to this passage and say, no, I remember when that passage
was set before us on that singles conference. We're to pray that
we may lead a tranquil and quiet life, not in all material affluence,
but in all godliness. Gravity to the end that gospel
enterprises might be advanced with great success. to the honor
of God and to the giving of the Lord Jesus of the reward of his
sufferings. This is when we need, as believers,
to go back to the Old Testament and draw some fuel for prayer. And I only have time to just
mention them Remember the God who stirs up the heart of a Persian
king named Cyrus. Read the opening words of the
book of Ezra. God stirred up the spirit of
Cyrus, king of Persia. And he becomes kindly disposed
to God's people. And then in Nehemiah 2, Nehemiah's
before Ahasuerus, and God disposes his heart. Remember how he humbles
the pagan sovereign of Babylon. Remember in Acts 12 how proud
Herod is stricken dead and eaten of the worms before the eyes
of all of his breathless admirers. Dear people, that's the God to
whom we pray. God can shake every structure
People still stagger at what has happened in the breaking
up of the Soviet Union. They stagger beneath the weight
of the horrible aftermath when people thought it would be nothing,
many, but a heyday of great liberation, and look what it's led to. What
do men know? What do men know? But, dear people,
we pray to the God who holds the hearts of kings in His hands,
And he can so work that we as his people will lead a tranquil
and quiet life in godliness and gravity to the end that the gospel
will go forward. Well, let me just give you the
third head and you can work it out in your own meditations.
In relationship to society, the Christian is not only to render
a principled exemplary obedience to the existing powers, He is
not only to engage in thankful, fervent prayers for the existing
powers, but the Christian is to exercise a prudent influence
upon and use of the civil authorities. The Christian is to exercise
a prudent influence upon and use of the civil authorities. Where do we learn from scripture?
None of these major passages addresses it. But remember, that's
not all the Bible says about the issue. The Christian is to
exercise a prudent influence upon those in leadership. A servant of God named John rebuked
a king named Herod and pointed out his moral deficiencies, Matthew
14, 4. Paul, the servant of God, witnessed
before an unconverted ruler named Felix, Acts 24, 24-27. Jesus promised His own, when
you appear before rulers and governors, take no forethought
what ye shall say. It shall be given you in that
hour what to say as a witness unto them. Those are some of
your key texts, Mark 13, 9, Luke 21, 12-15. And by analogy, where in our
governmental structure we have access to our representatives,
local, state, and national, by letter, by telephone, by the
legitimate exercise of our rights as citizens, we are as Christians
to exercise a prudent influence upon them. And then the Christian
is to make a prudent use of them, Paul appealed to Caesar, Acts
24, 6 and following. He appealed for protection, Acts
23, 17 and following. There is a biblical doctrine
of the proper appeal to the civil authority for protection. Galatians 6, 10, As we have opportunity,
let us do good unto all men. There are sufficient materials
in the New Testament to teach us that as Christian individuals,
we're not talking about the church collectively, but the individual
Christian citizen exercising a prudent influence upon and
use of the civil authority. I heartily recommend for those
of you wrestling with whether or not you should join in such
groups as Operation Rescue, the forced so-called non-violent
resistance of abortion, Pastor Waldron's excellent treatise,
We Must Obey God. I heartily recommend this to
you. It's not a difficult book. It's
only some 28 pages with a lot of white between the lines and
around the borders. So it's not a lengthy book, but
it captures the essence of the biblical teaching. There are
other materials available to you, but I covet especially for
you who are here at the Singles Conference, that as so many of
you have much of your life yet before you, much more than many
of us do, that by the grace of God you will not only see that
it is your duty under God to render principled obedience to
the existing powers. It is not only your duty to pray
for the existing powers, but judiciously to seek to influence
and to use them in the will of God. This is what it means to
glorify Christ in society as a citizen. May God grant that
we shall take the word of God to heart and out of love to Christ
walk in obedience to it. Let us pray. Father, we are so thankful that
amidst all the cacophony of the voices of men calling us to pursue
this right and that right, calling upon us to reject and rebel against
this court of authority and that structure of authority. We praise
you for your holy word. We thank you that it is a lamp
unto our feet and a light to our pathway. We thank you that
we are not left at the mercy of the opinions of men, to be
bullied by men's ideas of what we should do. But we have your
gracious word telling us what we ought to do. Help us to lay
it to heart. Make of each one who knows and
loves your dear son in this place an exemplary Christian citizen
whose walk before you within the structures that you have
ordained will validate the gospel. Shut the mouth of your enemies.
and commend and make winsome the gospel of our Lord Jesus
Christ. O God, bless your word, we pray,
and for those who not only defy the civil authority, but defy
you, the God who stands over it, will you not humble them,
bring them to repentance and faith, that they may find joy
in coming under the gracious yoke of the Son of God, who said,
My yoke is easy and my burden is light. Seal then your word,
we pray. Dismiss us with your blessing.
May your presence go with us through the remainder of this
day. We think especially of those who've gathered here in conference.
We thank you for each one of them. Do bless them in their
fellowship about the table, in their interaction throughout
the afternoon hours. May your presence and grace be
with them. And with us all, we ask in Jesus'
name, Amen.

The Christian's Relationship to Society 2 Relation to Civil Laws/Authorities

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the Christian's duty to civil authorities?

How do we know that civil disobedience is justified in Scripture?

Why is it important for Christians to pray for civil authorities?

What does 'render unto Caesar' mean for Christians today?

Sermon Transcript

About Albert N. Martin

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The Christian's Relationship to Society 2 Relation to Civil Laws/Authorities

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the Christian's duty to civil authorities?

How do we know that civil disobedience is justified in Scripture?

Why is it important for Christians to pray for civil authorities?

What does 'render unto Caesar' mean for Christians today?

Sermon Transcript

About Albert N. Martin

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