Romans 13 1 8 Pt 3 God has

Romans 13: 1 -8 Pt. 3 God has ordained the state as a delegated authority; it is not autonomous. The state is to be an agent of justice, to restrain evil by punishing the wrongdoer, and to protect the good in society. When it does the reverse, it has no proper authority. It is then a usurped authority and as such it becomes lawless and is tyranny. Francis Schaeffer (1912 -1984) 7/12/2020

Romans 13 -1 -8

Questions to Answer Do these verses mean we must always obey and all authority without question?

Questions to Answer Does the Bible in other places allow for or even model resistance or civil disobedience to government authorities?

Questions to Answer What about realms of authority and the American system of government, and what or who is the authority in our day?

Realms of Authority • Home • Church • Government • Employment

Home Realm Genesis 2: 18 - Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him. ”

Home Realm Genesis 2: 24 - Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

Home Realm Ephesians 5: 31 -32 - “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. ” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.

Home Realm Ephesians 5: 22 -24 - Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, His body, and is Himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

Church Realm Matthew 16: 18 - And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Church Realm Ephesians 5: 11 -12 - And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

Government Realm Romans 13: 4 – for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.

Matthew 22: 17 -21 - Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? ” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put Me to the test, you hypocrites? Show Me the coin for the tax. ” And they brought Him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this? ” They said, “Caesar's. ” Then He said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. ”

Question 3 So Far… • There are realms of authority with clear boundaries. • This naturally leads to a question of what or who is the authority in our land? • Which set of conflicting rules are we required to submit to? • Do the current crop of government officials have the right to overrule the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights?

The Governmental Authority in the U. S. Resides in: The U. S. Constitution and The Bill of Rights

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

US Attorney General “Simply put, the US Constitution and its Bill of Rights contains no pandemic exception. ”

Kansas Attorney General Law enforcement officers may no longer arrest or detain individuals for violations of an emergency order. 7/2/2020

“When a genuine crisis is a disease, the appropriate (and constitutional and legal) response is to quarantine the infected not the healthy. These orders are transparently hypocritical, unconstitutional, illegal, and immoral. The government is releasing criminals and arresting those that violate social distancing. Something is corrupt. ”

My Summary • There are various acceptable views of Romans 13 -1 -7 that are not heretical. • Paul was writing to the Romans not Americans, though principles still apply. • Everyone that has exceptions to what Paul wrote goes elsewhere to find them. • There are clear lines of authority to me • Our form of government allows resistance

“As citizens, Christians owe their allegiance to this government but when those that govern do not live up to their purpose, they cease to be rightful governors. The people are not required to submit to an unlawful authority. ”

For Our Consideration • What would your view of realms of authority look like if you think they exist? • What/who do you consider to be the highest authority in our land? • As our value system crumbles around us, what is our responsibility to our family, the church and the nation? • Will we agree to walk in love and pursue unity even if we still disagree?

Ephesians 6: 12 - For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

1 Peter 4: 8 - Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

Ephesians 4: 1 -3 - I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Prayer Focus • Father, please help us continue to bear with one another during this difficult season. • Thank You for Your great love, mercy, patience and grace extended to each of us. • Thank You for Your Word and Holy Spirit to lead, guide and direct our steps and ways. • Thank You for this table of covenant.