Obey Higher Powers
Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
In government, God has allowed leaders to rule, some for your good, making laws and keeping order in society. Some are allowed to rule as punishment. For example a sin filled ruler for a sinful people. Woe to these people for the nation could very well be in peril. We are to be subject to these higher powers. The only time we are not to obey them is when they go against God's will.
Peter gives us an example of when to disobey the authority
Acts 5:27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them,
Acts 5:28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
And Jesus obeyed a higher authority
John 8:38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
John 8:39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
John 8:40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
John 8:41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
John 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
John 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
These people used power unlawfully to destroy Jesus. Laws are set up to protect not to destroy the inocent, these laws we obey.
Rom 13:2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
We must be careful to not resist authority. There are some who rebel willfully against authority. The worst rebellion is against God unto damnation.
1 Sam 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
A Christian will not be damned, but one might receive judgment and be condemned in the body if we disobey the laws of the land. Our lawless behavior must be subject to the authorities that be. God's grace will not save a person who breaks societies laws from paying the price under the law.
Rom 13:3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
Rom 13:4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
A simple solution; obey man's laws and do good and you shall not be in trouble.
Pay Tribute
Rom 13:5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
We must obey the laws and authority over us to avoid the penalty for breaking the laws and also for our conscience sake. Every man is given the knowledge of right and wrong in the conscience, unless it is seared. How is a conscience seared? By lying and disobeying God's truth.
1 Tim 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
Rom 13:6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
Rom 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
Pay your taxes. Taxes are for the administration of justice and the protection of the people.
Mat 22:17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
Mat 22:18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?
Mat 22:19 Show me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.
Mat 22:20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?
Mat 22:21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.
Jesus did not oppose ruler Pontius Pilate, nor did Paul oppose the wicked Emporer Nero. They were given the respect of the office.
John 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
All will give account, ruler and ruled as to what they did with Jesus. Is he Lord of your life?
Honour
Rom 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
Being therefore subject to higher authorities, give to all in which you owe. Pay your taxes,
custom - toll, custom (i.e. indirect tax on goods) to whom custom is due. Tariffs on imports, many countries put a price tariff or tax on products from another country. We obey the laws.
Fear, terror, or reverence to whom it is due.
Rom 13:3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
honour, giving respect to an office or person. There is a spirit that opposes those in authority or a position of honor. This behavior will be judged.
2 Pet 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
2 Pet 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
In our country during the Vietnam war many protested and opposed the government. Woe to a nation that honors those who despise authority. This leads to anarchy and the destruction of the laws of the government and the safety of the people. Honor is due to positions of leadership.
Rom 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
1 Pet 4:8 And above all things have fervent charity (love) among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.
What greater love then to save a soul from hell?
Rom 1:14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.
Rom 1:15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
Jesus has died and risen from the grave. He has overcome the devil and has given us the way of everlasting life. Jesus is the love of God for each of us, the free gift of freedom from sin and death. Praise our Lord!
The Royal Law
Rom 13:9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Jesus spoke on this, as found in Mark
Mark 12:28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
Mark 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
Mark 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Mark 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Mark 12:32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
Mark 12:33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
Mark 12:34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.
The Islamic Jihad movement claims to worship God, but apparently their god "Allah" is not the God of these commandments. You know them by their works. The god they serve is described in John 10:10;
John 10:10 The thief (Satan) cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
If the Islamics are truly seeking and serving God, He is the God of Israel. Let the remnant come out from among the error and serve the true God. Note that the Islamic Jihad movement targets Israel as the enemy. God has chosen Israel as his covenant people.
Gen 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Gen 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Rom 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
No ill, no malice but love is thoughtful and caring.
James 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
James 2:9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
James 2:11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
James 2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
The law of liberty; love and salvation from our Lord. There is no love and freedom apart from the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is God's love we share and not our own.
John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
1 John 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
1 John 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
Time to Awaken
Rom 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
This was written 2000 years ago, how much more should we be awake now? We need to be awake to the truth and aware of satan's poison, not just anthrax but wrong thinking and doing.
Mat 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
1 Pet 4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
We are to cast off the works of darkness, it is for us to do and obey. We can't rest in our eternal security unless we continue in the light.
Luke 11:35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.
Luke 11:36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.
Keep your eye on Jesus.
Rom 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
John 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
John 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
rioting - Roaming the streets at night, as many city gangs do
chambering and wantoness - fornication and adultery, how much of this is going on, even in our church members?
strife and envy - Wrangling, debate, divisions and jealousy...you know who does these
Wake up! The Lord's coming is near. Let us not be full of self righteous sin. Do you drink or take drugs and roam around in the night? Clean up your heart and walk by submitting all to God. How can you be a fornicating person and attend a church worship service, even with your partner? Repent, you say you want God to bless you? Clean up your cup. God is not mocked. Are you jealous, seeking your own way, sowing strife and gathering followers? There is one body, one Lord and one Spirit. God can do fine without you, better repent and follow. Those who love and serve our Lord, keep close, the end is near.
Gary
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