The Christian Obligation
We will be in Romans 13 this morning.
I was enthusiastic about all of this new electronic equipment. We were getting and probably wouldn't have been as enthusiastic if I knew they were going to hang it on my ear on Sunday morning.
Romans 13.
The back up a little bit in verse 5.
Therefore, you must be subject, not only because of Wrath, but also for conscience, sake. Or because of this, you also pay taxes for their God's ministers attending kentoon early to this very thing render therefore to all their do taxes. The taxes are due Customs to whom Customs Fear To whom fear and honor to whom honor?
Every once in a while we come to place in Scripture.
and we look around, we think a little bit and
Were they?
God, are you sure you didn't make a mistake here or maybe looking around in our country today? And what's happening? If you and Leadership at cetera? Lord, are you sure that's what you meant? Or maybe we should do like WC Fields and see if we can't find some way out of this. Some different meaning behind these words or is w.c. Fields looking for loopholes. I would sure like to find one when it comes to a passage like this and with what we're experiencing, but in truth, this is a truth here and our Lord does want us to believe it and he does want us to follow through on what he has written here. We need to be reminded and encouraged by what a God expects of his children, regardless of what we think he should have said. With this side of a commentary. I called frequently Christians, try to rationalize their Infidel and infidelity to the state by saying that Paul simply could not understand what it meant to live in such a corrupt society as we do. We must remember. However, that is Paul wrote. These words. He was living under the reign of the wicked Emperor Nero. Nero's, mother agrippina, sister of Emperor, Caligula who killed and tortured thousands for pleasure. Heading gyro stepfather assassinated with a dish of poisoned mushrooms. Nero himself killed his stepbrother. Britannicus when the boy was just fourteen years old later when he feared that his mother would attempt to exercise the power of the throne, neural killed, her as well. He banished his first wife Octavia to an island and had her killed. She still later. He slew his second wife. I'll pay you in light of these facts of Paul can so tenaciously. Hold at the believer should be subject to the higher Powers. The 20th century believer must be very careful not to jump to the conclusion that he should not be subject to the present-day powers. And I totally agree again. We need to look at what Paul was under. As he penned these words.
It's interesting in our passages morning. We seen verse 5. Therefore, you must be subject. Not only because of rap but also for conscience sake.
We see in scripture conscience referred to quite often and a good conscience 1st. John 3 21 and 22 beloved. If our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God and whatever we ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandments and don't do those things that are pleasing in his sight. If our heart does not condemn us. We have a good conscience. John is revealing a principle here that we need to take the heart. When we have confidence in God, will be walking by faith and will not feel condemnation in our hearts, you know, principal. As a pastor for years and a lot of counseling and things. And, you know,
Why are you feeling the way you're feeling? Because you're outside of the truth of God's word? And we can you feel condemned when we feel condemned, something is out of whack with our face. I think Melissa has at least when our taxes are a little more complicated, we have these feelings, come in. Temptations of okay, maybe hiding this or not claiming that or whatever and those feelings come in. That's not what God wants.
Next time you see a Believer out of the will of God 1st, John chapter 3, 18 to 20, my little children. Let us not love in word or in Cong, but in deed and in truth and by this, we know that we are the truth and shall assure our hearts before him. Or if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart and knows all things. So again. Don't live your life in order and tongue. Just we're just empty words so much of Christianity and maybe in our own life, where we're at a time where that's where we were. It was more of what we said than what we lived out in the faces of Our Lord. John gives us a picture of someone who gives lip service to God and feeling be condemned because of it. When we are babes and immature, we don't like the fact that God knows all things. I don't know about you, but I can think back in my life. That was not a happy thought.
Let me see the lowest state of a person refusing to live by faith. Effusion 4:30 and do not grieve the holy spirit of God by him. You were sealed for the day of redemption. There are those who believe? They have the car rider, heart and conscience, pertains only the lost. But from experience alone. I don't believe that. Certainly the loss of Fusion for 17 through 19. This I say therefore in testifying the Lord that you should no longer walk as a rest of Gentiles walks in the Futurity of their mind, having their understanding darkened. Being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their art, who being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness to work. All uncleanness with greediness. I so happy, she's talking about the loss of alienated from the life of God, but Paul's words here that you should no longer walk says, what was it indicates? It is still possible. Even for the Christian to have his conscience, seared, or hardened against the truth. 1st Timothy 4 and verse.
1 + 2 novice Spirit. Expressly says it in latter times some will depart from the faith giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons speaking lies in hypocrisy having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.
Seared with a hot iron, a hot iron could be translated, Branding Iron, our word for a cauterized, a person's heart, becomes more and more hardened until he is finally passed feeling. As we saw in verse 18. This doesn't seem possible. But I know men in leadership where this seems to be a real with their words, their lives using Christ name, even and yet, so against, or opposite of the grace and love of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
We need to study conscience. A little bit, made up two words from the Greek, Khan and science. Literally with knowledge with knowledge, when a person does something with knowledge. What he is doing is according to his conscience.
When you do something wrong, he goes against himself. And against God.
So we need to stop asking questions. Here, shouldn't be his conscience is safeguard. Is our conscience, the safe guide? It was at Jiminy Cricket Cricket. Be let your conscience, be your guide. Can anyone Christian or non-Christian live by the dictates of his conscience?
What is the New Testament word for it? When you look at that? And what is God teaching in, Romans 13? The Greek word is used 32 times in the New Testament, the best of authority show that this word was not used in classical Greek, in the sense of conscience. As we know it. The word would seem there for to have been used by Paul into a new and deeper connotation and to have been used by SIA in our modern sense, to Paul Tucket deeper. And use it in that way. The word is used 18 times as a man's awareness of right and wrong. John 89. Then those are heard it being convicted by their conscience, went out, one by one, beginning with the oldest, even to the last, and Jesus just left alone in the woman standing in the midst and this story courses in one of the woman taken in adultery. And it seems like every man that condemned him her.
What we pick up out of this is that they were guilty of the same crime. Clear conscience were pricked 14 times a word as Modified by then dick at adjectives. We read six times of a good conscience, three times of a week conscience voice of a pure conscience and of a seared defiled or evil conscience.
We as Christians know the origin of conscience in the chapter that we read this morning, always a good place to be reminded of, from time to time as we stated off. In Genesis chapters 1 through 11 are the most attacked scripture in the Bible. If Satan can undermine that he's got us in the rest of the Bible. You can't believe here. Why should you believe any of it? And that's why so many teacher to Stables Fairytales, what-have-you. We as a large children, know it to be the truth and not that we need to know what took place back there. Do we find Satan suggesting that Eve that if she would disobey God? She would become like God knowing Good and Evil.
The knowledge of Good and Evil, then became part of the curse. We need to think of their mental attitude before they cast off confidence in God and accepted the right to choose. This isn't what's hard for us to Grass to so many things completely innocent. Completely innocent. That's what they were. They were they both were, this is why they had a relationship with God. They were, it was based on the Innocence. They were innocent are Innocents disappeared, real young, in our lives. We have a little problem relating here.
They were innocent hard for us to understand that, you know, nothing about evil and had not thought of making choices. Never crossed her mind. I didn't need to Thinking any other way, the perfect environment. Adam had a perfect wife, Eve had a perfect husband. No evil. Just a perfect place to live in every single way.
From God, they knew only love and Trust. And one of the most precious verses in the Bible, I think, is God Walked In the Garden, in the coolest of the day and we can take from that to spend time with Adam and Eve, but that lasted so briefly that we sell them, focus on that part. And he finds Well, they they reveal that they've send. When God told him not to eat of the fruit, there was no antagonism. As we have, when there is a law that goes contrary to our wheels and we all relate to this mom and dad. Give us laws and we didn't like them because we don't like that law. Alright, one of the things that growing up, we knew quite a number of people with Barnes and Barnes are fascinating. Two little boys. And the first thing we would here is don't go in the barn. So, where you at North circle around, and come up behind the barn and go in the barn. That's what we do. And this was at, they're not at all. They believe this loving God and that wasn't in your mind. Dunedin. All is well between Adam and Eve with God. Got it planned that man made in His image and likeness should be like him in nature. The only way to accomplish was four men to submit other lead to God. And again, an innocent. She had no problem with that whatsoever. The command not to eat. The fruit was accepted by them without question. Whenever they passed the tree. They probably thought we need me. We may not eat this fruit. Our loving God has told us not to, and we know that he loves us and he knows that's best for us. And there we are. Then Satan dinners, God is keeping something good from you. Eat this fruit and you will be like gods.
Knowing Good and Evil. Before accepting this proposition. They must have reason that God did not love them as much as they thought he did. And did not desire their best interest. Planted that seed of doubt. Leaving Satan, they ceased to trust God and lost fellowship with him. Believing Satan. They cease to trust God and lost fellowship with him. And this is what's so important. See how simple, they see how easy that is to understand. They cease to trust God. Anytime you and I as Christian cease to stress God, we lose fellowship with him. He doesn't move, we've moved. We want in a different direction. We gone down a different path.
This is why biblical counseling is so easy. Are you walking down? The path? Is righteousness toward God, trusting him, believing him. Even Romans 13, or have you on your own Direction and ended up in the master? And if you will This was the first and the second thing was Disobedience. The consequence was a curse of conscience.
So next we must look at the freedom. Look at freedom of choice and the wheel. The true nature of choice is brought out and Joshua's parting advice to the children of Israel after recounting their history of Joshua said in Joshua, 24, 14 and 15, another for fear. The lord serve him in sincerity and in truth and put away the gods with your father, served on the other side of the river and in Egypt. Serve the Lord. And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord choose for yourselves this day, whom you will serve and noticed. What he says here, whether the gods with your father served, that were on the other side of the river or the gods of the amorites, in whose land read well, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua Singh serve the Lord, or either of two groups of false gods cuz that's what we do. We either serve him. We trust him. We trust in other gods. Even that of our own selves. God intended man to live by trusting him. Instead of making his own choices. He didn't need to make choices in Eden. He had every single thing that he needed more than we can imagine. I am an acquired Freedom of Choice. He acquired his curse. True freedom is in trusting God, which results in serving him. And you're going to want to emphasize this too often.
Cast of preachers. Even commentaries put the cart before before the horse, they like the serving at. We like to serve again. But serving comes from frosting. I trust God. Therefore I want to be in his will.
It's a big clear very clear in Proverbs 3 5 & 6, trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding and your ways acknowledge Him. And she shall direct your path. The trust comes first. First thing, it says, trust in the Lord, with all your heart. Don't lean on your own understanding.
Acknowledge Him and He Shall direct your path.
And it's today, Drex are pads in the work that he has prepared for us. And it's interesting.
34 weeks ago. I knew I needed to go back to Florida. I had some physical work to do down there. I didn't like the mess that we had not finished when I went down with the boys, but I felt there was more than that and indeed there was a lot more and part of it was I got to give free messages in Kentucky. In Jefferson Church, on family, always a joy for me, but there are other things that went on that. I'm not free to discuss that.
Lord show me. I was there for a different purpose than what I had thought.
We trust the Lord and He directs our path.
The necessity of choosing makes men skitzofrenix man has constructed in the way that he has peace and joy. Only when he follows God and all things. Again, that Simplicity of biblical counseling you want peace and joy in your life. Scott not trusting, but you want to be Sanu Joy when we follow God and all things, the moment he turns away from God. He's faced with the responsibility of choice. I have to make up my mind now which way I want to go. What do I want to follow? Here's the true nature of Free Will, and here's a true nature of conscience when the wheel submits to God and loving trust and willing serviced. All is well. And the will is free for God is making the choices. When the heart turns away from complete trust and got it, immediately is in the desperate state of Free Will which is nothing more or less than a choice between evils.
I don't want God. All I got left is evil and here again, we have to remember that basic fact that we all have trouble with the Lord. Jesus Christ said only God is good. That means what when we are not in the will of God, where an evil, it doesn't matter what it is. I'll small. How big is he? Evil Siri don't like that? That send. We can kind of neutralize that after while get used to that. But know it's evil.
Like Joshua stay there, which evil Gods. Will you follow free? Wheel wheel does not involve choosing God having departed from God. It becomes its own tyrants living for self.
Let me see this everywhere and we've been in our lives. We don't reach maturity overnight and then we still have our weaknesses and but the extent of annoying traveling. does not the same feel that I felt years ago, and you always have to be aware of what's going on around you and
Sometimes, I don't stop for gas because of where I am. And what time of night it is. I make sure I have gas before their, don't get me wrong and empty. But yeah. So when does conscience reliable? Engine sensor fault as our property. But even after the fall would have been well of Mana, turn back to God. The conscience may be like to a sundial or if it is set up, right? The sun on a sundial will tell you what time is. It is the Moonlight will tell you that Moonlight on a good bright night can still cast a shadow but it won't be the right time maybe once during the night. I don't know. But anyway that are you can take a flashlight and make it you know, what time is it Grandpa? What time you want it to be, but Do conscience. Which man took from Satan can be a safe guide only when it turned towards the only when it turns towards our God for a lumination. What's a person turns away as conscience from God and let some other light shine upon it at is conscious is no longer reliable. The decisions that must be made by regenerative. Regenerated, man-made are person made alive through Christ.
Holy Spirit, turns us back to God through Christ. And this is why in my mind, the most evil thing in the church is legalism.
Legalism. You have to do this, you have to do that. You have to follow the Mosaic law. You have to follow Church, law doesn't have to be out of the Bible. Can be laws. We make ourselves. The spirit of God won't work there. He won't work there.
So he has to be free in our lives. As we turn to the Lord in truth, and living his grace. And she turns us back to God through Christ through his word. The Holy Spirit shines its truth into our hearts and leads us to moment-by-moment submission to God.
When we are saved, we learn that God is good that he loves us and is favorable toward us at the same movement moment that new life is planted within as we begin to learn the lesson that this is true of no other God. We also begin to learn the harder lesson that we are not good. That self Love Is Wicked and not for our good and that we are not favorable toward redeemed. Selves. I talked a lot about Dan wall gas before Christ. The things that I talked about and the way I felt and the one my life and things like that. I didn't, I wouldn't have talked like that before. I was saved, I wouldn't admit to it. I wouldn't look that. I'm didn't see him the same way.
So do you love and trust God? The individual must look to God and live by trusting him? Do you love and trust him? The answer? This question? We'll settle the problem of your relationship to the Civil Authorities draft board and Military Powers. All of these things. Do you love? And trust God the answer. This question will decide your attitude with reference to race relations. It really is a tensions in your own home line and solve any and all your problems. Here again, biblical counseling problem-solve. Jesus Christ is the answer really solve them instantaneously. Not always sometimes but he's still the answer. The solution to a problem, which comes, when the choice must be made Isaiah 30:21. Your ears shall hear a word behind you saying, this is the way walk in it. Whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the laugh. Look to God, and he will prove his promise Psalm 32:8. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will guide you with my eye. It is then that I will have a good conscience, a good conscience, ask 23:1. Then Paul look looking earnestly at the council said men and Brethren. I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. 1st Timothy 1:5 know the purpose of the Commandment Is Love from a pure heart, from a good conscience. And from sincere Faith verse Timothy 119, having faith in a good conscience. Would stomp having rejected concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck. A pure conscience holding the mystery of the face with a pure conscience. I think God whom I serve with a pure conscience. Has my phone or father did as without ceasing. I remember you, in my prayers night and day, a conscience void of offense, x24, 16th, this being. So I myself I strive to have a conference without a fee toward Gods and Men. Once we determine the love God and trust you in the place a blessing, choose you this day which of many lesser things you will serve. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord and let him do the choosing for us. This again is You know, I spent a lot of time putting people at ease especially if they've been to pressure on that. They need to be doing this or be doing that.
God didn't call me, the pastor's until I was free and his grace. He showed me very clearly that he had gifted me with Pastor teacher in, this was my, his will for me, completely comfortable completely at rest.
And if you knew damn well gas before that, you know, if it's the one in the world, same with vbi.
That's where he directed my steps. I didn't but I was learning to trust him. And then this is where I'm going to use you. This is where I want you after I was there, then I realize that's what was his will. Don't protest that after all, we must be practical to love and trust, God is the only course it is practical. It really works even in the obligation of our country. And this brings us back to our passage Romans 13:7 render therefore to all their do taxes to whom taxes are due custom to whom custom Spirit of a honor to whom honor.
Church and state are totally separate and yet Believers in Christ and make up the church. I recognize that got in the state are never to be separate and that we have a Christian obligation toward the state. We must be willing to appreciate the benefits that we derive from government and be willing to pay the cost for them and judges 17-6 and 21:25 and nose days. There was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. We depend on government for peace and order. If we went three days, everyone being able to do his own, will where you wouldn't believe the chaos bow you, and I probably would that would take place. I can do anything. I want for 3 days. and, We have our policeman over here and hard to keep that in just a few minutes and it dug in order.
President course, we've seen firsthand, what happens when local governments force their police to stand down and allow people to do whatever they want and we seen it. It is difficult to David, the peace and Order which we enjoy, we all owe to our civil government. Our lives are preserved from injury and her property from theft and violence with protection. God tells us to pay the cost of this. Depiction out isn't perfect. We're not living in a perfect world and we're not governed by Perfect People, but for the most part, it is there.
One commentator writes in these days when there is so little respect for authority. So much, a juvenile delinquency. So many games as much crime. We should Ponder the fact that the authorities, who govern us, who receive taxes and respect and honor are called Ministers of God's. Their Ministry is not in the sphere of religion, but in the spirit of government, We understand this. We see the proper relationship of church and state errors must be avoided Domination by the church over the state and Domination by the state. Over the church. The first heir of Jaden's in countries were lit, religion, holds sway, over the civil government as Colombia in South America. Once it, I'm not sure it still does second under such velocities is fascism and communism. It should be noted that even the Reformation was not wholly free from these errors K establish the state in Geneva merging civil with religious power in his folly led to burning a man alive.
The church is not to reform Society but to witness against it, the true Christian ethic demands total allegiance to God. See the little Lord Jesus Christ and you'll miss the civil government government within its proper jurisdiction. And again within its proper jurisdiction, not to call us to evil there to all that set, the tone for believers when he said, an extra 20 for two and three. And when we enjoy great, when he was called upon to chollas began as an accusation, seeing seeing that through you enjoy great. Peace and prosperity is bring brought to this nation by your foresight. We accept it always end in all places. Most noble Felix with all thankfulness thankfulness. Now, those who live under a democracy is much obligated as those who live under any type of government in American fiction must pay taxes to his government's, the English Christian. When the Labour party is in power, must pay taxes to a socialist government. I need Christians, must pay taxes to the communist government. God has decided that
again, when the text was written Nero was assumed that the seeds are they had to pay taxes to So we give thanks cuz God says to give, thanks in all things and pay our taxes. Thankfully. We do have a voice in our country and we need to use that when they're misusing our taxes. But, you know, there's a lot of things. Again, when law enforcement are firemen on it, protect us and sometimes simple things.
Back. Even what 70 years ago for me to go to Florida? What it Took days. Now, it's, you can make it down there in 2. Well, excuse me weeks, it would have taken. And now, you know what this again. It's easy to roads are good and Kentucky, where?
Bethel Bible is it's all hilly country and it's it's it's funny to drive and fun to drive all over my wife for disagree with fire that it's just all switchbacks up and down and curve and Every Witch Way and
the roads for the most part because of the country are not wide enough for two cars. You at one of the other vehicle has to stop, whoever is in the place where you can turn out, and sometimes you can't. and,
Wonder as I think it's a road we went down it but it's so steep that Pastor Bertram, Ashley. Start the tip over backwards e with a load of logs that he had safely just had his brakes adjusted. He could stop and eat at McDonald with long and went on up the hill. But, you know, in this country with limited population, everything, all of those roads in our page, even though they're not very big, we can go, they can't be very big and they're okay. Then I know the people their real thankful for that those that where they were dirt roads, not very long ago. So that is a lot of things that we can be thankful for as we
Pay taxes, respect respect is another thing that's important in. This principle applies in the state in the church reply-all in life. The Christian must be respectful to those who are older there boy, must give due respect to the employer. If you're separated from a man. You must give him faithful service. If your employer is an impersonal company. There are nevertheless, very personal man in the various graduation, from the chairman of the board to office, manager, or Forman. Efficient, maybe some more much subordinate, but never servile the fact that we belong to Christ, gives us High gives high quality to our being. We may have great respect and we are you legit rice and therefore, our good citizens, respect those who have been placed in life, above us, weather in business government, or the church. We have respect for the office and therefore, honor those who hold the offices in turn. We look with frankness at all. Who are our equals in position and with dignity on those from whom would make a man Respect by the Cincy of our work in the fairness of our dealings and this Jeff Bertram has a sawmill in and a crew of men and I saw this in a really neat way when he introduced me to them seven or eight men. He said these are the solidest men, you will ever meet. These guys are great. And I thought well, what a blessing and how that must have lifted them.
So there's one primary reason for all of us, all of which we looked at today. And that is that, we magnify the Lord Jesus Christ, and all that we say and do. And when it comes to subjecting ourselves to the governing authorities, my father has said, so therefore I do. Thank you for your time in your word father. If we looked at your word this morning, we do think of our Authority people in power today. When you pray for them Father, we know their greatest need is to know you and to Look to You alone to Enlighten them and guide and direct their path. And we do pray for them. We pray. Father for our family here and the need for each one and just thank you for them. Thank you for the family that you've given us as we praise you and your wonderful Name. Lord, Jesus, I mean