The Christian's Responsibility to Government, Part 1

We confirm the nation not through political pressure, but through the word of God. We preach again soon. We preach against the evils of our time, but it is preaching and godly living is article and how much priority should you place on political activism. Bottom line, what a Christian's responsibility to government questions you want to keep in mind as John MacArthur looks at the Christian and government that's the title of the study. He begins today.

John these days, maybe more than ever in Western society. There are lots of people questioning the wisdom or the decisions or the politics of the government and 2020 has really complicated that with all that's going on. So we need to ask ourselves how are we supposed to react as Christians. This is an important question and it's not one that the Bible is silent about knowing there is a basic principle that we are to submit to the powers that be because they're ordained of God.

You have to have government you have to have government to control sinners government is designed to make laws and enforce laws that keep people from harming each other. This is the sinfulness of sin and government fulfills a very critical role if a society begins to decline. If a society begins to disintegrate if civilization begins to wind down back into some kind of wild mania. What will happen is it will immediately be the government that weakens its authority when you see a civilization disintegrate.

You will see the government weakening its inability to enforce the laws that's what we have been watching. We've been watching all the defunding the police. This is a sign of the death of civilization. This is a massive revolution that literally brings down an entire culture and an entire civilization because we are now saying when I can to try to control you anymore. Go burn go do what you want were going to cut back on the ability to enforce the law so you can feel free so were headed back to the jungle from which we once emerged government plays still however of vital and necessary role.

Whatever is left of government we need to uphold. We need to pay our taxes. We need to believe in and ask our government to enforce moral laws, including even capital punishment. We need our government to deal with civil disobedience and criminal behavior. But we also need to know that our government will never be perfect.

It wasn't perfect.

When Paul wrote that right. It was a Roman government. Under on dictator who was wicked government as an institution has a role to play in restraining the evil of humanity, and we as Christians need to be the model citizens who obey the government until the government begins to encroach upon the commands that we have to obey God and then we have to choose to obey God and take the consequences right and friend.

If you find yourself frustrated with the current political climate.

This study is for you. It offers timely and more important, a biblical perspective on how you can glorify God, even under a sinful government and with that years John to begin his series titled the Christian and government. Let's open our Bibles to Romans chapter 13 and I feel a little bit like a man who has just eaten a huge meal and is standing in front of a smorgasbord are so much here. I don't really know how much I'm going to be able to handle so I don't want to hurry.

I want to be careful to properly ascertain and share with you its significance, nor do I want to sermonizing find cute little homilies and ways to attract your attention. I basically want you to understand the passage and I'll do the best I can to lay the groundwork that'll make this passage open up to you but to begin with we need to read the first seven verses so we know what it is were referring to Romans chapter 13 beginning at verse one. 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.

Whosoever therefore resistors the power resistive. The Institute of God, and they that resist shall receive to themselves judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil will now then not be afraid of the power do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same, for he is the minister of God to the four good but if thou do that which is evil, be afraid, for he barracks, not the sword for nothing, for he is the minister of God, an avenger to execute wrath upon him to do it. Evil wherefore you must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for conscience sake for for this cause. Payee taxes also, for they are God's ministers attending continually upon this very thing, render therefore to all their dues taxes to whom taxes are due custom to whom custom fear to whom fear honor to whom honor now in those seven verses we have outlined for us in reason, then pointed turners the Christian's responsibility to government. This is the most clear, the most direct. The most straightforward and precise passage in all of the New Testament on this subject, and as a result of that is an extremely important one for us to understand the issue of the Christian's relationship to government is a very important issue. It has been through all of the churches history. Christians have always had to face this issue and even to struggle with for the church has found itself in all kinds of places in all kinds of governments under all kinds of rulers with all kinds of perspectives and forms of leading in ruling so Christians have always had to deal with this matter of how do you respond to your government traditionally and historically in our own country. We have had less trouble with this than many others because we have lived in a somewhat Christian influence society. We had the best of situation in the most benevolent of governments, but it hasn't always been that way for Christians as it wasn't for those in the New Testament time when this was written even for the believers in Rome who receive this very letter. But Christians, even though they have struggled to answer the question of what is their relationship. The government have not always answered. A properly and throughout the history of the church. There have been revolutions in the name of Christianity where people decided that the Christian thing to do was to revolt militarily against the government that's in power, and demand their rights. There have even been wars in the name of Christianity.

So Christians have struggled with this, and sometimes they have rightly understood what their role was and sometimes they have overturned their God-given role and become revolutionary. There has been violation of law in the name of Christianity. I don't know if you realize this, but there have been even in our own country, certain law violations, civil disobedience, subversive attempts to overthrow the powers that be on a local level, state level or national level that in some cases were led by people who claim to be Christian.

All of this in the name of Christ. Some Christians have decided that since they have received bad treatment from certain governments. It is justifiable for them to war against those governments.

In case you think this is far afield.

May I remind you that for some people.

Evangelical Christianity was their justification for the American Revolution. There are those people who feel that America was born out of a revolution which was justified and we had every right to load up our guns and kill Englishmen for the sake of our religious freedom.

There are some Christians even today who refused to pay their taxes because they feel they violate their freedoms.

The truth of the matter is, and you need to think about this.

The truth of the matter is that our own nation was born out of a violation of this biblical text that may throw you for a loss, but that's the fact our nation was born out of a violation of this tax in the name of Christian freedom. That is not mean that God doesn't overrule such violations and bring about good, which he did in this case, but that doesn't justify the means. And still today, we struggle with how we should identify with our government because even though America had sort of a Christian orientation. We are now living and I suppose what we could call post-Christian America. Our government no longer upholds the Bible as this is a source of truth biblical morality is a source of what is right and we are fast seeing all that kind of thing. Eroding from our country and so some people believe that we as Christians then because America seems to be losing its Christian orientation have a right to protest, have a right to defy the law to break the law.

Many Christian leaders are calling for other Christians to leave their present operation. Their prison ministry and become a part of a new political Christian lobby use high pressure social action, and so forth. Some are calling for anger and protest in a moderate kind of revolution against our government. They say the government is taking churches freedoms away. It is encroaching on religion and in an effort to save the freedom of the church of myriad of organizations are arising in our country, calling for action against the government.

I am amazed at how many evangelical Christians who years ago wouldn't of been caught dead in such activity are now very aggressively pursuing this political lobbying approach and I'm also equally amazed at the co-belligerents that wind up coming together on issues of civil authority and civil rights that would never find any common ground on the issue of truth. It amazes me that you have a list of true believers, charlatans, frauds, false prophets, all jumbled together for the sake of quote unquote religious freedom to do the political lobbying that people think is going to preserve the kingdom of God in America. One of the worst fallouts of this new preoccupation with the political issues. This new politicizing of the church is that ultimately the ministry of the church is prostituted and people are selling themselves for something short of that which the churches call the church cannot afford to become just a flag-waving lobbying protesting voice for government change that's not our calling and I am appalled to note that many pastors have turned from an emphasis on the gospel to an emphasis on politics from an emphasis on teaching the Bible to an emphasis on coalitions to support particular legislation in all of this is based upon some ridiculous premise that Christianity's growth and power and impact is somehow related to government policy in America. CS Lewis once reminded Christians that human beings live forever. While the state is only temporal and thus is reserved to comparative insignificance and to spend your time altering the state when you could be spending your time giving people eternal salvation is a bad bargain to abandon the message which gives to that eternal soul life with God in favor of temporal change prostitutes and wastes the life we would be like a great heart surgeon with the skill to save many abandoning his lifesaving practice to become a makeup artist plurality outside and ignore the skill which could save men's lives seems to me that the church needs to use all of its power and all of its resources in all of its energy and forces to convert men and women to Jesus Christ. That's what God has called us to do. The Scripture speaks not at all about Christians engaging in politics has nothing to say about other than the fact that we are to be model citizens. It says nothing.

It speaks not all about Christians engaging in civil change that is not our priority, doesn't mean were not to be involved as citizens where we can be. It's a question of priority in the Old Testament, for example, Israel was a priestly nation and by God's design.

Israel was to bring men to God and in that nation Israel.

There were priests whose primary function was to do just that.

There were others who could take care of the the menial things and the problems the social issues, but the heart of the matter was the priest to the core of life which gave its identity to the whole nation, and they could not abandon the role of bringing men and women to God that was God's design churches the same.

I believe we are a kingdom of priests, not a kingdom of politicians that are designed in the world is to bring men to God you say don't you care about change. Of course I care about change, but I also know the change comes from inside not outside right. We must administrate the things of God. We must administrate the kingdom of God. So as we approach this whole issue of the Christians role in government. I want you to understand from the very beginning that what where saying has nothing to do with politicizing the church has nothing to do with lobbying is nothing to do with getting involved in those things which are good, but not our divine calling and priority. There is no biblical mandate for us to spend time, money and energy in politicking or engaging in the matters of civil government.

We are to be in.

Listen carefully. This is an important thought. We are to be the conscience of the nation by godly living and faithful preaching. We confront the nation, not through political pressure, but through the word of God.

That's how we confront the nation. We preach against sin.

We preach against the evils of our time, but it is preaching and godly living.

That is our calling. Look at Christ for just a moment as we build a foundation for this passage.

Look at Christ, he came into a very interesting world, he came into a Roman Empire where slavery flourished slavery understand slavery. There were three slaves approximately three slaves to every free man. He also came into a world that was dominated by absolutism in terms of rulership men were absolute monarchs absolute rulers after the end of the Roman Republic when the Caesars came in and took power.

They ruled with absolute authority, and although Julius Caesar was murdered in the Roman Senate in 44 BC. This only accelerated the centralization of power. The Roman Senate declared a Gustus proconsul and Tribune of Rome for life and he had absolute and total power. He was commander-in-chief of all soldiers. He stood above the Senate, and he controlled all civil affairs.

So Jesus came into a world dominated by slavery and by one man ruled the absolute antithesis of democracy which we believe to be so dear. All the power the state was in one man's hands. Yet the same thing in Palestine for the ruler of Palestine, who was placed there sort of a puppet king under Rome was a man by the name of Herod parent was Anita might. Herod was not a Jew that Edomite ruler of Palestine the king with great power had the single authority to demand that every single baby in a certain region be massacred and nobody could stay his hand. He had absolute authority over life and death. He murdered his old family his mother, his wife, his sons, and no one held him accountable in the time that Jesus came to the world.

Taxes were exorbitant and those who worked in the taxing process who sold themselves to Rome for money exacted exorbitant taxes out of the people overcharge them. In fact, you remember don't you that Zaki is when he was converted immediately said I'll do what I'll pay back everything I've extorted, how many times fourfold, which is rather typical of the kind of thing that went on tax collectors were extortioners, so there were unjust taxes. There was unjust rule that heard nothing from the people.

In fact, Caesar Gustus decreed that all the world should be taxed and try to collect an exact from everyone. Furthermore, Jesus came to to his people, the Jews in a very unique situation for them.

They were chattel for the Roman they were an underprivileged and open fresh minority. They had no voice in Roman government. They had to pay heavy taxes to the Roman taskmaster. That's the world. Jesus came into the dinning knowingly about democracy about voting about certain quote unquote freedoms that we in joy and what did Jesus say he said this render to Caesar what the things that are Caesar's, you give the government its due and to God what things are God's. He did not come with power and force to overthrow the Roman tyranny. He did not seek social change. She did not attempt to eliminate slavery. He did not come with political or economic issues at stake. They were not the concern of his life and ministry did not come to bring new government to bring democracy to wave the flag of Judaism. Even his appeal was ever and always to the hearts of individual men and women, not their political freedoms, not their rights under government.

He did not participate in civil rights. He did not crusade to abolish injustice.

He preached a saving gospel so that once a man's soul or a woman soul is right with God. It matters very little. What the externals are it was not interested in new social order, but in a new spiritual order. The church and he mandated the church to carry on the same kind of ministry. Listen their problems. In those days were far more severe than ours far more severe. Even people living on release today have cars, TVs and modern conveniences. So we have to look at things a little bit differently.

I think when we come to this issue of how a Christian is to respond to his government, just like I said at the very start Christians through all the generations of the church have had to deal and struggle with this issue and we have to come to some conclusion about how we fit in, and what are we called to do and be in this society in which we live and what is our priority and how are we to live and what right does government have over us and what is to be our proper response to that right and admittedly we live in the tension. There's attention to me to be honest with you from deep within my heart. I'm really not that concerned about political issues economic issues externally social issues civil issues others. It is a normal kind of concern about the same but that doesn't occupy my mind. What occupies my mind of the souls of lost men and women does that occupy your mind and are not so concerned that everybody be happy and wealthy and healthy as I am the people BC not only got so much energy in the church only has so much resource and I guess I struggled a little bit with millions and millions and millions of dollars coming out of evangelical hands for politicization rather than evangelization.

We need to be concerned not about the external life of people but the internal soul lost so we asked the question, what is our responsibility to go. How do we respond in the tension of being preoccupied with the kingdom of God and yet having to live in this world and wanting to be a good citizen.

First of all, as I pointed out to be the issue is not to try to politicize the society, what God has called us to do is to things right here in the states. Number one comes in verse one. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers. The second one is in verse six for this cause. Pay your taxes they want here to simply as I can say it. The apostle Paul says two things are required of you as a Christian submit to the government pay your tax to get that submit to the government pay her taxes.

That's our duty beyond that got me busy in the kingdom right busy doing that thing which is eternally valuable it is and the other things are not important, is that they pale in importance when compared with the work of the kingdom as these, so be subject to the government pay your taxes. That's what Jesus meant when he said render to Caesar what is Caesar one submission and money submit to the rules and the loss. Pay your taxes now how does this section fit into this whole epistle of Romans great theological epistle velocity gets down this deal about submission to the government paying your taxes. Listen, it fits in beautifully. It just fits beautifully. In fact Paul ties it in really two ways here. His logic is impeccable. The first 11 chapters tell us about being justified by grace through faith right. He describes what is to be a Christian. Now that you have all this from God's gracious and now that you received all of this chapter 12 verse one. Do what, what's our response. Present your body, what a living sacrifice to everything yard of the Lord your soul your body your mind your will give him. So here is this idea of personal self-sacrifice give the Lord everything. Another result of that will be a proper relationship to God, you will know and prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. So first of all if I respond to the salvation God is given to me by giving him my all and have a right relationship to the Lord. I want to know his will and his purpose and normally do. Secondly, verses three through 14. He says you have a proper relationship with the family of God is your spiritual gift love, folks. Be kind to them, and so forth all way down to verse 1413 and then starting in verse 14 and going to verse 21 he says if your life is presented to the Lord. You're also going to have right relationships with your non-Christian friends and even verses 17 to 21.

Your enemies so the point here is that Christianity impacts every part of life and this is really the heart of the epistle all the stuff that he said about salvation is to get to this so I can say luck, knowing what God has done for you. Your response need to be very simple.

Your response to what God is done for you is to give the Lord your life to give them your soul and your body in your heart and your mind to give them everything you have and giving him everything that you have your going to find a right relationship with him will know is good and acceptable and perfect will. Right relationship with each other where you use your spiritual gift and meet each other's needs a right relationship to outsiders were even if they persecute you, you're going to bless them and a right relationship to people so that if they injure you, and if they seek to harm you, and if they do things evil against you.

You're not even going to be avenging them and it follows then that if you have a life dedicated to Christ. You not only would have right relationship with God. Other Christians outsiders and enemies, but you have a right relationship to civil authorities also and they are an essential part of our life because government is an institution of God.

So I believe what he saying here is a committed Christian who is solely given over. The Lord will have a right relationship to civil authorities. How by submitting himself to government and by paying his taxes. That's the essence of what he said that's John MacArthur, Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary today.

He launched a series titled the Christian and government here on grace to you. Now if you'd like to own this series it's available on six MP3s or six CDs. It's great for anyone you know who is concerned about the future of his or her country or you can review it yourself when you are dismayed about the direction your government is heading for your copy of the Christian and government contact us today. The six CD album including content we won't have time to air on radio costs $27 and shipping is free to order, call 855 grace or visit our website Jide TY.org you can also download all six messages from the Christian and government for free@jidety.org. In fact, all of John's messages from 51 years of his public ministry are free to download at our website and friend as you benefit from the teaching you hear on grace to you know that you can also help others benefit in your community throughout the United States and beyond. We are listener supported.

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