Silencing the Critics, Part 2

I also the euros doesn't mean the critics are uneducated is not what it dreads here means is not referring to the residue scores is referring to willful, hostile rejection and repression of the truth. What makes his counsel all the more remarkable for how you silenced the vicious slander of people who are repressing the truth, you do not do it implied here by barking louder flaw with that thinking is that every law is more every law declares something to be good or bad. So as Christians should we be advocating and pushing a political agenda to get laws passed. If so, how far should we go in that pursuit. And is there something even more important that we should be doing today on wisdom for the heart. Steven David explores this in more detail, he'll review and conclude a lesson.

He began last time called silencing the critics. Here's how the church shows herself to be unique and different.

We have a posture of respect for the office. We work quietly with such excellent behavior and good work so long as the Scriptures are not violated by the way out of. I did say that also known for our submissive posture elected to military term that refers to lining up in rank and file soldier might not like his orders a soldier might disagree with his orders soldier might lose his life because of the orders but he will obey his commanding officer. Christian happens that is higher perspective. He knows ultimately to God is in control all the God's purposes are being fulfilled and were simply called to demonstrate good works by continuing to do our best and literally helping and influencing our our world that does tend to lose its grip on sanity with our Christian conscience and conviction, and wisdom and grace.

Dante sure wondering if there any loopholes in this command to submit Peter's unit, close them all down as verse 13. He stopped the very top of the food chain weather to a king as the one in authority. So you just starting out at the top of the heap.

Okay, if you're in an African village you would rather that in your culture, you would understand it to mean she's if you're in a communist country, you would understand that to be the chairman you're in a democratic culture, you would understand that to be president door Prime Minister here for Peter's generation.

This would mean the Emperor Peter adds in verse 14, not just to the king, but to governors as sent or appointed by him.

In other words, any official representing the Emperor was also one to whom we submit this would not make it any easier, especially during the days of Peter's corruption didn't start and stop with the upper it infiltrated the entire empire. Keep in mind that one of the duties of the Christian was to voice disapproval kindly. Respectfully, doesn't mean that just because they were to submit to that authority that would violate our conscience, but it's interesting to me. If you just were ransacked any testimony of John the Baptist to spoke openly against Herod's in moral adulterous relationship with his sister-in-law and by the way, how is it resolved. John literally lost his head right.

That's why Pontius Pilate also governor it was the pilot that Jesus Christ, by the way, delivered that that higher perspective that Peter and Paul reinforce on preaching today.

Pilate said to Jesus, do you not realize that I have the authority to either release you or crucify you Jesus Conway graciously responded with the truth. You have no authority over me unless it is been given to you from above, is that higher perspective that takes you above politics and parliaments.

Felix the governor very corrupt. During the days of the apostles. In fact, a policy under house arrest and can get out front because people pay the bribe.

Felix will demand Felix was his whole office was run by bribes were told just a little inclination to what might have told this little sliver that that Paul had a personal conversation with Felix now were not given any details although I really love a chapter on their conversation what the text does say is that Paul talked to him quote about righteousness in the coming judgment. I could only imagine what that involved what we do know, however, is that I conversation the Bible says Felix was alarmed and sent Paul a way telling the truth. Conviction and warning of the gospel was delivered in these cases, but the overarching principle was that of respect for all that remain so. The command is clear, although depending on where you're living in the world when it might be more distressing difficult. We can imagine today for us. We happen to be living in a country filled with unparalleled freedom and blessed submitting to authority than for us means that when you refuse to cut corners or wink at a loss that we don't really like or rundown leaders are refuse to submit ordinances or pay that parking tickets or follow some safety code unless we get caught thing is rather unfortunate that the institution in our American culture that is so far behind following the American disabilities act is the church as if we don't care.

I guess of the command will straighten up. I give you another illustration since were coming up on taxis and I know that's on your mind, your heart, your prayer list. All that pregnant women should boast. In her book co-authored 11 Dugger explain how one little change in US tax code ended up exposing unbelievable section II hate to think I'm almost certain that I think the Christians were swept into this as well is not the numbers indicate staggering enough. The Christian sense, but in the 1980s, according to what they wrote the IRS one Iris research Ofc. Washington had the feeling that taxpayers were incorrectly claiming dependence as extra exemptions on why habits feeling that you feeling sometimes it was a genuine mistake, but sometimes he complained the claims were comically fraudulent with one example of a dependent, whose name was listed as Flossie. Obviously a pet not a childless one would hope it was a pet fluffy so we decided the best way to clean up the mess was to require taxpayers to list their children's social security number, and no one agreed. No one agreed, yet if join your driver's license before you vote just nobody old really sort of died never made it out of the agency a few years later as Congress is clamoring for little more tax revenue is ideal is remembered and brought up and immediately rushed forward and put in the tax law for the year 1986 and when the returns came in that year, 7 million dependence had suddenly examined from the tax rolls, pets and phantom children disappear and that here that one idea generated 3 billion additional tax dollars.

I can only hope that it didn't represent any believer that you're wondering what the role of government is the Bible actually is and silent. It does include collecting taxes.

Unfortunately, so I joked what I said you praying about it. You don't need to. Paul wrote in Romans chapter 13 verse seven render tax to whom taxes your taxes are due weeks fact. On one occasion, I just wish because a little longer Jesus memory was asking of Lori may read this text, where he was asked of you pays taxes and he said yes and then he told Peter to go I get I get a fishing pole and and during that go catch a fish you catch that fish Peter open its mouth and inside its mouth. You'll find a coin that is worth enough to pay your taxes and my so Peter went anything got the fish opened his mouth. There was the coin he paid his taxes on to me that's the way to pay your taxes go fishing, April 14, and pray God of foreign American League or performed miracles but he does require support for the principle that is. Government supposed to do, collect and spend taxes. Peter actually gives a pretty interesting summary of the job description of a good government gently look at the same text in verse 14, or to governors sent by him notice for the punishment of evildoers and the praises of those who do right, and just imagine for a moment I lose you those implications to punish evil and praise righteousness that sounds like moral legislation.

To me about you. By the way, the idea that morality cannot be legislated.

Is there whether to laws that punish murder or pedophilia or staff there making moral judgments that evil that's wrong even to the point of requiring you buckle your seatbelt dark drunk driving restrictions all the designer protect life because wildlife and iron moral values system has value. By the way, again, emphasizes the opportunity. The Christian who is entering that particular world of influence with your moral foundation derived from the clear teaching of Scripture using at that toast you help your world define what is evil and what is right, what should be punished and what should be praise to punish interesting word. God's design for those in authority. Peter uses the word for punish. By the way that effectively shatters the ideology that God is only interested in reforming the criminal or protecting society from the criminal those wonderful thing, but Peter actually uses a word that includes retribution is the definition of the word of the Greek language the inflicting of just punishment on the one who is harmed another.

So the governing authority is actually commissioned by God to determine what is evil and hand out punishments and penalties for those who violate those just laws. That is all is another word government is also given a responsibility to praise those who do what is right. The word he uses for praise can be translated commending more or recognize, acknowledge, just as there are penalties for doing evil. There are rewards for doing right Great Britain to this day. Outstanding citizens are given knighthood of special commendation also do annual rewards work. The Queen will give an award to those involved in their jobs and they just done them long enough and well enough that they surface for commendation. I remember watching 11 documentary a few years ago were Queen Elizabeth was rewarding a number of people during the special ceremony and it was very touching to watch one particular man who was a sheepherder. What he did entire life, callused hands, wrinkled son, Brown's face whether dissing credible difficult occupation with all his hazard and instrument documented his tearful anticipation and then that normally stood and bowed before his queen and she gave him an award for attending is heard his flock well actually one of God's intentions for good government with everything that is in the United States we have achievement rewards or words we we give honorary doctorates the community at large awards.

This prestigious Nobel prize number of sciences for those who have excelled in their fields. Has it ever occurred to you in fact is I study this text to just hit me as it ever occur to you that the government is responsible not only for the security and safety of its citizens. But in fostering their moral well-being, punishing evil praising records, staggering which means that all of you who are in positions of authority, you're the boss is a schoolteacher to the parent or the judge is Sen. when you accept your vocation as a God ordained appointment you bring to that occupation. Your character and conviction in your Christian conscience you are fulfilling God's role for you in that field and let me tell you something our city are community are nation. Our culture is blessed with a lot of people like you do that right you know you're getting honesty. Would you deal like culture is operational and so much more of a Wonderful Way, Christians do what Christians can do but imagine what it was like in Peter's day is writing all that are living in a land of unparalleled freedom. Persecution is growing. Two thirds of the Christian community today on the planet live in repressive cultures. Why bother with submission of that kind of authority especially forcing this in our own culture.

When Eve fall is being forwarded and commended and that which is righteous is being punished.

My mother why not wash your hands of it all. Peter assumed you'd asked that question and he want to be before I let you list we like to answer two ways. I want you to notice. First of all of verse 15.

Here's the first incentive for submitting notice for such is the will of the will of God government, for such is the will of God. In other words you are obeying the Lord's direction, then your recognizing that ultimately God placed kings and governors in power for his purposes, and by the way, most often God doesn't explain himself.

He just doesn't God might be ignored by government but this verse also implies that God will have the last word in the meantime, he has given you and me his word on the matter. Submitting is the will of God number two not only obeying the Lord's direction you are silencing the Lord's opposition notice for such is the will of God by doing right may silence the ignorance of foolish men refers to those who are spreading slander about the Christians. We know from history. The Christians were being slandered as being treasonous and seditious planning to overthrow the government by the way, get how you silence. Don't try to overthrow the government. At the same time you like to burn incense to the upper you know he's not deity. You know we did dissent, God the son without too long think that way, but he's not from the sun is not divinity, you're not going to do that.

She got to show respect wherever you can and to the extent that you can't because he has been ordained by God. No matter what he's doing God's purposes are being fulfilled and then by doing that you are so remarkably different from the world is always yelping and they yelled at their own they bite at the wrong they destroy their own you silence. Peter actually uses the word muscle you muzzle any probably tongue-in-cheek is is is implying what the word implies, are muzzling a dog that is constantly yelping and snapping and writing to you muzzle Peter is saying you want to muzzle the snapping of the yelping the biting dogs around you is are you doing with your attitude of respect.

Further, he describes them here is ignorant.

You muzzle of the ignorance of foolish men. That doesn't mean the critics are uneducated is not what ignorance here means he's not referring to their SAT scores is he's referring to willful, hostile rejection and repression of the truth. It's willful. It's hostile there yapping and snapping and biting, which is what makes his counsel all the more remarkable care how you silence the vicious, hostile, biting slander of people who are repressing the truth.

If you do not do it implied here by barking louder by biting harder get this you you understand they intuitively know the truth, and the rumbling in their gut that causes them to be angry against that which represents the truth makes them snap and yelled and bite all the more viciously and what they love to do is bring you Christian down to their level of demonstration. Peter's telling us or the if going to be any silencing implies.

It may or may not of our critics. Is it because you're going to be stronger and louder bigger better connected now simply by humility and respectful while doing an excellent behavior, good deeds in this unique attitude toward those in authority, which none of your unbelieving friends have toward their authorities noticed they eat their own different even though they know you disagree there's respect and submission to just law and your life is marked by peace and Winston's and Corey's head with this so you pack your things away to give you the name of the county because it's the service get around but is actually another country comes from a newsletter by ministry that are not name. This is occurring right now it's not to be in your news reports occurring in the land of China. It's a remarkable things happen that will never be acknowledged. It would never be admitted to sticking place, government officials, and what particular province become so desperate with sky high rates of crime and drug addiction, sickness is finally in desperation. In the mid-1990s it still going on today, under the radar. They turn for help to people that they noticed in this province were model citizen and who do you think they happen to be Christians. One official who would know I was named to be interviewed said we had to admit that these people in this particular province were just a dead loss because of their addiction to opium their addiction made them weak and sick and they would go to one of their priests who required animal sacrifices of such extravagance that they became poor because they were now even more destitute.

They would steal from one another and commit crimes against each other in law and order deteriorated. It was a vicious cycle and no amount of our government propaganda could break their pattern of living and then he said this, we noticed that in some villages in this county.

There were people who were peaceloving, and there didn't seem to be a drug problem or stealing and in their households seem to have plenty of chickens and pigs to eat so we said commissioned a survey to find out why do our embarrassment, we discovered the key factor was these villages had a majority of Christians so we launched a daring experiment 19 years ago we picked out the worst village in the county it at 240 people in the village 107 of them addicted to opium Christians from the neighboring village agreed to be bussed in and the government covered the expenses he got all of them and the villagers were herded together by the police in Christian brought forward to give their testimonies of faith in Christ. They were busted several times relationships begin your later. There were 17 new Christians in this village and the 17 Christians soon became established financially because they stop spending their money on opium eight of the 17 soon saved enough money to purchase sewing machine and start small businesses by early 2002. Justin is one village 83 of them and become Christian and their village began to change this government official then concluded by saying and I quote, we have begun extending this strategy to other village Boston. The Christians got a love that and what are these officials now accusing these persons of doing nothing muzzle because of these peaceful, law-abiding citizen and the gospel which became intriguing and then the gospel was believed and replaced opium with chicken, it replace lawbreaking law-abiding citizens and that change in one life in 17 lives in family exchange village began to change a county's going on right now may very well change their country's word. We start doesn't sound all that dramatic positive effect doesn't sound all that this is the mind of God, for the Lord say rightly be good citizens respect the law and those in authority. This is the will of God, and by doing what is right just mind. Critics you're listening to wisdom for the heart Stephen Davey. This was the first lesson in a six part series called above politics and parliaments. This lesson is entitled silencing the critics during the month of March.

We have a free resource that were making available. This world is moving toward God's intended purposes. Stephen is a book called the coming tribulation.

In it he explores the future.

Of time known as the great tribulation. It's a topic that has confused and divided Christians for many years. This is a great resource to help you understand what the Bible says about the coming tribulation. This is a free digital download that's available from our website go to wisdom online.org information. We have a print version of this booklet as well, but the e-book is free today and is available@wisdomonline.org. Thanks for listing. Join us next time.

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