Romans 13:1-7      Authentic Authority

Rev. David Holwick  T                                    Romans series #4

First Baptist Church                                       Father's Day

Ledgewood, New Jersey 

June 19, 2005

Romans 13:1-7


AUTHENTIC AUTHORITY



  I. The place of a Dad.

      A. Changes in attitudes toward fathers, reflected in TV.


             1950's and "Father Knows Best."

                Good-natured, somewhat aloof, unaware.


             1970's and "All In The Family."

                Bumbling and bigoted.


             1990's and "Married With Children."  (or "The Simpsons")

                Lazy oaf.                                          #1537


             2000's - I don't know...I don't watch enough prime time TV.


          1) In many of these programs, kids have wisdom and upper hand.

              a) Fathers are laughable.

          2) Is the cycle coming around?


             Perhaps we are returning to the image of a strong dad.

             Magazine ad I noticed this week:

                 "For those who have said, Because I'm your father,

                     THAT'S why!"


      B. Who needs authority?  God says we all do.

          1) Pecking orders run throughout life.

          2) God is at top,

                government is in the middle,

                   dads are somewhere lower.

          3) You might say that everyone has a rung on the ladder.


      C. Romans 13 gives Bible's view of authority.

          1) Authority must be recognized and followed.

          2) However, authority also has serious responsibilities.

              a) It is not just a matter of barking out orders.


II. Authority's foundationGod

      A. God has woven authority into the fabric of human life.

          1) In this passage, the focus is on human government.

              a) The principles also apply to fathers.

          2) God establishes authority.

              a) God is the ultimate authority, but he delegates

                    that power down through human channels.

              b) Rebellion against human authority is rebellion against

                    what God has instituted.

              c) Growing up in the 1960's, I remember how all the

                    traditional authority figures were opposed.


                    A popular saying was, Don't trust anyone over 30.

                       Today, all the Rolling Stones are over 60!

                    Even many of the radicals of that day are

                       establishment figures now.

              d) You cannot get away from the principle of authority.


      B. Authority is necessary because of sin.

          1) We do not know enough, by ourselves, to be complete.

          2) Our tendency is to selfishness, sin.

          3) Someone must hold back this tendency.


III. Authority's methodservanthood

      A. Authority is to be used to help others.


             Romans 13:4  "For he is God's servant to do you good."

          1) In Europe, government leaders are still called ministers.

              a) In New Jersey, leaders have to attend classes that

                    warn them against graft and corruption.

          2) Jesus says the best leaders are those who sacrificially

                serve others.


      B. Fathers should be this kind of leader.

          1) It is not just because "I say so."

          2) The ultimate good of our families should be our concern.


IV. Authority's responsibilitymoral enforcement

      A. Authority promotes and rewards what is good.

          1) Romans 13:3 - "Do what is right and he will commend you."

          2) Ancient Romans encouraged civic-mindedness.

              a) Large structures like the Colosseum were often built

                    by private citizens, and they were honored for it.

          3) True authority tries to bring out the best in others.

              a) Fathers are often quick to criticize.

              b) Be just as quick to praise.


      B. Authority restrains and punishes what is evil.

          1) Romans 13:4 - "He does not bear the sword for nothing."

              a) Probably a reference to capital punishment.

              b) There's a wider allusion to government's reliance on

                    force to compel obedience.

              c) Interesting note:


                   In Romans 12:19, Christians are told not to take

                      revenge (or use force) against enemies.

                   God is the one who will dish out the wrath.


                   Yet here in Romans 13, government is an agent of

                      wrath.

                   Therefore government is sort of an extension of God

                      on the earth.

                   It can do what individual Christians should not do.

                      Individuals live according to love.

                      Governments operate according to justice.


          2) Even anti-American Iraqis admit that the government of

                Saddam Hussein failed to punish evil.

              a) New government is being criticized for failing to

                    restrain evil of bombings and rebellion.

              b) Valid authority must have the strength to stand up

                    to evil.

              c) Good values are not just freely chosen by people -

                    often there must be some pressure.

                  1> What happened in Montana when speeding limits

                        were eliminated...

          3) Fathers probably don't bear a sword - mine used his hand.

              a) Be vigilant about the evil that confronts your children.

              b) For that matter, be vigilant about the evil IN your

                    children.

              c) We are the ones who must enforce moral guidelines,

                    for their own good.


  V. Authority's requirementsubmission

      A. Rebellion against authority is a sign of our society.

          1) More pronounced in the 1960's - no one likes to be told

                what to do.

          2) But anarchy is not a bowl of cherries, either.

          3) Christians are to submit to all proper authorities.


      B. Submission means giving what is owed.

          1) Taxes and revenue.

              a) Nobody likes taxes, but if you want the government to

                    provide services, someone must pay for it.  YOU.

          2) Respect and honor.

              a) Not worship, but gratitude for a job well-done.

              b) Rodney Dangerfield:  We don't get no respect.

          3) Submission does not mean craven subjection.

              a) You should be submitting to someone who wants what is

                    best for you.


      C. Paul's view of government is very positive.

          1) It is more than a necessary evil.

          2) According to the Bible, conscientious Christians will:

              a) Submit to government authority.

              b) Honor government representatives.

              c) Pay government taxes.

              d) Pray for government's welfare.     Jer 29:7; 1 Tim 2:1-3


VI. Authority's limits.

      A. Paul is giving an ideal picture.

          1) We can think of plenty of governments which are evil.

              a) Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Saddam Hussein...

              b) Government in Paul's day was pretty grim, too.

                  1> But he knew what God's ideal was.

          2) Submit to evil government?

              a) A strong tradition in Christianity says we should submit

                    to governments - and fathers - who are worthy.

              b) Those who do not reward good and punish evil, are

                    illegitimate and should be opposed.

                  1> Example of churches in South Africa's apartheid...

                  2> Note recent unveiling of Watergate's "Deep Throat."

                  3> His methods can be criticized, but his moral concern

                        cannot.

              c) Romans 13 vs. Revelation 13.

                  1> Bible predicts a satanic government someday.


      B. The Bible teaches that all human authority has limits.

          1) Jesus: "Render to Caesar only what is Caesar's."  Matt 22:21

          2) During the Exodus, the Jewish midwives disobeyed the order

                to kill babies.

          3) Daniel disobeyed order not to pray, or bow.

          4) Peter disobeyed order not to preach.

              a) "We should obey God rather than men."      Acts 5:29

              b) Even when disobeying, respect is necessary.


      C. God trumps all other authorities.


            Dr. H. Sloane Coffin once said in a sermon,

               "Christians, like Jesus, have God as their authority,

                   and no authority as their God."                  #2913



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SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:


#1537  "Obeying Dear Old Dad," condensed sermon outline by Rev. David Holwick;

          full sermon from which quote is taken can be found at Kerux Sermon

          #1236.


#2913  "The Ultimate Authority," Rev. Eric S. Ritz, Dynamic Preaching,

          www.sermons.com, Summer 1992 "A", July 7, 1992, bonus sermon.


These and 25,000 others are part of a database that can be downloaded,

absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/database.html

=========================================================================


Study notes:


John Stott

==========


  I. Authorities.

      A. Not angelic forces.  (Cullmann)

      B. State and its representatives.

          1) Four models of church-state relations:

              a) Erastianism -- state controls church

              b) theocracy -- church controls state

              c) Constantinianism -- state favors church, church

                    accommodates state

              d) partnership -- church and state recognize each other's

                    God-given responsibilities  (best fit for Romans 13)

          2) Christians have duties to both God and state.  Mark 12:17

              a) When Paul wrote, no authorities were Christian

                  1> Most authorities were hostile to Christians.

              b) Old Testament tradition: God is sovereign over human

                    kingdoms.    Daniel 4:17,25,32

              c) Paul may have been responding to expulsion of Jews

                    from Rome due to "Chrestus."  See Acts 18:2


II. Authority of the state.

      A. Submit to the government.

      B. Basis of state's authority:

          1) No authorities outside of God.

          2) God has established all existing authority.

          3) Rebels against authority are rebelling against God.

      C. Concerns.

          1) Not all evil rulers are appointed by God.

          2) Not all rulers must be submitted to.

              a) Rather, Paul means all human authority is derived from

                    God, as Jesus taught.          John 19:11

              b) Pilate misused his authority, but his authority was

                    still delegated by God.

      D. Paul's warning against rebellion.

          1) It is both right and wise to submit to authorities.

          2) Rulers commend good, condemn evil.

              a) Not always true.  Paul himself experienced injustice.

              b) He is stating divine ideal here.

          3) Submission is given in universal terms.

              a) Often misapplied by oppressive (right-wing) regimes.

                  1> Example: South Africa and apartheid.

          4) Evidence of limits of submission.

              a) Obedience to state does not trump obedience to God.

                  1> States that reward evil and oppress good, must be

                        resisted.      Acts 5:29

              b) Civil disobedience can be a Christian duty.

                  1> Example: Hebrew midwives; Daniel and friends; Peter.

                  2> Modern example: opposition to apartheid.

              c) Comparison of Romans 13 and Revelation 13.

                  1> One is a satanic parody of the other.

          5) "The gospel is equally hostile to tyranny and anarchy."


III. Ministry of the state.

      A. The state's authority is tied to its ministry.

          1) Paul affirms this three times.

      B. Two-fold ministry.       1 Pet 2:14

          1) Promote and reward the good.

          2) Restrain and punish the evil.

      C. Punishing evil.

          1) Bearing the sword.

              a) Minimum necessary force?

              b) Symbol of capital punishment.

                  1> Some modern Christians favor life imprisonment.

          2) Executing God's wrath.

              a) In Romans 12, Christians are to leave wrath to God.

              b) God's wrath:

                  1> Will one day fall upon the wicked               2:5

                  2> Is now seen in breakdown of social order        1:18

                  3> Operates through law enforcement and justice.  13:4

              c) One way to look at distinction:

                  1> Individuals live according to love.

                  2> States operate according to justice.

      D. Rewarding good.

          1) Roman Empire publicly praised benefactors.

              a) Much neglected today.

          2) Paying taxes.

              a) All agree the state must provide some services, and

                    these have to be paid for, so taxes are necessary.

      E. Paul's view of government is very positive.

          1) It is more than a necessary evil.

          2) Conscientious Christians will:

              a) Submit to government authority.

              b) Honor government representatives.

              c) Pay government taxes.

              d) Pray for government's welfare.     Jer 29:7; 1 Tim 2:1-3



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