Sermon: You and the Government, Pt. 2

You and the Government, Pt. 2
Romans 13:1-7
March 14, 2021

Romans 13-2 Pt 2 ser Someone told me this week (and I have forgotten the details) that the first word spoken by their grandchild (I think that’s who it was) was — “thank you.” That’s not the expected answer. Commonly, the first word of every child is — “NO!” (It’s usually emphatic, too, isn’t it?) They learn that word first because we use it so often with them, trying to keep them from harming themselves and trying to train them. Then they take the word and use it in rebellious ways (ways that are harmful to their souls).

That first rebellious word we learned as children has stayed with us. We are quick to say, “No — I won’t.” That desire is ingrained in our sinful nature and it persists in our flesh even after we become believers. It’s also ingrained in our cultural awareness as Americans — “Give me liberty (freedom) or I’ll die fighting to get the liberty I want” [my paraphrase] And it’s also ingrained in us as Texans who have been fighting for liberty since before the Alamo. Recently I’ve had more than one out-of-state friend remind me (somewhat enviously) that only Texas has the right to secede from the United States to form its own nation.

We like options, we like our “rights,” and we don’t like authorities telling us what to do. So as we think about government, this is “Loophole Sunday.” This is the day that we find out what the opportunities are to resist the government — and if there are legitimate reasons for objection, what that rebellion should look like.

Let me remind you of the theme of this passage (Romans 13:1-7):

Every believer should always honor his government.

Or even more precisely, because God has ordained every government, every believer should always honor his government. How will we honor the government? In these verses, Paul identifies three responses for the believer to the government:

1. Submit to the Government (vv. 1-2, 5)
2. Do What is Good (vv. 3-4)
3. Pay Your Taxes (vv. 6-7)

Download the rest of this sermon on Romans 13:1-7.

The audio will be posted on the GBC website by tomorrow.