The Church in the Political Process

Transcript

GRM 1018
8/31/2008
The Church in the Political Process
Romans 13:1-7
Gil Rugh


Politics are on many people's minds these days, we've just had one of the parties have their convention and the other party will be having theirs here shortly. And I want to talk about the matter of Christians and politics, just to remind us of certain things that the Bible says about these matters to be sure that we are functioning in a biblical way. During this time you see certain people represented as evangelicals, representing a Christian position. Sometimes I'm concerned they are not really reflecting what the Bible says about our role in politics, in government, what our attitude toward all these things is. Important that our testimony be strong and clear in these areas. It's easy for us to get emotionally involved. We hear the different speeches, we hear the issues, we read about the positions taken and pretty soon we find ourselves engaged. And if we're not careful, we may become engaged in a way that is not consistent with our testimony as a people who belong to the living God and are committed to the truth of His Word.

So I want to talk about what the Bible says about the Christian and human government and our relationship and responsibility to human government, whatever that government may be. And what I want to do is look at some passages in the Old Testament, then we'll come to a New Testament passage and it will sort of tie together what we've been saying. The beginning point, the foundational issue that we must keep fixed in our minds as God's people is God is sovereign over all. And He is sovereign over all the rulers, the rulers of countries and the rulers within countries. More than that, all the rulers that are in power, from the minor officials as we would refer to them to the supreme rulers of countries, are all there by God's sovereign determination and appointment.

Come back to the book of Daniel, we'll start in Daniel and just look at a few of the prophets. Daniel 2, and we're not going to go into all the context, but here Daniel is in Babylon because he has been taken as a captive when Nebuchadnezzar conquered the southern kingdom of Israel, Judah. And he was one of those taken in one of the deportations under Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar has seen events in a dream, Daniel has come to interpret the dream. So in that context here is a Jewish man who has been taken from his family by an enemy king, deported to a foreign country, removed from family, given responsibility. Now he comes to stand before this pagan, godless king and interpret his dream. In Daniel 2:20 Daniel said, let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him. It is He who changes the times and the epochs, He removes kings and establishes kings. I want you to note that. He removes kings and establishes kings, because wisdom and power belong to Him. The wisdom determines who will reign and the power to bring it about belong to God. On the human level there may be a variety of processes that go on. For Nebuchadnezzar and those empires it was war, as one empire replaced another. In our kind of society in our country one ruler is replaced by the voting process. But ultimately the wisdom and power, the wisdom to determine who and the power to bring it about is in God's hands. He removes kings and establishes kings, He gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of understanding, because Daniel was one of the wise men in Babylon. So he's acknowledging that the wisdom I have does not come from me, it comes from the sovereign God.

Turn over to Daniel 4, there are some verses, if you have been here in previous studies you may have marked in your Bible pertinent verses for establishing the authority of God in the realm of mankind. Situation has moved along, Nebuchadnezzar, the mighty ruler of the Babylonian Empire, the head of gold in the image of the man that was seen earlier, is about to be removed from power at the word of God. He will become, for seven years, an insane man, roaming about like an animal, eating grass until he learns who is really sovereign. So in Daniel 4:17, we're just breaking into the setting here, this sentence is by the decree of the angelic watchers. The decision is a command of the holy ones in order that the living may know that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind. There is only one absolute totally sovereign in all creation, and that is God. And He rules in the realm of mankind and He bestows it on whom He wishes and sets over it the lowliest of men. A clear statement—those who rule, rule by divine appointment. God rules over the realm of mankind and as part of the exercising of His sovereign rule, He appoints and places individuals in places of power, sometimes the lowliest of men. We need to keep that in mind. Not necessarily “the most qualified,” but even the most unqualified that have come to places of power, authority are there by God's appointment.

Down at the end of verse 25, Nebuchadnezzar will be insane for seven years. At the end of the verse he is told, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whom He wishes. Nebuchadnezzar thought he was in his position by the might of his power, he had accomplished it. God said, you didn't accomplish anything, I put you there. The end of verse 26, your kingdom will be assured to you after you recognize that it is heaven that rules, because the God of heaven rules. Down at the end of verse 31, the statement is King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared, sovereignty has been removed from you. And it will be removed, the end of verse 32, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes. Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled, he was driven away from mankind, he was eating grass like cattle and so on. You see the sovereignty of God in the realm of mankind. The most powerful man ruling the most powerful empire, God speaks and he is out crawling around, eating grass like an animal. Who put him in power? Who removes him from power? Does he have to have a mighty army come and attack him? No, God just speaks the word and it's done. An indication that no matter what the process, no matter what the events that brought someone to power, you understand ultimately it was God who did it.

Turn back to Isaiah 10. Looking at God's authority and power over various empires and rulers. These are pagan empires, rulers who did not know the living God. We're not talking about Israel and God's dealing with the nation Israel. We might say, yes, He chose that nation, of course He established their kings and rulers, but you understand this is a worldwide event, no matter who and where. So in Isaiah 10 we're dealing with Assyria, that was the mighty empire before the Babylonian Empire. A vile empire, wicked and cruel. They'll be used of God to take the ten northern tribes into captivity in 722 B.C., you remember. An empire that used extreme cruelty. One of the things they did, they came to a city that resisted them, they would impale on pointed stakes thousands of people around the city. You could have a road lined with people who had just been impaled on these pointed stakes. It was to send terror among peoples so that anyone would give serious thought before they would even think of resisting the Assyrians, the consequences would be so horrible. And yet God says this is an empire I have established.

Look at Isaiah 10:5, woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger, the staff in whose hand is my indignation. You know what He says about the nation Assyria? They are just an instrument in My hand that I am using to bring judgment. They are the rod of My anger. He's not causing the sins that Assyria was guilty of, but He's using Assyria to bring judgment and discipline on rebellious people, and particularly on His people, Israel. I send it against the godless nation and commission it against the people of My fury, the people that He is angry with, to capture booty, to seize plunder, to trample them down like mud in the streets. Yet it does not so intend, nor does it plan so in its heart, but rather it is its purpose to destroy and to cut off many nations. In other words, the Assyrians didn't see themselves as an instrument in God's hands, they don't see them carrying out God's vengeance. They see them as a mighty empire acquiring wealth through its conquests, destroying nations. It says, are not my princes all kings? In other words, just the princes of our nation are kings in comparison to other peoples. And Jerusalem and Israel are coming under their devastating judgment because God is using Assyria to bring judgment on His own people.

So look at verse 12, so it will be that when the Lord has completed all His work on Mt. Zion and on Jerusalem, He will say, I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the pomp haughtiness. When I'm done using Assyria to punish My people, then I am going to punish Assyria. For he has said, the Assyrians have said, by the power of my hand, by my wisdom I did this. For I have understanding, I have removed the boundaries of the people, have plundered their treasury. In other words, they have stomped over other nations, those boundaries have been done away with because now the Assyrians rule over them. Like a mighty man I brought down their inhabitants and gathered their riches and so on.

But look at verse 15, is the ax to boast itself over the one who chops with it? Is the saw to exalt itself over the one who wields it? Verse 16, therefore, the Lord of hosts will send a wasting disease among His stout warriors. Under His glory a fire will be kindled like a burning flame. In other words, Assyria doesn't recognize, it's just like an instrument in My hands. They are like an ax, and the ax is saying that the one using me to chop the tree is nothing. You realize, Assyria, you are nothing. I am the God who is using you and you are proud and arrogant against Me? When I'm done with you, then I'll turn My anger against you. And that's what happened to the Assyrians. Why did the Assyrians pass off the scene? Well I guess they got weak and they weren't strong enough. No, because God was done with them. That's the answer. We can look at it from the human perspective and say, well, you know they got weak for these reasons and the Babylonians got stronger. Yes, but you know why that all happened? The sovereign God determined. Assyria was a power because God wanted to use them for a purpose, and they were done as a power when God was done with them.

Come over to Isaiah 44. We're not going chronologically with the empires, but we'll just stay with Isaiah, and then we're going to Jeremiah. So we're going to jump ahead in time. We've gone from the Assyrians and the Babylonians now are history, and we come to the Medo-Persian Empire and the Persian dominance in that empire. Look at verse 24, thus says the Lord your Redeemer, the One who formed you from the womb, I, the Lord, am the Maker of all things, stretching out the heavens by Myself, spreading out the earth all alone. Nobody helped Me, I, the Lord God, did it all. He is the sovereign Creator of everything and He is thus the sovereign ruler of everything. That's the background. Look at verse 28, it is I who says to Cyrus, he is My shepherd. He will perform all my desire. We have a long way to go to get to Cyrus, and we have the Babylonian Empire yet to come on the scene. But you know what? God calls him by name and says he is My shepherd. He will perform all My desire. Because he was a godly man who knew the God of Israel? Not on your life. He lived and died a total pagan, but he will do God's will because God placed him in power to use him for His purposes.

Isaiah 45:1, thus says the Lord to Cyrus, his anointed. He is anointed of God because God has put him on the throne to use him for His purposes. Whom I have taken by the right hand to subdue nations before him, to loose the loins of kings, to open doors before him so gates will not be shut. I will go before you and make the rough places smooth, I will shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron bars, I will give you the treasures of darkness, the wealth hidden in secret places and so on. You see here? You get the idea this would be someone who has a relationship of closeness with the God of Israel. He's a man in hell today, never turned to the God of Israel. He's the one God took by his right hand and led him, he defeated His enemies before Him. Why? Because the sovereign God rules in the realm of mankind.

Why would God do this? So that you may know, the end of verse 3, that it is I, the Lord God of Israel, who calls you by your name. That doesn't mean Cyrus ever became a believer, but God is demonstrating His power, even to this man.

For the sake of Jacob my servant and Israel my chosen one, I have also called you by your name. Not for your benefit, I'm doing it for My purposes. I have given you a title of honor, note this, though you have not known Me. I am the Lord, there is no other, beside Me there is no God. On through this great chapter, talking about the sovereign Creator who is the sovereign ruler. You don't know Me, but I appointed you, I put you into power, I have defeated your enemies. You see His sovereignty among the godless rulers of this world.

Now turn over to Jeremiah 25. There are many passages in the prophets we could go to, but we'll just take some sampling. We're going to talk about Babylon, Jeremiah is a later prophet than Isaiah. The Babylonians have come to power and Jeremiah 25:9, behold I will send and take all the families of the north, declares the Lord. I will send Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land and against its inhabitants, against all these nations round about. I will utterly destroy them, make a horror and a hissing, an everlasting desolation. The end of verse 11, these nations will serve the king of Babylon 70 years. Then when the 70 years are completed I will punish the king of Babylon. So you see who is sovereign and in charge here. I'm raising up Babylon, I'm going to defeat nations before him. Then when I'm done with Babylon I'll destroy Babylon. You see we get things from the divine perspective. You read the newspaper to get it from the human perspective, you come to the Word of God to get it from the divine perspective, what really is happening—the sovereign God is exercising His authority in bringing men to power and giving nations power, in removing that power, in removing rulers.

Come to Jeremiah 27, still talking about Nebuchadnezzar here and Babylon. Look at verse 5, I have made the earth, the men and the beasts which are on the face of the earth by My great power and by My outstretched arm. If you haven't lately, take time this afternoon to read Isaiah 45 where we just were. You understand why men rebel against the biblical doctrine of creation, because God absolutely declares Himself as the One who created everything and thus the One who rules over everything. And man in his rebellion against the rule of God rejects the fact that God is his Creator. I have made the earth, the men, the beasts which are on the face of the earth. By My great power, by My outstretched arm, now note the conclusion of that, I will give it to the one who is pleasing in My sight. ________________in my sight. That doesn't mean they are godly, it means that the only one who decides this is God, and whoever He sees as fitting in His sight for the accomplishing of His purposes, will be the one who rules. Understand that. Doesn't matter who has the most powerful army, when all is said and done. The one whom God has determined, will rule. We have to keep this in mind when we think about the coming election, how the process goes. God uses various things. In those days He used the armies fighting, in our day in our country He uses the election process. When all is said and done, the results are the same—God's appointed person will be in power. We know that as God's people, He's told us in His Word—I will give it to the one who is pleasing in My sight. Well, Lord, you know I have some thoughts on this. Yes, but keep them to yourself, because I am God and you are not. I will give it to the one who is pleasing in my sight, I'm not holding a council on this. You can vote, it's just like I used the armies of the world and I may use your vote. But you understand, if the person you vote for doesn't get in, do you know who got in? The person that God voted for. And that's the only vote that counts. So when all is said and done, I have to come to this with a biblical perspective. I give it to the one who is pleasing in My sight.

Come over to Jeremiah 51, then we have to leave the Old Testament. We are with the Medes and the Persians. And we've gone back and forth, we looked at Isaiah with the Assyrians, then we looked at Isaiah 45 with Cyrus, the Persian king, then we've looked at Babylon in Jeremiah. And chapter 51 is devoted to the coming judgment on Babylon for their sins. You see God raises up a nation that is in rebellion against Him, but a nation whose rebellion against God will accomplish what God intends to accomplish among the affairs of men. God does not cause the sin of men and nations, but God uses even the sinful activity of men individually and nations corporately for the accomplishing of His purpose.

So in Jeremiah 51 we have the coming judgment on Babylon. Look at verse 11, sharpen the arrows, fill the quivers. The Lord has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes. Remember the Medo-Persian Empire comes to be dominated by the Persians, the bear that Daniel saw lifted up on one side because the Persians become the dominant force in the alliance, in that empire. The Lord has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes and because His purpose is against Babylon to destroy it. For it is the vengeance of the Lord, vengeance for His temple. Lift up a signal against the walls of Babylon and so on. It is His purpose to destroy Babylon. So we could look and see while Babylon got weaker for these reasons, and the Medo-Persian emperor rose for these reasons, but you understand behind it all the sovereign hand of God is doing what He determined, it pleases Him to accomplish His purpose.

Jump down to verse 28, consecrate the nations against her, the kings of the Medes, their governors, all their prefects, every land of their dominion. So the land quakes and writhes for the purposes of the Lord against Babylon stand. I mean, that's it. The purposes of the Lord against Babylon stand, so the Medes will prevail. God has determined it. The battle hasn't been fought yet, but the outcome has already been told for sure. And you can read on down through the rest of that account.

Come over to the New Testament, to Romans 13. Now in all this doesn't mean we don't exercise our rights and privileges and citizens. The Apostle Paul exercised his rights as a Roman citizen. On a couple of occasions he raised the issue on the Roman citizen—you're not allowed to beat me in this way, I have the right to a special trial. Non-Roman citizens didn't have rights like that. Paul claimed his rights as a Roman citizen. But saying we don't have rights and you abuse those rights, we have rights to vote and that's fine, we can vote. But in all this we want to be careful. Terribly disturbed, this past week I was watching a prominent man known as an evangelical leader being interviewed about the selection of vice presidential candidates and their view and how we're excited about this person and they are a person we can support and we're going to find the evangelicals ............... I'm sitting there thinking, how does he know what God is going to do? What if that person doesn't get voted in? What does that mean? Well, I guess God blew it, because all Christians voted this way and God voted that way. How do I know God voted that way? Because that's who is in power and God never gets overruled. No wringing around and saying, well if we had gotten the evangelical vote out and we had stood together we would have gotten our way. Not in a hundred years. Because 100 million Christians can't outvote God. It's tragic that they would think that that's the process. I'm not against voting, and God may use the vote, but you understand when the person that Christians voted for didn't get it, God's man got in. Do you think Daniel would have voted for Nebuchadnezzar to crush Israel, destroy his family and cart him away to Babylon? No. Was it God's will? Yes. Those families being deported by the Assyrians to foreign lands, carried away naked with hooks in their nose and lips wondering what happened. Was God in charge? Did He send the Assyrians? He said He did. We need to be very careful. We as believers are out there blustering around, we're a power, we're going to ............. We're nothing, we're slaves of the living God and He hasn't divulged to me what His next step is. I don't know who the next President will be, I don't know what the future of our country is. God hasn't unfolded it. I know what the future of the country Israel is, I know what the future of some countries is because they are listed in the scripture, their end is unfolded. I don't know what God is doing, I don't want to sit as though I am some powerful influential person, and let me tell you this is God's will. These people are the people that ought to be in office. Says who? Doesn't mean I may find more agreement with this person than this person. But understand, God is working His purposes in the world, not my purposes, not your purposes.

So we come to Romans 13 and Paul has unfolded God's plan of salvation through the opening chapter of Romans, masterful presentation of the gospel and God's plan of salvation. Then in chapter 12 he says, I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God which is your reasonable service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the making new of your minds, in order that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. When you get to chapter 13 we see more of that will of God for us, not being conformed to the world, but being transformed, living out the salvation that God in His grace has bestowed upon us through faith in His Son. So we come to chapter 13 verse 1, every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities, every person. And human government is established by God for the order of human society. Every person, but particular concern here because believers are the only ones who will obey the Word of God, every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. There are no exceptions here for us, we are to be in subjection, every person. Our concern is with believers, is to be in subjection to governing authorities. Why? For there is no authority except from God and that which exists are established by God. We just looked at that in the Old Testament, did we not? So believers recognize that the governing authorities, whoever they may be, Democrat, Republican, Independent, Libertarian, whatever in our country, whoever is in power, the mayor of our city, the governor of our state, the senators, the congressmen. There is no authority except from God and those which exist are established by God. Well, I don't know, I think it hadn't happened like this, I don't think if there had been shenanigans, I don't think if they had counted the votes right that person wouldn't be in power, so he's not there legitimately. How do you think men like Nebuchadnezzar got power? How many of these kings got there by killing their predecessor? But they are the governing authority which exists, right? So you think all of a sudden God lost control because this vile man killed his predecessor and assumed and usurped the throne? Then he is the governing authority which exists, right? So we submit to those authorities which are in power.

There is no authority except from God. Let me read you Psalm 62:11, once God has spoken, twice I have heard this. God has repeated Himself here so we get it. That power belongs to God, power belongs to God. Jesus is before Pilate, the Roman governor who has authority as the representative of the Roman Empire to either free Christ or have Him crucified. Here is the conversation from John 19:10-11, Pilate therefore said to Him (to Christ), do you not know that I have authority to release you and I have authority to crucify you? Humanly speaking, that's exactly right. Jesus answered, you would have no authority over me unless it had been given you from above. Even this relatively minor Roman official, governing this rather small portion of the Roman Empire, Jesus says you have authority, but I recognize the fact that the authority you have has been given you by My Father. Everything under control. The son of Man is about to be crucified at the hands of godless men, God has it all under control. You would have no authority, no power, unless My Father had given it to you. It was given from above.

The authorities which exist are established by God. No distinguishing here between kinds of government—dictatorship, democracy. Sometimes I've heard Christians say, well democracy is the best. Maybe it is the best form of government, I don't know. God is going to establish monarchy, you understand. But it doesn't matter. If our democratic form of government and our republican form of government is overthrown and we have a dictator, you know what? That's the one we will be submissive to because those which exist are established by God.

Come over to Titus 3, we'll come back to Romans in a moment. Verse 1, remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, anyone who has been given authority over them. To be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one. We have to be very, very careful. We get caught up in the emotions of the political process. Nothing wrong for Christians being engaged in the discussions, but we need to be very careful that we don't speak evil of anyone, wring our hands and say they're not fit to be president. What does that have to do with it? God sometimes places in office the lowliest of men, we read. Do you think Nebuchadnezzar sat on the throne because he was the most fit? Because he was of the best character? No. We need to be careful we don't malign anyone. You understand the one who is sitting on the throne as these New Testament letters were written—Roman Caesars. One of the more well known to us is the man named Nero who will be responsible for the death of the Apostle Paul and the death of the Apostle Peter. What does Paul have to say? Submit, submit and don't speak evil of them. You know when you read the New Testament, did it ever dawn on you, here you are reading something that is happening within the flow of earth's history and we have one Caesar go off the scene and another one come on. It's never even alluded to in scripture, it's not a significant event for what God is doing here, as far as God's people. They are preaching the gospel, the church is being built. Doesn't matter whether Nero is on the throne or Augustus is on the throne or Caligula is on the throne or whoever comes to the throne. So it doesn't make the pages of scripture, we have to go to secular history to read about that.

Malign no one. I think it's an embarrassment, these men who claim, evangelical is the word today, I'm almost embarrassed to be titled in that, sitting there speaking about this candidate and running them down and talking about how unfit they are, and we won't vote for them and ............... What are you going to do if they get into office? What are you going to say? Is God in charge or isn't He? Has God determined for His purposes this is the man, the person He wants in that office or not? You have the opportunity to come and sit before them and present the gospel, what are you going to say? Well, it's a good chance for me to tell them why they aren't governing right. You understand when Paul got to be in a place where he could talk to members of the household of Caesar what he did was share the gospel with them so they get saved. He didn't try to influence Caesar in his decisions. Didn't lose sight of what really matters. So malign no one.

Be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. You know why? We also were ourselves once foolish. You know you were a dumbo, too. We say, they're not fit............ What do you think you were? Who was I? Foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our lives in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. Then the kindness of God appeared. We're just like them, but we sit and try to decide who is qualified for office and who is not. You understand in the general flow of things we're usually voting for one unredeemed person over another unredeemed person. I don't know what the outcome will be. I'm not against voting, nor am I on a crusade to vote. You have to decide that before the Lord, you have the opportunity to do it in our country, not a requirement, I don't see it as a sin not to vote, I don't see it as a sin to vote. It's an opportunity given you in this country and you decide before the Lord as you do with other opportunities what He would have you do. Sometimes you may have to choose between two people and you don't know which one you would choose. Maybe the look equally good or they look equally bad. And you decide, Lord, I wouldn't know what to do, it's in your hands and I accept your decision. I will accept it if I do vote, I will accept it if I don't vote. I'm not a fatalist, I don't believe events just happen. I believe a sovereign God is personally bringing about His purposes, and I know I may vote and vote for the wrong candidate. How do I know I voted for the wrong candidate? Because God put in another candidate that I didn't vote for. That is just as acceptable to me, because those who exist in power are there by the appointment of God.

Come over to I Peter 2:13, submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as one in authority or to governors as sent by Him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. So whatever level of authority we are, when Jesus Christ sat before Pontius Pilate, He acknowledged his authority, authority coming from God. He didn't have to say, I'm a king, I only talk to a king. No, whatever the level of authority, you submit. This is Peter. He's going to be, tradition says, crucified upside down. I mean, these are men who are going to die at the hands of the authorities we say they submit to.

Why do you do this? Verse 15, such is the will of God. I mean, the best citizens under any kind of government, under any kind of ruler is to be a believer. And by doing right you silence the ignorance of foolish men. Act as free men, do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, use it as bondslaves of God. I use it as a slave of God. In the Bible God does not intend the church to control the political process. In Israel He separated the religious and the political aspects. The priests came from the tribe of Levi, the kings came from the tribe of Judah. We will wait until Jesus Christ rules and reigns that we have the Priest/King, the priest after the order of Melchizedek from the tribe of Judah. God hasn't put us here to control and run the political process. Some men, maybe well intentioned Christians have lost their focus, got caught up in things and the smell of power at the human level and get confused. Whoever is the next President will be the President God has appointed. Not because I'm fatalistic, I sit back and say whatever will be will be. I sit back and say the sovereign God rules in the realm of mankind, whatever He determines will happen. He may use our votes, He may use another process. The overthrow of a dictator, the coming to power of a dictator who has destroyed a good government as we would look at it. Doesn't matter. God is in control.

What kind of message do we send to the world, we Christians have to get this person voted in, if we don't get them voted in, look at the Supreme Court justices we'll have. I mean, vote for who you want, but understand God is sovereign and the day after the elections if everybody that the “evangelical” world thought would be best, lost, you know what? I will be just as comfortable, just as secure because my God is still in control. He won. Everyone of His candidates will be in office. You say, I might as well not vote. Then don't vote, I don't care. I mean you are responsible before God to carry out your responsibility in all areas of your life. We just want to be careful that we do it biblically.

Honor all people, love the brethren, fear God, honor the king. Nero? His own people couldn't stomach him. When he finally committed suicide, he is running from his own people who have had their fill of him. We don't even want to talk in a service like this about the despicable things he did in public ways. My goodness.

Come back to Romans 13. Whoever resists, the rest of this, everything is built around that statement at the end of verse 13, there is no authority except from God. Those which exist are established by God. So we have to be in subjection. Verse 2, therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God, those who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. I mean, there is no other way. What about when they tell us to do something that is contrary to the Word of God? You know there are those times. Shadrech, Meshech and Abednego in the book of Daniel, they were commanded to bow down and worship a false image. They said, we can't do it. They are cast into the furnace of fire. Daniel was forbidden to pray to his God in heaven, Daniel continued to do it. In the book of Acts we have a couple of occasions where they had to say, we must obey God rather than men. You know on these cases we can find as examples, they have to do with the worship of the true God, the presenting of the truth of God as found in His Word. Those are the only times we find rebellion and resistance to authority and there is the acceptance—going into the fiery furnace, going into the lion's den, being arrested or whatever. Other than that we find submission.

Rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. You want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good, you'll have praise from the same, it is a minister of God to you for good. These are God's servants. It does not bear the sword for nothing, it is a minister of God and an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil. I am aware they also bring judgment on people who do not deserve it. But you know even bad government accomplishes good things—it brings order. We look at governments in the world and we'd say that was a vile dictator, but he kept a certain order in his country. We see this in the country of Russia, people there happy to have a dictator back. Why? The country descends into chaos, it's unlivable. Many years ago when I was in China, there was order. They said, don't be afraid to go out and walk the streets at night, you're safe. And if you leave your wallet someplace, you know what? When you get off the train at the next stop your wallet will be there waiting for you. The punishment is severe enough, they are afraid. Yes, but that's a dictator Communist government, and is punishes Christians. And I visited with Christians who had been in prison for much of their lives. But you know what? Still the fact is there was order kept. Whether you're a Democrat, Republican, Independent or whatever, our country under the various rulers has enjoyed a certain order. We're here studying the Word of God together. Aren't you glad there is order, there are governing authorities that just anybody can't walk in and we see parts of the world where that happens, where governing authorities have broken down. And generally, if we're obeying the law we're not afraid, when I break the law then I'm afraid I might get caught.

Therefore, it is necessary to be in subjection, verse 5, not only because of wrath, because of the punishment that will come, but also for your conscience. You have to maintain a good conscience before the Lord. And when you're rebelling against the governing authorities, you're rebelling against God. That is sin, that violates your conscience. So you obey, you submit for two reasons—1. You're afraid of the punishment for not submitting, and 2. you're afraid of violating your conscience.

Because of this you also pay taxes. If you didn't get anything else out of it, you learn why you pay taxes. Because of this you pay taxes, rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Render to all what is due them, tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. We all complain about the taxes, we might as well stop. It's God's plan. Well I don't agree with what they do with my taxes. Do you think Paul agreed? Do you think the public things the Roman Caesars did with tax money .............. I mean, they took the tax money and they emptied treasuries for things that were despicable, vile. Doesn't have anything to do with it. My role is to be a good citizen. I have position to vote and voice myself. That's fine in my form of government. But you understand I pay taxes. I wish they were lower, I wish they were zero. But you know, God's plan is tax. Even Israel had taxes set up for the support of their government.

So number 1, we are to be good citizens. And I our conversations, I mention it now, I thought about waiting for this message until election time, but I thought now is the time when the debates are going on. We ought to be careful of putting ourselves out, this is the Christian way to vote, this is the evangelical way to vote. I don't know. A person asks me, I say I do have personal convictions, I do agree more with the politics perhaps of one person than the other, but I really don't know what God's will is in this matter. I am confident no matter how I vote ultimately, God will see that the people of His choosing, His appointment ......... That doesn't mean they'll necessarily be the people that are most pleasing to Him in their character and conduct and so on. They will be the people that He has determined must be in place to accomplish His purposes.

Isn't it nice to be able to live with that kind of security and confidence as the people of God? I don't have to fuss and fret, I don't have to worry about getting the vote out, I don't have to be fearful that maybe I don't know enough and vote for the wrong person. I can just leave it in the hands of God. I can become informed, I can vote if I so choose, I can not vote if I so choose. But when it's all said and done, my God rules in the realm of mankind and He is my God, He is my heavenly Father. So I'll be save and secure, no matter what the outcome.

Let's pray together. Thank you, Lord, for your grace. Lord, it is good for us to be reminded of your sovereign authority over all things. The affairs of the United States of America, and Lord, the affairs of each and every nation around the world, everything is under control. You rule over all. Lord, we are in awe that the most minor official in the most insignificant country has been placed there by you, and the most powerful ruler in the most powerful country has been placed there by you. Your purposes are being accomplished as you move the events of nations toward the ultimate climax of the return of your Son to rule and reign over all. Thank you for your greatness and thank you for your salvation. In Christ's name, amen.