Honor the ultimate Authority.

 

Sermon for Pentecost 21, October 22, 2023

Grace, mercy, and peace be yours, forever, from God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Romans 13:1-7  Everyone must submit to the governing authorities.  For no authority exists except by God, and the authorities that do exist have been established by God.  ²Therefore the one who rebels against the authority is opposing God’s institution, and those who oppose will bring judgment on themselves.  ³For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to evil.  Would you like to have no fear of the one in authority?  Do what is good, and you will receive praise from him, ⁴because he is God’s servant for your benefit.  But if you do wrong, be afraid, because he does not carry the sword without reason.  He is God’s servant, a punisher to bring wrath on the wrongdoer.  ⁵Therefore it is necessary to submit, not only because of wrath, but also because of conscience.  ⁶For this reason you also pay taxes, because the authorities are God’s ministers, who are employed to do this very thing.  ⁷Pay what you owe to all of them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, and honor to whom honor is owed. (EHV)

Honor the ultimate Authority.

Dear beloved ones in Christ,

            For at least the last two or three presidential administrations, it has been quite common for one side of the aisle or the other to exclaim, “Not my president!”  That declaration pretends that because a person didn’t vote for a particular candidate, one shouldn’t have to respect that elected officeholder.  The Holy Spirit, however, has something to say about the situation, and the instruction in Paul’s letter to the Roman congregation reminds us that to disrespect or disobey those put in authority over us is to dishonor the very Savior who expects us to Honor the ultimate Authority.

Our text this morning may bring some of us uncomfortably close to arguing about politics in church.  That is not my intention.  It remains true, however, that however how much we might despise the ruling party, or president, as an individual, his political persuasions, agendas, and even morality, we owe it to our God and Savior to respect the office and the person holding the office because it is ultimately the Lord God Creator of heaven and earth who has guided the hands of history to put that person in the office. 

St. Paul wrote, “Everyone must submit to the governing authorities.  For no authority exists except by God, and the authorities that do exist have been established by God.”  This passage was referenced by some Christians in regard to the previous administration, which provoked outrage on the other side.  We could likely find some who would argue just as vociferously against it today.  Yet, we must be guided by the words of our God.  Paul’s words, here, are in full agreement with what God said through Isaiah, “Certainly my plans are not your plans, and your ways are not my ways, declares the Lord.  Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my plans are higher than your plans.” (Isaiah 55:8-9) 

God never allows or does anything to harm His people.  However, He most certainly does use the people and nations of earth to discipline people as He sees fit.  Still, Paul’s point here isn’t to say that God is disciplining us with disappointing leaders, though that remains a possibility.  Rather, Paul is pointing us to God’s gracious care for His people in that the Lord has appointed certain individuals into their governing roles for the good of all people in a nation, state, city, or village, and God holds them responsible for ruling well.  Because sin so completely corrupts the world and all people in it, without orderly societies, and orderly rules, anarchy would reign triumphant bringing devastation to all of society but especially to the weak and defenseless, “For [as Paul writes] rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to evil.”

God has established government for the welfare of all people but especially for the good of those who trust in Him.  Thus, the warning from the Holy Spirit, “Therefore the one who rebels against the authority is opposing God’s institution, and those who oppose will bring judgment on themselves.”  If, or when, we do things that sin against God’s will in this matter, we oppose the very God who gave His Son to live and die to save us.  Now, as we examine ourselves, it likely isn’t hard to find ways we have gone down this path even if we weren’t among those who invaded a government building.  Have we neglected to pray for our leaders, even for the wicked among them?  Have we spoken ill of one or more?  Have we castigated or mocked friends and neighbors who disagree with the way we view things?  Have we ever carried out little rebellions by refusing to do things the government way?  Bent the law a little in our favor, shaved a little off of our taxes with misleading information or flat-out intentional neglect?

Of course, it is neither good nor right for me to accuse anyone of having done these things without evidence, so that is not my intention.  Rather, I throw out questions like these to encourage each of us to reconsider how we show honor to the authorities God places over us, and likewise praying that God’s instruction, as applied here, leads us to repent of all our sins, to remember that our God is in control of all things on earth, politics included, and that we Honor the ultimate Authority of our God.

The human authority of governments seems to naturally lead to fear among people.  Most prominently, that is natural law working in the hearts of people, believers and unbelievers alike.  To remove that fear Paul advises, “Would you like to have no fear of the one in authority?  Do what is good, and you will receive praise from him, because he is God’s servant for your benefit.”  As we humbly submit to God’s law in the Ten Commandments, and the ordinances and laws developed by those governing us, we will be able to live without fear for there will be nothing to condemn us.  Even when we must oppose wickedness in government, we will do so with the truth, and respect and kindness for those being misled and misleading.

Likewise, the opposite remains true; “But if you do wrong, be afraid, because he does not carry the sword without reason.  He is God’s servant, a punisher to bring wrath on the wrongdoer.  Therefore it is necessary to submit, not only because of wrath, but also because of conscience.”  The governing authorities posses the sword, that is the right to judge and even destroy those who do evil, because God desires to limit the power of evil in this world so that His people may live and worship in peace.  At the same time, we obey civil authorities, not because they hold this power, but so that we continue to honor, serve, and obey the very Savior who lived for us, suffered and died in our place, and rose from the dead to give us life and peace in heaven.  In all things, we Honor the ultimate Authority.

As our Lord Jesus walked this earth living a perfectly holy life in our place, He submitted Himself to those placed in authority: His parents, the governing councils, Pilate, and by extension even Caesar.  So that our conscience can live in harmony with our Savior, the Spirit had Paul write, “For this reason you also pay taxes, because the authorities are God’s ministers, who are employed to do this very thing.  Pay what you owe to all of them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, and honor to whom honor is owed.”  Believers submit to authority not only because we fear condemnation but in gratitude for the love God has shown us in Christ Jesus.

At the same time, there is a balancing, cautionary command to consider; if those in power should command us to go against God’s clear instruction and law, “We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29)  However, whenever we do find ourselves in such circumstances, we will submit to their authority and suffer whatever consequences come our way because of our faithful conduct.  We can then be like the apostles who when wrongfully punished for obeying the Lord, rejoiced “that they were considered worthy to suffer shame for the Name.” (Acts 5:41)

Dear friends, this can certainly be a sensitive subject, and all of us would have to admit that we have fallen short of obeying authority as we should.  While we might like to point our accusations at others, and there definitely is agreement that our human rulers are subject to much error and often sin, focusing on these things gains us nothing.  Like all of us, they too are moved by the wicked temptations of the world, the devil, and the whims of wicked people around them.  That should not stop us, however, from living as our God desires for His people.  And as we strive to do this, still knowing how often we fall short, let us rely on the One who never fell short of perfect submission to His Father’s will.  Jesus has already accomplished holiness and perfect obedience for us.  Then, having lived perfect righteousness on our behalf, Jesus suffered the wrath and retribution of His Almighty Father for every sin, every sinner, every rebel, every dishonest and ungodly ruler, and every slave, man, woman, and child.

Therefore, as we walk in faith in Christ Jesus, trusting Him for forgiveness and salvation full and free, take the holy writer’s assurances to heart:

There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  For in Christ Jesus, the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.  Indeed, what the law was unable to do, because it was weakened by the flesh, God did, when he sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to deal with sin. God condemned sin in his flesh, so that the righteous decree of the law would be fully satisfied in us who are not walking according to the flesh, but according to the spirit. (Romans 8:1-4)

Go forth with a new heart and a new spirit, encouraged and strengthened by Jesus’ willing obedience, so that whether we have good rulers or inept or wicked despots, we Honor the ultimate Authority—our Savior Jesus Christ, for “God also placed all things under his feet and made him head over everything for the church.” (Ephesians 1:22)  All glory to His holy Name.  Amen.

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and in his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and establish you in every good work and word.  Amen.