ROMANS 13
1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval,
4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.
5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.
I am sure many of you are consumed by the coming events of January 20th in Washington D.C. Whether you are excited about change or whether you are certain of a tainted election one thing is true. Verse one of Romans thirteen reminds us that no authority is put in place apart from God.
You may fear the loss of a voice for the unborn. You may distress over the agenda to call good that which is clearly evil. You may be confounded that our leaders allow a man who claims to be a Christian pastor end the opening prayer in the U.S. House of Representatives this year with “amen and awomen.” You may have concern about the coming Marxist presence in leadership in this country. You may even have bought into the lies intended to divide races, citizens, and sexes. Your stress level may be at unparalleled heights.
But God! But God, how could you allow abortion, wanton sin at senior levels in our country, and denial of Your creation and created order? Well, the truth is, we as the church of Jesus Christ have not been all that obedient. If you think we look like we are supposed to look, act like we are supposed to act, and are something worth loving, you are mistaken. The church is seen as judgmental. The church feigns a missional heart. The church is materialistic and often program driven. The church is filled with an easy gospel. The church is in need of purification.
This election, like so many others, is split. The people are split. The church is split. The ruler is what we deserve. The ruler is who we deserve. The ruler is who God has allowed and has put into place. As verse five states, we must be in subjection to the ruler He puts in place to avoid God’s wrath. I don’t know how long we endure. I don’t know the extent to which we endure the evil and allow it to be called good. I hope you stand on His authority and continue to preach the bible. Preach to the world. Call all people to Christ. Resist evil and do good. Remember who you are and whose you are. God is ultimately in control and you can bank on that!
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