Principles of Civility Pt 4

contrary to what God would have.
The Christian has good cause to get frustrated. The Christian
has good cause to look up and ask questions. Can we really
cooperate with a human system? With a man-made government? Are we always really supposed
to be subject to that government? Are the church and state as is
such a popular position today really completely separate. That we’re to have nothing to
do with human government and government is supposed to have
nothing to do with us. Well those are some of the questions
that Paul has begun to address but rather than addressing questions
piece by piece Paul begins to lay down a series of principles.
If I could remind you of the context, Paul is dealing and
is calling the Christians to deal with life with others. He began this back in chapter
12, verse 9. The first group that he addressed
is dealing with other believers, and we knew that we needed the
counsel of dealing with fellow Christians there in verses 9
through 13. And then he began to deal with
those who are hateful towards us. How do we react to them?
Verse 14. He turned his attention to dealing
with the downtrodden in verses 15 and 16, and then finally,
those who are just completely contrary, those who flat out
persecute us for the name of Christ in verses 17 through 21. But here he opens up into a new
section dealing with a new group of people, specifically civil
government. And so we have begun to consider
what I have entitled principles of civility. There are four. Four principles of civility.
We picked up the first one in the first few weeks, the principle
of obedience. That by and large, as generally
speaking, unless the government commands us to do something that
God forbids or forbids us to do something that God commands.
We are to have a yielded spirit. We are to be obedient. We are
to be the hardest working, the best examples, the noblest citizenry
that we can be. The principle of obedience is
what opens, but it certainly is not the final word. If you
would, listen with me as we review Romans 13, verses 1-7, where
Paul admonishes, let every person be in subjection to the governing
authorities. But there is no authority except
from God and those which exist are established by God. Therefore,
he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God
and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of
fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no
fear of authority do what is good and you will have praise
from the same for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if
you do what is evil be afraid for it does not bear the sword
for nothing for it is a minister of God an avenger who brings
wrath upon the one who practices evil. Wherefore. It is necessary to be in subjection,
not only because of wrath, but also for conscience sake. For
because of this, you also pay taxes. For rulers are servants
of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Render to all
what is due them. Tax to whom taxes due. Custom to whom custom. Fear to whom fear. Honor to whom
honor. Paul began that principle of
obedience, which opens in verses one through two. And he did so
by pointing to each one of us, let every soul, every last person. Doesn’t miss any words, he doesn’t
accept anybody out of that pool. Every person is to be in subjection
to governing authorities. It doesn’t matter, he says. Whether
you are the noblest of Christian. You are to be in subjection to
even earthly. Authority. But there is no authority
except from God and Paul begins to build his case and he says
that first the very first reason is that this government this
government is given by God. It is his institution or. As Paul refers to it there in
verse two, it’s an ordinance of God. God created government. God allows for government. God
not only gives room for government in his sovereignty, he has placed
the very leaders who lead in their particular. Places of authority. And so Paul. issues the logical
conclusion there in verse two. Therefore he who resists authority
is opposed the ordinance of God. You place a bumper sticker on
your bumper that says he’s not my president which is almost
every presidency will have that bumper sticker placed by one
group or party or another. When you do that and begin to
live likewise you are opposing not the president who was elected.
You’re opposing the ordinance of God. When the Christian withholds
his taxes when he refuses to obey just laws then he is opposing
the ordinance of God and we take matters into our own hands. We
are opposing God’s institution of human government. But as I
said last week. Paul issues a second reason and
the second reason really grows into the second principle. The
second reason. for this principle of obedience
or subjecting ourselves to human government is in verse three
where he says for rulers are not a cause of fear for good
behavior. But for evil you see when you get that. Envelope in
the mail that tannish brown envelope that says internal revenue service. They’re probably not mailing
you an award right. Thank you so much for being so
honest and really going the extra mile to search out all the ways
that God has blessed you and then giving out of that abundance. They’re probably not mailing
an award. Same thing with the lights behind you when the lights
are flashing behind you, he’s probably not pulling you over.
To give you some kind of commendation on your driving. When the principal
calls you to his office, It’s probably not a good thing. That’s
what Paul’s pointing to, and he’s well into this second principle,
it’s the principle of decency. That’s where we began last Lord’s
Day. He uses that as a springboard into this discussion. That God
is about good, it is the principle of decency and God has put human
government in order to uphold or to ensure or to enhance the
good of society. And so this verse, verse three,
is not just an illustration of that opening clause, but it really
points to the reason why God has appointed civil government.
But in so doing, Paul opens up to this discussion, this second
principle, the principle of decency. God has instituted, he has authorized,
he has put his mark of assurance on this this God given institution
of government human government for the maintaining of order
and the punishing of criminals. We looked at this last week.
Rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior no government
no government that has ever lasted takes aim at those who do well
those who do good. As one referred to it, that such
a government that aimed only at those who were doing good
would be its own destroyer. It wouldn’t last. It wouldn’t
last a year because those who uphold society by their hard
work, by their effort, by their obedience, by their adherence
to just laws. Those are the very ones that
sustain society. Another one said it like this.
No man was ever punished because he would not injure his neighbors.
God has put government in its place for the punishing of evil
and the enhancement of what is good. We considered briefly even evil
governments even harsh unruly governments such as Iran. They
uphold law. They uphold the principles of
goodness. If you steal in Iran you lose
your hand. Now, you and I would both agree
that that is extremely harsh punishment. But it is a it’s
an attempt, if you will, if you look back at the principle, it’s
an attempt to uphold what is good. Thou shalt not steal. Peter said it this way. Who is
there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? We
looked at that last week. It is. It is the role you’re
playing the role as a passionate lover of goodness. As one said,
you love what is good and you’re all about doing what is good.
Can that be said of us? Can it be said of you? Are you
a passionate lover of goodness? Do you go about your day, your
week, your life doing what is good and right and just? Says
if you do that, who do you have to fear? If you live before a
sovereign God, even as my brother opened this morning. Who do we
have to fear? As one pastor said, believers
are to be model citizens. We’re to be the ones the government
looks to. Not looks out for. We’re to be the ones that are
the least of governments worry. Not the greatest cause. for wrath
and dissension. Paul has issued this principle
of decency. He opens up with it, but he wants
to discuss it further and he does so beginning in verse as
verse three continues. Do you want to have no fear of
authority? Is that how you want to live? You want to live free
from looking over your shoulder free from checking the mailbox
fearfully that one of those brown envelopes might be in there. Do what is good. You know in
your heart what’s good. You know in your heart what is
right. And to him who does not do what he knows what is right,
to him it is sin. We know that principle. Government
is there for that very purpose. Government is there to uphold
what is good and right. Paul said it to Timothy in simpler
terms when he appealed to them to pray. He said, Timothy, this
is how you want to do church. This is what you want to do as
part of your church. I urge that entreaties and prayers,
petitions and thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men. He
said, you want to have a prayer service and you want to pray
and you want to earnestly pray. He said, I’m not just suggesting
this to you, I am admonishing you, Timothy, make this the core
of what you do at church. I urge that entreaties and prayers,
petitions and thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men for
kings and all who are in authority. Even that guy, yes, especially
that guy. For kings and all who are in
authority, why? so that we may lead a tranquil
and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. God wants us to
be part of societies that are in harmony. God wants us as citizens
of a country to be about governments that are productive and lead
to peace and promote justice and take care of one another
and make provision for those who are in need. They want us
to be part of a government that cares about the infrastructure
and cares about cooperation and cares about life. Even as our own. Political documents
promote life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, what could
be better than that? As I pointed to it last week,
the Puritans had a name for this. They called it gospel opportunity.
We want to promote that. We don’t want to close that window
and the Puritan saw that window is ever closing. We want that
window. We want a peaceful and tranquil,
quiet life so that we can go about the business of worshiping
God so that we can go about the business of telling others about
Christ so that we can go about the business of building God’s
kingdom while here on Earth. But the minute that we become
troublemakers, that window begins to close and it begins to close
very quickly, doesn’t it? See. Rulers authority. Especially
godless, they are all too prone to forget that they are God’s
servants. They’re God’s servants. They
may not know it. They may not deep in their heart
even believe in God. They may not acknowledge that
he is the one that placed him in their positions of authority.
But that’s the truth. They are God’s servants and ultimately
they will answer to him regardless of how ruthless they become or
how much power they wield, how unjust they execute their office. They will answer to God ultimately.
They’re God’s servants. And even if they have a tendency
to forget about that, we as God’s people are to be always the people
that yield to authority wherever possible. Remembering that the
society in which we live depends upon a peaceable body such as
Christians are. It is for the benefit of society.
See, the ruler The ruler even helps us, helps the Christian
towards the good. The ruler promotes what is good.
It tells us, and in fact, it upholds just laws. I tried to think of an earthly
example, one that perhaps none of us have been convicted of.
Wife beating. OK, let’s go there. I don’t think. Anybody’s been
convicted of wife beating. But if you beat your wife government
will step in even though you are a Christian and it will tell
you this is not good and you’re going to be punished for it so
that you don’t do it again. And if you do you’ll be punished
even even more severely. That is a promotion of what’s
good. God would agree with that law because God wrote that law. Government is God’s servant.
Now, the passage. Passage here in front of us doesn’t
forbid. A Christian from partaking of
human government, there has been a debate for centuries, do we
participate? Do we run for office? Do we take
people to court? Do we participate in that political
process? Is it right to put a sign in
my yard? All of that is fine. God doesn’t forbid any of that. But what’s in focus here is more
about what is what we’re responsible for as Christians, not a promotion
of our rights or a detailing of our God given rights before
human government, but he points. To what we’re called to, what
we’re responsible for. But may I remind you that Paul,
of all people, knew what his rights were. Paul, of all people,
utilized human government. Paul, of all people, knew what
he was saying when he said, let every person be in subjection
to governing authorities. Paul wasn’t being harsh. Paul
wasn’t telling us to do something that he hadn’t already done.
But Paul knew government’s limits. And he knew government was there
for the promotion of good and the punishment of evil. And he
knew because he had lived it firsthand. I want to take a few
minutes. A tour, if you will, through
the book of Acts. Would God’s people turn to Acts chapter 18?
And I want to show you a series of incidents where Paul not only
partakes, but enjoys human government and the goodness that it promotes.
Acts chapter 18 finds him first before Galileo at Corinth. Acts, chapter 18, and we’ll pick
it up in verse 12 in each of these, I’m not going to be able
to give you the full treatment. I’ll give you the reference.
You can go back and study the background, if you will. But
I want to show you Paul’s submission and his utilization of human
government. First of all, Gallio at Corinth.
where Luke records but while Galileo was pro consul of Achaia
the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him
before the judgment seat. In a sense they arrested him
and brought him and indicted him before the just authorities
saying this man persuades men to worship God contrary to the
law. But when Paul was about to open
up his mouth. Gallio said to the Jews, if it
were a matter of wrong or a vicious crime, oh, Jews, it would be
reasonable for me to put up with you. In other words, he already
begins to apply the law, upholding what is good, not punishing what
is evil, in fact, making a judgment that this was not such. But verse
15, he says, if there are questions about words and names and your
own law, Look after it yourselves. I am unwilling to be a judge
of these matters. He said, don’t put me as a judge
over God’s law. That’s not my domain. Verse 16,
and he drove them away from the judgment seat, and they all took
hold of Sassonese, the leader of the synagogue, and began beating
him in front of the judgment seat. It must have been his idea.
Hey, let’s take this to Gallio. God has his own way. God has
his own back. And God directs human government. And here, Gallio does what is
right by not allowing himself to be drawn into this situation.
He’s there to uphold what is good and to punish what is evil.
And he said, this is not my business. Turn, if you would, to Acts 19.
In Acts chapter 19, Paul is in Ephesus and this is
a pretty dramatic turn of events. We’ve got to take a relatively
fair amount of data all the way back to verse 23. About that
time there occurred no stall no small disturbance concerning
the way that is Christianity. If you’re not familiar with the
Book of Acts it’s the first time that he uses that particular
term. For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver
shrines of Artemis. You see where this is going,
right? All you have to do is follow the dollar and you will find
out why. That’s exactly why, you know, the crimes of our own
day are done against children. You follow the dollar, you know
why there’s such an upheaval of excitement. A man named Demetrius, a silversmith
who made silver shrines of Artemis, was bringing no little business
to the craftsman. These he gathered together with
a workman of other similar trades and said, man, you know that
our prosperity depends upon this business. You see and hear that
not only in Ephesus, but almost in all of Asia, this Paul has
persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people saying that
gods made with hands are no gods at all. Imagine the audacity,
right? He knew in his heart they weren’t
gods. He knew that just like the tree in Isaiah, you know,
half of it they would cut up and throw in the fire and the
other half they’d carve into a god. and overlay it with gold,
and that would become their little God. Well, they knew that that
wasn’t God. Not only, verse 27, is there
a danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also
the temple of the great goddess Artemis be regarded as worthless,
and that she whom all of Asia and the world worship will even
be dethroned from her magnificence. When they heard this, they were
filled with rage, began crying out, Great is Artemis of the
Ephesians. The city was filled with confusion.
They rushed with one accord into the theater, dragging along Gaius
and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia. And
when Paul wanted to go into the assembly, the disciples would
not let him. But also some of the Asiarchs, who were friends
of his, sent him and repeatedly urged him not to venture into
the theater. So then some were shouting one
thing some another for the assembly was in confusion the majority
did not know what reason they had come together. Some of the
crowd concluded it was Alexander since the Jews had put him forward
and having motioned with his hand Alexander was intending
to make a defense to the assembly. But when they recognized that
he was a Jew a single outcry from among them. arose as they
all shouted for about two hours. Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.
You can almost picture the scene. Picture, you know, a football
stadium and all these people just carrying on. Well, watch
what happens. After quieting the crowd, the
town clerk, a civil authority, said, Men of Ephesus, What man
is there after all who does not know that the city of the Ephesians
is the guardian of the great temple of the great Artemis and
of the image which fell down from heaven. So since these are
undeniable facts you ought to keep calm and do nothing rash.
In other words he says let’s look to our little idol let’s
let the idol be the idol and let’s just everybody calm down. where you have brought these
men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of
our goddess. They haven’t done anything that
they’re accused of. He is upholding the good and refusing to punish
as judged the evil. Look at verse 38. So then, if
Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint
against any man, the courts are in session There is legal recourse. There is due process. He points to what has been true
of most societies. It’s not like when government
has the sword, they immediately come and lop off your dome. They go through a process. They
put you under arrest and they take you through this trial and
then if you’re found guilty. But that’s not what happens and
that’s not what he does. He says the courts are in session
and pro-consular are available. Let them bring charges against
one another. But if you want anything beyond
this, it shall be settled in the lawful assembly. He’s there
to uphold what is good. And to punish what is evil. And
finding nothing evil. He leaves it alone. Turn, if
you would, to Acts 21. A shorter section. essentially
the same result. Acts chapter twenty one we find
Paul before Claudius Lysias at Jerusalem. Look at verse twenty seven when
the seven days were almost over the Jews from Asia upon seeing
him in the temple began to stir up all the crowd laid hands on
him crying out men of Israel come to our aid. This is the
man who preaches to all men everywhere against our people and the law
and this place, and besides, has even brought Greeks into
the temple and has defiled this holy place. For they had previously
seen Trophimus, the Ephesian, and the city within, and they
supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. Then all
the city was provoked and the people rushed together and taking
hold of Paul, they dragged him out of the temple and immediately
the doors were shut. Look at verse 31, while they
were seeking to kill him, a report came up to the commander of the
Roman cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. And what does
he do? Does he say, go ahead, let it
play out? Let him. They’re always fighting anyway,
let them have their way. He probably did something wrong
anyway. At once. He took along some soldiers
and centurions. He ran down to them. And when
he saw the commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating
Paul. In other words, their whole goal
was to restore order, peace, tranquility. Their whole purpose
was to uphold what was good and, if necessary, punish evil. Then
the commander came up and took hold of him and ordered him to
be bound with chains. And he began asking who he was
and what he had done. But from among the crowd, some
were shouting one thing and one another. And when he could not
find the facts of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought
into the barracks. Ultimately, Paul is allowed to
provide his own defense. Turn over to Acts chapter 22.
In Acts chapter 22, verse 22, Again, I’m giving you snippets
here. They listened to him up to this statement and they raised
their voices and they said away with such a fellow from the earth.
He should not be allowed to live as they were crying out, throwing
off their cloaks, tossing it into the air. The commander ordered
them him, Paul, to be brought into the barracks, stating that
he should be examined by scourging so that he might find out the
reason why they were shouting against him that way. In other
words, he says, let’s set up a hearing. Let’s uphold justice,
let’s promote what is good. Let’s maintain order and peace
in this city. But let’s have a hearing. They
say you’ve done something wrong. Let’s get at it. Verse 25. But when they stretched him out
with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by.
I love this. You got to love this. Is it lawful
for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and I’m condemned.
Right. Here’s this. I mean, this. The
crowd was one thing, the centurion now is kind of picked up where
the crowd left off and they’re kind of running ahead of themselves.
And Paul just reminds him of this one little fact. Oh, by
the way, I’m a Roman citizen. Well, that stopped everything.
Because in Rome, as a citizen, you had rights, not only privileges,
great privileges, but you had rights. And to be treated in
this manner was absolutely wrong. Look at verse 26, when the centurion
heard this, he went to the commander and told him, saying, what are
you about to do for this man is a Roman. The commander came
and said to him, tell me, are you a Roman? And he said, yes,
the commander said, I acquired this citizenship with a large
amount of money. Even the commander says, look, I bought my way into
this. What did you pay? Did you get a good deal? Commander said, I acquired this
citizenship with a large amount of money. And Paul said that
I was actually born a Roman citizen, which gave you even more rights.
Now, the commander knows he is absolutely dead wrong here. It would not only lose his job.
The worse. Therefore, those who are about
to examine him immediately let go of him, the commander. was
also afraid when he found out that he was a Roman because he
had put him in chains. It was wrong for even for him
to even bind him. It was wrong. One more. One more. Acts chapter 23. Let’s
follow it to its logical conclusion. Paul is just making use of human
government in its proper function, upholding what is good, punishing
what is evil, Look at verse pick it up in verse
17. Paul called one of the centurions
to him and said lead this young man to the commander for he has
something to report to him. So he took him and led him to
the commander and said Paul the prisoner called me to him and
asked me to lead this young man to you since he has something
to tell you. The commander took him by the hand and stepping
aside began to inquire of him privately. What is it you have
to report to me. Now they’re nervous you see. Now, they’re
very nervous at this individual, Paul, and he said the Jews have
agreed to ask you to bring Paul down tomorrow to the council
as though they were going to inquire somewhat more thoroughly
about him. So do not listen to them for
more than 40 of them are lying in wait for him who have bound
themselves under a curse not to eat or drink. You know what
this is? It’s a lynch mob. They’re waiting to kill him.
And somehow they find word of it. The Roman government, the
appointed authority, they find word of it and it gets passed
along. Look what happens in verse 22,
so the commander let the young man go instructing, tell no one
that you have notified me of these things, and he called to
him two of the centurions, that’s 200 soldiers. I think 200 outnumbers
40. Get 200 soldiers ready by the
third hour of the night. Proceed to Caesarea with 70 horsemen
200 spearmen. Then they were also to provide
two mounts to put Paul on and bring him safely to Felix the
government governor. And he wrote a letter having
this form Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix.
Greetings. When this man was arrested by
the Jews he was about to be slain by them. I came up to them with
troops. He kind of He kind of embellishes
his resume a little bit, right? He kind of leaves out the part
where he arrested him and bound him and was just about ready
to beat him. It’s like he, it’s as if he put
him in the guest room in his house, right? Which isn’t exactly
what happened. But so he writes himself this
letter and sends him off to Felix. I’ll let you pick up Festus,
the last one in the series, Acts 25. All right if you insist. All right. Acts 25. So he’s he’s before Festus. In Caesarea. Look at Acts 25. Pick it up in verse 1. We’ll
do this quickly. Festus then having arrived in the province
three days later went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea. And the chief
priests and the leading men of the Jews brought charges against
Paul and they were urging him requesting a concession against
Paul that he might have him brought to Jerusalem at the same time
setting an ambush to kill him on the way. They’re not going
to give up their dead set against this man. Festus then answered
that Paul was being kept in custody of Caesarea and that he himself
is about to leave shortly. Therefore he said let the influential
men among you go there with me. And if there is anything wrong
with about the man, let them prosecute him. Let me uphold
the law. Let me uphold what is good and
punish what is evil. After he had spent not more than
eight or ten days among them, he went down from Caesarea. And
on the next day, he took his seat on the tribunal and he ordered
Paul to be brought. Now we’re at trial. Now we are
about to hear the indictment before Paul or about Paul. After Paul arrived, the Jews
who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many
serious charges against him, which they could not prove. While
Paul said in his own defense, I have committed no offense either
against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against
Caesar. Paul lays out the facts and he
says, I’ve done nothing but good. I have not done anything evil,
nothing worthy of just punishment. But Festus, wishing to do the
Jews a favor, and there is always that element that the Christians
will have to deal with, there is injustice every day. Festus,
wishing to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, Are you
willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me on
these charges? Now, for Paul to do this was
to essentially yield his Roman citizenship and succumb to these
unjust charges. But Paul said, I am standing
before Caesar’s tribunal, I’m a Roman citizen, remember, I’m
standing before Caesar’s tribunal where I ought to be tried. I
have done no wrong to the Jews, as you very well know. If then
I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do
not refuse to die. That’s the Christians position,
right? That’s how the Christian is to walk. If I’ve done wrong,
I deserve to be punished, whether it’s by the IRS or the state
patrol, whatever the case may be, if I’ve done wrong, I’m going
to live my life. I purpose to live my life so
as not to have any of those things happen. To do what is good. But if I do what is wrong, I
deserve punishment. That’s what Paul says. But if
none of these things is true, of which these men accuse me,
no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar and that was
his right. He was absolutely within his
rights and Festus, then Festus converted with his counsel and
said, you’ve appealed to Caesar, to Caesar, you shall go. Paul
utilized human government in its rightful role of upholding
what is good and punishing what is evil. So Paul says, in effect. Look. Government is God given
and it is given, and I can personally tell you that government is first
and foremost a servant of God for good. It’s about good. But if you do what is evil. And
Paul takes up that argument in verse four. But if you do what
is evil and by evil, don’t undersell this by evil, he means any kind
of transgression. If you make it a habit of running
stop signs, you deserve to get a ticket. If you make it a habit
of driving too fast, you deserve just punishment. If you deserve
if you break society’s laws, whatever those may be, you deserve
to get the punishment that is coming to you through the process
of the courts. Kind of goes along with that
whole misunderstanding of total depravity, you know, people hear
that word and they say total deprival. I wasn’t totally depraved. I mean, I was I was bad. And,
you know, they’ll tell you their story and But I wasn’t totally depraved.
Oh, yes, you were. Yes, you were. Total depravity
doesn’t mean that you’re the worst person that’s ever been
born on the face of the earth. It just means that your sin left
you in complete deficit mode before God, that without the
Lord Jesus Christ and his payment on your behalf, you are hopeless
and helpless to pay your own way into heaven. You’re a sinner. And so evil here. Evil here means
anything contrary to good, anything that’s not right, anything that
isn’t just anything that you know to be wrong. If you do that, if you live that
way, you should be in fear and that the way it’s written there,
it’s continual fear. You should be shut. We should
hear your knees knocking, right? You should be in fear because
if you Go against God’s laws. If you go against the laws of
the land, you have reason, good reason to be afraid. If you’re
doing 70 down college, you have reason to be afraid when the
lights go on behind you. See, the terror that he’s talking
about here is the terror of punishment, the fear of punishment, just
punishment. If you do what is evil, be afraid.
And then it issues this phrase. this reason why we’re supposed
to be afraid for it that is government does not bear the sword for nothing. Now we know that from the even
the form of the words this is a this is a habitual presence
this sword it is it’s an image but it’s more than just an image.
It’s constant it’s a constant. privilege that the government
has. Now the question over the centuries has been is this referring
to capital punishment or exclusively to capital punishment. Well it
certainly would include capital punishment. If a crime is bad
enough and is deemed you know and that is an ongoing debate
it’s different in almost every state in the union. Right. Not
just nationally not just the difference between countries
and how they prosecute these crimes but even even among the
states in our own country. There is a difference of opinion
and is a hot debate and Paul’s not here to debate that. What
he refers to is the sword is a symbol of justice. It’s a symbol of punishment that
the government has the right To punish crimes as it sees fit,
it has not only. The right has the responsibility
to punish crime, that’s how it keeps crime at bay, that’s how
it upholds the good, right? Remember, it’s there to promote
what is good and to punish what is evil. One pastor said it this
way, the power of the sword means force. This is what the state
has been given by God, and it is the basis for how state conducts
its affairs. The right to enforce laws by
force is a right given to the state, not to the church. Every
time the church has tried to meddle in this regard or usurp
this element, it has ended in disaster. The right to enforce laws by
force is a right given to the state, not to the church. The
state is given the power to defend its citizens from both enemies
outside the state. Thank goodness for armies. Right. Thank goodness for the military. But also evil doers within. Thank
goodness for police. Thank goodness for the laws of
the land. Sword here refers to punishment. It refers to the right of government
to punish evil. But I want you to notice. Again,
what he uses of government, this term that he uses keeps coming
up. But if you do evil, be afraid, you should be afraid. For it
that is government does not bear the sword for nothing. God didn’t
just give them. It’s not just a show sword one
to hang over the mantle. Not just for the military parade
to keep at your side. The sword has been given for
a purpose it’s punishment. When the government wields that
without actually using it becomes useless. And Paul says it doesn’t
bear the sword for nothing for it that is government is a minister
of God. There’s that word again. We saw
it earlier. That government is a minister
of God, a deacon, if you will, it’s the same word. Minister is a servant, the deacon. That’s what we love about that
word that they are the pure servants of the church and that the civil
government is the pure servant of God. And here he goes on to
say it does not bear the sword for nothing because it is a servant
of God. It is a servant of God to uphold
justice by punishing evil. God has given them not just that
privilege. He’s given them that responsibility.
It is an avenger of wrath for punishment, as Paul goes on to
say, an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who punishes, who
practices rather evil. You see, and so civil government
is charged with the duty of upholding good laws and in punishing criminals. One said it this way. Inflicting
punishment or vengeance so as to exhibit wrath namely divine
wrath as administered by the ruler who is God’s agent emphasizes
the double purpose of the state. Civil government exists positively
for the well-being of the community negatively to check evil by the
infliction of punishment and both of these are functions derived
from God. God is the one that gives it
God is the God is the one that owns. Vengeance, but in this
case, he has bestowed it. Remember our friend Habakkuk?
I told this story before, I have a cartoon. Cartoon, one line cartoon, and
it pictures a white bearded guy, you know, standing in heaven.
He’s obviously been there some time and he’s all glowing and
white and holding a document in his arm some kind of a slate
and a newcomer to heaven arrives at the gate. Right. And he approaches
this man and it’s one line that says gee Mr. Habakkuk. No I guess I didn’t
read your book. Habakkuk is in the clean part
of our Bible. And I say that sadly tongue in
cheek that we don’t know these books as we ought to. The minor
prophets. But Habakkuk nailed it. He absolutely
nailed it when he said, How long, O Lord, will I call for help
and you will not hear? Every Christian knows that sentiment.
Every Christian knows the sentiment about looking about the land
in which they live and watching evil go unpunished. We ought
to pray for that just as much as we pray for our rulers. We ought to pray that the rulers
uphold the law. We ought to pray that crime is
punished. Ecclesiastes 8 says it even more
simply. Ecclesiastes 8 11. Because the
sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore
the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to
do evil. We ought to thank God for human
government. We ought to thank God for the
laws of the land. We ought to pray for the court
system and pray for judges and pray for lawmakers. One pastor in closing said it
this way. One who conducts himself rightly
need no fear of need have no fear of civil officials but one
who is lawless in his behavior may well stand in dread for the
sword. The symbol of power to punishment
is not given to a ruler in vain. The ruler will inflict penalties
when they are demanded. Therefore, obedience must be
rendered to rulers not only as a matter of prudence, but also
as a matter of conscience, not only because it is dangerous
to resist, but also because it is right. To examine our hearts for God. Oh, merciful God, we thank you
for these reminders. Lord, we live in such a strange
day. when there’s so many who want
nothing more to do with government, having seen its abuses. Lord,
the political process in so many people’s perspective is such
a mess. Yet, Father, Your Word says that
You put them there and You put them there for a purpose. Grant
us the grace, Father, to pursue this window of gospel opportunity
while we can. And to long to serve You in the
promotion of the Gospel for this very purpose. Lord God, we thank
You for this glimpse into an understanding of Your purposes
in placing human government. And we plead for Your grace to
live for Your glory within it. It’s in Jesus’ name that we ask.
Amen.