#68 -- Gospel and Spiritual Growth
Valley –
The next two messages deal with how God expects the
Christian to relate to the human government of the world system. Every believer needs to realize that human
government is a part of the world system.
Later we will learn that God is the ultimate authority concerning those
who govern but in reality those who govern are a part of the system. As Christians, we are in the world system but
not of the world system (Jn.
There is a principle that Jesus gave in the synoptic gospels
that gives us some direction concerning taxes (though it is clearer in Romans
13). During Christ's earthly ministry,
one of the assaults of the Pharisees and the Herodians
related to the matter of taxation. They
had consulted and set up some of their disciples to ensnare or trap Jesus
concerning taxes. In a sense, they asked
a question that had no right answer. Any
answer would provide a ground for accusations.
It was a sort of a "Do you beat your wife often?"
question. A "No" answer
indicates that one beats his wife but not often. Whereas a "Yes" answer indicates a
regular practice of beating one's wife. They simply asked Jesus if it was right to
pay taxes to Caesar or not. A
"Yes" answer would have given them reason to accuse him of being
disloyal to His people the Jews. A
"No" answer would give them the opportunity to accuse Him of sedition
against the Roman government. Matt.
22:15-18 describes their organization for entrapment while Jesus knew that they
were involved in malignant evil. In Mark
1 Timothy 2:1, 2 describe some of
the purposes for the believer's communication with the Father. Four distinct forms of communication are
listed in verse one: supplications,
worship communications, intercessions and thanksgivings (all plural). In verse one these kinds of communication are
made for all men while in verse two, kings and all that are in leadership are
isolated. Supplications and
intercessions are addressed to the Father with a purpose in verse 2. The purpose is that we may "lead a quiet
and peaceable biological life in all godliness and honesty." We communicate our concern because we wish to
live our spiritual lives without interference from government. We desire to be able to live out the life of
Christ (our eternal life) with gravity or dignity.
In Titus 3:1 Paul instructs Titus to remind the Cretan
Christians of their responsibility to be subject to orders of human
governmental authority (principalities and authorities). This also involves obedience to the
principality while being in a state of readiness for every good work.
1 Peter 2:11-17 establishes a program for Christians who are
identified as strangers and aliens living under the government of the world
system (vs. 11). This involves being
subject to ordinance (lit. judgment) of man because of one's relationship to
the Lord as Master. The judgment may be
directly from the king or from one of his subordinates who rule locally. The saint needs to see that the Lord has
ultimately sent rulers to punish those who are evildoers and praise those who
are doing good.
Romans 13 is more explicit about the extent of
such punishment. It is the desirous will
of God for saints to do good so that they can muzzle the ignorance of foolish
men. Verse 17 adds the clause:
"Honor the king." This means
that God expects Christians to give the king his full weight or worth in their
thinking as they fear God. There is one
overriding principle that presents an exception to this rule in Acts 5:29: "We ought to obey God rather than
man." When this is necessary in
relation to the human government of the world system, the believer must be
willing to accept the consequences for his decision to obey God rather than the
laws or ordinances of men. This is always
a factor in such decisions.
The more extensive passage concerning the believer's
relationship to government is in Romans 13.
It is there that the ultimate divine permission for individual leaders
is clearly described. We pay taxes. We obey the laws. We communicate against governmental
interference in our lives. We honor our
leaders. We only resist when the laws or
leaders openly ask us to disobey our God.
We are in the world system but not of it. We are strangers and aliens. We are citizens of heavens. God gives us a balanced revelation concerning
our relation to government. The next
message will focus on Romans 13 and it's teaching concerning our relationship
to government.
#68 -- Gospel and Spiritual Growth
Valley –
1 John 2:15
Proposition: To establish some elementary guidelines for understanding a Christian's relationship to human government of the world system while living in the world system.
Introduction
A. Human Government Is a Part of the Satanically Designed World System
B. People in the World System Are Regulated by Human Government
C. Christians Are in the World System
1. In the World System – John 17:14, 16
2. Not of the World System
D. Christians Are Citizens of Heavens
E. Question: How Does a Christian Relate to the World System Human Government?
TRANS: During Christ's earthly ministry, He was confronted with a trick question designed to entrap Him concerning the government of the world system. The Pharisees arranged that some of their disciples confront Jesus with the question so that they could guarantee that He would give a wrong answer.
I. A PRINCIPLE CONCERNING TAXATION DURING
CHRIST'S EARTHLY MINISTRY: PAYMENT OF
TAXES IS REQUIRED BECAUSE THEY ARE A PART OF GOVERNMENT AND ITS REFLECTION OF
THE WORLD SYSTEM MONETARY SYSTEM – AN ATTEMPT TO CATCH JESUS IN A SNARE BY HIS
STATEMENT – Matthew 22:15-22; Mark 12:13-17; Luke 20:20-26
A. The Device Designed to Catch Jesus in a Trap or Snare – Matthew 22:15-18
1. The Pharisees' Organized Plan for Attack
2. Their Careful Presentation of the Question
3. The Double Potential for a Wrong Answer
a. The Dilemma
b. Any Answer Could Be Used Against Him
4. The Perceived Pressure from Their Malignantly Evil Temptation
B. The Denarius Determines the Answer – Matthew 22:19-21
1. The Provision of Money Paid for Taxes
2. The Picture and Inscription on the Denarius
3. The Principle from the Circumstance
a. Give to Caesar Things of Caesar
b. Give to God Things of God
C. The Departure of Jesus' Adversaries Described
1. They Marveled – Matthew 22:22; Mark
2. They Did Not Have the Power to Seize Upon a Utterance in the Presence of the
People – Luke 20:26
3. They Marveled at the Answer – Luke 20:36
4. They Were Silent – Luke
TRANS: A Christian is related to the human government of the world system in his or her communication with the Father concerning government and its relationship to his or her life.
II. A PURPOSE FOR A CHRISTIAN'S COMMUNICATION WITH THE FATHER FOR KINGS AND THOSE IN AUTHORITY: PERMISSION TO LEAD A LIFE IN ALL GODLINESS – THE ANTICIPATION OF A SPECIAL QUALITY OF LIFE FOR A SPIRITUAL BELIEVER – 1 Timothy 2:1, 2
A. The Collection of Four Types of Communication with God the Father
1. Supplications
2. Worship Communications
3. Intercessions
4. Thanksgivings
B. The Communication on Behalf of All Men
C. The Communication on Behalf of Kings and All the Ones in Prominent Authority
1. With a Purpose That We May Lead
a. A Tranquil Physical Life = Inward
b. A Quiet, Still Physical Life = Outward
2. With a Purpose That We May Lead a Life
a. In All Godliness
b. In All Gravity or Dignity
TRANS: Grace revelation expects a certain mind-set on the part of the Christian toward the government of the world system. This involves conformity to its general order, obedience to its rulers and anticipating that it will permit a believer to do good works as a spiritual believer.
III. A
PERSPECTIVE OF MIND TOWARD SUBJECTION TO HUMAN GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES: PLANNING FOR OBEDIENCE TO LEADERS IN
GOVERNMENT – THE ATTITUDE OF THE BELIEVER TOWARD THE WORLD SYSTEM HUMAN
GOVERNMENTAL LEADERS – Titus 3:1
A. Maintaining an Order Concerning Rulers and Authorities
B. Obeying Rulers
C. Anticipating Doing Every Good Work
TRANS: Peter describes the fact that Christians are strangers and aliens here on earth. This should affect one's attitude toward world system government and its manipulation of the sin nature. A consistent spiritual life will produce an outward appearance that is acceptable to most forms and levels of world system government.
IV. A PROGRAM FOR PILGRIMS AND STRANGERS
LIVING UNDER THE GOVERNMENT OF THE WORLD SYSTEM: POSSESSING A MANNER OF LIFE THAT IS GOOD
BEFORE ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT -- THE ASSOCIATION OF THE BELIEVER WITH THE
GOVERNMENTS OF THE WORLD SYSTEM – 1 Peter 2:11-17
A. The Characterization of Christians as Strangers and Aliens – vs. 11
B. The Conduct Expected of a Believer Toward Human Government – vs. 12
C. The Charge Given That Believers Submit to Government – vss. 13, 14a
1. Submit to Every Ordinance (or Judgment) of Man Because of the Lord
2. Submit to the King as Supreme or Leaders as Though His Agents
D. The Consequences of Human Judgment – vs. 14b
1. To Bring Righteous Judgment to Evildoers
2. To Praise those Who Do Good
E. The Consideration of It as the Will of God – vss. 15, 16
F. The Certainty of a Commitment to Honor the King – vs. 17
G. The
Overriding Exception – Acts
TRANS: Scripture clearly teaches Christians that they are in the world system yet they are not of it. This truth very much involves the government of the world system. God has given us clear guidelines concerning Christian relationships to world system government. In the next message we will be dealing with the teaching of Romans 13 concerning a believer's relationship to human government.
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