Heed The Word

Navigating Authority: A Christian's Guide to Government

• Pastor Ken Davis

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Pastor Ken Davis examines the biblical teaching on Christian submission to governing authorities, exploring why believers should respect and obey human government as a divinely established institution. He challenges us to rethink our relationship to authority while maintaining our primary allegiance to God.

• Genesis 1:27 establishes that humans are made in God's image, forming the foundation for human dignity and governance
• Daniel 4 demonstrates that God is sovereign over human rulers, as seen in Nebuchadnezzar's humbling
• Romans 13 teaches that all authority comes from God, even under corrupt leadership like Emperor Nero
• Three God-established institutions: family (Genesis 2), church (Acts 2), and government (Genesis 9)
• Four motivations for obeying government: for wrath's sake, conscience's sake, love's sake, and the Savior's sake
• Christians obey law enforcement not merely from fear of punishment but from desire to do what's right
• Righteousness produces boldness while disobedience creates fear, even when no one is watching

Join us at Calvary Chapel Southwest Metro in Joshua, Texas, on Sundays at 10:30 am or Tuesday at 7:00 pm. Visit heedtheword.org for a list of all available podcasts.


Speaker 1:

You're listening to Heed the Word with our pastor and teacher, Ken Davis. Pastor Ken is the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel, Southwest Metro. Please join us as we study our series entitled Lessons in Christian Living.

Speaker 2:

If we want to be confident that we are not going to come under judgment, then we need to conduct ourselves in a way that is not worthy of judgment. The Bible tells us that the wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion. In other words, if you're not doing anything wrong, you haven't got anything to be afraid of.

Speaker 1:

There's no shortage of self-help books, motivational speakers, even opinions out there about how we're supposed to live on this earth, but as Christians, we need to take our direction in this area from the Word of God. So we're bringing you our series entitled Lessons in Christian Living, taken from the 12th and 13th chapters of Paul's letter to the church in Rome. As Christians, we're not exempt from obeying the laws of the land. The scriptures teach us that those placed in charge of the people have been appointed by God. As long as we're not being asked to break the commands of the Lord and as long as we're not made to compromise our beliefs, then we are to observe the rules given us by the governing authorities. Don't forget to stay with us after today's message to hear more information about Heed the Word, specifically how you can get a free copy of today's message. Now open your Bibles to the book of Genesis, chapter 1, verse 27, as we join Pastor Ken with the first half of part 7 in our series entitled Lessons in Christian Living.

Speaker 2:

We'll be continuing our study today in the book of Romans, and we'll be continuing in Romans, chapter 13. But I want us to consider a couple of things before we get there. One of them is a point that I want you to hold in your mind as we conduct our study this morning, and the second is a backdrop that I want our study to be placed against, or there's a story I wanna serve as a backdrop for what we're talking about today. So first, the verse that I want you to keep in mind is Genesis, chapter one, verse 27. And in Genesis 1, verse 27, the Word of God says so God created man in his own image, in the image of God, he created him Male and female. He created them. It is important to understand and to remember, as we conduct our study today, that we are created by God and that we are created in the image of God. That means that we are a physical representation, if you will, of what God is like, not in our sinfulness, but in perfection. You see, god made man in his own image, so man is, in essence, the image bearer of God. That's an amazing statement, isn't it? It's an amazing truth. So I want you to remember that, as we conduct our study today, that you and I, and all of us, as mankind, are made in the image of God. Now that'll make more sense before we finish today as to why I want you to remember that fact.

Speaker 2:

The backdrop that I want to provide for our teaching today actually comes from the book of Daniel. Now, before I begin, I want you to understand something about the man that is writing this chapter of the Bible. This is a chapter of the Bible that is amazing and, I think, unique in that it was written by a pagan king. It was written not by a king of Israel, but by the king of Babylon. This book was written by the man who was responsible for the destruction of Jerusalem, the man who was responsible for the destruction of the temple. This chapter of the Bible was written by a man who could, by many counts, be considered an enemy of Israel and an enemy of God, because he was the one who took Israel into captivity. Now, in fact, we know that he was being used of God to chastise Israel for their unfaithfulness, and we're going to see how the Lord, in turn, has dealt with this pagan king.

Speaker 2:

Daniel, chapter four the words of Nebuchadnezzar this is an amazing statement coming from King Nebuchadnezzar, because Nebuchadnezzar was a man that was puffed up and filled with his own sense of self-importance, and what we have in this chapter is the story of how God humbled him. There are two points that I want to draw from this. The first point is in verse 17, which says, in the last half of the verse, that the most high rules in the kingdom of men gives it to whomever he wills and sets over it. The lowest of men, proverbs, tells us that the heart of the king is in the hand of God. This verse and this passage teaches us that the Lord establishes the rulers of men, that it is God who sets one above another or who gives power to one person or to another. The second thing I want us to recognize is in verse 19, in which Daniel says do not let the dream or its interpretation trouble you. That's actually what the king said. And then Daniel answers to him my Lord, may the dream concern those who hate you and its interpretation concern your enemies. Or, in other words, daniel is saying you know, it is my prayer, nebuchadnezzar, that this dream isn't aimed at you, but that rather it would be aimed at your enemies, and that tells me something about Daniel. You see, nebuchadnezzar is the king who was in power when Daniel was carried away into captivity.

Speaker 2:

Nebuchadnezzar is the king who was in power when Daniel was carried away into captivity. Nebuchadnezzar was the one who forced Daniel and his friends to be taught all of the lore and the learning of the Babylonians. Daniel and his friends had every reason to hate Nebuchadnezzar, but they didn't. Daniel served in the court of a pagan king, of the one who had destroyed Jerusalem. If anybody had reason to hate those who were in authority over him, daniel certainly was one, and yet his heart was for the king and he wanted to see the king blessed.

Speaker 2:

Now, in the story of Nebuchadnezzar, it would happen just as Daniel interpreted the dream. Nebuchadnezzar continued on in his prideful ways and the Lord struck him and ripped the kingdom from his hands. He lost his mind and was driven from the court and actually spent seven years chained to a tree, eating, like a wild animal, the grass of the field, until finally, he humbled himself before the Lord came to his senses and realized that it was God who establishes the kingdoms of men and that it was God who had given him his kingdom in the first place. And God, of course, restored Nebuchadnezzar to his kingdom. Now I wanted us to understand all of that as a backdrop or as an example of the passage that we're going to study today. Turn, if you will, now to Romans, chapter 13.

Speaker 2:

Now, as we've been studying in Romans, particularly in chapter 12, paul has been teaching us some lessons in Christian living. In Romans 12, we were taught how to view ourselves in relation to God, as living sacrifices. In relation to the world, as not conformed to the world, but transformed by the renewing of our minds. In relation to ourselves, in that we were not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think, but rather to think soberly in relation to the body of Christ or the church, using our God-given gifts to serve the body as a whole for the glory of God. In relation to one another as individuals in love, using our gifts of service but loving one another in sincerity. Using our gifts of service but loving one another in sincerity. And then, certainly, in relation to those who are outside of the body and to all men, not retaliating, not repaying evil for evil, but repaying good in exchange. You see, not being overcome by evil, but overcoming evil with good.

Speaker 2:

And now in Romans, chapter 13, paul continues these lessons in Christian living by relating to us how we, as Christians, are to relate to, or are to view ourselves in relation to, those who are in authority over us, or in other words, in relation to the government. Starting in verse 1 of chapter 13, paul writes Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Now, that's a hard pill to swallow, isn't it sometimes, especially if we find ourselves in disagreement with those who are in authority. And yet, as the chief executive of our nation, I owe him my respect, don't I? And the laws that he passes, insofar as they are not in opposition to the law of God, I am obliged, as a citizen and as a Christian, to obey. Now, that's not exactly a fun idea sometimes. And we look at what Paul has written here and we say well, you know what, paul, that's all well and good that you want us to be in submission to the authorities, but you don't understand what it's like, right, you don't know what it's like, paul, to live under ungodly authority.

Speaker 2:

Well, wait a second. You know who was in charge when Paul wrote this. It was a guy by the name of Nero. Nero was a rotten scoundrel, okay, nero was a wicked, wicked man. Nero blamed the burning of about half of Rome. Guess who he blamed it on? On the Christians, right? Guess who was most likely responsible for it?

Speaker 2:

From what history tells us, nero, they say that he ordered the burning of Rome himself. Do you know why? Probably, nero loved to build things, and in order to make room to build more things, he had to get rid of what was there. So there's this huge demolition project, right, and he burns half of Rome to the ground. But you see, the Roman citizens aren't going to be too happy about that, so he's got to have a scapegoat. So who does he blame it? On those dirty, rotten Christians, right?

Speaker 2:

Nero, the man who would ultimately have Paul beheaded. The man who would ultimately see Peter crucified upside down. Nero, the guy who would order Christians to be sewn up in animal skins and thrown to the dogs. Nero, the guy who would have Christians dipped in tar, crucified and lit on fire in his gardens as he would ride naked through the gardens in his chariot. Nero? So if that's the guy who was in charge when Paul wrote, let every soul be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. I don't think we have much of an excuse, by pointing at the corruption in our own government, to say that this does not apply to us, because it does. It applied to Paul, it applied to Peter, it applied to Daniel and it applies to us today. Now, there are three institutions that God has established. The first was the family. God established the family in Genesis, chapter 2. Let's go ahead and turn there, genesis, chapter 2, starting in verse 7, skipping ahead to verse 15,.

Speaker 2:

Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. And the Lord God said it is not good. The man should be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him. Now, of course, he made every animal out of the ground and brought them to Adam, and Adam named them. But skipping on ahead to verse 21,. We see that the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam and he slept and he took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh in its place. Then, the rib which the Lord God had taken from man, he made into a woman and he brought her to the man and Adam said this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. And he brought her to the man and Adam said and so we see that the establishment of the family came from God.

Speaker 2:

The next institution that we want to look at is the institution of the church, and that was established in Acts, chapter 2. Turn to Acts, chapter 2, if you will, we're going to have a little Bible drill this morning Now. In Acts, chapter 2, we have the story of the day of Pentecost, the day when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the church, and we have here at the end of this chapter, in verses 46 and 47, the statement so continuing daily with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house. They ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. So who is it that builds the church? The Lord, god, builds and establishes his church, isn't that right? So we have the family, which was established by God, we have the church, which was established by God, and we also have the government that was established by God. We have the church, which was established by God and we also have the government that is established by God.

Speaker 2:

I'm going to send you all the way back to Genesis now Genesis, chapter 9. Now, in the preceding chapters, we have the story of Noah and the ark and the great flood that destroyed almost every living thing, except for those things that were on the ark. And after they get off the ark, god is giving some instructions to Noah regarding how things are to work from now on. And in Genesis, chapter 9, verses 6 and 7, god gives some very specific instructions, and he says this instructions, and he says this whoever sheds man's blood by man, his blood shall be shed For in the image of God he made man. And as for you, be fruitful and multiply, bring forth abundantly in the earth and multiply in it. So here in Genesis, chapter 9, god has established the first laws under which human beings were to conduct themselves, and it's interesting enough that the first law that is enacted is regarding capital punishment.

Speaker 2:

Now, there are all kinds of debates that go on pertaining to capital punishment, and we're going to see part of that, or part of what the Bible has to say about that, in Romans, chapter 13, in just a moment or two. Now, you may have differing opinions today regarding capital punishment. There are some Christians who will say well, you know what the Bible says in Exodus, chapter 20, thou shalt not kill. A more accurate interpretation of that would be thou shalt not murder. Okay, and murder is wrong. There's no doubt about that. It is against God's law. And yet there are many times when, in order to fulfill the law of God, someone was killed, ie Goliath. Right, david was doing God's will when he fought and killed Goliath. In fact, it was really by the hand of the Lord that that was carried out. And so there is a place for capital punishment, and in fact, I have to tell you, the Bible teaches it.

Speaker 2:

So, whatever your view may be, you've got to come to terms, christian, with the fact that the Bible says that if man sheds man's blood, then by man his blood will be shed. And in Romans, chapter 13, we see the continuation of that thought, and we're going to see that in a moment or two. But the point that I want to draw from that is that the family, the church and human government ultimately were established not by man but by God. And, given that fact, we need to remember the words of Paul in Romans 13, 1 and abide by this when he says let every soul be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. You know what Jesus had, this exchange with Pilate on the day that he was crucified. Do you remember? And Pilate says do you not answer me? Don't you know that I have the power to kill you and I have the power to set you free? And what is it that Jesus said to Pilate? He says you have no power over me except that which was given to you by God. Right, the authority and the power that you have over me at this point in time, jesus basically told Pilate, is power that you have only because it was given to you. That power does not reside in yourself.

Speaker 2:

Warren Wiersbe, in his expository outline of the New Testament, suggests that in Romans, chapter 13, paul has given us four motives for obeying human government. They are for wrath's sake, for conscience's sake, for conscience's sake, for love's sake and for the Savior's sake, and we're going to look at each one of these in turn. If we want to be confident that we are not going to come under judgment, then we need to conduct ourselves in a way that is not worthy of judgment. The Bible tells us that the wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion. In other words, if you're not doing anything wrong, you haven't got anything to be afraid of. Words. If you're not doing anything wrong, you haven't got anything to be afraid of. Now, this idea that the wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion tells me something about myself, and I would warrant that it probably tells you something about yourself as well.

Speaker 2:

Sometimes I'll be driving down the street and all of a sudden, I'll see a police car pull in behind me and all of a sudden, something happens inside my heart. Right, I am overcome with fear and the first thing I do is I look at that speedometer. Right, that's not right. The first thing I do is I put my foot on the brake, because, you see, I don't have to look at the speedometer to know I'm probably wrong in that instance. Why? Because I know I've done wrong in the past, right, I know that my tendency might be to fudge that speed limit by the acceptable four to five miles per hour, right? So there is a fear that is there, and that fear comes from our knowledge of the fact that we have done something wrong. We might not be doing anything wrong, right then, but we know that we have before, don't we? And so we have this fear that is built into us.

Speaker 2:

Now, if you don't want to be afraid, what is the right thing to do? To obey the law. Right, If we obey the law, then rulers or police officers on patrol will not be a terror to us. Do what is good and you will have praise from the same. It says, for he, that is the one who is in authority is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain, for he is God's minister and avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Have you ever seen that? You've seen. You've been out on the freeway and you're driving along and all of a sudden, there's this guy and I bet some of you have seen this guy who flies by you on a motorcycle at 95 miles an hour on one wheel, right, and what's the first thing you say to yourself Where's a police officer, when you need one? Right, because you realize that if they saw that man, they'd be after that guy in an instant, wouldn't they? And you know that they are there to serve and to protect. That is their job, and you want to see justice done.

Speaker 2:

Rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. If you want to be unafraid of theers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. If you want to be unafraid of the authority, do what is good and you'll have praise from the same, for that person who is in authority is God's minister to you for good, but if you do evil, you should be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. In other words, those who are in authority have authority to exercise judgment upon those who do wrong, and so we need to obey the laws and to be subject to those who are in authority over us for wrath's sake, or, in other words, out of a fear of the punishment that they can inflict. We want to obey the laws of the land, first of all, because we don't wanna suffer the consequences of not obeying the laws of the land.

Speaker 2:

In 1 Peter, 2, 13 through 17, peter writes therefore, submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king is supreme or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good, for this is the will of God that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God, honor all people, love the brethren, fear God and honor the king. So we are to be obedient to those who are in authority. We are to be subject to the law of the land out of the fear that we have of the wrath that they have the power to inflict upon us, because that power was given to them by God. Now, our second motivation for being subject to the governing authorities is for conscience sake, not just out of fear, but out of a desire to do what is right. Romans 13, verses five through seven, speaks to this. When Paul writes. Therefore, you must be subject, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience sake, for because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render, therefore, to all their. In other words, the government exists for your good.

Speaker 2:

What does it say in the preamble to our Constitution? We, the people, in order to form a more perfect union, to establish justice and to ensure domestic tranquility that means the peace of our lives here at home right To provide for the common defense, to promote the general welfare and to secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity to ordain and establish this constitution of the United States of America. In other words, it's a social contract. We agree to abide by these laws for the good of all. So we are to be subject to the governing authorities because ultimately, the governing authorities are to work for our good. But in the absence of authority, there's chaos. The Bible says that where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint. Or, in the King James, where there is no vision, the people perish.

Speaker 1:

The Christian life was never designed to be a solo flight. God designed us with the need for relationships with others who can encourage us in our personal journey of faith. Maybe you're listening today and you don't have a home church and this message ministered to you. Well, we'd like to take this time to invite you to join us for one of our worship services. Calvary Chapel Southwest Metro meets each Sunday morning at 10.30 am and Wednesday evenings at 7 pm. Besides our Sunday morning services, we have ministries for children, men, women, couples and youth. To learn more about Calvary Chapel Southwest Metro, log on to heaththewordorg. That's heaththewordorg and when you get there, just follow the link. Or, if you'd like to talk with someone, give us a call. Our phone number is 817-447-5675. That's 817-447-5675. So visit the website or call us today. Now we also want to encourage you to review this study. This study and many more taught by Pastor Ken are available at our website, heedthewordorg.

Speaker 1:

Many of Pastor Ken's teachings are available in mp3 format. You can also receive a CD copy of this message. Simply log on to heedthewordorg and select the option for CD requests. The CD that you'll receive is the full-length, unedited teaching. When you fill out the order form, please keep in mind today's date. This helps us make sure that we send you fill out the order form. Please keep in mind today's date. This helps us make sure that we send you the correct message. Well, that's all the time we have for today. Please join Pastor Ken next time as he continues teaching through our series entitled Lessons for Christian Living, right here on Heed the Word.