Two messages back we learned that our first responsibility to our leaders is to pray for them and to give thanks to God for them.

I hope this week you prayed for the president of your prime minister, or whatever leader God has placed over you. I hope that you also thanked God for them.

For some of you this teaching – to pray and to give thanks – is a tough pill to swallow. Maybe you did not vote for this particular leader. Possibly he or she does not represent your values. Or this leader is corrupt.

Whatever, God expects it of us. Prayer is our first and most important calling toward our leaders. So please pray for your leaders regardless of their politics.

In the last message, we learned that God appoints human leaders over us. And for that reason, we are to subject ourselves to their leadership as long as their leading is not in conflict with God’s Bible.

When the Bible disagrees with our human leaders we are to obey God and be willing to suffer the consequences. We looked at the Apostles in Acts 5. The apostles told the religious leaders that they had to obey God before they would obey men.

We considered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were willing to suffer the consequences that come when a believer chooses to obey God rather than men.

Today we will continue to look at our responsibility to our government. 

Today the key thing we will learn is that God expects us to be the very best citizens we can be..

Let’s pray.

The Purpose of Government

Let’s open our Bibles to Romans 13. Last week we studied Romans 13:1-2. Today we will pick up at verse 3 and read through verse 5.

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he 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, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake.

Within this text, we find the primary purpose for government and we also find God’s expectation for our lifestyle under this government.

Let’s look at 1 Peter 2:13-17

Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 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. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— 16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. 17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

The primary and the original purpose of government is to restrain evil. This purpose was first established by God in Genesis 9:5-6.

The flood of Noah is in chapter 7 of Genesis. In Chapter 8 God delivers Noah and his family back on dry ground. In chapter 9 God makes a covenant with Noah.

Just prior to making the covenant. God teaches Noah about the importance of life, especially the life of mankind.

People would begin again to populate the earth. Sin was already present in the hearts of Noah and his family. Soon there would be wickedness done against other humans.

God wanted Noah and us even to understand how much He, God, valued human life. Let’s read.

Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man’s brother I will require the life of man.

6 “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed;
For in the image of God He made man.

God has placed a high value on the life of all mankind. Everyone is created in the image of God – whether that person lives a good life or an evil one. When someone murders another person they kill an image-bearer. God says in Genesis 9 that it is the responsibility of people to then take the life of the murderer.

Even when an animal kills a man that animal is to be put to death. Why? Animals just act out of their nature. The reason again is that God places the highest value on human life. Humans are image-bearers. For this reason, the animal must die.

The unconditional covenant between God and mankind called the Noahic Covenant is found here in Genesis 9. Bits and pieces of this same covenant are found in Genesis 6 and 8. Look at Genesis 8:21

And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done.

They’re hardly off the ark and already God is acknowledging the sinfulness of man. Our imaginations within our hearts are evil. The ultimate end of such evil is murder. God in Genesis 9 states that murder must be dealt with and the way to deal with it is capital punishment. Capital punishment becomes the responsibility of the government. In fact, the restraint of all forms of evil is the purpose of government.

Why Should We Obey Our Leaders? Reason One

There are two basic reasons why we should obey our leaders. The first one is so we will avoid punishment or their wrath.

Return to Romans 13.

Look at verses 3-4

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he 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, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.

God places a person in a leadership position to retrain evil. When a person does evil the government official becomes God’s avenger. Those that murder, the government is called to execute wrath.

The wording “bear the sword” in verse four is in reference to capital punishment. Romans typically executed criminals by beheading them with a sword. Crucifixion was rarely used and only for the worst of offenders.

When the government executes someone, they are acting on behalf of God.

There is some great advice in this passage for the believer. It is found in verse 3. “Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same.”

You’re driving over the speed limit. You come over a hill and there sits the police officer. Your heart begins to beat faster. Your palms sweat. You hope he had his radar off. But no. On come the blue lights. Busted!

Here is what that verse is saying. If you don’t want to fear the police office, don’t speed.

God expects all Christians to be good citizens. We are expected to obey the laws and live peaceably in our communities.

Reason Two

There is a second reason why we should obey our leaders.

1. We then obey our leaders to avoid their wrath.
2. We also obey our leaders because of our conscience.

Look at Romans 13:5-7.

Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

What is meant by “for conscience sake”? It means we obey because it is our duty to God.

Obeying the laws of the land is a way we serve God. It is a way that we bring glory to God.

The conscience is our moral compass or our moral awareness. It is a part of our personality that makes us feel guilty when we violate the law and it is the thing that makes us feel good when we follow the law.

We should want to please God in our actions. Our behavior should be pleasing to God.

Turn to Hebrews 13:18.

In Hebrews 13:18 the writer of it asks that the reader to pray for them. There are two distinct prayer requests.

The second request is in verse 19. He wants to return to them soon. So prayer is necessary for that to happen.

The first request is in verse 18. Let’s read that.

Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably.

The write of Hebrews desires to live honorably. When you live honorably you will have a good conscience. When you live honorably you obey the laws. You are a good citizen.

Remember 1 Peter 2:13-17

Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 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. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— 16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. 17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

Here’s an Example of How We Should Obey

Let’s go back to Romans 13 and see how Paul teaches us to obey our leaders.

He commands us to pay our taxes and fees.

Romans 13:6-7 says,

For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

Out of fear and for consciousness' sake we should do our duty and pay our taxes.

Jesus taught this very thing. Look at Mark 12:12-17.

13 Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words. 14 When they had come, they said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? 15 Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?”

But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it.” 16 So they brought it.

And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.”

17 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

And they marveled at Him.

Many of you know this story.

The Pharisees and the Herodians (Herod’s people) were trying to trick Jesus. Either possible answer – “yes” or “No” – would be viewed negatively by someone. If Jesus says “Yes, we should pay taxes” the Jews would be upset. And if Jesus said, “No!” Then the Romans would be upset.

Jesus tells them to give to Caesar that which is Caesar’s. But what does He mean “to God the things that are God’s”?

• Possibly He is talking about the Temple Tax?
• But more than likely He is speaking of spiritual matters, such as worship.

The Caesars often viewed themselves as gods.

On a Denarius there was a picture of the Emperor. On this coin, it was probably Tiberius. On the Tiberius coin, there was his image and an inscription – “Tiberius Caesar Augustus, Son of the Divine Augustus.”

We must never make our leaders into gods. Leaders must never claim deity. But sometimes we do and sometimes they do.

Like Romans 13, Jesus is teaching loyalty to the state, to the government. And He is also teaching loyalty to God, not man.

Conclusion

Let’s return to our opening. In that, I asked you if you had been praying and giving thanks for your leader.

I have been praying for President Biden and Vice President Harris.

Let me encourage you one more time to do the same – pray for your leaders.

Last lesson we learned that God has appointed our leaders. For that reason, we are to subject ourselves to them. But when there are things that are not in line with God’s word we are to obey God and suffer the consequences.

Today we built upon that teaching.

We learned that God gave us government to restrain evil. For that alone, we should be thankful.

God calls us to obey our leaders for two reasons.

1. So we will not experience punishment
2. And to serve God.

Overall the God has taught us to be the very best citizens we can be.