Sound Doctrine

Jeff Johnson: As this nation and world goes from bad to worse, we may wonder what God is up to and how should we respond to it all. The just will live by what? Faith. Guys, we have got to start living by faith.

What is faith but trusting in God that He's got this nation in His hand? He knows what He is doing. He's got a plan. It's perfect.

Guest (Male): Today on Sound Doctrine, Pastor Jeff Johnson examines the biblical role of government and our God-given response to those in authority. What a timely reminder as many are choosing to rebel against this authority. We see it in the streets, on TV, and really everywhere.

As we study Romans chapter 13, we discover that government plays a very important role in our lives, and we're to be respectful and obey. But are there times when we refuse to submit to the government? Where do we draw the line? Let's open our Bibles to Romans chapter 13.

Jeff Johnson: Do you remember Nebuchadnezzar's vision? Nebuchadnezzar was a great king. In Daniel chapter 4, it says in verse 17, "This matter is by the decree of the watchers, Nebuchadnezzar." God came against this great king to the intent that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men. He gives it to whomsoever He will, and He sets up over it the basest of men. God allows the dregs of society to be over a lot of people sometimes. He allows it.

But then it goes on in Daniel 4, and it says there in verse 25 that they shall drive thee—talking to King Nebuchadnezzar—and thy dwelling will be as the beasts of the field. You're going to eat grass like the oxen, and the dew of heaven's going to be on your head. You're going to be all soaking wet. It's going to be for seven years until you know, God says, that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomsoever He will.

Then in verse 30, the king spoke and said, "Is not this great Babylon that I have built, the house of the kingdom by my might and my power and the honor of my majesty?" While the word was in the king's mouth, it said the Lord spoke and said, "The kingdom is departed from you, King Nebuchadnezzar." While you're speaking, thinking this is what you did, that very night in which you're saying this, your kingdom's going to be history, taken from you.

Then finally in Daniel 4, verse 35: "And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing. He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. None can stay His hand or say unto Him, 'What are you doing, God?'" Who of us—well, we've tried to ask Him that. "God, what are you doing? Are you out of your mind? This is a big mistake." No, He knows what He's doing. He's in control.

Jesus revealed this over in John's Gospel, chapter 19. It's interesting. He says in John 19, in verse 10, as Jesus is standing before Pilate, "Speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not," Pilate says to Jesus, "that I have power to crucify thee and have power to release thee? Don't you know that I'm a very powerful man? I can go like this and you're dead. I go like this, you live."

Jesus answered and said, "Thou couldest have no power at all against me except it were given to thee from above. Therefore, he that delivereth me unto thee hath the greater sin." In other words, Pilate, you are a puppet. That's all you are, man. A puppet in my Father's hand. As the Lord directs the hearts of the kings of the earth, as He does the rivers of water, He's in total control.

Even with the Pharaohs, the Pilates, the Mussolinis, cruel dictators, tyrants, kings—they carry out His divine decrees. He's got a perfect plan. His purposes will be done. Then He judges and punishes their wickedness. Do you remember in Isaiah where Habakkuk cried out and says, "God, here we are and all this is happening and you're not doing a thing"?

God says, "Oh, Habakkuk. If I told you what I'm about to do, you'd freak out. You'd say, 'No way.' I'm raising up Babylon as you speak. My will will be done." The just will live by what? Faith. Guys, we have got to start living by faith. What is faith but trusting in God that He's got this nation in His hand? He knows what He's doing. He's got a plan. It's perfect.

There are times I think we bring corruption on ourselves. Guys, we have got the privilege in this country to do something. I don't know how many of you are going to do it. Many of you are going to go, "Huh? What? Where?" Vote. You get to vote. What does that mean? Well, you get to vote that charlatan out and get somebody in there. That's why we've got the voter's guides. They're back there for you to help you. Take it into the booth with you. It'll help you to vote morally, rightly, biblically.

Because it tells what the candidates are up front about. These guys go by the word of God, to the best of the knowledge of those taking the polls. The rest of them are just saying their thing. But many of them, you will notice on that, they refuse to put it down. They don't want to be quoted by saying that. God help us, we get to vote. And yet how many go out to the polls?

Come on, you've got time to take that letter that came in the mail to you to vote at home. Just do it. It takes a few minutes. Things can turn around. If we don't, then we'll pay. That's it. Especially don't you say anything if you didn't vote. "Yeah, I don't believe..." "Did you vote?" "No." "Then stow it away." Really, when it gets right down to it, we get to vote. We each have a say-so in this. Guys, vote. Vote. We need to get the word out, because it transforms things.

The positive side, on the other hand, is that government is used to protect its citizens. Paul at one time was in trouble. He said, "Hey, wait a minute, you can't do that. I'm a Roman citizen." He stood on being a Roman citizen, and it helped him out of a bad situation. They let go. They didn't beat him.

Over in Acts chapter 23, verse 23, God had this chief captain call unto him two centurions. "Make ready 200 soldiers to go to Caesarea, horsemen three score and ten, spearmen 200." At the third hour of the night, 470 soldiers, Roman legions, surrounded Paul and took him safely to Caesarea. Thank you, Lord. Using the heathen to do His work.

He was a Roman citizen. He used his citizenship to promote the gospel. Paul was kept from being murdered because of that. During this time, there was a great Jewish revolt going on. There were these Zealots that were unbelievably beating Rome and hitting them as terrorists. They'd hit them when they didn't know it and wipe this out and wipe that out. Palestine to the Romans was a thorn in the side. It was bringing them down. It was a headache.

All of those that were for Rome—I mean, these guys were bent against civil government. They were called religious fanatics because everything that they did, which is interesting, they did in the name of God. They did some horrific things. They would kill, burn, terrorize—all in the name of God. Anyone who paid tribute to Rome, to the Roman government, they would nail them as much as they could.

Finally, in Acts chapter 18, verse 1 and 2, it's an interesting situation that happened. Paul went and came into Corinth, and he found a Jew, Aquila, and his bride or his wife, Priscilla. They were there because, it says, Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart out of Rome. There was a total cleansing of Rome of all Jews. They said the Jews are no longer wanted here. Just like in Nazi Germany, kicked them out. "Get out of here."

Then Titus made his march on Jerusalem with the third Roman Legion. The Jews were literally scattered throughout the world as the bloodbath began. Jerusalem, of course, was leveled. So to the Christians, Paul now says who are in Rome, "Don't rebel, guys. Do not kill or protest to march to change the laws." I mean, that's not going to get you anywhere.

Even after being beaten—as Jesus was horrifically beaten—He didn't retaliate, did He? He did not threaten. He didn't. He was crucified, falsely accused. So I think what Paul is saying, he said, "Be subject." Now, I believe it's to a point. Let's face it, we need each other. I mean, when this comes down, when things come down on you and there's trouble and revolt in the air, in Acts 4:23 it says once they were threatened with their lives, they came together as brothers and sisters and they prayed.

They sought the Lord. I think this is what we need to do. This is the place where we can come together and pray when things are getting heavy and tough, where we can minister to one another and help one another. This is it. So spiritually, that's what we're to do. We're to be in prayer. We're to be witnessing.

But being a member of a society brings responsibility as well as privileges, and I think we'd all agree with that. Without the state's organization and protection and security, we'd be living in the law of the jungle. Can you imagine without police what it would be like out there in the streets? Survival of the fittest, right? We'd all be packing and walking down the street. There would be guns firing everywhere. It would be chaos, right? I think we'd all agree.

We have benefits in this society. We have a water system. We have a sewage system, thank God. I've been to Beirut. I have saw where there was war and chaos and rebellion and no sewage system. I've been there, smelled that, saw that. No trash picked up. The kids and the cats and the dogs are all playing in the trash that are heaped up, one, two stories high. It stinks. It's out of control.

We have a flood control. We have police protection, courts, schools. Hey, I know they're not perfect, but we have them. There is some decent and in-order things taking place. They give, so we give back. It's only fair. We owe the state. We owe the government. "Hey, what are you talking about, man? I owe them nothing." Well, don't you have a rebellious attitude? You've been given a lot. To whom much is given, much is required. Think about that.

"They're going to charge us more taxes." Yeah, that's right. It's going to go high too. But again, look on the bright side of it. Yes, they're taking from us, but we have all of these things. As far as the other two-thirds of the other world, we've got a lot of things. We're spoiled. We have a responsibility to the government.

Christianity and good citizenship really go hand in hand, don't they? If you're a Christian, you're a good citizen of your nation. It's right. It's the right thing to do. "Yeah, but they're not a right nation." Well, you do your best, commit the rest, right? That's what Paul's talking about here. It's not going to be easy.

Over in Acts 23, in verse 3, Paul got a little angry. He looked at the high priest and he said some things, and the high priest hit him in the mouth. Then Paul looked at him and said, "God will smite you, you whited wall," or you whited graveyard. "For you sit thou to judge me after the law and commands me to be smitten contrary to the law." They that stood by him said, "Revilest thou God's high priest? Do you realize what you're saying, Paul? You're reviling the high priest."

In other words, Paul got tested and he failed that one. He started swinging and started throwing his mouth out and he blew it. And we're going to blow it. The spirit is willing, the flesh is weak. We get caught up in things, especially when you're at work and you're talking to all the guys and, "Let's march, let's go outside, signs and let's do it." Man, you get caught up in all that. But is that what God wants? Is that what's going to help you? Is that what's going to change things?

So we are to pray. We are to intercede for them. I don't think we are to march, rebel, or demonstrate, but we're to win people to Christ. We're to have one goal in mind: "What can I do to help this person come into eternity, have an eternal vision? What can I do to help this person find the peace that he's looking for in that marching, in that coming together, that's only in Christ?"

I've found that peace only comes through Him. I have found that hope only comes through Him. That love only comes through Him. We have our spiritual weapon. It's not carnal. The weapons of our warfare are mighty through the pulling down of strongholds. One of those strong weapons is prayer, definitely.

We've been given the ministry of reconciliation. Did you know that? To see people restored back to God, not of confrontation. That's not our ministry. Never was and never will be. Democrats, they say, "Hey, it's by being reconstructionists that we're going to do this, that, and the other." Republicans, they're saying, "No, no, no, it's by being conservatives that we're going to do this, this, that, and the other."

Then the Lord just stops everything and says, "Wait a minute. I'll tell you what's going to really, really change everything is when I come back. When Jesus comes." And that's our hope, isn't it? "Lord, come and set up your kingdom." Man has set up his kingdom and he's made a mess of it. I'm not going to get involved in it because that's chaos. That's confusion. That's frustration. I don't need that for my life, for my family's life. What we need is to be Christ-minded, Christ-centered. Eyes on Him.

Not on what's going on around us. Come on, we've learned that. It's not about the circumstances, the situations. It's about where our eyes are. Psalm 2, you've got to read that later on about when Jesus comes. When the Lord finally comes back, man's going to try to fight God to the bitter end. When finally Jesus comes back, the Lord comes back, God's going to laugh that man would try to come up against the Creator. He'll have them in derision, it says.

Until then, there's going to be gross darkness. Second Timothy chapter 3, he says it best in Second Timothy 3, verse 10: "But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, patience, persecutions, afflictions, which came to me at Antioch, Iconium, Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."

But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. That's what is happening today. It's getting darker. It's always darkest before the dawn. Now, that's verse 1. Whosoever therefore resists the power, resists the ordinance of God. They that resist shall receive to themselves, notice, damnation.

As Christians, we're to pray. But we can also vote, right? In this country. Many are not voting. Let's get them guys out of there. But to fight city hall—have you heard you can't fight city hall? Have you ever heard that? You mean you're going to fight city hall? You're going to lose every single time. They'll frustrate you. You'll never win. What are you doing?

"Well, what's right is right and I'm right. We're suing." Okay. Strap in real good. Hope you have a lot of money because it's going to be a fight. Then at the end, what do you got? Well, you're less a buck and you're frustrated. You could get thrown in jail. You'll burn out fighting the system.

Now, notice verse 3: "For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same." So use your energy to get out the gospel. Do good. Get the good news out. In my B.C. days, before I came to the Lord, I had a lot of fear about police. I feared them greatly. We'd see a black and white and go, "The man!" Half the guys would duck in the car.

The other guy was very slow. "Is he going to pull us over? I don't know." There would be great fear and anticipation. Today, police don't bother me unless I'm speeding or I just ran a red light. Immediately look in the rearview mirror. Are there lights flashing? If they're not, whew! If they are, I'm busted. Why? I did something wrong. I did something wrong and those guys are out there to take care of those that do something wrong.

Seek to do good is what he's saying, and you'll experience peace. You'll have a peace. There won't be this inward trouble. Then verse 4 he says, "For he..." Who's he? Police officer, soldier, and we're going to see in a little bit, the tax collector. "...is the minister of God to you for good. But if thou that which is—if you do that which is evil, you better be afraid. Be very afraid. For he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil."

Interesting. The true basis of government is to preserve good and judge evil. That's the true basis of government.

Guest (Male): We'll share the rest of the message, Church and State, next time on Sound Doctrine with Pastor Jeff. You've been listening to a study in the book of Romans here on Sound Doctrine with Pastor Jeff Johnson. We pray you've been blessed by what you heard today.

Romans is one of the greatest books in the Bible, and if you'd like to hear this study again, go to sounddoctrineradio.org or listen through the Sound Doctrine podcast app. You can also hear Sound Doctrine on oneplace.com or wherever you enjoy your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

By the way, you can donate to this radio outreach right there at sounddoctrineradio.org. Thank you in advance for whatever God leads you to do. We hope you'll join us for our next study in Romans here on Sound Doctrine with Pastor Jeff, presented each day by Calvary Chapel Downey. Have a blessed day in the Lord.