Romans 13:1-7; 1 Let
every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is
no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by
God. 2 Therefore he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance
of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon
themselves. 3 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; 4 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. 5 Wherefore it is
necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for
conscience‘ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers
are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. 7
Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to
whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.
“ The histories of Europe and America have served to
highlight and emphasize the Baptist distinctive of the absolute separation
of Church and State. The former did so through years of bloody
persecution, and the latter demonstrated this by the ultimate development
and adoption of this doctrine as a part of the constitutional government
which was the foundation of the new American Republic.” Dr.
K.H. Good, God’s Blueprint for a Church, pg 171 .
A. The State Has a Function Peculiar to Itself
1. The Establishment of the State: Genesis 9:6
God’s Covenant with Noah introduced Civil Government to the world.
The principle truth is the authority granted to the State over human life.
See Genesis 9:6 “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his
blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man.” The
devastating flood may have given the impression that human life was
disposable. God ordained capital punishment to protect man and to
underline His high regard for the sanctity of human life.
2. The Responsibilities of the State: Romans 13:1-7
a. Ordained of God; 1 Let every person be
in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority
except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2
Therefore he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and
they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.
b. Maintain Order including Capital Punishment; 3 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; 4 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.
c. Requires Obedience; 5 Wherefore it is necessary to be in
subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience‘ sake. 6
For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of
God, devoting themselves to this very thing. 7 Render to all what
is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to
whom fear; honor to whom honor.
d. Civil Law has a Moral Basis; 8 Owe nothing to anyone except to
love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
9 For this, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder,
You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other
commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “You shall love your
neighbor as yourself.” George Washington posed this question
regarding civil law’s moral foundation; “Let it simply be asked
where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense
of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of
investigation in the Courts of Justice?” Inscribed on his memorial
are these words of Abraham Lincoln; “That this Nation, under God,
shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by
the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
3. The Limitations of the State
Roger Williams had it right when he taught that the magistrate may
regulate and punish offences against the ‘second table,’ those
commandments dealing with fellowmen, but not the ‘first table,’ those
dealing with duties to God. The modern term for that is separation
between church and state.
B. The Church Has a Function Peculiar to Itself
1. The Nature of the Church
It is a “called-out,” regenerate people; a spiritual entity
covenanted together to worship and serve God in a local sense. Acts
2:41,42
2. The Responsibility of the Church
a. The Propagation of the Gospel; Matthew 28:19,20
b. The Observance of the Ordinances; Acts 2:41,42 & 1st
Corinthians 11:23-34
c. The Care of Its Membership; 1st Timothy 5:1-16
3. The Limitations of the Church
Jesus prepared the way for the New Covenant birth of the
church as distinctly separate from Israel when he said, “Then render
to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are
God’s.” Church is not to meddle in the affairs of government; that’s
the responsibility of her citizens.
C. The Detrimental Amalgamation of Church and State
1. The Church Becomes Worldly in its Outlook
When the church includes in its membership an unregenerate people and
imposes its moral will upon them through the State you have chaos.
This is evidenced in the statistics that show the majority of Evangelicals
have a moral record little different than that of the society at large.
2. The State Becomes Subverted in its Function
It dispenses mercy instead of justice except upon supposed
heretics. We have seen the courts swing in that direction in the
past 30 years.
It is time for the Churches to return to expository preaching making
the Bible and its life-giving message central to our worship of God and
our Savior, Jesus Christ. The popular Feel-good theology and
entertainment methodology that appeals to the flesh has no place in the
the New Testament Church.
What about you, my friend? Can we help you?
God has provided the
means for you to be saved, baptized and be a part of His New Testament
Local Church ministry -- He gave His Son to intercede; all we have to do is confess our sin, ask for His forgiveness
and call upon Him to save us from the guilt and penalty of sin.
2nd Corinthians 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin
on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
If you have never entrusted your life to Him, why not come to Him today
for Salvation. That's the first order of business.
"And
there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven
that has been given among men, by which we must be
saved." Acts
4:12
Please contact
us if you sense your need to come to Him. We can help. (Just
click on "contact us.")
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