Romans 13:1-7

It is plain from the immediate context, as from the general context of the apostolic writings, that the state can rightly command obedience only within the limits of the purposes for which it has been divinely instituted—in particular, the state not only may but must be resisted when it demands the allegiance due to God alone” —(Bruce, pp. 223–224).

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Jeremiah 29:4-7

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Bibliography

Georges Reverdy - Rouillé, Guillaume (1553) Promptuarium Iconum Insigniorum pars prima, Lyon: Apud Gulielmum Rovillium, p. 162 OCLC: 716696497.
BUs of Emperor Claudius By Marie-Lan Nguyen (2011), CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=23198004
Emperor Caligula, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gaius_Caesar_Caligula.jpg. Louis le Grand, By Louis le Grand [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], from Wikimedia Commons. CC Attribution-ShareAlike
The Remorse Of Nero After The Murder Of His Mother by John William Waterhouse Public Domain
W., Jackson. Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes: Honor and Shame in Paul’s Message and Mission. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic: An Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2019.
Boa, Kenneth, and William Kruidenier. Romans. Vol. 6 of Holman New Testament Commentary. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000.

Questions for further Discussion

Why did Paul urge the believers in Rome to offer their bodies as living sacrifices to God despite the dangerous political climate?

Who were some of the notorious Roman emperors mentioned in the sermon, and what were some of their brutal actions?

According to the sermon, why does God want Christians to submit to governmental authorities, even ones as tyrannical as Nero?

What Biblical references were used in the sermon to support the idea that God sets up and deposes kings?

How can Christians navigate situations where their faith and civil obedience may come into conflict, as mentioned in the sermon?

What does it mean to be a good citizen in the context of being a Christian, as discussed in the sermon?

How can one practically engage in advocacy efforts that align with biblical principles regarding civil obedience and moral standards, according to the sermon?

What steps can individuals take to demonstrate God’s love and values through their actions and interactions with others in their community, based on the sermon’s recommendations?

What was the key factor mentioned in the sermon to discern when governing authorities are to be resisted?

How does the sermon explain the concept of God’s sovereignty over the appointment and removal of kings and rulers?