Over the past month we have been hearing Paul’s somewhat surprising counsel which guides a Christian’s perspective and relationship to the government.

• Paul asserts here that the government was ordained by God for a specific

. Our founders recognized that the government should be focused on those purposes and the people needed to restrain the government because the larger the government gets, the more it abuses its power.
• If you want evidence of this, every few years the Department of Defense puts out refreshed copy of a document called the “Encyclopedia of Ethical Failures.” https://dodsoco.ogc.osd.mil/Portals/102/Documents/Training%20Materials/Encyclopedia%20of%20Ethical%20Failure%202022%20to%2023%20ongoing.pdf?ver=WS5owYTM2lk6vhTow3uFYQ%3d%3d%29“>Click Here to View
• In our modern system of government, I can understand why there is skepticism and

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. So much so that President Ronald Reagan famously quipped that some of the scariest words imaginable were: Hello, I’m from the government and I’m here to help.
• Particularly in the passage today, one might wonder: What is Paul’s

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?

// Read Romans 13:5-7
// God has me right here where I am for a purpose, to be a worshipper of Jesus and to follow the Spirit to fulfill His unique plan for my life.
// Because God is the highest authority and object of worship for Christians, we can show honor even when situations are unfavorable. We are captivated by a higher purpose.

Christians are the best

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Romans 13:5 | Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.
• Subjection >> Even though it will be imperfect, Christians should submit to the righteous laws of government as a way of believing that God can accomplish His

in our lives through those authorities. Remember, an imperfect and duplicitous government is better than no government at all.
• Christians are fueled to pursue something

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than just avoiding the punishment that God has ordained government to pour out. We follow conscience. The best citizens have their eyes fixed on the Kingdom of God, not simply national or political agendas.

// Jeremiah 29:7 | But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
// Matthew 22:19-21 | Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

Romans 13:6 | For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.
• God transforms our

to help us recognize that there are certain things that we owe to God, certain things we owe to the government as God’s servant, and things we owe to others as fellow image bearers.

A Higher Purpose

Romans 13:7 | Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
• John MacArthur >> Pay to all what is owed. “Pay” translates a Greek word signifying the payment of something owed —not a voluntary contribution— and is reinforced by the word “owed.” God demands that we show sincere respect and an attitude of genuine high esteem for all public officials.
• Living under authority means that we always live

to others. Whose authority are you under? Are you keeping an accurate ledger of the debts you owe them?

// Parents
// Authorities/Government
// Church

• It’s not that you can ever repay these debts. You can’t. Rather, it’s that God is calling you to live and be led by, be captivated by a higher purpose: to trust that in commanding an

(submission) and an

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(paying taxes) that He can use that to fulfill His will in you and transform you.

Here is what it boils down to: Do you believe that when God commands an attitude and an action that He knows what He is doing?

• Start with

to God. Start with worship. Worship your way to victory.
• Gratitude activates a part of the brain. Fear, anxiety, sadness, grief – all come from another part of the brain. The two cannot function at the same time. So, start with gratitude. Worship your way to victory. God knows what He is doing.