Good Citizens

So please keep your Bible open to chapter 13.

Chapter 12 and 13 can be treated as one unit.

But you can also go from 12 to all the way to the end of Romans.

But whichever way you look at it,

chapter 13, 1 to 7 seems a bit out of place

to talk about being a good citizen

while Paul talks about in light of God's mercy

we are to love others sincerely in our new identity.

However, as both James and Steve point out last two Sundays

looking at chapter 12,

being a follower of Jesus, living in the realm of salvation

is meant to affect every part of our life.

It should also affect how we live as a good godly citizen.

So I look up the requirement of becoming an Australian citizen

as I prepare this talk.

And I come across the citizen pledge and its explanation.

It says all Australian citizens must understand

our prosperity and privileges

and what it means to be a citizen,

whether we are Australian by birth or by choice.

When you pledge, you are making a public commitment to Australia

and accepting the responsibility and privilege of a citizen.

And the pledge goes,

From this time forward, under God,

I pledge my loyalty to Australia and its people,

whose democratic beliefs I share,

whose rights and liberties I respect,

and whose laws I will uphold and obey.

If you are Australian by birth,

you may not have been through an Australian citizenship ceremony

and make such a pledge.

Still, your privilege of being born to be an Australian citizen

comes with responsibilities.

I remember pledging around the late 80s, 30s, 90s

with my family at the Australian citizenship ceremony

at the Grand Recton Hall.

It was much easier to become an Australian citizen back then.

Nowadays, you also have to pass the citizens to test.

So how about we go through some questions

to see whether you'll pass,

especially if you were born in Australia.

There are 20 questions you have to answer,

but five of them you have to get correctly to pass the test.

There are questions about Australian values

to demonstrate that you understand your responsibility

and privilege as an Australian citizen.

So I'll put the question up,

think of the answer,

don't tell anyone,

don't share with anyone,

especially if you have done the test recently.

The answer will come up very soon,

and I will go through the five questions.

So,

did anyone make any mistakes in these five questions?

If you did, sorry.

You are not fit to be a citizen yet.

You can't call yourself an Australian

if you don't understand and uphold Australian values.

If becoming a citizen of one of the countries on earth

required tests and privileges,

it would not make sense to expect less

to be a citizen of the kingdom of God,

whose king is the creator of everything in this world,

everything,

including those parts,

that doesn't seem very Christian.

Think about that.

Comparing all that God has accomplished

to transform us from our hopeless, sinful realm

into a new realm of salvation in Christ,

submitting to authority

and loving others wholeheartedly

seems a minimal requirement.

And the good news we have seen

from the Book of Romans so far

is that even though

we have failed in all the tests

to prove that we are a worthy citizen,

God still accepts us

as part of his kingdom

based on the merit of the Lord Jesus.

This is so wonderful.

In the Christian life,

doctrine and duty

always goes together.

Doctrine is a teaching that you live by

and duty is your action

in fulfilling your responsibility.

What we believe

helps to determine how we behave.

It's not enough for us

to understand Paul's teaching

from chapter 1 to 11.

We must translate our learning

into living

and show our daily life

as we trust God,

trust in God's word,

which is the aim

of the rest of the Book of Romans.

And one thing very important

to remember today

is in chapter 13,

we need to remember

that Paul is not giving us

a discussion

on church and state relations,

but is giving

individual Christian instruction

about personal citizenship

based on a new relationship

with the state

and a new relationship

with the world.

And that are my two main points

for today.

A new relationship

with the state

and new relationship

with the world

in your personal citizenship.

So Romans 13,

starting in verse 1,

let everyone be subject

to the governing authority,

for there is no authority

except that which God

has established.

The authorities that exist

have been established by God.

Consequently,

whoever rebels

against the authority

is rebelling against

what God has instituted,

and those who do so

will bring judgment

on themselves.

God infects people

with authority.

But as Paul said,

as Paul pointed out earlier

in chapter 3,

all human

are sinful,

which means

those God

invested

his authority with

will not exercise

the authority

as God intended.

Even though

we cannot always

respect the man

or woman

in the office,

we must respect

the office

established by God

because he

institutes

every government.

If we believe

that God

is sovereign,

then disbelief

requires that

we respect

those in authority

over us.

Our passage today

says,

we must fear

if we resist them

because we also

resist God.

Paul's rationale

for obedience

has nothing to do

with the ruler's

godliness,

competence,

or any other

qualification.

Instead,

his call

for submission

to their authority

is grounded

in God's

authority.

It is

between you

and God

that you submit.

The only authority

that exists

are the ones

whom God

has placed

there

according

to his

sovereign plan.

So do you think

there's any

excuse

or any

valid reason

for you

not to submit

to God's

authority?

Can you read

justify your choice?

It goes on to say,

for rulers

hold no terror

for those

who do right,

for those

who do wrong.

Do you want

to be free

from fear

of the one

in authority?

Then do what

is right

and you

will be

commanded.

For the one

in authority

is God's servant

for your good.

But if you do

wrong,

be afraid.

For rulers

do not bear

the sword

for no reason.

They are God's

servant,

agents of wrath

to bring punishment

on the wrongdoers.

Paul tells us

about the government's

function

by highlighting

the core

of our problems,

the human heart.

Because man's

heart is sinful,

God established

a government

to legislate

and enforce

the law.

But laws

cannot

change

the heart.

man's heart

is still

selfish

and can

only be

changed

by the

grace of

God.

The problem

of our world

is not what

kind of government

is in charge.

Neither

democracy

nor authoritarian

to fix

the world's

problem

is not to

change the

government

but to deal

with each

of our

sinful hearts.

Do you want

to be free

from the

one in

authority?

Do you

want to be

free from

fear of

the one

in authority?

Then do

what is

right

and you

will be

commanded.

Many people

take freedom

as living

independently

or living

in a free

country

but there

will be

a big

mistake.

True

freedom

is not

fun in

doing

whatever

you want

whenever

you want.

True

freedom

is never

fun in

putting

yourself

in the

middle

of

your

world

and

making

it

all

about

you.

True

freedom

is never

fun in

writing

your

moral

code

or

finally

getting

your

way.

True

freedom

is only

come from

submission

to God's

authority.

There are

all levels

of human

authority

that God

put on

earth

to make

his

invisible

authority

visible.

Personal

freedom

is not

fun in

resisting

human

authority

because

freedom

and

authority

are not

enemies.

Unfortunately,

among

Christians,

there seems

to be

an increasing

appeal

to the

example

of

civil

disobedience

in the

scripture

without

a balancing

commitment

to the

clear and

repeated

commands

in scripture

to submit

to authority.

You

cannot

cling

to one

principle

without

denying

the other.

civil

disobedience

and

civil

rebellion

are not

the same

thing.

Living

under

Rome's

suppressive,

abusive,

immoral

authority,

Jesus never

calls his

followers to

rebel

against

authority.

In a

country of

democratic

government,

it is

easy to

mistake

government

for serving

our

enjoyment.

government.

We get

easily

upset when

our government

tells us what

we can or

cannot do.

But no

matter what

kind of

authority you

are living

under,

God set up

authority for

Christians to

demonstrate how

to be godly

citizens through

their respectful,

active

participation for

his glory.

Let me say

that again.

God set up

authority for

Christians to

demonstrate how

to be godly

citizens through

their respectful,

active participation

for his

glory.

So Paul

goes on,

therefore,

it is necessary

to submit to

the authority,

not only because

of possible

punishment,

but also as

a matter of

conscience.

This is also

why you pay

taxes for

the authority

of God's

servant,

who give

their full

time to

governing,

give to

everyone what

you owe

them,

if you owe

taxes,

pay taxes,

if revenue,

then revenue,

if respect,

then respect,

if honour,

then honour.

Christian

citizens ought

to be the

best citizen.

Christians may

not always

agree on

politics or

parties,

but we

can all

agree,

but they

can all

agree on

their attitude

towards human

government.

Whether we

like or

respect a

leader and

vote for them

or not,

our response

should be

the same.

How do

you respond

to authority,

especially ones

you don't like

or respect,

or ones that

are abusive

or autocratic?

In our

modern democracy,

where we have a

say in who

governs us,

we might feel

entitled to

speak disrespectfully

about our

government

officials.

officials.

And that

normally happens

a lot while

in private

settings.

It's much

easier to

jump on the

bandwagon and

follow the

latest social

media trend.

Over the last

few years,

there have been

many opportunities

to speak

disrespectfully or

to voice our

disapproval of

government actions,

our government

actions, in

handling various

difficult crises.

in a not very

peaceful or

even passive

aggressive way.

But Jesus

said in Luke

6.45 that

from the

overthrow of

our hearts,

your mouths

speak.

There's no

hiding what's

happening in

each one of

our sinful

hearts.

Are you

known as

someone who

often speaks

disrespectfully

and loves to

call others

names?

Or are you

a willing

submitting kind

of person?

Do you

actively do

all that you

can to

honor those

in authority

above you?

Or do you

keep looking

for faults

and encouraging

others to

push out

for the

government?

Paul makes

no hint

of merely

going along

with something

grudgingly

or under

duress.

The obedience

that he

described is

respectful and

complete.

he calls

for active

action to

save our

conscience

in verse

5 to 7

by paying

our due,

giving everyone

what we owe

them,

taxes,

revenue,

respect,

or honor.

We have

been called

to a new

relationship

with our

government

because of

God's

mercy.

Christians are

to be the

salt and

light of

this world.

A

responsible

citizen is

willing to

uphold the

authority God

gave their

human government

with respect

and not

begrudgingly.

Ruling

submission is

so counter

cultural because

we live as if

we are our

king,

but we have a

new king,

and he calls

us to have a

new relationship

with the

authority and

with the

world.

So continuing

from the

payment theme

in verse

6 to 7,

Paul uses

the analogy

of debt

to describe

how we

should live

in our

new

relationship

with the

world.

Verse 8,

let no

debt remain

an outstanding

except a

continued debt

to love

one another,

for whoever

loves others

has fulfilled

the law.

Paul acts

love as

another kind

of thing

that we

owe others.

Tax,

duty,

honor,

respect can

be paid

in full,

but love

is a debt

and ongoing

obligation

that we

will never

be able

to pay

out fully.

We should

not expect

that the

need for us

to love

others will

ever be

fulfilled.

It would

be ridiculous

to say,

I've loved

someone enough,

I do not

need to love

them anymore.

You only need

to reverse

that sentence

and consider

someone saying

that they

have loved

you enough

that they

don't have

to love

you anymore

to realize

how ridiculous

even to

contemplate

the idea.

God

warned us

to never

stop loving

by letting

our priority

fall out of

sync with

God.

It's very

easy.

We easily

focus on

the wrong

things as

we interact

with others.

there seems

to be a

list in

our mind

that we

always check,

especially

regarding

God's

command.

The

commandments,

you should

not commit

adultery,

you should

not murder,

you should

not steal,

you should

not comfort,

and whatever

other commandments

there may

be, are

sum up in

this one

command,

love your

neighbors as

yourself.

Love does

no harm to

our neighbor,

therefore love

is a fulfillment

of the law.

according to

Paul's

credential,

a Pharisee

devoted to

observing every

law,

a cellist

Christian

persecutor

considered

himself

faultless

regarding

righteousness

based on

the law.

It would

be very

out of

character

to give

such a

summary

about how

to fulfill

the law

if Paul

did not

meet

Jesus.

But his

encounter

with Jesus

while on

the way

ready to

persecute

Christians

by executing

them,

make him

realize how

far he was

from God's

priority.

By promoting

loving one

another and

loving God

as the highest

calling for

Christian,

Paul reminds

us that

following this

particular command

of love

enables

everything to

function in

God's

order.

Love is

positive,

active,

and I can

even say

it's

proactive.

Love will

fulfill the

law because

even looking

at it

negatively,

you will

not harm

your neighbor

when you

love.

You may

be driven

to be

successful

at any

cost.

You may

consider other

people as

a stepping

stone towards

a fulfilling

life.

you might

think setting

aside a

relationship

to enable

you to get

to where

you want

is acceptable

and unavoidable.

Those extra

hours staying

at work or

networking

seems more

necessary than

spending time

with your

spouse,

kids,

or other

fellow believers.

It all

reflects how

much you

love yourself

and how

much we

love ourselves.

We are so

familiar with

loving ourselves

that it

should be

easy to

understand how

to apply the

command,

love your

neighbors as

yourself.

You should

love and

attitude towards

others,

have the same

depth of

concern for

yourself.

Our

relationship

with the

world builds

on our

renewed

relationship

with God.

It calls

to some

things in

an upside

down way,

to prioritize

relationship

with God

and others.

You may

think or

feel that

up to this

point,

all I have

said is

easy,

said,

than done.

Let me

help you by

looking at

our final

session of

the three

contrasts and

the secret

of success.

We are

living in an

exciting and

challenging

time.

You may feel

like your

life is

constantly on

the go

without any

breathing space.

You might

have chosen

to deal

with all

that is

happening

around you

with nostalgia

and reminiscing

the good

old days,

or slumbering,

trying to

slip them

off.

But Paul

says,

and do

this,

understanding

the present

time.

The hour

has already

come for

you to

wake up

from your

slumber,

because our

salvation is

nearer now

than when

you first

believed.

The night

is nearer,

nearly over,

and the day

is almost

here.

Paul calls

all Christians

to do

three pairs

of contrasting

action in

our current

already and

not yet

states.

The mercy

of God

through the

self-sacrifice

of Jesus

on the cross

saved us

from all

our sin,

but we

still sin

and live

in a

sin-broken

world.

But this

tension is

almost over.

We have

been made

new,

and the

promised new

world is

almost here.

So now

is not

time to

hit the

snooze

button.

Let's

get into

some

actions.

So let's

put aside

the deeds

of darkness

and put

on the

armor of

light.

Let's

behave decently

as in the

daytime,

not in

carousing

and drunkenness,

not in

sexual immorality

and debauchery,

not in

dissension and

jealousy.

Rather,

quote yourself

with the

Lord Jesus

Christ,

and do

not think

about how

to gratify

the desire

of the

fresh.

There

seems to

be three

contrasting

actions from

this final

session of

tests,

but they

are very

closely related

and can

be studied

as one

action

group.

Firstly,

Paul calls

us to

put aside

or put

off our

nighties

and put

on our

day clothes.

As much

as our

nighties,

our pajamas

are comfortable

and help

us to

sleep.

They are

inappropriate

for how

we should

live or

want to

live our

life during

the day.

Dressing

right,

dressing for

the right

occasion,

help us

to perform

better on

most

occasions.

The

pajamas,

the nighties

we are

putting aside

are the

deeds of

darkness.

We're

putting off

what is

harmful to

us,

and we

are to

put on

the armor

of light

that will

protect us

and save

us.

No one

in their

right mind

will go

into a

battle

naked.

However,

if you only

think about

what you

have to

put aside

or give

up,

not thinking

about the

armor God

prepared for

you,

you'll be

fearful and

worried,

like going

into a

battle

naked.

Secondly,

let's not

only dress

right,

but behave

right and

decent.

Like

Paul's

time,

we also

live in

a dark

time.

Nothing

is hunky

dory,

but we

can behave

decently

as if in

the daytime

by not

giving in

to dark,

sinful

behavior.

And even

if you

fail,

the third

thing is

our comeback

and our

secret to

success.

We can

complete the

first two

pairs of

action because

Jesus has

gone before

us and

nailed the

desires of

his flesh

on the

cross.

And he

became the

armor of

light we

are to

put on.

Jesus took

off his

armor,

allowing the

arrows of

our sins

to peace

his body.

He was

treated with

the worst

indecency on

the cross,

stripped

naked,

hung dead,

so we

know what

behaving

decently

looked like

in a

proper

relationship

with God

and others

as we

live out as

a living

sacrifice for

God in

our daily

relationship.

If you

only think

about how

unsatisfied

your body

will be

because you

have to

deal with

all your

sins and

love those

you deem

not worthy

of your

love,

in that

case,

you'll find

all the

instructions

from Roman

12 to

the end

of the

book,

or even

the whole

Bible

is teaching

challenging

and difficult.

But

cove

yourself

with the

Lord Jesus

Christ.

Wrap

your thoughts

around him.

Think of

Jesus as

your armor.

Let him

cover you

and comfort

you.

Let him

embrace you

and be

your protection

as you

love and

serve in

your new

relationship

with others.

Think about

how you

can glorify

God and

glorify Jesus

as your

salvation,

the good

news of

the gospel.

You will

not pass

the test

if you

focus on

yourself

and what

you need

to do.

You will

only succeed

if you

focus on

God's

mercy

shown to

you

through

Jesus.

We are

all

citizens of

God's

kingdom

not because

we have

passed

any test.

It was

due to

the merit

of Jesus.

We are

called to

be the

best

citizens on

this earth

but we

will fail

because we

are sinful.

But even

if we fail,

you are

covered by

Jesus.

Jesus

He is

your armor

of light.

He is

steadfast

love

through

and

drew

forever

and He

will

never

come

of

you.

Jesus

guaranteed

your

loyalty

to

God

by

His

life

as you

live as

a citizen

of God

in this

world.

Clothe

yourself

with Him

daily

as a

true and

proper

worship

to our

majestic

God.

Let

your mind

be filled

with God's

mercy,

the Lord

Jesus

Christ.