Authorities - Frank Brancato

It's wonderful to be here with you today.

We appreciate each and every one who have come to be with us to

worship God, in spirit, and in truth this morning.

And if you consider yourself a visitor, we would hope that you

would feel as you are. And that is, as our honored

guest, as always is the case, it is a privilege and an honor to

speak concerning the word of God, and I hope and pray that

what we have to consider for a little while this morning would

be edifying to you and encouraging to you in some way.

I will say though also it's wonderful to see brother Ruben

with us, very saddened with the passing of Mary and our prayers

are certainly with and for Ruben and his family.

At this time, I want to invite your attention to the Book of

Romans the 13th chapter and we want to begin reading there in

verse 1. Romans chapter 13 beginning in

Romans 13 · chapter mention

verse 1. Paul said, let every soul be

subject to the governing authorities for there is no

Authority except from God in the authorities that exist are

appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists The

Authority resist, the ordinance of God and those who resist will

bring judgment on themselves for rulers are not a terror to good

works but to evil. Do you want to be of unafraid of

the authority do what's good? And you will have praise from

the same for he is God's. Minister to you for good.

But if you do evil be afraid for he does not bear The Sword in

vain for. He is God's Minister and

Revenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.

Therefore, you must be subject, not only because of Wrath, but

also for conscience sake. Okay, the reason for the lesson

I was watching the presidential debate the other day and I got

to thinking about this, there was a question that was asked to

each one of the candidates and it was this would you accept the

fact if the other person your opponent is elected, will you

accept that fact? And will you support that fact

the other person? And when they asked, Hillary

Clinton, what she would say about that, she immediately

said, yes I would, I would support Donald Trump.

When they ask Donald Trump, he kind of him hot around a little

bit. He told a few more stories and

said a few more things and then finally afterwards, as he walked

beat and front of a stage, he was asked in an interview, would

you support Hillary Clinton if she was elected president?

And then he said, yes I will. I would support that.

Well, the question is, we have a presidential election that's

about to happen in our country. The question is, what is God's

dealings with all of that? How does God look upon that

election and what's God's dealings with?

What's God's wrong? And all of that.

Well, let me just simply say this.

Please get this, this is by way of encouragement.

Whoever is elected, president of the United States.

Remember this God is Thoroughly and control, thoroughly in

control. And number two, God's people

will be just fine. I want to say this before we

begin. And in my introduction in no

way, was I trying to promote a political candidate?

I am not interested in that. In fact, I think when

denominations use the Forum of the pulpit to promote politics,

I think that's wrong. I think it's inappropriate to

do, so I'm not doing that today. In fact, when I made the

statement about the question that was asked to each

presidential candidate, would you accept the other, would you

submit to the authority of the other?

If they were elected? The question before us is, will

you will? I will we accept the candidate

that's chosen and submit to them.

In fact, the Apostle Paul in our passage is going to give seven

different compelling reasons why we should submit to the

governing authorities that are over us.

In fact we're just going to use Romans 13:1 through five as the

Romans 13:1

outline for our study today. Keeping that in mind going to

back to verse number 1. In our text, the Bible says Let

every soul be subject to the governing authorities.

Now, that is an unqualified statement.

In other words, it doesn't qualify who the governing

authorities are, and it doesn't qualify.

What subjection might mean, and if that's the case, then we must

conclude, we must say, we have an unqualified unmitigated

command, to be subjected to the governing authorities that are

over us. Whoever they are and whatever

they are. Now, that's Paul's writing here

in Romans 13, Peter dealt with this in a similar fashion in 1st

Peter chapter 2, listen to this. This is talking about Peter

giving instruction when living among the world.

First Peter 2 beginning in verse 12.

Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles that when

they speak against you as evildoers they may by your good

works which they observe glorify God in the day of visitation.

Therefore submit yourself to every ordinance of man for the

Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme or to Governor's, as

to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and

for the praise of those who do good for this is the will of

God. By doing good.

You may put to silence the ignorance of foolish, man.

Now What I'm saying is this, both the Apostle Paul and the

Apostle Peter make it clear our responsibility is to submit to

the governing authorities that are over us.

And as I said, a moment ago there are actually seven

motivations for doing just that seven reasons by following what

God has given us. Notice, first of all, number

one, Number one, government is by Divine decree, It Is, by

Divine decree in verse 1. Again, it says, for there is no

Authority except from God and the authorities that be notice

are appointed by God. Now, what did that just say?

It says there's no Authority, except by God, and the

authorities that be. They all are appointed by God.

Now, Authorities that exist whoever they are, are

established by God. I'm talking about civil

Authority, I'm talking about governmental Authority and it

all comes from God. Now, there's two other

institutions that God gave man is great for the well-being of

May. Number one is marriage.

That's an institution that was ordained or appointed by God for

the benefit of, man. What else?

The church? The church is for the spiritual

well-being, of, man. Notice how it works government

is for man's public well-being. Marriage is for man's personal

well-being, and the church is for man's spiritual well-being.

And all of these come from God and they are given to man for

man's well-being. Now, When it says there's no

Authority except from God and power belongs to God.

That's exactly what Jesus meant in.

Matthew 28, in Matthew 28 before Jesus gave the Great Commission.

Verse 18, He said all power or all authority is given unto me

in heaven and in Earth who gave Jesus that Authority, the only

one who had it And that was God. Psalm 62 and 11 listen to this.

God has spoken once twice. I have heard this that power

belongs to God. All right, we get that, we

understand that. The question is, does God care?

Or does God have anything to do with our Three.

Does God have anything to do with all the other countries in

the world? Well notice.

Yes, he does. In fact, the Bible would say

that God actually determines the times of Nations.

And by the way, when I say the times of nation time talking

about the beginning of patients and the end of Nations, don't

ever be confused as to think that God is in his Heaven

somewhere and this world is just existing as it wants to and God

has no dealings with it at all, all the countries in the world.

World are subjected to God, not only that he determines when

they begin and he determines how they end.

Let me put some scriptures to that, in Acts, chapter 17 and

Acts 17 · chapter mention

verse 26. The Bible says, and he has made

from one blood every nation of men to dwell on the face of the

Earth and has determined their pre appointed times and the

boundaries of their dwellings. Doesn't that sound to you, like

God's in control? We've got all this stuff going

on in the world. We've got all these things that

happen in various countries and yet God is totally in control

and God determines their beginning.

He determines their dwelling and he had traded determines that

ending of them and their boundaries to.

All right, well what about this? What about this?

Does God have anything to do with who's going to become

president of the United States? That's the question.

Does God have anything to do with that and Daniel chapter 4

Daniel 4 · chapter mention

and verse 17 wants this? The decision is binding divided

by the decree of the Watchers, and the sentence, by the word of

the Holy ones. In order that the living may

know, get this, that the most high rules in the Kingdom of men

and gives do Whomever he will and sets over it.

The lowest of men. That tells me that the most high

by the way, that's God. He is the most high.

There is no one higher than God. He rules and Reigns in the

Kingdom of men. What else does he do?

He gives the Kingdom's to whoever he wants to and what

else he sits over it. The lowest of men.

I've heard people say, you know, there's no way that God has any

dealings with politics if he would put that man in office.

And sets the lowest of men over it.

More on that in a minute. First of all, I have to say this

though, the Bible does not give a theory of government.

The Bible does not uphold one form of government over another

like a monarchy, for example, that ruled in Europe for

centuries. In fact, the Bible does not

uphold a democracy. You can't find a democratic

social civil structure in all the Bible.

We're talking about governments in general now.

I have to tell you something about me, okay?

And, first of all, I understand God's not in America.

God is not in America, okay? But I will tell you this.

I'm a patriotic person and I love our country.

I think there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

I love our country. In fact, I love our country so

much that if it wasn't for preaching, the gospel outside of

this country, I would have no desire to even leave it at all.

I love the country. We live in.

I still believe it's the greatest country in the world,

but don't make the mistake into thinking that God is for our

country and God is against all other countries.

He is not, in fact, God's not an American.

God is a spirit, John chapter 4 and they that worship Him must

John 4 · chapter mention

worship Him in spirit and in truth So is there anything wrong

with being a paint of patriotic type of person?

Absolutely not And you know what, when your kids go to

school, there's nothing wrong with them, doing this flag,

salute and the Pledge of Allegiance, nothing wrong with

that at all. There's also nothing wrong with

staying there, in respect, as you look to the flag of the

United States of America and during the national anthem.

And I got to tell you this nonsense is going on in sports

today, with these disrespectful. People that are taking a knee or

even heard this laying down during the national anthem and

some platform if they're trying to sell.

Well. I think it's ridiculous and I'll

tell you this. I have not fought for my

country, I'm a preacher of the Gospel.

I don't go to battle. I don't fight in Wars.

I preach the word of God. But I'm going to tell you

something, it doesn't mean that I'm not thankful and grateful

for the men who died to buy my freedom.

I'm going to tell you that right now.

If people don't like our country folks, it's really easy.

All you got to do is just get your passport and leave.

I think it's a greatest country in the world that's going to

make that point. But God does not feel better

about America that he does about another country.

God is not American. So, however, the rulers come to

power. However, that is, whether by

dynastic descent inherited, or by aristocratic family

connection or a democratic election.

There is no governing power. That is outside of the purpose

of God, and God has given authority to the authorities

that exist. So somebody might say, well,

what about the what about the bad guys?

What about the crew, guys? You know, the crew ones are not

a reflection of God's goodness or nature.

If somebody abuses the position that they're in, it doesn't mean

it's a reflection on God. Give you a little example.

When I said, God gave to other things for Society, for for man

for man's benefit. One is marriage and the others,

the church, Okay. Divorce tears, marriage apart,

but that's not a reflection on God's nature.

Apostasy and worldliness tears, the church up, but that's not a

reflection on God's nature. And abuse is in government, Tara

Nations. But that doesn't mean that God.

That's a reflection of God's nature.

Not at all. Abuse is do not in any sense.

Diminish, the truth. That these institutions are

ordained. Of God.

I read one scholar. This what he said about Wicked

rulers. Let this soak in for a second.

Wicked rulers are part of God's plan to punish Wicked Nations

and to allow evil to run its course toward destruction as

pretty sobering it Remember when the prophet habakkuk was praying

to God calling out to God, how long am I going to call out to

you? Not going to hear me?

What did God do? He raised up a terrible people?

The Chaldeans to punish them and then what did he do?

He destroyed the Chaldeans. And somebody might say, well,

how is that possible? Why did he do that?

I don't know. I don't know, I don't care.

The Bible says that God's thoughts are not our thoughts.

His ways are not our ways for as the heavens are higher than the

earth. So are his thoughts in our

thoughts, and his ways in our ways, he just submit to that,

that's enough. And that's good enough.

Now, why do we have? Back to the seven motivations.

Why do we have governmental structure?

Why do we have that? Well, really we have it.

The reasons are the purpose is twofold.

Number one, it was for the repression of evil.

And number two, it was for the rewarding of good and virtue

those two reasons. Now, it was never to be ordained

by the opinions of the governed, or the will of the majority.

I'm talking about the structure. God willed a, the structure.

That's what I'm talking about. It was always for there were

question of evil, and it was for the rewarding, a virtue and

good. It was not ordained, it was

ordained of God. It was not ordained by the

opinions of the Govern, nor the will of the majority.

Now, What about Wicked rulers? What about Wicked forms of

government. What about wicked men, that,

that take office? Let me just simply say that they

accomplish the purpose of God, to member fero member fero.

God didn't make him bad, but when he wouldn't repent, he

turned him over to a hard heart. In fact, the Bible says, he used

him to declare his power and all Egypt, and Israel as well.

Romans chapter 9, listen to this, Romans 9 and 17.

Romans 9 · chapter mention

For the scripture says of pharaoh for this very purpose, I

have raised you up. That I may show my power in you

and that my name may be declared on all the Earth.

Even Wicked rulers declare, the purpose of God.

So what's the first reason or motivation that we have to

submit to the governmental authorities that are over us.

Well, number one is by Divine decree, it's appointed by God.

There are no authorities that exist except that which is

ordained of God, that being the case.

That brings us to number two, if you resist the authority, you

rebelled against God. If you resist the authority, you

rebel against God. Going to verse 2 of Romans

Romans 13 · chapter mention

chapter 13. Therefore whoever resists The

Authority resist, the ordinance of God, and those who resist

will bring judgment on themselves.

You know, the word ordinance is an interesting word.

It comes from the Greek word, diet Aaj, and it means

institution or establishment of God.

In other words these governmental authorities are the

ordinance or establishment of God.

All right. One scholar wrote in the 1800's,

listen to this. About our thoughts about that.

and resistance in all of that, he wrote this, in the 1800's, he

said this and I quote, The people of God should consider

resistance to the government under which they live as very

awful and even an awful crime, even as resistance to God,

himself. And somebody might say, no, wait

a minute. I just don't like what's going

on in our country. You think God does?

I'm sure God's not happy either. We still submit by the way, I

understand passing. So I'm not misunderstood we

submit until the laws of the land.

Tell us, we cannot worship God. Then we obey God and we resist

the authorities that are over us whenever the commands of the

authority. Contradict what God has

instructed us to do? Then we do with the Bible says,

I appreciated Darren so much about his prayer and he talked

about About those that are over us and those that are in

governing authoritative rolls over us, that they would not

enact any laws that would keep us from worshiping God.

We don't do that very much anymore.

We don't pray that a whole lot. We need to pray that Now, let's

just back up for a second till about resisting Authority.

You know what resist means, watch this.

It literally means by definition to arrange yourself with the

opposition to permanently line up against God.

In other words, if I resist the authority, that is over me,

guess what? I'm doing, I am lining.

My self up with the opposition against God.

The only time I'm ever allowed to do that is when man's laws

contradict God's laws, then I stand with God.

All right. What should our attitude be even

if we don't like the president? I got to tell you something just

in passing. You probably heard me say it so

I'm just going to admit that. I said it may be so I'm not

reminded of it later but I said yes I did.

If Hillary Clinton's elected president, it can only mean that

God's really mad at us. I said that. the question is,

what's my attitude going to be? If she is elected.

And I this is not a political platform.

What's my attitude for the current president?

What's my attitude for any past president or future president?

What's the Bible say about that? Exodus 22 and 28, watch this,

watch this be careful what you say.

You shall not revile God. North curse, a ruler of his

people. That means I got to watch my

tongue about what I say about those that are in positions of

authority. Those that become president, I

got to watch that. Listen, I'm going to tell you

something. The current President we have he

doesn't need people bad-mouthing him when he needs.

Is he needs God's people praying for him?

There's a greater need for prayer right now and going into

this election. There's a greater need for

prayer from God's people than ever before.

Not being critical and bad-mouthing, pray for him.

And I'll tell you something right now, too.

I'll tell you. I'm not concerned.

A bit. A few days.

I will be 50. And you know what?

In my life, I've never missed a meal.

I've always had a home. I've got a wonderful wife and

children, great family. I'm a member of the Lord's

church. I've been washed in the blood of

the Lamb. I'm a preacher of the Gospel.

I'm living my dream of being a preacher.

My bills. Get paid somehow they get paid

always. And I guarantee you this, if it

is the Lord's will tomorrow, I'm going to open my eyes and I'll

be sunshine. I'm going to live tomorrow The

question is though instead of worrying about the future

instead of worrying about what the future holds then?

Just remember who holds the future.

I'm not concerned about politics at all.

Why God's got that taken care of?

I'm just going to do what he said.

He will preach the gospel. That's what I'm going to do and

live our life. Now you know God has always

though been against resistance to Authority, in fact even with

children you know as a coach I've said this in the past but

as a coach you can tell how a child was raised based upon how

they are and act with Lee as a coach.

You can tell you can tell if your child was raised under the

proper Authority structure in the home or not, But does God

care about how we submit ourselves to Authority?

Absolutely. And he goes all the way back to

the home when the kids are little Under the Old Law.

You know what happened when a child was disrespectful and

disobedient and did not submit to the authority of their

parents. They're one of the timeout.

They didn't stand in the corner and they didn't get a spanking.

You don't they got they were taken outside the camp and they

were stoned to death. You think God cares about how we

submit to the authority that's over us.

I think he cares. And if the child will not submit

to the authority of his parents, he's not going to submit to the

authority of his teachers, not going to submit to the authority

of the laws of land. And he's not going to submit to

the authority of God. But again.

If the law says, we can't worship.

You know, we're going to do what I'm break the law, we break the

law, or you go to jail. That's why we have to pray that

the rulers that are over us will never make that long.

They don't need us to bad-mouth and folks, they need prayer.

They need God's help. Thirdly.

Here's another reason to another motivation.

If you resist The Authority then you are punished verse 2.

Again, those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.

In other words, the consequence of rebellion is Judgment that

were judgments and interesting word.

It's the word that Greek word Crema, and by the way, that is a

word that's found in 1st Corinthians chapter 11, and

verse 29, when Paul was dealing with the communion the Lord's

supper and he said he that eateth and drinketh unworthily

eateth and drinketh Damnation to himself, not Discerning the

Lord's body. In other words he eats and

drinks judgment to himself that case.

We're talking about God's judgment.

But here's a motivating factors to submit to the authority of

the land if we don't. And we resist we are punished by

that Authority. By that Authority.

Now, God gave him that power and that Authority Under the Old

Law. We find that there was always a

punishment and a penalty that ran hand-in-hand with the crime,

for example, under the Old Law, and eye for an eye, and a tooth

for a tooth or equal punishment for the crime.

Now, somebody might say, well why was the punishment?

Why they, why were they punished what purpose does that serve?

Watch this? That did five things punishment,

did five things. And here they are.

Number one, it declared what was right?

Number two, it acted as a deterrent.

You know why? Because under the Old Law, you

didn't get the Dream Team to get job under the Old Law.

The punishment was Swift and it was immediate Number three, it

was used or the idea of punishment was to restrain evil.

It was also a means of Rehabilitation and also to

prevent private vengeance. That's the punishment for doing

something wrong. I don't understand today.

Why people say? Yeah, you did all that but it's

not your fault. Why aren't you say it is my

fault and I'm going to make it right and fix it.

Why not? We have our entire Society

saying yes, you are all this but you had a lousy upbringing at

your parents fault or somebody else.

I don't get that. It's a means of in the always

wasn't of the Old Law and means of Rehabilitation.

In other words, I'm going to fix it.

I'm going to get better. I'm going to make better choices

that's the reason for the punishment.

So that's another motivation though.

If you resist and you're punished by The Authority that

God has given in. Fact, under the Old Testament.

There was no Jewish prisons at all.

The prison system did not exist under the law of Moses.

The Gentiles had prisons, and you remember Paul was in a

number of them. They were part of the Roman

social order. Going back to early Americans.

Also, an early American prisons did not exist.

Either the form of punishment was physical punishment,

followed by restitution. That's pretty good.

Direct and immediate, they have places that they called the jail

cell, but really all that was, was a place to hold them over

until they can do. One of two things they can

either be corporally, punished, physically or, and, or they can

have a way to work and make amends, or make restitution.

God is always wanted man to make restitution for the things in

which we do that are not right to make it right.

The prison systems in early America didn't exist either.

In fact, the Quakers changed all of that.

When they introduced prisons in Pennsylvania, in fact, the first

prison in America was called The Wall Street jail and by the

year, 1790, the law established imprisonment.

You know what they called it penitentiary's.

You know why they called it penitentiary's?

Because they felt like if you were there, you would become

penitent. Sorry for your actions.

I don't know how that's worked, but I'll just say this, the last

statistic I heard is this That we and our country, punished 25

out of 500 people that commit a serious crime.

You've heard me say this over the years like in Singapore.

They have an immediate death penalty or life sentences for

crimes that happen in Singapore. Guess What that particular crime

is non-existent. You know why?

Because crime is not deterred by the severity of the punishment

crime is deterred by The Surety of it.

If I know that if I commit this crime, there's no way.

I'm getting out of it. I'm busted.

I'm not going to do the crime, you know.

People do though they take the chance because there's always a

loophole and yes, 25 out of 5. 500 that commit a serious crime

today, are punished. In these prisons, there's also

no way of restitution. And the Old Testament X is 21

and 22. When someone took from another,

they had to make restitution. Remember the tax collector

members, the key is the little guy and gal from the sycamore

tree to see the king, remember him?

You know what he said? Jesus Jesus said salvation has

come to thy house Zacchaeus said if I have taken anything from

anyone. I restore him for fold.

Restitution. Restitution.

God ordains governments to punish but also to provide a

path of restitution. As someone who violates these

governmental laws God has given such governments the authority

to judge and punish them. But next there's another reason

why we have these why we should submit to them is government

serves to restrain evil in verse 3.

It says, for rulers are not a terror to good works but to

evil. Now, this is connected closely

to the last verse obviously, but I want to make a point. when I

go to the to the airport, I don't care if they take my

briefcase, I don't care if they search through my belongings.

I don't care if they take off my shoes and take my belt, I don't

care if they make me randomly stand over there and get patted

down, you know why? I'm not guilty of anything.

I don't have a problem. Somebody frisking me, it's not

unconstitutional. For me.

I don't care. You know why?

I'm not guilty of anything. The only reason that you are

scared is when you're guilty, Rulers are not a terror, Paul

said to good works, but to evil. Now this word Terror, it's the

word Phobos and it means to terrify.

So, in other words, don't worry about the rulers.

If you're doing the right things, it's only going to

terrify someone who is guilty. And, by the way, the words

Phobos there to terrify, it's where we get the word phobia, or

fear, Rulers are not to terrify us they tear.

They are a terror to those that are evil government serves

serves to restrain evil. So we have nothing to fear.

All we need to do is obey and submit to those authorities.

And we have absolutely nothing to fear at all.

Okay question though. Yeah, I understand that.

We're Christians and we know what's right and wrong and all

that. But what about non-christians?

What about non-christians? Is the law really that

Universal? That everybody knows what's good

and what's evil, okay? In a general sense.

Yes. Yes.

Even if you know nothing about the Bible Romans chapter to them

and give you a passage of supports that Romans 2

beginning. In verse 14, listen to this for

the Gentiles who do not have the law by Nature.

Do the things in the law. These, although not having the

law are a law to themselves who show the work of the law written

in their hearts, their conscience.

Also, bearing witness and between themselves their

thoughts accusing or excusing them.

Now I heard somebody on the radio say this, this is not

true. That everybody is created

depraved. And bad.

That's not true. In fact, I think people

understand the kids understand it's wrong to take from someone

else wrong to hurt someone else and you're someone else.

People in life as they grow in life are influenced by the

surroundings that are around him.

But it's not innate inside them to be rotten.

It isn't That which God creates is good.

And that's why little precious children that died before they

ever reach. The age of accountability are

going straight to heaven. You know why?

There's no rot in that kid. There's no rotten in that.

Child rotten comes from the outside and when they get older

and they act upon it, that's what becomes rotten.

So it restrains evil. That's what it's for, but here's

a positive one. Here's a positive side and

that's number five. Government serves.

To promote good. Verse 3, do you want to be

unafraid of the authority? Do what is good?

And you will have Praise of the same.

The first part of verse 44. He is God's minister to you for

good. Who is God's Minister?

God's minister is the one that's in Authority.

So God's Minister, the one that's an authority has the

ability to take care of all the negative stuff.

But it's also for the good, you'll have Praise of the same.

It says, if you do that, which is good.

Don't be afraid. In fact, First Timothy Chapter 2

1 Timothy 2 · chapter mention

beginning in verse 1. Therefore I exert.

First of all that supplications prayers, intercessions and

giving of thanks be made for all men and get this.

Here, it is again for kings and all who are in Authority that we

may lead a quiet and Peaceable life in all godliness and

reverence, if you want to know what to say to.

God. Say that to God, pray that to

God about the rulers that be in our existence over us.

Government's primary role is to restrain evil.

That's basically a given, but the positive one is this

promotes good. In fact, the word good, there is

the word agathon and it means to be intrinsically, good.

In other words, good for your own sake.

Good for your own sake. That's what Peter said in First,

Peter 2 verses 14 and 15 when one does good.

He silences even his critics verse 15.

And first, Peter 2 says this for this is the will of God that by

doing good. You may put to silence the

ignorance of foolish men. I'm going to tell you something.

If you're a Christian and you stand out, somebody is going to

criticize or make fun of you. Yes.

It's okay. Just keep doing that, which is

good. And you'll have Praise of the

same of the authority. That's number one.

And number two, guess what? You will put a stop to or

silence muzzle. The critics It's the life that

we live. And by the way, let me just say

this in passing. That's how far the Muslim world

has gone from God. Obviously, they have an agenda,

that's to terrorize the entire world disrupted and disrupt and

Destroy. And we know that that doesn't

come from God, that comes from the devil that comes from safe.

So yes, there is bad things in the world but here's another

one. There's another motivation for

submitting to the governmental Authority that is over us and

that is that rulers have the power to inflict severe

punishment in verse 4 Back to our text.

But if you do, if you do evil, be afraid for he does not bear

The Sword in vain for. He is God's Minister and Avenger

to execute wrath on him. Who practices evil.

Now, what is the sword mean? The word sword is defined from a

word that means the instrument that brings about death. you

know about five years ago or so when I study this passage I

tried to make this mean anything in the world but what it is I

tried to make this mean something other than what it is.

Another words, the one that's in the governmental Authority, the

one that's in that Authority, guess what?

God gave him. What even gave him the authority

of the sword. In fact, it says he doesn't bear

The Sword in vain. You know what that's talking

about. As talking about the death

penalty. Now, I got to say this.

I say this Christians can't take lives.

We cannot. We don't take lives.

We're not allowed to. But that doesn't mean it.

God has not given authority to someone to do.

So when their crime proves that, that's what it should be.

This is not just a symbol. this is not just a phrase in passing,

this is talking about capital punishment, even back in Genesis

Genesis 9 · chapter mention

chapter 9, The Bible says, whoever sheds man's blood by man

shall his blood be shed. In other words, the death

penalty for taking a life. Now, the question is this, it's

all that. Here's really simple, the simple

way to look at this, the only thing that matters is ask

yourself who Bears, The Sword and Frank Frank, Frank Cuddle,

Bear the sword. Nope, cannot can't.

But he is the governmental structure of the authoritative

role of someone in our country. They don't bear The Sword in

vain and by the way, I got to say, haven't you found in your

life that the majority of people that oppose the death penalty

Are the same people that support abortion.

Makes no sense to me. We don't want to take someone's

life that brutally mass, murder people, but we want to take the

life of an innocent baby. Interesting, isn't it?

I'm so glad that God has taken care of all of that.

But finally, finally, Here's another reason to we obey for

conscience sake in verse 5, therefore you must be subject.

Not only because of rap. but also, because of conscience

sake, you know, at the end of the day, Why do we obey God?

We obey God because God said, so why do we made a laws away

because God said so. But here's a secondary benefit,

if the secondary xenophon is, we're going to have a clear

conscience, nothing to worry about.

We have to worry about that at all.

In fact, if a policeman shows up, I'm not guilty.

How you doing, talk to him, you don't care, you got a clear

conscience. Haven't you ever been in that

situation? We've all been in that situation

when you're guilty of something, maybe as a kid as a child and

you're guilty of something, But if you have a clear conscience,

you got no worries. You have nothing to hide.

And your life is an open book in conclusion today.

So the benefit of doing right is a clear conscience but in

conclusion Why do we obey the authorities that are over us

here they are number one. They're appointed by God.

And because of that, to resist the authority that's over, us is

to rebel against God. And we showed that what that

means is, you literally are lining yourself at opposition to

God. Also, another reason is, when we

resist, were punished by The Authority that's over us.

Number four, government serves to restrain evil number five

government serves to promote. Good.

Number six, rulers have the power to inflict, severe

punishment, even the death penalty.

Got to obey. And finally, we obey for

conscience sake. Now, I'll tell you all that

being said, I don't know who's going to be the president, the

next prison. I don't know.

I don't know. But let me just say this to you,

please, whoever it is. Don't badmouth, the president,

pray for the president. Number two prayed, no laws will

ever be enacted. That would keep us from serving

God, the way, the Bible says, we must serve him number three,

understand beyond a shadow of a doubt, understand that God is

totally in control. And number four, understand

this. All that being said, God's

people will be just fine. We're gonna be fine.

So when people go oh it's going to now.

It's not so it's good. That was no, it's not going to

be just fine. We never know the hearts and

minds of those that are present. Maybe you're here today and

you're not a child of God, we never know the hearts and minds

of those that are with us. So we want to extend now an

invitation to someone that might be subject to the gospel call.

If you're not a Christian and come believing in Jesus, repent

of your sins confess, his name as the Son of God and be

baptized in water for the remission of your sins, be added

to the body of Christ. Have your sins washed away, be a

member of the Lord's church today.

Maybe you've taken those steps, but you bear this straight away.

Something of a public nature that be the case to repent of

those things, confess those things and we'll pray with you

and for you, and God will forgive and restore.

If you want to be the class come forward, while we stand, and

what we say, Maybe you've taken those steps, but you bear this

straight away. Something of a public nature

that be the case to repent of those things, confess those

things and we'll pray with you and for you, and God will

forgive and restore. If you want to be the class come

forward, while we stand, and what we say,