Skip to main content

Honor The Lord, Then The Emperor

Recently in our Sunday School class we have entered into some discussion about our obedience to the Lord and our obedience to our government and the laws they set forth for the people. Most of the time their is little to no conflict between the two, but because the question was raised I will try to offer some biblical direction for the conversation.

We know that laws are good. In fact the Bible states that God puts governments and systems of law in place to restrain evil and lawlessness. (Romans 13:1-7) So it is both good and right that we have an allegiance to our country and government, because God, in His sovereignty, has put it in place. However, we must also understand that we have an allegiance to a much higher authority and law. Jesus makes it clear that the two greatest commandments (i.e. laws) we have are to (1) love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength and (2) to love our neighbor as ourself. (Matthew 22:34-40)

These two "greatest" commandments should rule supreme in our hearts. 99% of the time they will never contradict the rule and laws of the land. But a day may come when they do. Sooner than that a moment may come in each of our lives where we are forced to choose between two allegiances. Our greatest allegiance must be to that of God Almighty. So in the mean time we will live as Peter instructs us in in 1 Peter 2:13-17; being subject to every human institution, but obeying the Lord God above even them.

Love In Christ,
Pastor Mitch

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Generation of Mark 13:30

At the beginning of Mark chapter thirteen Jesus is leaving the temple area and one of his disciples points out the grandure of the temple buildings. Jesus' remark to that disciple concerns the fact that these buildings will one day be torn down. The disciples question Him further as to the times of these events, and so begins an extended teaching from Jesus on the end times.As Jesus' remarks are drawing to a close, He makes this comment in Mark 13:30: "Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place." (NASB) So the reader is left to wonder the meaning of this statement. Either our understanding of generation is wrong, or we are understanding what Jesus meant by "these things" wrong. I think there are at least two solutions. The word for generation (genea: Greek) could mean, as some side column reference Bibles note, "the human race". This is possible, since the events have not all happened and the human race...
15 comments
Read more

One Small Child

Basking In The Promise of The Incarnation A promise is only good if someone keeps it. Great promises require great people. The greater the promise, the greater the need for the person making the promise to be great. Long ago a man, a woman, and a serpent stood before God in the midst of a beautiful garden. Each cowering in shame before their Maker. Lawlessness had been unleashed, depravity now flooded into the hearts of mankind and the close presence of God was now removed. Hope was lost and death was imminent. Then God made a promise – a great promise. The serpent would be crushed, the power of death would be taken back and the rebellion that separated God and man would be atoned for. One would come forth from God to rule the nations with a rod of iron, to sit on the throne of an eternal kingdom, and bring everlasting peace to a world in turmoil. Who could fulfill such a great promise? The world waited for an answer. They looked to altars of sacrifice, anointed priests in holy attire,...
1 comment
Read more

There Is Light And It Is Good

I am a young earther. That means that I believe that The LORD created the heavens and the earth and all that they contain in six literal 24 hour periods. Those who hold that the evolutionary model is correct (billions and billions of years without a creator) often say that the six literal days is impossible because the sun (the basis for a 24 hour day) is not created until day four(Genesis 1:14-19). A good point to be sure, but what of the light that is spoken of in 1:3? The famous line "Let there be light" is often equated with the sun. But if the sun is created 3 days later than the light, what could this first act of creation be? I believe the hint to what is happening is found at the polar opposite end of the Bible. In Revelation 21:23 Scripture states: "And the city [New Jerusalem i.e., heaven] has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the lamb," and again in 22:5 it states; "And there will...
2 comments
Read more