Centreville Presbyterian Church
The Book of Romans: Should Christians be Rule followers? | March 10, 2024
Living in a broken world, it is hard for Christians (or anyone) to know how to feel about all the mess around us. How does the Word of God tell us to live in our morally grey world?
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Centreville Presbyterian Church
15450 Lee Hwy., Centreville, VA 20120, USA
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 10:30 AM
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What does it mean for us to Honor and Respect our rulers?
1. We are not above the system
2. Christians should follow the law
3. We should root for our country to succeed (no matter who rules)
1. We are not above the system
2. Christians should follow the law
3. We should root for our country to succeed (no matter who rules)
N.T. Wright:
That the authorities are instituted by God means that their authority is not self-generated, but exists only because the authorities have a legitimate place in the created order. In other words, the authority of the authorities is under Jesus’ Lordship. Such a message would in itself have been subversive, “an undermining of pagan totalitarianism, not a reinforcement of it,” and not what the authorities would have like to have heard.
That the authorities are instituted by God means that their authority is not self-generated, but exists only because the authorities have a legitimate place in the created order. In other words, the authority of the authorities is under Jesus’ Lordship. Such a message would in itself have been subversive, “an undermining of pagan totalitarianism, not a reinforcement of it,” and not what the authorities would have like to have heard.
What do we do when the government is doing something wrong?
Tim Keller:
If the state commands what God forbids, or if the state forbids what God commands, then civil disobedience is a Christian duty.
If the state commands what God forbids, or if the state forbids what God commands, then civil disobedience is a Christian duty.
Bonhoeffer's three responses to unjust gov't
1. Question the Actions of the State (Be its Conscience)
2. Aid the victims of state action
3. “its not enough just to bandage the victims under the wheel, but to put a spoke in the wheel itself.”
1. Question the Actions of the State (Be its Conscience)
2. Aid the victims of state action
3. “its not enough just to bandage the victims under the wheel, but to put a spoke in the wheel itself.”
“Confirmands today are like young soldiers marching to war, the war of Jesus Christ against the gods of this world. It is a war that demands the commitment of one’s whole life. Is not God, our Lord, worthy of this struggle? Idolatry and cowardice confront us on all sides, but the direst foe does not confront us, he is within us. ‘Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.’”
MLK:
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Cost of Discipleship
Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: "ye were bought at a price," and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.
Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: "ye were bought at a price," and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.