1 Peter 2 Verse 11 told us we are strangers and pilgrims on this earth...... We are just passing through, our permanent dwelling place is in the New Jerusalem...... But while we are living upon this earth Verse 13 tells us to......”Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man.......and then it says...... for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.” In other words.......The true purpose of human government and civil rulers are, that all people (whether Christian or not) co-operate to put lawlessness down and to praise those who are doing good....... This tells us that Christians (first and foremost) must be law abiding.....we cant profess to be Christians and also violate the civil laws of the land that all other men around us are suppose to live by...... There are many laws of the land that we could easily violate, and probably never be found out.........driving laws.......tax laws........business practice laws.......littering laws …....etc...... In a nutshell......Romans 13:1-7 tells us......”Christians are under command to obey human laws and civil rulers, as long as they do not transgress the laws of God.”.......The Laws of God will always trump the laws of man!...... Verse 15 says.......”For so is the will of God, that with well doing (obeying the laws of the land at all times and conducting yourself honestly at all times) ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:” We are right in the middle of (8) commands that Peter is giving to all “citizens of heaven” while they are sojourning (as pilgrims) on this earth...... Or we could say (8) commands that are given to all Christians who are (currently citizens of this earth also) by being alive upon this earth today........ Verse 11 told us to abstain from all fleshly lusts....... Verse 12 told us to live honest lives before men....... Verses 13-15 told us to submit to human civil rulers...... Verse 16 tells us to be free, but live Godly.....we are free from the law (we know that) but we choose (by our obedience to God) to live Godly!..... Verse 17 tells us.......honor all men.....it tells us to love the brotherhood.......it tells us to fear God........and it tells us to honor the king....... Honor the emperor, or the highest civil ruler.......because human government is (ultimately) from God and allowed by God.......God knows having authority designated, and submitting to that authority is a much better way for (naturally rebellious) mankind (as a whole) to exist than having everyone doing what is right in their own eyes....... Thats the way the kingdom of God works......
Posted on: Mon, 25 Nov 2013 13:59:46 +0000