JUNE 28 READING…ROMANS 13
The Scripture was not just written for a people with good governments. As a matter of fact every secular governmental system will fail you. When Paul wrote Romans the people of God we oppressed by the Roman government. Romans 13 has been very difficult for many Christians through the years to understand. The thought is that no government exist apart from God, whether the government knows that’s why they exist or not. The book of Daniel tells us that we will get the government that we deserve, this is the warning for a people not to walk away from God. It is important to know what this passage is not teaching. It is not teaching that we obey the government when it requires us to do something that is contrary to God’s commands. Peter made that clear in the book of Acts when he said, “Is it right to obey you (authorities) or God, we will obey God”. Jesus knew there would be times when our faith would set us against the governmental authorities, and He warned His disciples that a time would come when they would be brought before these authorities because of their faith. We as followers of Jesus must always do what is right before God, above any other authority or government. Here is the essence of what Paul is saying, that we remain subject to the government authority over us. So, if we break their laws in following the Lord, we must subject ourselves to their punishments for doing so. They have the God given authority to punish, and for the most part they will punish genuine criminals, but all governments move away from God, from justice, and from fair dealings with people. Paul knew this…Paul was experiencing this…we just read in the book of Acts how Paul lived this out as he responded to his arrest and imprisonment in Rome. May we also have faith in God to take care of us in what is coming.
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MONDAY’S READING…ROMANS 14
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