Lesson 5
God established all authority. This includes all governmental authority on earth.
1. Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are _________ by God. (Rom. 13:1)
If we disobey the laws of the land, disobey and dishonor God
2. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the _________ of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. (Rom. 13:2)
God instituted civil government for our own good. In His wisdom, he knew that we needed protection from the criminal element in society.
3. For rulers are not a __________ to good works, but to evil. (Rom. 13:3)
If we live within the laws of the land, we do not have to fear the policeman. He is God’s minister appointed by God to protect us.
4. …Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is _______ ___________ to you for good….. (Rom. 13:3-4)
Those who live outside the law should on the other hand, beware! God ordained laws to stop evil doers from harming innocent people. God approves apprehending criminals, trying them and even executing them. Those who cooperate in the process of bringing a criminal to justice are working for God, everyone from the policeman to the juror who sits on the jury.
The word “sword” is used in the verse below. A sword is used for killing someone. Therefore from this passage we understand that God approves of capitol punishment. I believe that a Christian could flip the switch or give the injection that would kill the criminal who has been sentenced to death.
5. But if you do evil, be _______ ; for he does not bear the sword in _____ ; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. (Rom. 13:4)
6. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for __________ sake. (Rom. 13:5)
Pay your taxes! God said that his minister’s, the policeman, the judge etc…. must be paid! Not only pay them, but honor them! Give them utmost respect!
7. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ________ attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. (Rom. 13:6-7)
When Christ lived on earth, He submitted to the laws of the land. In the passage below he tells those gathered that they must pay taxes:
8. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give _________ unto Caesar, or not?... (Matt. 22:17)
9. Shew me the_______ _______ . And they brought unto him a penny. (Matt.22:19)
10. And he saith unto them, Whose is this ______ and__________ ? (Matt.22:20)
11. They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, ______ therefore unto Caesar the ________ which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's. (Matt.22:21)
God wants us to pray for those in governmental authority. Pray for our President! Pray for those over our military. Pray for those who make our laws. It is God’s desire that we live a quiet and peaceful life. If we pray for the leaders of our nation then we will not have to fear laws which threaten our freedom, or the safety of our citizens.
12. When the righteous are in authority, the people______ ; But when a wicked man rules, the people_________ .
(Proverbs 29:2)
When people are free, when they feel safe and are not always overwrought with fear because of corrupt governmental officials, the atmosphere is better for spreading the gospel. God wants what is good for us. He tells us to pray for our leaders. If He tells us to pray, that must mean that He has the desire as well as the power to influence change for our good in the area of civil government.
13. Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, _______, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, (1 Tim.2:1)
14. For kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a _____ and __________ life in all godliness and reverence. (1 Tim. 2:2)
15. For this is ________ and __________ in the sight of God our Savior, ... (1 Timothy 2:1-3)
16. Remind them to
be subject to _______ and ________ ,
to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to
be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. (Titus
3:1-2)
David Respected Civil Authority
God said that David was a man after God’s own heart. It is interesting to study David’s life to try to understand what God meant when he declared this about David.
David had several strengths in his character. One area which stands out was David’s respect for God anointed authority.
God had rejected Saul as king because he had sinned against God. God told Samuel to anoint David to be king in his place. Saul then became very jealous of David.
Saul pursued David with the intent of killing him. David knew this and spent a lot of time running and hiding from Saul. One night Saul and his men drew near to David, made camp and went to sleep. The following is what happened next:
17. So David and Abishai came to the people by night; and there Saul lay _______ within the camp, with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. And Abner and the people lay all around him. (1 Samuel 26:7)
18. Then Abishai said to David, "God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day. Now therefore, please, let me ______ him at once with the spear, right to the earth; and I will not have to strike him a second time!" (1 Samuel 26:8)
19. But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD's anointed, and be________ ?” (1 Samuel 26:9)
20. David said furthermore, "As the LORD lives, the LORD shall _______ him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall go out to battle and_______ . (1 Samuel 26:10)
21. The LORD _______ that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD's anointed. But please, take now the spear and the jug of water that are by his head, and let us go." (1 Samuel 26:11)
22. So David took the spear and the jug of water by Saul's head, and they got away; and no man saw or knew it or awoke. For they were all asleep, because a deep sleep _____ _____ ________ had fallen on them. (1 Samuel 26:12)
23. Now David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of a hill afar off, a ______ ________ being between them. And David called out to the people and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, "Do you not answer, Abner?” Then Abner answered and said, "Who are you, calling out to the king?" (1 Samuel 26:13-14)
24. So David said to Abner, "Are you not a man? And who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not ______ your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy your lord the king. (1 Sam. 26:15)
25. This thing that you have done is not good. As the LORD lives, you _____ ___ _____ , because you have not guarded your master, the LORD's anointed. And now see where the king's spear is, and the jug of water that was by his head." (1 Sam.26:16)
David could have killed Saul, but he had too much respect for Saul’s authority as king because his authority was given by God. Notice that he also rebuked Abner and told him that he deserved to die for not guarding the king.
A Side Trip
Now let’s take a little side trip. Do you know what “metaphorical” or “symbolic language” is? It is when a word is not meant literally but it stands for something else. God uses it a lot in the Bible. Here are some examples with which you are familiar.
Tell what each one means:
26. Christ is a lamb.
27. Christ is a door.
28. The church is the Bride of Christ.
29. The Word is Bread.
30. Ok, I think we have the idea. Take a look at the following passages. Then tell me what “horn” stands for and what does it have to do with this lesson.
(Hint:
If you type “Bible Gateway” in your Web search, click go. Click additional
resources. Scroll down. Click dictionaries. Type
in “horn”. Scroll down to find “horn” in the list.
Click and read meanings.)
31.
“All the horns of the wicked I will also____ ____, But the
horns of the righteous shall be exalted.”
(Psalm
75:10)
32. “But My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him, And in My name his
horn shall be ______ . (Psalm
89:24)
33. There I will make the horn of David _____ ; I will
prepare a lamp for My Anointed.
(Psalm
132:17)
34. The horn of Moab is ___ _____ , And
his arm is broken,” says the LORD. (Jeremiah
48:25)
35. The LORD has done what He
purposed; He has fulfilled His word Which He commanded in days of old. He has
thrown down and has not pitied, And He has caused an enemy to rejoice over you;
He has exalted the horn of your____________ . (Lamentations
2:17)
36. ‘In that day I will cause the horn of the house of Israel to______
_______ , and I will open your mouth to speak in their
midst. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.’”
(Ezekiel
29:21)
37.
I was considering the horns, and there was another horn,
a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns
were ________ _____ by the roots. And
there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth
speaking pompous words. (Daniel
7:8)
38.
“I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn
was ______ ; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body
destroyed and given to the burning flame.
(Daniel
7:11)
39. And the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn
which came up, before which three fell, namely, that horn which had
eyes and a mouth which spoke ________ words, whose appearance
was greater than his fellows. (Daniel
7:20)
40. “I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the
______ , and prevailing against them,...
(Daniel
7:21)
41. And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living
creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been
slain, having ______ horns and seven eyes, which are the
seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
(Revelation
5:6)
* * * *
Let’s swerve back on the road before we get hopelessly lost.J
Honor God by Obeying Civil Laws
As children of God we honor Him if we obey the laws of the land:
42. I say, "Keep the king's ____________ for the sake of your oath to God. (Ecclesiastes 8:2)
43. Do not be hasty to go from his presence. Do not take your stand for an evil thing, for he does whatever _________ him." (Ecclesiastes 8:3)
There may be times when we do not like or agree with a law of the land, but
we must comply anyway.
44. Where the word of a king is, there is ________ ; And who may say to him, "What are you doing?" (Ecclesiastes 8:4)
45. He who keeps his ________ will experience nothing harmful;… (Ecclesiastes 8:5)
46. Therefore ________ yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme,... (1 Pet.2:13)
47. Or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the __________ of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. (1 Pet.2:14)
48. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to ________ the __________ of foolish men—(1 Pet.2:15)
49. As free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as ______________ of God. (1 Pet.2:16)
The only exception is when we are told to do something that is against God’s laws. In the following verses you will see that the Apostles were commanded by those who were in authority, not to preach in the name of Jesus anymore. They did it anyway. God’s authority supersedes man’s authority. We must always remember that. Please read and consider:
50. Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the______ ________ . (Acts 5:17-18)
51. But at night an angel of the Lord opened the ______ _______ and brought them out, and said, “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.” (Acts 5:19-20)
52. And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the
morning and _________ . But the high
priest and those with him came and called the council together, with all the
elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. (Acts
5:21)
53. But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, saying, “Indeed we found the prison _____ ___________ , and the guards standing outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!” (Acts 5:22-23)
54. Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be. So one came and told them, saying,“Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and________ ______ _________ !” (Acts 5:24-25)
55.Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence,
for they feared the people, lest they should be _________ . (Acts
5:26)
56. And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, saying, “Did we not __________ command you not to teach in this name? (Acts 5:27-28)
57. And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your_________ , and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!” (Acts 5:28)
58. But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to
____ ______ rather than men. (Acts
5:29)
Let’s Review:
59. Who established civil authority?
60. Why should we pray for the rulers in our government?
61. What did David do that showed his great respect for authority?
62. What did the apostles say when they were commanded not to preach in the name of Jesus anymore?
Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. (1 Pet.2:17)