PureHeartsPureHomes
Joined: 08 May 2007
Posts: 12
Location: South Carolina
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 Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2007 10:01 am Post subject: Unto What Authority Do We Submit? |
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Daily Devotional
9/5/2007
The Bible is full of scripture that tells us to submit to authority. Jesus himself told us to give the government that which we owe it and that would include our submission to its authority. In general, we are called to obey the laws of our government and other ruling bodies. There are, however, times when disobeying our government is not only okay, but is required of us. Those times are ones in which we are asked to do something that goes against what God’s Word tells us. This is exactly what was happening to Peter and John as they preached right after the Pentecost. The message they were preaching, that Jesus was the Messiah, and that only those that repented of their sins and called upon His name would enter the kingdom of Heaven, did not sit well with the Jewish leaders. For this reason they commanded Peter and John to not speak the name of Jesus any longer.
Had Peter and John woke up that morning and said to one another, “You know, we should go out and stir up a bunch of trouble” they would have been in the wrong. This, we know, was not the case. Peter and John had been told by Jesus to wait until they were sent the Holy Spirit, then to go and preach His name to the world. Not to be rebellious, but to show the world that it was in need of a Savior, and that that Savior was Jesus. While looking at how Peter and John responded to the rulers, we must take notice of their response. There was no name calling, there were no threats of lawsuits, or violence; they simply kept speaking the truth.
“But Peter and John answered and said unto them, whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19-20 KJV)
They knew that they had to submit, but chose to submit to God rather than man. We today must do the same, but when we do, we must make sure we do so because it clearly violates scripture and not simply because we don’t personally like a law or rule of our society.
Another thing we must realize is that when we do violate the law of government in the name of upholding God’s Word, there will be consequences. Notice Peter and John did not go kicking and screaming to their punishment. They accepted it, took it, and then continued to preach the same message that they had been punished for. I am sure they did not like, or welcome, the beatings and imprisonment, but they were willing to endure them for the sake of the spreading of the good news of Jesus Christ.
The last thing to look at is what the others were doing while Peter and John were being punished. They were not protesting or trying to over power the rulers; no they were on their knees praying and interceding in prayer on behalf of Peter and John.
They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's. (Matthew 22:21 KJV)
In this case what was Caesar’s was the right to punish, and what was God’s was the command to preach a risen Jesus Christ. We must submit to those that have rule over us, and this would be the government. The one thing we must remember is that even though the government has rule over us, God has rule over our government, therefore, He has supreme rule over us.
God Bless You
Chad Patterson
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Blessings,
Chad
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