CHRISTIANS, GOVERNMENT, & GOD

I PETER 2:13-25

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. THE SENSIBLE RESPONSIBILITY OF CHRISTIANS [v. 13-14a]

1. Submit [v. 13-14a, Acts 5:29]

Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

2. Submit for the Lord’s Sake [v. 13, Colossians 3:23-25]

And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

3. Submit for Conscience’s Sake [2:19, Rm. 13:5-8]

II. THE SIMPLE RESPONSIBILITY OF GOVERNMENT [v. 14]

1. Government is Instituted of God [v. 14, Rm. 13:1-2]

2. Government is Supposed to Punish Evildoers [v. 14, Gn. 9:6, Rm. 13:3-4]

3. Government is Supposed to Commend the good [v. 14, Rom. 13:3]

III. THE SELF-IMPOSED “RESPONSIBILITY” OF GOD [v. 15-25]

1. Reveal His Will [v. 15]

2. Reveal His Way [v. 16-20]

In a republic like ours you honor by righteous participation- voting, voicing approval and even disapproval. You don’t have to suffer in silence. That is not the intent of our freedoms. Acts 16:37 But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.

3. Reveal His WORD [v. 21-25, Jn. 1:1ff]