Living Sacrifice Under God’s Authority
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Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
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Romans chapters 3 -11 lay the foundational truths of salvation by faith. It clearly portrays our salvation is a gift from God entered only and exclusively through Jesus Christ. Romans 4 declared that is was faith in Jesus without works least any man should boast. Romans 5 declare the much more you find in the true grace message. And many more truths brought to us exclusively through the grace found in Jesus alone. In last week’s Bible study we said there was a turning of the corner at chapter 12. It is learning to live out of the fullness of God’s grace. Romans 13 continues the practical applications that allows the fullness of grace to work in our lives.
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This is where the rubber meets the road! Many, many give loud amen at the grace of Romans 4 through 8. However, Romans is a building block book. If you leave out some of the chapters you have yet to hear the whole of how God wants to work in the believer’s life.
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God calls the believer to live under subjection to the governing authorities. Authorities are appointed by God. Be careful how you treat God’s appointed people.
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Romans 13:2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain;for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.
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Not all authority over us are godly, none the less, they are in their position because God allowed it. There is a single exception to submitting to worldly authority. If they are demanding one to break from walking in obedience to God, you must be obedient to God. These cases, in our society, are the exception and not the rule. God calls us to pray for our leadership and to submit to their authority. We should pray for our leaders in our city, counties, states. We should pray for the peace of our cities and pray not just for our own church to be blessed; we should pray for all those churches who truly call on the name of the Lord.
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Romans 13:5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
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These practical teachings are still dealing with us being the living sacrifice to God. God calls us to live with integrity toward our governing authorities. Render therefore to all their due. What straight forward instructions! Taxes, customs, fear, and honor to whom it is due to. Our modern day society has lost the truths of fear and honor. We have resented being under God’s authority, the churches authority and the civil governing authority. In fact just this week I heard a minister declare the church has no authority over the believers. I know there has been abuse by those who have authority; however, that is no reason to throw out the truth and miss the blessing of walking under the authority God has called us to.
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Hebrews 13:7 Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.
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Hebrews 13:17 Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
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There is not only the civil authority there is also those with Spiritual authority. There are those who make the claim I have no authority but Jesus Christ! What of these verses that command us to obey those who rule over us. I know this is a hard pump to prime in the modern churches. How hungry are you for God, and to what depth do you want to walk in His ways? Let God bring you to a church full of the Holy Ghost and a man with a true shepherd’s heart and be planted and grow under his authority.
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Ephesians 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
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The phrase has been coined “the five fold ministry”. God has raised up men to walk in these ministries for the benefit of the church. The modern day church has not been taught to give honor and fear to whom it is due. When we say fear it is a respect for the man who God has given authority to. Without the fullness of the grace message this authority becomes unbalanced. However it is God who will bring stability and balance to His church if we will submit to His word.
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1 Peter 5:2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;
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Here is the Godly instructions to those God has called the church to submit to. Submitting to the civilian authority is very important; however I feel compelled to keep sharing about the spiritual authority God has called us to submit to. God has commanded the ministers in the church to shepherd the flock by example; God has also command the church body to submit to the authority God has put in place.
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God has an order and when we come out of order we leave the enemy of our soul room to gain a foot hold in our lives.
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1 Corinthians 16:15 I urge you, brethren; you know the household of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints; 16 that you also submit to such, and to everyone who works and labors with us.
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Here in Corinthians it was the way of the church to submit to those dedicated to the work of the ministry; far to many have lost the way. God calls us back into His divine order and plan.
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Romans 13:8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
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Not only does God call us to submit to authority but grace teaches us to love one another. God is love and when the love of Christ flows through us those around will be changed. Being compelled by the love of Christ brings right action and living. This too is walking practically as that living sacrifice. We are not under the law; however the law will be fulfilled as we walk as a living sacrifice.
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Romans 13:11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
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It is time for the church to awake from it’s slumber. Wake up to the grace God has bestowed upon us. Awake to the depth of His love for us. Awake to the gift of righteousness the Father gave us through His Son Jesus. Awake to the truth God has done a perfected work in our spirit; awake to bringing our soul in line with the Word of God. Awake to the longing with all creation for the final redemption of our bodies.
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Ephesians 5:14 Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light." 15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
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Imagine such words from the Holy Spirit to the church. Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead. God is speaking to the church. In this evil day we must awake and pursue the purposes and plan of God. Is our lifestyle one of redeeming the time? If we are not whole heartedly pursuing God and His purpose we are slumbering. We must pursue relationship with God and long for Him to be our reward. LET THE CHURCH AWAKE!
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Romans 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.
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When the church conversation is the same as the world conversation, when the church loves the same thing the world loves, when the church pursuits are the same as the world, it is time for the church of God to awake! Why is it the church hallways have the same conversations as in the workplace.
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2 Timothy 3:1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
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The line here in this passage strikes my soul. The church has become lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. When you hear in the hallways of the church fans of “Dancing With the Stars” talk but they would not dare move out of the pew to dance for Jesus, the church needs an awakening. When the church is longing to hear “Oprah” advice for an hour and have not read the Word of God for 5 minutes, the church needs an awakening. When the church calls for a picnic and ¾ of the church shows up, and the church calls for a prayer meeting and a handful show up, the church is in need of an awakening. When the church has any reflection in this passage of Timothy the church is in need of awakening. The solution is not far off or hard to understand.
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Romans 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
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God is calling us to walk and live as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to Him. Will we the church answer the call? It is time for the church to allow the washing of the water of the Word to come. It is time for the church to come back under the authority by which it was birthed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. It is time to allow Christ to shine on us!
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