November 13, 2022; Sunday School

Order of Service

• Sermon
• Prayer

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Sermon Title: The Pilgrim Life and Submission to Earthly Authorities

Scripture: Romans 13:1-2

I. Who Are Our Earthly Authorities?

A. The Fifth Commandment as the foundation — Exodus 20:12

1. The commandment to honor father and mother is a hinge between the two tables of the law
2. It points both upward to God's authority and outward to horizontal authorities

B. Westminster Larger Catechism Q&A 124 broadens the scope of the Fifth Commandment

1. "Father and mother" includes all superiors in age and gifts
2. Especially those by God's ordinance placed over us in authority
3. Three spheres: family, church, and commonwealth (state)

C. Old Testament connections to civic authority as parental figures

1. Isaiah 49:23 — Kings as foster fathers, queens as nursing mothers
2. Isaiah 60:16 — Nourishment from kings and nations during exile

II. Why Do We Owe Submission to Earthly Authorities?

A. Westminster Confession of Faith 23.1 — God has ordained civil magistrates under himself

1. Appointed for God's glory and the public good
2. Armed with the power of the sword for defense of good and punishment of evildoers

B. Romans 13:1-2 — The direct biblical mandate

1. There is no authority except from God
2. Those that exist have been instituted by God
3. Resisting governing authorities is resisting what God has appointed

C. God's sovereignty extends over electoral outcomes and the appointment of rulers

1. Even rulers who do not honor God are placed under him
2. He always has the good of his church in mind

III. What Do We Owe Earthly Authorities?

A. Westminster Larger Catechism — inferiors owe superiors the following

1. Due reverence in heart, word, and behavior
2. Prayer and thanksgiving for them
3. Imitation of their virtues and graces
4. Willing obedience to their lawful commands
5. Due submission to their corrections
6. Fidelity to the defense and maintenance of their persons and authority
7. Bearing with their infirmities and covering them in love

B. Practical application

1. Obedience to civil laws as far as conscience allows
2. Persistent prayer for rulers, including their health and wellbeing — cf. 1 Timothy 2:1-2
3. Patience with the limitations of human rulers

IV. To What Extent Should We Submit?

A. Acts 5:27-29 — the apostles before the high priest establish the principle of limits

1. Authorities commanded them not to preach Christ
2. Peter and the apostles answered: "We must obey God rather than men"
3. When civil authority intrudes on the church's proclamation of the gospel, obedience to God takes precedence

B. Discernment is required

1. A distinction exists between laws permitting moral evil and laws forbidding Christian worship or proclamation
2. Church history repeatedly demonstrates faithful men choosing obedience to God over civil command at great personal cost

C. Living faithfully as pilgrims in a democracy

1. Christians have a voice through the vote and civic engagement
2. We cannot make a one-to-one correlation between Old Testament Israel as a theocracy and modern nations
3. God's sovereign governance over even unjust laws does not relieve us of the call to discernment and wise engagement
4. Our rulers are limited creatures — we must not look to them as ultimate problem-solvers
5. We submit to authorities as unto God, remembering our ultimate citizenship is in heaven — cf. Romans 12:2