Put on the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 13)
Support God's civil servants.
Listen to conscience.
Love thy neighbour as thyself.
Love does no harm.
Love is the fulfilling of the law.
Put on the Lord Jesus Christ.
1. God is the ultimate sovereign over all civil rulers. (Da 4:31,32, Da 5:18-31, Isa 9:6, Mt 28:18, Rev 11:15, Rev 12:1-5, Rev 19:16)
God wants people to cooperate in the support of beneficial civil systems. (1Ti 2:1,2, Tit 3:1, Heb 13:17)
Rulers should never be elevated in a manner that supplants the place of God. (1Sa 8:4-7, Jn 19:15, 2Th 2:3,4)
2. The opposition of Godly civil systems is, ultimately, opposition against God Himself.
3. Rulers who cooperate with God fight against evil and punish evildoers.
Rulers who cooperate with God support good works and commend those who are doing God's will.
4. Godly civil systems are God's public servants.
They promote benefical environments.
They fight against evil. (1Pe 2:13,14)
5. Our cooperation with civil authorities is not to be motivated by fear of punishment, rather it is to be motivated by conscience, which calls us into alliance with beneficial civil systems that are instruments of God's will.
Our conscience will likewise guide us when we are NOT to cooperate with edicts that violate God's will. (Da 3:16-18, Da 6:7-13, Ac 5:27-29, Rev 13:11-17 compare Rev 20:4)
6. Because of their beneficial public ministry, we are to pay taxes to support God's public servants. (Lk 20:24,25)
7. We are not to hold back from any of God's public ministries what is rightfully due from us.
8. In a more general scope, we are not to hold back from anyone what is rightfully due from us.
In particular, under God's law, love is rightfully due to all at all times. (Mt 22:37-40, Jn 13:34,35)
9. Love thy neighbor as thyself. (Lev 19:18, Mt 7:12, Lk 10:25-37)
10. A fundamental principle of love is not to harm. (Isa 11:9, Mt 5:39, Php 2:15, Heb 7:26)
God's law is focused on love. (Jn 14:15, 1Jn 5:2,3, 2Jn 1:5,6)
11. The second coming of Jesus is very near. Awaken all ye that sleep. (Mt 25:5,6, 1Th 5:4-8, 2Pe 3:10)
12. As a great light, we are to prepare the way for His second coming. (Mt 3:1-3, Mt 5:14-16, Eph 5:8, 2Pe 1:19, Rev 18:1-4)
13. We are to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, rather than the works of the flesh. (Gal 5:19-23)
14. We are to be clothed in the righteousness of Christ. (Isa 61:10, Mt 22:11-13, Gal 3:27, Rev 3:18, Rev 7:13,14, Rev 19:7,8,14)
We are to abandon fleshly lusts. (Gal 5:16,17,24, 1Pe 2:11)