|
All I Have Commanded, Chapter 8
by Dan Bentley and E. Jay O'Keefe
Important Note: The ¡°one-liners¡± for each command are provided in order to get a quick grasp of the entire category of commands. They can be read at a single sitting, which we recommend doing. But they are not a substitute for the full text, which we suggest you read from the
Scriptures in its context.
FROM JESUS
MATTHEW
22:17-21 Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar¡¯s and to God the things that are God¡¯s.
FROM THE APOSTLES
ACTS
5:29 Peter and the apostles answered and said, ¡°We must obey God rather than men.¡±
ROMANS
13:1-7 Be in subjection to the governing authorities. Render taxes, custom, fear and honor to whom they are due.
EPHESIANS
6:5-8 Employees, be obedient to your employers, as unto Christ, knowing that you will receive back from the Lord.
COLOSSIANS
3:22 Employees, obey your employers, not with external service to please, but with sincerity, fearing the Lord.
4:1 Employers, give your employees justice and fairness, knowing you too have a Master in heaven.
1 TIMOTHY
2:1-4 Make petitions and prayers for all men, including those in authority, in order that we may live a tranquil life.
6:1-2 Let employees regard their employers as worthy of honor, that the name of God not be spoken against.
6:1-2 Let those who have believers as employers not be disrespectful because they are brethren, but serve them well.
TITUS
2:9-10 Employees, be subject to your employers in everything. Be well-pleasing, not argumentative, showing good faith.
1 PETER
2:13-15 Submit yourselves for the Lord¡¯s sake to every human institution, whether a king in authority, or to governors.
2:13-15 Understand every human authority as sent by God to punish evildoers, and praise those who do right.
2:16-17 Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
2:18-21 Employees, be submissive to your employers, not only to those who are good, but to those who are unreasonable.
2:18-21 Employees, if you suffer unjustly, you were called for this purpose, your example being Christ.
NOTES AND COMMENTS
DAN¡¯S COMMENTS
God is in control. That is evident in all of life to one that will submit to the idea., and is certainly evident in the various manifestations of human government. How few comments the Lord makes about the dealings we have with authorities. So many have tried to manipulate government. Perhaps that is why He asks us to be involved in a prayer and honor role toward our leaders. If we seek to get too involved, we might be tempted to think of ourselves as little gods. How common is that? Again, there is nothing to spark fear in a believer concerning the government. The elect are certainly secure, and human authority gets no vote on that one. ¡°What can man do to me.¡±
Submit to it. Pray for them. Support them. Pay the tax. Honor them. Relax about the government you live under and follow their laws. You were never in charge of you. God placed them over you. You are free to serve and support. Daniel was commended because he served God and the king well. Do likewise in your role and accept the results here and receive commendation from the Lord in the future.
JAY¡¯S COMMENTS
The first thing I note about this category is how few commands there are, and only one from the mouth of Jesus. The few the apostles give us interpret and apply that one. If we needed more, they would have been given to us. The bottom line is we must obey all human authority over us, the only exception being when we are ordered to disobey the commandments of God.
In our day we must surely be tempted often to interpret the laws of our government as being in conflict with the laws of God. How easily we can convince ourselves that withholding some of the taxes we are required to pay is justified by the exception given us in Acts 5:29. Whenever I begin to think this way, I remind myself of Paul¡¯s command in Romans 13 instructing those first century Christians to render taxes, custom, fear and honor to the Roman government, one of the most godless, corrupt governments in human history¡¡¡..then I pause, thank God that I live in the USA, then pay my full taxes according to the law. I¡¯ve been doing this for many years. But after the truth of Square One clicked in my brain about eight years ago, it got even easier. (Square One is explained in the Preface. If you haven¡¯t read it, do so and you will understand what I mean). The same truth applies to individuals who are in authority over me. My problem is not with them. It is with God, if in fact I feel that I have a problem (like an unreasonable employer, for example, as Peter suggests), because God is in control and has my best interest at heart. The unreasonable person is God¡¯s agent in my life¡¡¡¡¡there by His permission and under His control. I think Peter is suggesting that in I Peter 2:18-21.
¡¡
|