Lesson 10
Six Rules for Practical Christian Living
Read Romans 13:1-7
Romans 13 is often used by theologians to support the concepts of both Just War and Capital Punishment
Question: Does Romans 13 provide for Just War and Capital Punishment?
Just War Criteria by St Augustine of Hippo
· JW Criteria #1: Just Cause. No war is justifiable unless it is a defense against an aggressor and to defend those who are victimized by it. It does not mean a country has to wait to be attacked before attacking their enemy.
Examples of potential pre-emptive strikes
- What if we had discovered the Japanese Fleet before Pearl Harbor was attacked
- Cuban missile crisis
- Israel’s 6 Day War in 1967
· JW Criteria #2: Just Intent. The only acceptable motive for armed conflict must be to secure justice for all involved. Conquest, subjugation, revenge, or economic benefit are unacceptable, insufficient, or illegitimate motives for going to war.
· JW Criteria #3. Last Resort. Resort to armed force can only be justifiable when all other avenues of resolution have been rejected or have been demonstrably failed.
· JW Criteria #4. Legitimate Authority. Romans 13 says only the civil magistrate has the right to use lethal force. For the US… a Declaration of War or Joint Resolution of Congress.
· JW Criteria #5. Limited Goals. If the purpose is to resist aggression, restore peace, etc. then total destruction of the enemy is unacceptable. Unless one’s survival is in peril, it is not a just war if the goals are not attainable.
· JW Criteria #6. Proportionality. Does the good gained by last resort justify the cost of lives lost and humans maimed. This is why we don’t pursue every enemy.
· JW Criteria #7. Non-combatant immunity. No war can be just unless it disqualifies civilians as targets and seeks to minimize civilian casualties. Non-combatants will die, but it makes a difference whether you target them or deliberately try to avoid them.
What about Capital Punishment?
Rule 4: Live a Life of Submission! (Romans 13:1-7)
Question: What does it mean to “submit”
Answer: The greek word (hypotassomai) translated “subjected to” or “submit to” literally means to obey or to bring under the control of…
Question: Why do you think Paul put the concept of submission between two passages about love?
Answer: You cannot submit to someone in the manner required by Christ unless you first love them.
Deep down, we all want to break the rules.
Who was the first to rebel? (Isaiah 14:12-14)
The first sin ever… Satan said “I WILL
We know, though, that ultimately we have to submit to somebody. Even if we never submit to anyone here on earth, we ultimately will submit to Christ, will we not? (2 Philippians 2:9-11) When Christ returns at the second coming, he will literally bring everyone into his submission.
In the meantime, scripture teaches us that while we are here on earth, we should still live a life of submission.
I. To Whom are we to Submit?
A. Governmental Authorities
1. Rebelling against authority is rebelling against God’s institution (Romans 13:2)
A truth that is often difficult to come to grips with is the fact that God has ordained all government here on earth – even the governments that we don’t necessarily agree with. God is using everything to bring about his purposes. The question we have to ask ourselves is whether or not we want to work against God or be in submission to God.
2. Rebelling against authority will result in punishment here on earth (Romans 13:4)
1 Peter 2:13-14 echos Paul’s commands in Romans
Titus 3:1 also provides similar discussion
3. Submission to authority maintains a good Christian conscious (Romans 13:5)
As Christians, we are Christ’s ambassadors (2 Cor 5:20). If we do not submit to the authorities, we are not representing Christ well to the world.
What about Peter and John? They didn’t submit to the authorities! (Acts 4:18-20; 5:28-30)
Question: When do I not submit to authorities?
Answer: The only time scripture allows us to rebel against authority is when such authorities make laws forcing us to do something contrary to God’s law.
Incorrect Times to Rebel Against Authority
· When the law allows others to do something contrary to God’s law
· When the government itself is doing something contrary to God’s law
· When the government reduces your Christian liberties but not to the extent that it requires you to disobey God.
Is it ever right to openly rebel against the governmental authority? What about the American Revolution?
The argument generally used to support the American Revolution is that the King of England, through his actions of tyranny, persecuting Christians, and restricting religious freedoms, forfeited its God-instituted authority over the colonies – thereby justifying the establishment of a new, God-instituted authority, namely the US Constitution.
Romans 13:1… no authority exists unless it has been instituted by God. So whether we agree or disagree with respect to the biblical validity of its establishment, here it is – it has been established by God to accomplish his purposes. As a result, we are to submit to it as Christians.
While God may choose to bring about revolution from time to time to accomplish his purposes, hose who openly rebel against the established government are acting in direct contrast to the teachings of scripture and are accountable to God.
Submission to authorities, however, does NOT mean that we cannot disagree with the authorities or seek to change the laws, regulations, or even the leadership of our government through any and all legal means.
What other authorities are we subject to?
· Parents
· Teachers
· Employers
· Church Leadership
We are also to submit to
B. One Another
1. Laity to Church leaders (1 Corinthians 16:15-16)
2. Wives to Husbands (Eph 5:22-24, Col 3:18)
3. Husbands to Wives (Eph 5:25-26, Col 3:19)
3. Church to Christ (Eph 5:24)
4. Employees to Employers (slaves to masters) (1 Peter 2:18)
5. Young men to elders (1 Peter 5:5)
6. One Another (Eph 5:21)
Question: Does anyone here see a case in which there is someone we are not to be subject to? (No) Why?
Answer: Again, there is a direct link between Agape love and submission… and we are to live a life characteristic of Agape love, so we are also to live a life characteristic of submission.
If everyone lived a life of submission, then we would truly live in a biblical utopia!
Did you know?
· God the Son submits to God the Father
· During his time on earth, Jesus also submitted to the Holy Spirit
· God the Holy Spirit submits to God the Father and God the Son
And yet… God is ONE and there are no superior or inferior positions with the Trinity
III. Reasons for submission?
A. Submission is the example set for us by God
Did you know?
· God the Son submits to God the Father
· During his time on earth, Jesus also submitted to the Holy Spirit
· God the Holy Spirit submits to God the Father and God the Son
And yet… God is ONE and there are no superior or inferior positions with the Trinity
B. Submission is essential for human relationships (Philippians 2:1-4)
C. Rebellion is the Spirit of Satan (2 Pet 2:9-11)
D. Submission helps overcome sin
Sin is rebellion. We cannot be obedient when we are rebellious, but when we are submissive, we are obedient.
E. Submission facilitates Discipleship
F. Submission is the cure for Legalism
Legalism is a passive-aggressive form of rebellion. We don’t really have faith and believe that God’s grace is sufficient for us if we fail, so we make up our own list of dos and don’ts that we feel like will make our master happy. If we truly submit, then we trust that he will take care of us when we fail.
Conclusion: God calls us to submit first to Him, but also to authorities and to each other for the benefit of all.
The relationship between Rules 3 and 4
Agape Love and Submission are related: Both look out for the interests of others.
We are to live our lives looking out for the interest of others.
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