TWO SIDES TO THE COIN – LITERALLY

Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.  Romans 13:2

            If I disobey authority, my Father will discipline me.  Every time I spurn it, I illegitimize the chain of command God instituted to those around me.  So are there legitimate limits to my allegiance, especially when leaders are evil?

            Anybody ever ask you a tough spiritual question, one that seemed like a trap?  Answer one-way and you’re ensnared.  Answer the other way and you’re also ensnared.  Is there a way of escape?  There is.

            Jesus’ enemies came to Him with such a trick question.  “Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” (Matt.22:17)  If he said yes, he would potentially alienate his own people who were doubled over with the heavy burden of taxation.  They felt enslaved to Rome.  On the other side though, if Jesus said no, that they should spurn Rome by refusing to pay taxes, then these enemies could quote him to the authorities and have him arrested.

            At this point, Jesus asked for a coin.  When they produced one, he asked whose portrait was on it and whose inscription.  Perhaps he held it out to them so they could see it.  “Caesar’s,” they answered.

            “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s,” Jesus said.  Many believe that he then turned the coin over and exposed the back.  On it would have been a picture of a Roman god or goddess.  Jesus added, “…and to God what is God’s.”  (Matt 22:21)

            In other words, no child of God should serve Roman gods at the expense of betraying the true God of Israel ~ so at the point where my heart’s devotion to glorify God is threatened, my limit to obeying earthly authority is revealed.  Continue reading “Two Sides To The Coin – Literally” →

USING FACEBOOK, EMAILS, AND BLOGGING RIGHTEOUSLY

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.  For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.  Romans 13:1

         When those in authority over me are righteous, I thank God for them and have no trouble believing that they are God’s choice for rule.  But when leaders are unrighteous, even evil, what then?  Are they God-appointed?  Do I have to obey them?  And, if so, how far should my obedience go?  Is it ever right to wage a rebellion?  God is clear that he puts rulers of this world in their positions.

1. Pharoah ~ Paul quotes God as telling Pharoah, “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”  Romans 9:17
2. Nebuchadnezzar ~ He thought he was superior to Jehovah because of the size of the kingdom he had amassed. Yet, God reminded him that “the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.”  Daniel 4
3. Pilate ~ Speaking to Jesus under arrest, he said “Don’t you know that I have the power to free you or to crucify you?”  Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.”  John 19:11

         As a citizen to a government that is morally corrupt, I am called by God to obey and show respect to their authority.  God has put them there.  They are but puppets in the big scheme of things; playing a part in God’s sovereign plan.

         But, my obedience is not unlimited.  When they disobey God and rule unrighteously, God leads me to speak up and declare truth.  However, He does NOT call me to lead a rebellion and take up arms.  My sword is the Word of God.  Continue reading “Using Facebook, Emails, and Blogging Righteously” →

MEOW MIX

If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.  Romans 12:20

         I don’t think Paul had in mind what I did when I was around 10 years old.  Someone was visiting our home for the day; people who had driven a long way to see our family.  They visited us once a year and I didn’t like them at all.  While we all sat visiting in the living room, my mother asked my sister and I to help put the finishing touches on the meal.  Left to ourselves in the kitchen, we began to dish up the tossed salad into individual bowls and put them at each place at the table.  While topping each one with some croutons, a mischievous idea occurred to us.  Let’s top one of their salads, not with croutons, but with Meow Mix.  I still remember my mother’s face when she saw the guest’s daughter eating her salad.  (Yes, she ate it all!)  Continue reading “Meow Mix” →

BENT TOWARD ONE OR THE OTHER

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.  Romans 12:18

         “If possible, live peaceably.”  That means that sometimes it’s not possible.  Other times though, it is and I should seek it.

         I grew up in a church environment, and in a family, where peace at any price was practiced.  All conflict was seen as bad.  It created such discomfort that I watched my parents do whatever they needed to do to quickly recover harmony.  They did this at the expense of themselves, their loved ones, and of truth.

         Tragedy exists when I want peace more than I want truth!  This has absolutely nothing to do with Paul’s words today.  The behavior of people around me may negate peace and, in fact, make peace impossible because they don’t follow Christ.  Continue reading “Bent Toward One Or The Other” →

UNIFORM THINKING

Live in harmony with one another.  Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.  Never be wise in your own eyes.  Romans 12:16

            Harmony doesn’t mean keeping the peace and making compromises Jesus wouldn’t make.  He was Wisdom so He knew when to stand in truth and incur a holy division between right and wrong and when to bring factions together that were separated over non-essential issues.

            To have the mind of Christ is to have His thinking on these very issues.  He promises this holy wisdom to any of us who seek it.  Most of our churches know division, quarreling, and standoffs over important and unimportant things.  Leaders wring their hands and lose sleep over the choice of whether to bring harmony (whatever that looks like) or become resolute and let truth do its sifting.

            This dilemma usually brings a cobweb of uncertainty.  Should all the members of a church agree on all theological issues?  No.  Continue reading “Uniform Thinking” →

CAN I REJOICE ALONE?

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.  Romans 12:15

            To weep with someone who weeps is far easier than to celebrate with someone who rejoices.  I believe that the one who weeps needs me and the one who rejoices doesn’t.  Feeling needed affirms my value.  Watching another rejoice, and believing they will do so with or without me, can threaten my ego.

            There’s nothing lonelier than celebrating alone.

• Have you ever shared good news with someone who is jealous of you?  You might have heard, “Well, that must be nice.  I can’t imagine that happening to me!”
• Have you ever shared good news with someone who is distracted?  They may never even look up from the paper or look away from the television.  “That’s nice,” they say.
• Have you ever shared good news with someone who was depressed? You probably tempered your joy in the face of their sadness.
• Have you ever shared good news with someone who needed to shrink the significance of your miracle?  “Be careful you don’t put too much stock in that!  It might not last.” Continue reading “Can I Rejoice Alone?” →

ARE THEY GETTING AWAY WITH IT?

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.  Romans 12:14

            The only way I can bless those who persecute me is to have faith in the justice of God.  I have to trust that my Father does not take my pain lightly and is anything but passive when I am wronged.  Otherwise, I will see the command to ‘bless those who persecute me’ and believe that God shrugs His shoulders and fails to care about how much I may have been hurt.  The only thing I’ll perceive He’s concerned about is keeping the peace between enemies.  Does He love peace more than He loves truth?  Does He love reconciliation more than He angers over injustice?

            These are the questions that can keep a child of God up at night ~ especially if they have been raised in a home where pain was not acknowledged.  Parents saw their children’s tears, heard them cry, and may have even heard the story of what caused the tears, but then walked away and appeared unmoved by it all.  “Pray for your enemies” is a hollow command in the halls of stoic homes.

            Against the backdrop of loving my enemy however is the reality of imprecatory passages, like Psalm 69:23-24 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see,
and make their loins tremble continually. Pour out your indignation upon them,
and let your burning anger overtake them.

            Paul loved this Psalm and quoted it several times in Romans.  Jesus loved this Psalm as well and quoted it twice from the cross.  Continue reading “Are They Getting Away With It?” →

PURSUE IT?  SERIOUSLY?

Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.  Romans 12:13

            Get ready.  The picture here is one who pursues the opportunity to show hospitality.  I can too easily be passive, waiting for the need to arise and land at my front door.  I’ll wait to be asked.

Outgoing people can throw a great party and love having a crowd in their home.  But that doesn’t mean that they are exuding the love and presence of the Spirit.  Their reasons for having people in their home can be as carnal as the reasons someone who is shy doesn’t think they can do it or do it well.  Continue reading “Pursue It? Seriously?” →

NOT THREE THINGS – BUT ONE

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.  Romans 12:12

            “Just what I need,” you might say.  “Three more things to do when I’m hurting.  I must rejoice, be patient, and remember to pray.  Life is hard enough without putting more demands on me.” 

            To assume that God is putting demands on me is to miss the beauty and power of this verse.  They aren’t three separate things, but one constant chain of eternal energy and empowerment.  Here’s how. Continue reading “Not Three Things, But One” →

HONORING WHO DISHONORS ME

Love one another with brotherly affection.  Outdo one another in showing honor.  Romans 12:10

         The ‘one another’ is another member of God’s family.  But let’s face it, God’s family doesn’t always act like family.  There are times I believe I must look out for myself because others around me aren’t going to do it.  It’s hard to fathom that God would ask me to honor all brothers and sisters above myself.  Aren’t there conditions for this?

         Apparently not.  God honored me, was faithful to me, when I was not faithful to Him.  God loved me when I didn’t love Him.  God preserved my spirit through treacherous times even though I wounded His Spirit.  In this way, He showed me how to love, with action, the other members of His family that He loves.  Even in their disobedience.

         Recently, I saw a friend pray for someone who was extremely jealous of her.  Tearfully, she asked God to bless her and reveal Himself to her.  And He did.  God rewards those who obey. Continue reading “Honoring Who Dishonors Me” →