1689 London Baptist Confession (part 60)

Our Father in heaven We thank you this morning For your kindness for your love for your mercy for your grace for the Abundant pardon that you so freely grant us and Lord as we gather together this morning.

We look to your word to the confession what it says about government what it says about our Role what the role of government is how you have ordained it Lord. I pray that you Bless our time and guide our thoughts in Jesus name.

Amen. How many of you are familiar with the writings of Ayn Rand? Huge number of hands. I'm so thankful for that. Okay. She she wrote a book and it was she wrote several books and. And the gist of it is I mean she was I believe an atheist but that was she.

Yes, see. But the gist of the book was about self-reliance and about the evils of government. And out of that strain of thought comes an idea That you may or may not be familiar with but it's Anarchy Combined with capitalism.

It's called an cap theory or Anarcho-capitalism and what they believe in is dismantling the state and allowing Unchecked capitalism to govern the world in its place. Because if you need protection you hire people.

That's the idea. So the hero of her story was somebody named John Galt. So in real life we have somebody here named John Galton. So he named himself after the character in the book and He wanted to live in a libertarian paradise he was a Drug dealer he and his girlfriend Lily Forrester.

They moved to Acapulco, Mexico in 2017. They were very excited to go there because they had escaped American justice and had set up shop in a place that became known as let me see if I can Possibly pronounce this.

Anyway, it was Acapulco, but they called it Anarchapulco because it was a little enclave where anarchy reigned and they could do what they wanted and so they went into the Artisanal bong business. Now, don't ask me what's artisanal about bongs.

I really couldn't tell you but that's what they did and So they were looking at 25 years in prison if they stayed in the US and instead they went to Anarcho-pulco. But last week Gunmen burst into the couple's mountaintop home killing Galton on the spot and seriously wounding one of the couple's friends.

The girlfriend survived, but she was badly shaken. The killers are presumed to be a drug cartel. Drug cartels don't look kindly upon competition, which is what these people Were essentially. And I bring all this up because of one thing the purpose of government.

Some people hate government. They hate it so much that they want to move to a little enclave in Mexico and be free from. You know all the constraints of government, but why do we have government to restrain evil and there's a fundamental Principle there that evil exists and in fact Our nation was pretty much founded on the idea that evil exists and it must be restrained.

We have three branches of government. Why. Checks and balances because People are evil. You can't trust anybody right this way. There's always somebody looking out for somebody else or checking on them.

The Confession says this God, and I love I love the way this reads. God the Supreme Lord and King of all the world have ordained civil matches Magistrates to be under him over the people for his glory and the public good and to this end hath armed them with the power of the sword for defense and encouragement of them that do good and for the punishment of evil doers.

That's why we have government. Over the people for his own glory and the public good. That's why we have government. When the confession Or what the confession does succinctly here is remind us that there is no authority in this world that God himself has not appointed.

RC said this he said virtually every aspect of this opening statement is on a collision course with the assumptions that hold sway In our culture with respect to civil government. Why does he say that?

Why does he say that this seems to be in total conflict with what people think about Governments. Well, first of all, how about this just the idea that it's ordained by God. If you walk up to somebody and say why do we have government?

You just somebody on the street. They're probably not going to say because God appoints governments and you know what it's for his glory and it's for our good. That's probably not what you're gonna hear.

RC goes on to say Adolf Hitler in his Third Reich Joseph Stalin in a Soviet Union illustrate what happens when government goes berserk and declares its independence from God. In other words When we eliminate the idea that there's any ultimate authority above governments if the state becomes the end-all and be-all.

If the ultimate power in the universe is the head of the government. You wind up with something like the Third Reich or the Soviet Union. Why is that because of a man? imagines himself to be essentially God bad things happen.

The general idea today is that civil government is not under God but is independent of him. And he points out that Hitler Stalin and Mao and many others often held that that same belief. Americans conclude the same thing based on.

What what's the principle that people like to throw out there today the separation of church and state. Sproul says the First Amendment does not express the idea that our nation is independent of God or that it was founded on atheism.

It was actually self-consciously theistic in its origin. But refused to grant any particular theistic group favored status under the law. That's more or less just an aside, but it's this idea that We were essentially an atheistic country in the beginning is false.

They were theists. But they just were probably more deistic than Christian. Back to the confession the confession is clear. God is the sole authority in the universe. We say this all the time. God is sovereign and what that means is not only is there no random molecule atom electron.

What's smaller than an electron something smaller than that? There's there's nothing smaller or there's nothing that's in rebellion against God. But the confession says that he delegates his authority to men to governments and if we go back to Israel why is it that Israel had a government other than a theocracy in other words?

They started as a theocracy under God through a prophet. Why did they get rid of that theocracy? They wanted to be like everybody else. Right they were jealous. Let's look at Daniel 2 Versus 20 and 21.

God delegates his authority to Men in other words. He's sovereign. He's in charge of the universe. Nobody is his rival, but he appoints people to Run the world so to speak. Daniel 2 verses 20 and 21 would somebody read those please.

I mean the ultimately the core that is in 21 where it says that he removes Kings he sets up Kings. So here's a question for you. Why would it be that we would have bad rulers? Why did Israel have bad Kings?

Why did Israel have Kings who committed idolatry? Why did somebody like Stalin or Paul Potts or Mao or Hitler come to power? Okay, sin permeates the earth, right? So it would be difficult to imagine not having sinful rulers and God uses that sin for his glory when we think I mean really History is pretty amazing when you think about it even World War two just the idea that you know people did what they did in terms of charging the beaches and all these kind of things and all that all the heroics.

Well, let's put it another way though. Supposing there were never any bad rulers. Then what then we'd be in heaven, I mean there's there are reasons that we long for heaven. Right the whole creation groans it's Bowed down under the weight of sin the oppression of sin.

We long for heaven because we're surrounded by it and if we had good and godly leadership all the time. Maybe we wouldn't quite feel all the way to that and certainly Satan is active. We talked about sin, but Satan is active too in deceiving and really kind of Pushing.

Sinful government and sinful men. Let's look at Daniel just turn over to Daniel 4 verse 25 continuing this idea of God delegating authority, but somebody read 425, please and there you go right there I mean that says it right there in a nutshell.

He rules the kingdom of men and then he gives it To whomever he wants there is no government that exists without God's ordaining it. Whether the person leading that government is righteous or not. I found this interesting just kind of reviewing the kings of Israel.

The southern kingdom Judah had a good number of good ones. Still had more bad ones than good ones, but in the north in the kingdom of Israel there were zero good ones. If God's chosen people Had bad Kings.

Why would we think that any other country deserves good ones? You hear people say from time to time we get the government we deserve right and Actually, I don't think we get a bad enough government. It's bad, but it could be a lot worse and maybe it should be but even the worst rulers have a God-ordained purpose.

Let's look at Romans 13 Versus 1 to 4 and again, you know, why did I read that thing about the anarcho-capitalist? Because it shows what happens when we have no government whatsoever when we just allow people to do whatever they want and There's no restraint of evil.

Romans 13 verses 1 to 4 and what somebody read that please. Thank you. And and if we think about you know, the the Caesars who ruled during the time of the Apostles. These were not good men. They did horrible things.

You know these this is the time where they were putting Christians in the Coliseum they were using Christians as torches all these things are going on and what does he say he says. You know submit to the authorities because there's no authority except for from God and You look at today.

We have legalized abortion. We have homosexual marriage. We have all manner of unbiblical laws and rules. How is it possible that God permits that to happen? Charlie said earlier was talking about the sin that permeates everything.

Here's the issue. God does not promise us Heaven on earth. He promises us heaven in Heaven, right? Sproul says what is government the simplest most basic definition is this? Government is legal force.

Governments are agencies that have the power and the legal right to coerce people to obey their dictates. Their laws are not simply suggestions, but requirements. Like if you thought the IRS was just suggesting that you pay your taxes, you know.

Hey just a guideline, you know like Tithing as a guideline. Here's your guideline. Just pay pay it if you want to. How many people would pay and I don't mean here, but how many people do you suppose would pay taxes income taxes?

If there was no force behind it if there was no IRS if you didn't have to worry about audited being audited. If you didn't have to worry about going to prison for not paying your income taxes, I Don't think they'd get quite as much money as they do now.

I mean, I'm sure everybody in this room would pay but I'm just saying and Government is necessary because of evil because of sin. It says that in in Romans 13 it's a restraint. It's a terror to bad conduct, right.

The government bears the sword. Augustine said that Civil government is a necessary evil made. Necessary because of evil. It's a necessary evil made necessary because of Evil. The function of government is restrained evil and to maintain uphold and protect the sanctity of life and of property and I like that definition because.

So often our government fails to do both. Sanctity of life, I mean abortion that's pretty obvious and what what's the first thing if you say? Government is supposed to uphold the sanctity of life and abortion is an ill and the government is failing to uphold the sanctity of life.

What does an atheist or an unbeliever say to you? How could you then support? Capital punishment. The problem with that is it's right there in Romans 13 capital punishment is laid out. It doesn't bear the sword for nothing, right?

It's for punishing evildoers. Abortion is not the punishment of an evildoer. Abortion is the murder of an innocent life. Protect property and yet we have a government that In a decision not too long ago Key Lovers the United States ruled that Private property can be taken from one party and given to another party.

That's not the way that the law reads. But that's what they did anyway. But the Christian understands that government is ordained of God and Christians are called to respect whatever it is that God institutes and ordains, right?

We must do that. And for the glory of God, we are called to be model citizens. We're told to bend over backwards to honor the king or to be obedient to the civil magistrates. Now that doesn't mean slavish obedience to the civil magistrates.

There are occasions in which Christians must disobey the civil magistrates and those Occasions would be what when you're commanded to sin. Can you think of an example when? You might have to disobey the government while you're thinking about that I'll just give you an example of what it doesn't mean.

I've known some Professing believers who said they were anarchists and therefore they didn't pay taxes. They don't believe in government, what's their motto do you suppose I'm a Christian and I'm an anarchist.

What do I say then? How do I justify that in my mind? We will have No King but Jesus. No King, but Jesus, is that what the Bible says? No says God appoints governments the government says Excellent point government says you must worship Caesar.

You must proclaim Caesar is God. Can you do that? Answers no. Government says you must participate in the systematic extermination of the Jewish people. Can you do that? No, the government says you must participate in Abortion.

Can you do that? I don't think so. Government says you must marry homosexuals. Can you do that no if marriage is to be a picture of Christ and his bride you can't participate in that and that's what the scripture says.

So is how is how is God glorified? By ordaining governments that deny him. How's God glorified by that? I mean here Go ahead. Yeah. Yeah, I mean you certainly would appreciate a government that Acknowledge God and that worship God, right?

So it gives you that longing again for heaven and sometimes I I mean you could just say instead of asking how is it possible that God's glorified by Ordaining governments that don't acknowledge him. You could ask this.

How's God glorified by the existence of sin? I Mean just back up a little bit and just go. Well, how is God? Glorified because sin exists and Yet does he ordain it? Does he you know, some people would say allow it and ultimately all things work together for his glory.

How is it possible that sin? Evil governments Glorify God. Okay, it still restrains evil. I Mean, I'm reminded. I don't know why but yeah, I'm reminded of the Sorry, the Disney movie Aladdin. What's that?

And what happens, you know what happens to a thief? Which Aladdin is what happens to a thief in that part of the world, right? You go and steal a loaf of bread. What happens? Cut your hand off. Now that is a restraint against evil right, I Mean you do that twice and you won't do it a third time.

Even bad government is a restraint against evil not against all evil, of course, but it's a restraint against evil. Or yeah, go ahead Bob. That's very true. I mean God uses even bad governments for his own purposes and you're right to point out that if it weren't for the Holocaust.

It certainly is the case historically that Israel would not be back in the land. The Jews would not be back in the land now in Israel. You mentioned also Cyrus it's interesting because Cyrus is key in getting Israel back in the land after the exile, right?

But he was no worshiper of God. He was just an instrument in the hands of God and so many times. That's what evil governments are. Our C says this he says there are only two places where God is given all the glory.

Where do you suppose those two places are? There's one that should be obvious two places where God gets all the glory. Well, the church would be ideal. Heaven, right? God gets all the glory in heaven.

I you know, nobody's walking around heaven going, you know talking about anything else other than the glory of God, right? I mean, this is this is it's all consuming. Where do you suppose the other place is that God gets all the glory.

Hell, right? The sinner. Gets no glory in hell, but God does perfect righteousness is vindicated by divine punishment. And nothing is more insulting to God's glory than our sin. Therefore he established government to uphold righteousness and to punish wickedness and evil.

That's why we have government. Okay, now the confession goes on to say this it is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a magistrate when called thereunto. In the off or in the management whereof as they ought to or as they ought especially to maintain justice and peace according to the wholesome laws of each kingdom and Commonwealth.

Wholesome laws. Well, you know, we'll take a pass on that one. And Here's what here's what the confession is saying here. It's affirming that it is legitimate for Christians to serve in offices of the states to take part in the government and in maybe being a representative of government a mayor a senator president of the United States, whatever why.

Does the the confession affirm that okay, so it refutes this idea that we're not to be involved in earthly affairs. And in fact, we'll get to that in just a second, but I Wanted to just throw in some of this stuff.

I know people I've heard men teach this that owning a weapon owning a gun is murder. It's equivalent to murder and The rationale goes like this. Why else would you own one other than to take a human life?

Then the man said that's malice aforethought. I'm over reading that just going. Mm-hmm. I Don't know if there's a burglar in my house. Defending my wife, but you know, whatever RC says at the time of the Reformation there were three views of the relationship between church and state.

And I think you know what what he doesn't talk about because it wouldn't really suit his purposes. But what he doesn't talk about is I think there's some tie-in between baptism and some of these things.

But I think that was all political anyway three views one is the unity of church and state. The church is absorbed into the state or the state is absorbed into the church in either case. You have a form of theocracy and That's why you could wind up with the Pope being the most powerful man on the face of the planet with armies at his disposal and Kings shaking in their boots.

But there are some who believe that this should be the goal of Christians even some who hold to reformed theology there are various men who would describe themselves as theonomists or Reconstructionists and what that means is That they think that we should establish the Ten Commandments as the law of the land.

Hold unbelievers accountable that sort of thing. I don't even understand that but okay. We're gonna make Christianity the you know, the official religion and government of the United States then there is.

The second view is the separation of church and state. Some groups and namely the Anabaptists, what is what does Anabaptist mean? Rebaptism it meant they were baptized as typically as Roman Catholics then when they came to faith they got baptized again.

But there were other things that they did that were not So good. But some groups the Anabaptists believed that a Christian could not serve in secular government because it would involve compromise with his commitment to Christ.

I Wouldn't say I agree with that. I would just say that I do discourage people from getting into the law enforcement these days, but that's for other reasons. They declared the Anabaptists declared that church and state are not only two different spheres but spheres that have.

That are not to have any kind of joint activity no overlap. So kind of what Corey was saying. Some Anabaptists refused to take oaths in civil courts. They would not serve in the army or in the government's they would have nothing to do with the evil in the secular state.

We have people like that today and they are called Jehovah Witnesses. Oh, sorry. There there are people who who kind of have this theory so that's another theory complete separation complete unity and then the third one is kind of the Halfway in between two kingdoms or two spheres.

This is the theory of Augustine. And his work about the City of God. Both the state and the church are doing or ordained by God. When the state is carrying out its God-given mandate a Christian certainly may be involved in the fulfilling of that mandate so there's nothing wrong with participating in government and then the Reformers had this idea of a vocation or a calling so being a banker a farmer a plumber a soldier.

What have you is a legitimate vocation and it contributes to the general welfare of the state of the people of the society of human beings and the Reformation. Concept of vocation was that God's calling is not limited to the ministry within the church in other words.

Whatever you do do everything unto the glory of God. So whether you're a glazer or a guitar player or whatever you do, you know. Some people like to say guitar slinger, but whatever you do. You should do it for the glory of God that does not mean that every job is something that a Christian can in good conscience do and RC gives the quintessential example.

Even if it's legal like in Nevada. Prostitution is not something a Christian should be involved in. Well, why not? Duh. Sinful in and of itself. It's a violation of the Word of God. I Can think of other things where I would say boy, I don't know if I'd want to be engaged in that sort of business.

Can you think of it businesses that? Probably not the wisest choice for a Christian. What's that? Tending bar would be pretty tough right. Because I'd be like, okay pal. You've had enough and the guy's like I just sat down.

I probably wouldn't make much money as a bartender. What's that. An abortion doctor, you couldn't do it, right? You just couldn't do it. I'm sorry a pot shop boy, I would have. Because something's legal, right?

We know this because of abortion. But because something's legal that does not make it moral that does not make it right does not make it biblical. And I have argued and would argue that marijuana falls under that umbrella as well.

I Saw this week. I don't know how many of you saw this but that Denver is actually talking about Denver. I have to go to Denver. That they're actually talking about legalizing Psychedelic mushrooms, you know, and I'm like It was bad enough when they legalized marijuana, I don't know yet, you know as you were saying that I was like what about working for say a What do you call those gambling things Casino, you know, and I'm I yeah, those are those gambling things.

I I you know, I just I I think they're very Difficult. Let's say, you know your choice was between like being a blackjack dealer or being unemployed. I I think it's a matter of conscience, but I would tend to I would tend to go with the I'd rather be unemployed.

Because really, you know, why do casinos exist? I I mean I we're going a little field here. But casinos do not exist to pander to the best in humanity. They appeal to your greed and everything else and you know.

And other people can say what about advertising agencies, you know. And that and that's where we run into what if what if what if what if what if? But I think there are some professions that are just wrong, you know, would I want to own a casino?

No. Would I want to. I mean I could think of a lot of things that I would not want to do because I just think all I'm doing is in staring people in sin. Destroying lives and That's not what you know I mean.

Can you imagine I own a casino so that I can wander around while people are gambling their their lives away and walk up to? Them and preach the gospel to them. Yeah, I I mean the Anabaptist probably took it too far as pastor Rob said, you know and not wanting to be involved in much of society at all but there are some there are some places that would really kind of strain your credulity as a Messenger of the gospel like, you know being a bartender or owning a liquor store or whatever.

Yes I'm gonna have to ask my lawyer about that. What about being a lawyer well, I you know what if you're honest, I Don't I don't really know that there's a problem with that. So but you know, oh here I have one for you.

How about this? I'll take what you said and just kind of Specialize it. How about being a divorce attorney? That would be pretty rough. I'll be really rough Johnny. You could teach you could teach science in a public school.

You might not last a week, but you could. Yeah, that would be a hard one well, I mean, you know good if you have to pick an employer with whom you agree if you have to you know, I mean that probably mentioned this before but it felt like When we on the sheriff's department in LA County.

We had our old sheriff died just a few days before an election and so we got a new sheriff in and so I'm just kind of wandering the halls fat dumb and happy one morning and Somebody says well, what do you think about that sign up there?

And I'm like what sign they go? Well, it's been there for months and I'm like, I don't pay any attention. You know this huge sign as we're just walking in because I'm just walking in like this and it's way up there and it says You know, I will fight as a leader on the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

I will fight and then it lists a number of things that we'll fight and including one of those was homophobia. I'm like, you know, I'm first of all, nobody's ever defined that for me. And secondly, I'm not fighting it, you know, so I mean.

But can you you know pick somebody that? To work for that necessarily agrees with you and that's a that's a pretty tough deal. You know if you get into corporate policy and everything like that I mean there I can name a lot of corporations that you Couldn't work for if you had to subscribe to everything that they do and believe and you know the same with unions.

You know, I guess I'm gonna have to give my SAG card back because I'm done. Okay, so you work for the only four honest lawyers I'm it's only a joke. What's that chick-fil-a is hiring there you go and you can get Sundays off so.

See, okay so Back to the confession it says so for that end they may lawfully now under the New Testament wage war upon just necessary occasions. Okay, government can wage war Under just and necessary occasions.

What's a just war? Self-preservation is just right. I Mean I can give you examples of non just wars like here. Here's one that you may not have thought about. Anybody know what the cause of the Mexican-american war was a well-studied war, you know in history.

Yeah. The cause of it was we wanted to be able to go from sea to shining sea and so we looked for a reason. You know, we were actually sending troops in the Mexican territory to provoke an attack. They attacked.

Yes there's our casus belli our reason for war and You know, it was a pretty good deal because we got Texas and Utah and all kinds of territory there, Colorado, New Mexico Nevada, California. Which today doesn't seem like quite such a good deal.

Yeah. Yeah. Well, let's not go there. Okay. But that was written to refute the Anabaptists who developed the theory of pacifism. No, no warfare. They believed it was sinful for Christians to participate in war.

In fact, they were willing to be put to death in order to maintain their pacifism. That's about as pacifistic as you can be now be wrong for Christians. This is Kind of my distillation of what RC was saying.

It'd be wrong for Christians to participate in a war of unjustified aggression and RC cites the invasions of Poland Holland Belgium or World War two says a Christian in Germany should not have participated in Hitler's aggressive war.

He says we cannot hide behind the axiom, you know, my country right or wrong and of You know jingoism writ large. It says of course sorting out a nation's errors is not always simple. I mean Some of the wars that we've been involved in the Spanish-american war Again started on a pretext probably not the best but it takes some historical perspective to sort it out and see that.

Maybe that was created and not necessarily a just war. And in the Civil War Christians stood staunchly on both sides from the southern point of view. They wanted peace and the freedom to withdraw from the Union and North believed that the Confederate Rebellion was ungodly.

Now we look at it and we go. Well, how could anybody ever have fought on the side of slavery? But it was only a small percentage of people. I mean small relatively. When you look at the entire population of the nation that really wanted abolition.

That became a cause later on in the war. There were Christians who refused to participate in the American Revolution. They saw rebellion against government as ungodly. Others saw the government as corrupt and thus believed it was right to overthrow it.

See, it depends on your perspective. During World War two Nazi Germany six million Jews were put to death and millions of others. And I was reading this last or yesterday Auschwitz alone more than two million people were murdered as many as 12 ,000 Jews per day.

And I and I just started thinking how many people do you suppose? Had to work together to kill that many people. It's quite a few. You have to have people to guard them. You have to have people to put them on trains.

All these things that were done to them and even after they were dead a lot of people had to be complicit in those murders and I'm sure some would be professing Christians. What can we do? How should we be involved in terms of?

Government well, we have to close. Are there any questions before we close and then we'll we'll wrap this up next week. And we'll start talking about you know, we'll go from this light topic. To Talking about marriage.

I like how it does this though, you know oaths and vows and then civil government and then marriage so don't all just kind of Sort of flows there's a logic to it. That's a good question. It's gonna say why don't you ask your dad but I Think what You know, we have to what we have to think about is, you know, like some of the wars that we're involved in now I Don't think there could be much question that we are Pursuing bad people in these wars, you know that they are terrorists and that kind of thing.

Should you sign up for four years not knowing what the government's going to do? Well I think here's what you have to think about when I sign my name and I only sign up for three years because I was You know very cautious.

Actually, there is some truth to that I didn't want to go on the Marines because you had to do four years. When you sign up for it you have to think to yourself, okay now this is a Calculated risk. I am presuming that the orders that they give me will be such that they will not offend my conscience and If they do to the point where I am willing to stand up for what I believe That I I could wind up going to prison.

So, you know, it's a weighty thing when you agree to sign up you need to think about okay, what happens if you know? President comes into power or the president makes things it makes decisions that I really I disagree was so strongly.

You know He wants to invade Canada and I have friends and neighbors in Canada and I can't go up there and invade them and they didn't Really do anything to us. Anyway, other than send us what's that restaurant Tim something Tim Hortons, you know so I Don't like Tim Hortons coffee therefore.

So I you know, I I think it's something you'd have to weigh but I think you know the idea. Could we be involved in an unjust war? Where the government? Covers up the cause or whatever. It's possible. Are you responsible for that?

I guess is another question. You know, do I need to before I agree to sign up do I need to know that my government didn't do anything deceitful? Is that my responsibility? I think everybody has to sort that out for themselves for me.

I would tend to think no I mean you could even you know I mean you go back in history and argue whether the United States government knew about Pearl Harbor didn't know. You know, I mean some people think that our government knew about 9-eleven in advance and didn't do anything to stop it.

I mean you can get into all kinds of conspiracy things or you can just say not my government right or wrong, but Unless I am convinced that my the government is doing something wrong. I'm just gonna do what I'm told.

Well, that's very true. We need to close but but pastor Bob brings up a really good point. You know How much different is it to sign up for a war or sign up for the military then get order to do something?

Which you don't disagree with then to pay taxes every year knowing that some of your money is going to say Planned Parenthood or whatever in spite of the fact that you know, we have parties that have promised to eliminate that and Then for whatever reason somehow it doesn't happen.

Because they really don't care would be the reason so. Yeah, I mean our if we expect our government to be moral and just and perfect and God honoring then. We're probably gonna be disappointed like every single day we need to close father.

Thank you for this time as we look to your word look to the confession. We just think Ultimately, we have to trust you. We know that Even the best government is flawed and filled with sinful people. Nevertheless, you command us to submit to that government not because we agree with it entirely.

But because we glorify you by submitting to the government and we think even of Paul and Peter The other Apostles the governments that ruled and reigned over them and how evil they were. How they persecuted Christians and nevertheless?

They never said Rebel against government under these conditions. They said submit Honor the king pray for the king Lord we would pray for our Government, we would pray that you would grant us God honoring leaders who would make it easy for us.

But nevertheless Lord give us hearts. That would desire to honor you. By honoring those you have appointed to rule over us in Jesus name. We pray.