Skip to main content

OBEDIENCE TO THE AUTHORITIES

THE DAILY FOUNTAIN DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE OF THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION)


DATE: THURSDAY, 6TH OCTOBER, 2022 


TOPIC: OBEDIENCE TO THE AUTHORITIES


TEXT: ROMANS 13:1-7


1. Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.

2. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.

3. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.

4. For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to [execute] wrath on him who practices evil.

5. Therefore [you] must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake.

6. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing.

7. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes [are due,] customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.


MESSAGE: 

Paul always teaches that Christians must obey established authority in the context of the household and the government, because these institutions are ordained by God (v.1). Paul’s teaching here is in line with that of Peter in 1 Peter 2:13, 14. Jesus Himself also teaches about obedience to authority (Mat. 22:15-22). Paul wants to ensure that believers act as good citizens and avoid civil conflicts. However, this does not mean blind obedience. The Bible sometimes depicts people going against public authority in order to obey God (Exod. 1:17; Dan. 3:10-17; Acts 5:29). God has ordained the authority to be an agent of justice, to restrain evil by punishing the wrongdoer and to protect the good in society. 

    

A proper Christian response to authority reflects positively on Jesus. For the sake of Christ’s reputation, Christians should be submissive to the authority. God has instituted government because in this corrupt world, we need certain restraints and authority to protect us from the chaos and lawlessness that is a natural result of sin. But when the authority requires something contrary to the word of God, Christians must obey God rather than man (Acts 5:28, 29; cf. Dan. 3:16-18; 6:6-10). Some of the ways to obey the instituted authority are listed in verse 7, “Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour.”


PRAYER: 

God give me grace to perform my godly civic duties in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CHURCH OF NIGERIA ELECTS NEW BISHOPS AND ONE ARCHBISHOP

The Episcopal synod of the church of Nigeria Anglican Communion has elected six new Bishops, and one Archbishop. The election which took place at the Basilica of Grace Apo, Gudu district in the Diocese of Abuja on Thursday October 29, 2009 has the following:- The Rt. Rev. Friday John Imaekhai Bishop, Diocese of Esan, Elected: - Archbishop of Bendel to replace The Primate elect, The Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh The very Rev. Ralph Ebirien of St Stephen’s Cathedral Bonny Elected: - Bishop of Niger Delta Diocese The Venerable Ezekiel Bolarinde Dahunsi of Church of Pentecost FESTAC Lagos Elected: - Bishop Diocese of Ido- Ani The Rev. Canon Justus Emeka Mogekwu of St. Paul’s Kakuri, Kaduna Elected:-Bishop Diocese of Asaba to replace Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh. The Venerable (Prof.) Dapo Folorunso Asaju of the chapel of Light, Lagos (LASU) Elected:-Bishop for Theological Education in the office of the Primate The Venerable James Olaoti Akinola of St. James Iludun Oro, Kwara S...
Post a Comment
Read more

EXCERPTS FROM: 24/7 WARFARE PRAYERS AND SUPERNATURAL BREAKTHROUGH MANUAL

INTRODUCTION Right from childhood, the number “SEVEN” has always been an intrigue, an interesting puzzle, a fascination, and a great phenomenon to me. I was actually born on the seventh day of the month; perhaps this was one of the reasons why something leaps inside of me whenever I see the number. But as I grew up in the Christian faith I began to see a regular reference to it the scriptures. I was kind of saying, whoa! Holy bliss! Seven occurs 257 times, or 7 × 41 Seventh, the fractional part occurs 98 times or 7× 14 Seven –fold occurs 7 times. Seventy occurs 56 times or 7× 8 “Seventy” in combination with other numbers occurs 35 times or 7× 5. God is pleased to stamp the number “Seven” with the seal of perfection and completeness. God never down played the importance of the number, because it was the number of God. It is a carrier of God’s mysteries. It pleased God that, the Seventh man from Adam – Enoch sh...
Post a Comment
Read more

FIVE NEW FULL FLEDGED ANGLICAN DIOCESES

Five new Dioceses have been created in the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion. The Church's official website - http://www.anglican-nig.org/main.php?k_j=12&d=352&p_t=index.php? posted the information thus: The Standing Committee Meeting of Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion has approved the creation of five new full fledged Dioceses at their meeting at the Cathedral Church of St. Stephen’s Umuahia, Abia State. They are Shendam Diocese carved out of Langtang Diocese, Plateau state, Ido-Ani Diocese from present Owo Diocese, in Ondo state, Igbomina West from Igbomina Diocese,Kwara state, Ilesha North East from Ilesha in Osun state and Ijebu South West from Ijebu Diocese in Ogun state. At the presentation, the head of the Committee responsible for creation of new Dioceses, the most Rev. Joseph Akinfenwa Archbishop Ibadan Province and Bishop of Ibadan who led a team of four assured the house that the stage is set and the New Dioceses have met all the requirements for creation...
Post a Comment
Read more