INTRODUCTION
The restrictions placed on the local church by the provincial government has forced Christians to think carefully about how Christians ought to relate to the government. This can be a good thing, as crises are often catalysts for much-needed study and deepening of convictions in the life of the church.
SERMON SERIES
The Basics: A Call to Be Subject to the Government
Romans 13:1-7 gives the church the default position on how it ought to relate to the government. Because God has instituted every authority to punish the wrong-doer and approve what is good, Christians ought to submit to the government that God has given them by being obedient in so far as the government is not commanding what is contrary to the commands of God in Scripture and by paying governing officials honor and respect.
The Exceptions: When Christians MUST Resist the Government
Acts 5:25-29 records a story in which Christ’s apostles are commanded to stop preaching the gospel. Their response? “We must obey God rather than men.” The Old and New Testaments are full of stories where God’s people are commanded by the government to disobey God and they respond by defying the government to obey Christ. We must have a category for disobeying the government when it calls us into sin if we are to live faithfully in this sinful world.
Sphere Sovereignty: What is Caesar’s and what is God’s?
In Luke 20:19-25, Jesus teaches us that while some things are under the authority of the state, only God is supreme over all. In this message we learn that God has instituted three governments – the family, the church, the state – and that each government has its assigned sphere of authority. Each of these are out of bounds when they overstep their God-given areas of governance.
Application: Wise as Serpents, Innocent as Doves
In Matthew 10:16, Jesus reminds us that as a church, we are being sent as sheep among wolves. We must expect opposition in this world. Therefore, we must be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Here we apply biblical truth to evaluate the previous months and to provide direction for the future. The church, as instituted by God and commanded to gather for worship, must continue to meet in these days of trial. The gathered church is at the centre of God’s rescue mission, and it must not falter. Grace Life Church will gather in obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ.
For more information on our plan to continue meeting as a church, or if you have questions about what the Bible says about how the church ought to relate to the state, please contact us at gracelifebeausejour@outlook.com.
Grace Life Church 