Wanna discover your freedom in Christ? Then listen in as Mike Stone and Kevin Smith talk about it today on Grace Coach. Welcome to Grace Coach. This is Kevin Smith, my best friend, Mike Stone. What's up, Mike?

Hey. Good to be here. This is a great chapter to read with all that has been going on the last few days in the United States. Incredible what's been going on. The foreign president of the United States, Donald Trump, had an attempted assassination on Saturday.

And not only that, with just before that, with with all the things with president Biden and the debate and just all of the criticism of him being too old. And it's just like, oh my god. How much can we take of this? But this is where we're at. Yes.

It is. Yes. It is. You know, this is, really an interesting chapter. You know, Paul, in the beginning, he told us about our need to be made right with God.

We're born spiritually dead, And then Christ comes to live inside of us. And we're born again and we're right with God. We're right with him all the time. But here he's giving instruction and it's not legalistically. But I would say it's a suggestion of how to live as a born again Christian and how that we should submit to governing authorities.

And that's what this whole chapter is about. It's, really unbelievable to go through this. Yeah. I I agree. It's not necessarily a command, but it's a, like you're saying.

It's a result of who we are in Christ. Because you are now in Christ, we should live in submission to what god has put in control. That to me is the the biggest takeaway from this chapter. It's just a continuation of what Romans has been saying the whole what Paul has been saying in Romans the whole time is that god is in control. He's in control of our salvation.

He's in control of everything in the world. He created the world and this this little chapter right here is just a glimpse into the government. Okay? So god has established all government, and we should be in submission to them as a child of god. That's just a result of our our new status of god.

Yeah. Let's read, chapter 13 verse 1 through 5. I'm reading out of the New Living Translation. Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.

So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, then they will be punished. And not punished by God, they'll be punished by these authorities when when they break the law. Yes. Absolutely. For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong or breaking the law.

Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. The authorities are God's servant set for your good. But if you're doing wrong, of course, you should be afraid for they have the power to punish you. Yes.

Right? Those are the police Yes. Or the army or whatever IRS. When you don't pay attention. Oh my gosh.

Come right after you. They are God's servants sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. So you must submit to them not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. And I love that because really when you know you're doing something wrong, okay, whatever it might be, you're breaking a law, you're rolling a stop sign, you're, not paying your taxes, or cheating on your taxes, let's say, or you really can't have a clear conscience when you know you're doing wrong. Exactly.

And so life is much better when you do have a clear conscience. So, yeah, what I like about how Paul wrote this is that he didn't qualify the quality of the government that you have to be in submission to. He didn't say, if this government is doing everything god wants them to do, then you submit to them. You know, he didn't say if he's being good to Christians, then you submit to them. He he didn't say any of that.

He just said, god put all governments in charge, and, yes, I would even say, you know, the terrible governments of the world. And I'll I'll actually read this. You know, the first one we think about is Adolf Hitler. Of course, we always think any bad government, Adolf Hitler. But you might not know about a government that was in our own bible here.

There's a couple of them, and I'll read this one right here. And this is out of, Isaiah 45 1 through 7, and it's about King Cyrus. And let me just read it to you. And when I read it to you, listen. Think about this.

1, that is a prophecy given a 175 years before Cyrus ever was alive. And that the point is that god is in control. That this is blows my mind. Check this out. This is Isaiah 45 1 through 7.

Thus says the lord to Cyrus, his anointed, whom I have taken by the right hand to subdue nations before him and to lose the loins of kings. Open doors for him so that gates will not be shut. I will go before you and make the rough places smooth. I will shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron bars. I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden wealth of secret places so that you may know that it is I, the lord god of Israel, who calls you by your name.

For the sake of my of Jacob, my servant, and Israel, my chosen one. I have also called you by your name. I have given you a title honor. Though you have not known me, I am the lord, and there is no other. Besides me, there is no god.

I will gird you though you have not known me, that men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun that there is no one besides me. I am the lord, and there is no other. And it goes on and on and on, just talking about how awesome god is. But, man, that that is an amazing that is just one of a few amazing stories in the bible. You know, we can talk look at Nebuchadnezzar, read that chapter.

I mean, he humbled him after he, you know, got to be all proud and, you know, said I've created all this by myself, and then he you know, god put him like a animal, and he crawled around in the grass for a long period of time before he himself humbled himself and and said to, god is god. So, anyway, that's just an example, in the bible of how god has created governments, puts people in charge, and raises people, takes them out. You know, I feel like I vote more for the Republican Party than I do the Democrat Party, but yet here we have a Democrat president. And whether you're a Democrat or a Republican or an independent, God has put president Biden in place. Yes.

Okay? He has he's in a position of authority, and it says in verse 1, he has been placed there by God. Yes. And for us not to rebel against that, even though it doesn't feel like you know, it doesn't feel right. There's policies that you don't like.

And here it says in 1st Timothy 2 verses 1 to 2, Kevin, it says, I urge you then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for all people, and in verse 2, for kings and those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. So here, Paul in the book of first Timothy is saying to pray for whoever is in power. Absolutely. Pray for the president even though you don't agree with him. And that is kind of contrary to how probably many of us think.

Like, I'm not praying for that guy or for the president of China or Russia. You may not like what they're doing, but like you said, God is in control here. And so as a Christian, we want to pray for them and just submit to their authority. Think about this. We can only do what you just said when we have the holy spirit living inside of us.

Yeah. Before I was a Christian, I would never dream of doing something like that. Never. Never. Ever.

Right. That's why Christians, even in Rome I'm I'm thinking of Adolf Hitler, we could talk about Rome. You know, Paul wrote this to, you know, people in Rome that they were putting up on, you know, stakes and burning and accusing that the Christians set Rome on fire. You know? Speaking of Adolf Hitler, that's the atrocities that he did to the Jewish people Yes.

And to many other people, other, you know, Russians and Polish people. Polish people. Yeah. But look what came out of this. The nation of Israel was reborn.

Right. Right? And so that would not have happened if the United Nations didn't allow the Jewish people to gather at in Israel. Well, that was a result of what happened in Nazi germ Germany. Amen.

Amen. You know, we have to look from that standpoint. Alright. So verse 1, 13, 6, and 7. Pay your taxes too for these same reasons.

For government workers need to be paid. Right? Move out of move out of Illinois before you do that. Yeah. They are serving God in what they do.

Give to everyone what you owe them. In other words, give to the government what you owe them. Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them and give respect and honor to those who are in authority. Basically, just continuing what he said in verse 1 to 5. Why don't you read 8 through 10, Kevin?

Alright. Owe, nothing to anyone except to love one another, for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet. If there's any other command, it is summed up in this saying, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor.

Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law. The NIV says, let no debt remain outstanding. Now if you think about that, if you just put a period there, don't continue, you're like, the Bible is saying, pay your debts. Right? Except though.

So there is a debt that you should leave outstanding, and that's the continual debt to love one another. And you're like, oh my gosh. It's like if you don't keep on reading here, you're gonna think that there is a debt I could let go. Yeah. I'm gonna balance the books on on my strength and my work, and then I'll be good.

Well yeah. Except that you still have this debt that is outstanding, and that's the debt to love one another. I mean, that's beautiful. It is beautiful. Yeah.

Yeah. Basically referring, you know, again, even though all these things are, in the law, Paul takes us to a higher stake. You know, it's the royal law of love. And it's basically in James, I think, chapter 2. It's basically love your neighbor as yourself.

We should love other people just the way we love ourselves. Yeah. And I think Jesus, even took it a step further in John 1334. He says, a new command I give you, love one another as I have loved you. It's not just loving your neighbor as you do yourself because some people don't love themselves.

So that's gonna be pretty hard to do. You're right. You're thinking lowly of yourself. But I think here in John 1334, he says, love one another as I have loved you. Now that's a perfect love.

Right? Because the way God loves us is perfect. He loves he forgives us completely. And I just feel like John in John 13, he takes it a step further. How should we love one another?

Well, as Jesus has loved us, which is unconditionally and perfectly. You know, I'm gonna make a statement too. I've got 2 kids that have just gotten out of their teenage years. I love them dearly. But our society and our culture today is so self focused.

Okay? So self focus. I I'm me too. I mean, I'm self focused too. Alright?

And when we are all about self focused, it's hard to love other people. And that this is what I think, you know, Jesus says this. Get your eyes off of yourself. You know, love other people, and I don't know. It it just it just really grabbed me when I just got a glimpse of society and just how it's all about me.

Yeah. But if you get off of yourself, you can fulfill this royal law of love. Yeah. And how about 1st Corinthians 13:4 when he describes what love is? Because, you know, half of us don't even right?

Can't even define it. Well, maybe doing something for somebody or smiling, being kind, but here it says love is patient. I mean, that just stops us in our tracks. Right? I mean, all day long, our patience is tested.

But love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast. Yes.

It's not proud. It does not dishonor others. It's not self seeking like you you just said. It's not easily angered. Keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It it always protects. It always trusts. It always hopes. It always perseveres.

Love never fails. Now that's something that we would like to have more of in our hearts to offer this to others, but it only happens once we are receiving the love and the patience and the kindness of God. Yes. His forgiveness, he doesn't keep record of wrongs. This is really a perfect picture of God's love.

Yes. 1st first Corinthians 13 4 to 8. Read it every way. Yes. And here, look.

In verse 9, it's talking about the commandments. There's no command about love. Love is not mentioned here. But there are the things that we shouldn't do. Don't commit adultery.

Don't murder. Don't steal. It's all the don'ts. But Right. Love love is present, Kevin.

You don't have to tell me not to commit adultery because love is present in our relationship. Or you know what I'm saying? That Absolutely. Do not steal. I don't need that when love is present in my heart.

Yeah. I'm not gonna steal from you if I love you. I'm not gonna kill you if I love you. I'm not gonna kill you if I love you. And it's just an amazing way, you know, god through Paul ties this idea of submitting the government in with the basic principle that's throughout the whole bible and especially throughout Romans about love.

I mean, it's it's so god to write this this way. Absolutely. It's just and this bible is an amazing, amazing book. Yeah. So verse 11 to 14, we'll just finish chapter 13.

This is all the more urgent for you know how late it is. Time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone. The day of salvation will soon be here.

So remove your dark deeds like dirty cloths and put on the shining armor of right living, or you could say of love. Put on that armor. Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don't participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, and don't think about ways to indulge your evil desires.

And that is something that really have to tell ourselves that even as Christians, that it's permissible. It's permissible to think about ways to indulge your evil desires. It's not profitable. It never works. Yes.

It it never works well. You're always hurting somebody and yourself. Absolutely. Every time. Every time without fail.

Yeah. And I think that's where we grow in grace when we understand it's permissible. We're not under the law. God is not gonna punish us The punishment. But it's not profitable.

So don't go there. Right. It's not acting in accordance with who we are. Live from who we are. And like you're saying, it's it's permissible, but it's not profitable.

If we wanna muddle in the mud puddle, god's still gonna love us in the mud puddle. That is the mind blowing thing of our relationship with god. Yes. Wanting to continue to love us until we see alright. I wanna get out of the mud puddle.

The mud puddle is not good for me, and I wanna live as a child of the king. Yeah. And I think as he's talking about love in verse 8 to 10, that's the antidote. That's the antidote for not indulging in evil desires because it's it's gonna be painful for somebody else. Maybe it's your wife or girlfriend or boyfriend or parents or brother or sister or neighbor or friend.

It it's against what Paul is saying. Let no debt remain outstanding except to continue in debt to love one another. So that is the antidote. So that would put a lot of psychiatrists and drug companies out of business if we just understood more about love, that love comes from God and that we should love as God loves us perfectly, and then that we could pass on to others. And during the time when that's in your head, you're not thinking about indulging your evil desires.

So it's truly the antidote for that. And I would say it's it's a unique antidote because it can't be a generic love that we read about in some book that some man wrote. It's only gotta be the love of God that has given his son, Jesus Christ, for the world. And all we have to do is receive that, and then we can be in right relationship with him. Okay?

You never gave your son for us to be in relationship. Even though I call you my best friend and you are, you never gave your son like god did for us to be in relationship with him. So let's say and you said this many times in the because the bible says it that as long as Jesus is living, our relationship is gonna be rock solid. That's what our relationship So, friends So friends, if you've never accepted Jesus Christ as your lord, please do it now. Just say a simple prayer to him.

Turn over your life and begin that new life today. If you do this, let us know. We'd love to walk with you and continue listening. We love you guys. Thank you for listening to Grace Coach.

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