*** Who should be
subject to civil government?
“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For
there is no power but of God.” Romans 13:1.
*** By whom are the
powers ordained?
“The powers that be are ordained of God.” Verse 1.
*** What does one
resist who resists just civil authority?
“Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the
ordinance of God: and they
that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.” Verse 2.
*** What are the proper
sphere and work of civil authorities?
“For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil...
If thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the
sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute
wrath upon him that doeth evil.” Verses 3-4.
*** Who is it that
receives the enforcement of law?
“Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for
the lawless and disobedient .” 1 Timothy 1:9.
*** How should
Christians respect civil authority?
“Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to
obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work.” Titus 3:1. “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake:
whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them
that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise
of them that do well... Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God.
Honour the king.” 1 Peter 2:13-17. “For this cause pay ye
tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon
this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom
tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom
honour.” Romans 13:6, 7.
*** In what words does
Christ reveal that there are two spheres of authority: one that belongs to
earthly governments, and another, higher one, that belongs to God alone?
“Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and
unto God the things that are God’s.” Matthew 22:21.
*** To whom alone did
Jesus say that worship can and must be given to?
“Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him
only shalt thou serve.”
Matthew 4:10.
*** What decree did
King Nebuchadnezzar once make to all the citizens of his empire?
“That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp,
sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and
worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: and
whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into
the midst of a burning fiery furnace.” Daniel 3:5, 6.
*** What answer did the
three faithful Hebrew captives give?
“O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this
matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the
burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us... But if not... we will
not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set
up.” Verses 16-18.
*** What did
Nebuchadnezzar then do?
“He commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning
fiery furnace.” Verse 20.
*** After their
miraculous deliverance, what did Nebuchadnezzar then declare to everyone?
“Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath
sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have
changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not
serve nor worship any god, except their own God.” Verse 28.
*** In what way alone
were the envious leaders of Medo-Persia able to complain about Daniel?
“We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we
find it against him concerning the law of his God.” Daniel 6:5.
*** What religious law
did they succeed in urging the king to enact?
“That whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty
days, save of thee, a king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.” Verse 7.
*** Did Daniel obey
this new governmental edict?
“He went into his house, and his windows being open in his
chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day,
and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did a foretime.” Verse 10.
*** What was done to
Daniel for disobeying it?
“Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast
him into the den of lions.” Verse 16.
*** What did Darius say
when Daniel was taken out of the lions’ den?
“O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou
servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?” Verse 20.
*** What was Daniel’s
reply to the king?
“O king, live for ever, My God hath sent His angel, and hath shut
the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before Him
innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no
hurt.” Verses 21-22.
*** What parting
command did Christ give to His disciples?
“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every
creature.” Mark 16:15.
*** What counter
command did the Jewish authorities in Jerusalem soon give them?
“And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor
teach in the name of Jesus.” Acts 4:18.
*** What reply did
Peter and John give to these authorities?
“Whether it be
right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge
ye. For we cannot but speak
the things which we have seen and heard.” Verses 19-20.
*** For continuing to
preach the Word of God, after being forbidden to do so, what was the
result?
“Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him,
(which is the sect of the Sadducees) and were filled with indignation, and
laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common
prison.” Acts 5:17, 18.
*** Did God then reveal
Himself to be on the side of governmental authorities when they did wrong?
“But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors,
and brought them forth, and said, Go stand and speak in the temple
to the people all the words of this life.” Verses 19-20.
*** When the apostles
were called before the council again, what question did the high priest
ask them?
“Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this
name? and, behold, ye have
filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood
upon us.” Verse 28.
*** What reply did the
apostles make to the authorities?
“We ought to obey God rather than men.” Verse 29.
*** Who is higher than
the “higher powers” of this earth?
“If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting
of judgment and justice in a provine, marvel not at the
matter: for He that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be
higher than they.” Ecclesiastes 5:8.
*** Because Mordecai
refused to bow down before Haman, a leading official of Medo-Persia, what
emperial decree did Haman succeed in enacting?
“And the letters were sent by posts into all the king’s
provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both
young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the
thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take
the spoil of them for a prey.” Esther 3:13.
*** What is religion?
“The recognition of God as an object of worship, love, and
obedience.” Webster. Other definitions equally good are:
“The duty which we owe to our Creator, and the manner of discharging
it.” “Man’s personal relation of faith and obedience to
God.”
*** In religious
things, whom alone dare we call “Father”?
“And call no man
your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in
heaven.” Matthew 23:9.
*** When tempted to bow
down before Satan, what reply did Christ make?
“Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is
written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou
serve.” Matthew 4:10. (See Deuteronomy 6:13.)
*** To whom alone,
then, is each one accountable in religion?
“So then everyone of us shall give account of himself to
God.” Romans 14:12.
*** What do those do,
therefore, who make men accountable to them in matters of religion?
They put themselves in the place of God. (See 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4.)
*** Why is it, that in
areas of religion, Christ declared that men must not be called masters?
“Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even
Christ.” Matthew 23:10.
*** To whom, then, as
servants of God, are we responsible in matters of faith and worship?
“Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to
his own master he standeth or falleth.” Romans 14:4.
*** Whose servants are
we not to be?
“Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of
men.” 1 Corinthians 7:23.
*** Where must all men
finally appear to render account of their lives and actions?
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that
everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he
hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10.