A reason beyond the bottom line!
A. Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake:… 1 Peter 2:13
1. As far as I can see, this is a reason beyond the bottom line!
I know this is a reason after all legitimate reasons are exhausted!
2. People say, this government do not deserve our obedience!
Because of ten thousand legitimate reasons… we must ignore and disobey its ordinance!
It is the opposite is truth!
3. It is precisely there is no legitimate reason to obey, that is why Peter wrote,
“for the Lord’s sake!” Why can people understand this!
4. “For the Lord’s sake” means give face to the Lord!
Once you refuse to listen, you have insulted the Lord and the Holy Spirit!
The question we have to consider is this!
Speak a word against the Spirit and do things against what the Spirit said,
which is more serious!
We know ignore and disobey a nation’s ordinance to teach a religion is against what
1 Peter 2:13 says!
B. Acts 4:19 and 5:29.
Yes, I know people in the world quote these 2 places of scriptures to ignore and disobey
a nation’s ordinance to teach a religion!
1. These scriptures are basically the same, so we will only study 5:29.
2. Let us read Acts 5:27-29--> Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before
the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest.
"We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name," he said.
"Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us
guilty of this man's blood."
Peter and the other apostles replied:
"We must obey God rather than men”!
3. It is clear Acts 5:29 was addressed to the Jewish Sanhedrin, not to the Roman Empire
authority!
As we grow up in Hong Kong we know this very well.
British Empire governors do not care how the Chinese practice their religious belief!
Such as myself, my ancestors were all idol worshippers!
I was the first in the Chan family clan to follow Jesus!
They can persecute me so long they don’t hurt me bad enough to require hospitalization,
British authority do not interfere!
But British ordinance we have to obey!
Even insulting ordinance as this one-->
"Chinese and dogs are forbiden to enter this public garden"!
If we disoby, British police will arrest us and put us in jail!
Anyone who care to read Acts chapter 25 center on verse 19, will see that was exactly
the case!
C. With all the loving spirit I may have!
May I call to your attention!
If we quote what Peter said in Acts 5:29 to disobey government authority!
We are making Peter speaking against himself and the Holy Spirit!
We make Peter committed a sin that cannot be forgiven either in this age, neither in the
age to come! Matt.10:32
No more wonder why, Jesus said those preached in his name, do miracles in his name as
evildoers in Matt.7:21-23!
D. Most said they disobey government ordinance for corrupted reasons!
To these people, please read Matthew chapter 27 and Acts chapter 24-26 and you will see
how corrupted those Roman Empire authorities were!
That was precisely, why Peter has to say, be subject to every ordinance for the Lord’s sake!
Otherwise he could say, since government authorities are decent, righteous and faithful to
the Almighty God, we must obey them!
In simple words the scenario was clear!
To Roman authority Paul and all Jesus’ followers were adorable citizens.
They are the cord of a tranquilize society!
In the meantime, to the establish Jewish religion, Paul and other Jesus’ followers were
rebels who deserve to die!
In respond to Jewish religion Peter said: We must obey God rather than men!
In respond to Roman authority Peter wrote:
Be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: … 1 Peter 2:13
May the Lord bless you always! May 22,2010