 All right, the civil magistrate, Romans chapter 13 verses one through seven. So good evening, welcome back to our study, our Sunday evening sermon series on the essentials. One sermon, one hour, one introduction to those subjects essential to the life, health, growth, maturity of the Christian. And as you well know, we've been working our way through various subjects related to Baptist theology lately, church practice, covering in particular the wealth of theology that's covered in our confession. And this evening, we have the joy of considering what the Bible has to say about the relationship of the Christian to the civil magistrate or the civil government. That's right, again, we're gonna talk tonight about the relationship between the Christian and the civil government. For those of you experiencing deja vu, this is where our Sunday morning Sunday school series on a theology of public life intersects with our Sunday evening sermon series on the essentials. And we get to enjoy the blessing tonight of a good summary. I'm gonna attempt to summarize all that we've talked about on Sunday mornings. I'm gonna attempt to summarize that in one sermon tonight. So we'll get a good review in particular from Romans chapter 13. And for those of you who are thinking, is this all we talk about around here? That's painting with a broad brush and it sounds a bit like complaining. All right, so we're gonna get a benefit, a good benefit from talking about it again. For those of you who have no idea what we're talking about, welcome to Cornerstone. We taste the Bible here. We're glad that you're here with us, okay? So I'd like to begin our discussion then this evening on civil authority with a quote from Sam Waldron. Here's what Dr. Waldron says. Does it surprise you that the confession contains a chapter on the subject of the civil magistrate? Are you inclined to ask, what does politics have to do with Christ? If that is something of your response, may I suggest that you are a victim of a religious background which has retreated from its social responsibilities under a wrong view of the separation of church and state. Such an attitude has virtually denied the sovereignty of God over all areas of life and to restrict Christianity to the spiritual realm is ultimately to destroy it. Now that assertion of Dr. Waldron is the assertion of our confession of faith which is the assertion of the Bible. The Christian, all Christians have a responsibility before God to relate biblically to civil authority. All Christians have a responsibility before God to relate to spheres of authority which God has instituted. We're not to retreat away from that. We are to engage in the social sphere, in the public sphere. Our culture has been laboring hard for decades now quite successfully to drive Christianity and in particular any perceived accountability to God out of the public schools, out of public institutions and out of the public square altogether. Psalm two, they gather themselves together and they say, come, let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us. That's the effort of public institutions today in particular in our country. They want no accountability to God. They actively seek to destroy that which they perceive to be an oppressive or baseless, warrantless morality by mocking Christianity into the darkened corners where there are flat earthers and white supremacists. And we don't want to be shoved there, should not be shoved there. We can't allow that to continue. They would like to push Christianity underground and it cannot be the case with us. It cannot be the case with our church. It cannot be the case with us as individual Christians. We have responsibility to the public, right? As Christian men and women saved by God to be salt and light in this world, we're not called to retreat. We're not called to hide ourselves in caves and rocks and deserts and monasteries and convents, monkifying our faith, right? Our God is the most high who rules over the kingdoms of men. He gives them to whomever he wills and God has something to say to the nations. God has something to say to our nation and God says it through the mouthpiece of his people, his word proclaimed on their lips. He does so through the witness of his word in this world on the lips of his people and through the conduct of their lives, right? In other words, you and I have responsibility. You and I have responsibility. It's called a great commission. And we have responsibility to go to the nations with the word of God. Dutch Reformed theologian Abraham Kuiper said this. He said, instead of monastic flight from the world, the duty of the Christian is now emphasized of serving God in the world in every position of life. Now he's borrowing a phrase there from Martin Luther, Corum Deo, or living every aspect of our lives, public and private, every aspect of our lives under the watchful gaze of God. There's no corner of the Christian's life in which he does not have accountability to God and where he does not have responsibility before God. Kuiper wrote that Christians should engage in every aspect of public life in the culture with the truth of the gospel. With respect to education or philosophy, with respect to art or science, politics, and even civil government, the Christians should bring the kingdom of God to bear upon that sphere of his influence. And Christians should be an influence in whatever sphere they find themselves. Now Kuiper conceived of that influence within three spheres in particular. The sphere of the church where we worship, where we love, we serve the body of Christ. Kuiper conceived of the social sphere and that sphere including the family, education, business and so on, and the sphere of the state or the civil magistrate and authority instituted by God. Each of these spheres has a delegated authority given by God outlined in the Word of God where one sphere exceeds its delegated authority and operates outside the bounds of its God-given jurisdiction. We always see the terrible consequences of sin. We see sin in that case. History is riddled with examples of that kind of sin, right? Where the, for example, where the professing church has imposed itself upon the sphere of the individual to bind the conscience with the traditions of men. We find the Lord Jesus Christ himself repudiating, rebuking the Pharisees in Mark chapter seven, for example, in doing that very thing, binding the consciences of men with the traditions of men rather than with the Word of God. We see many examples of significant sin where the church, for example, exceeds its jurisdiction in exercising undue authority over the state. We see in church history where churches are rounding people up, throwing them in prison, executing people with the sword that is to be the exercise authority of the state, not of the church. The church has exceeded its boundaries in that case and we see that in the case of the Holy Roman Empire, for example, the Inquisitions, the Crusades, all example of that very sinfulness that comes when one sphere exceeds its God-given boundaries. Most typical in our day, it's the civil magistrate that has become imperialistic with its authority and we see the state infringing upon the God-given rights and responsibilities of those made in the image of God and rather than protecting and upholding the God-given rights of God's image-bearers, the state tends to impose itself and encroach upon those God-given rights. So in these circumstances then, what is the Christian to do? How does a Christian relate to civil authority? How do we relate to an increasingly hostile, imperialistic civil authority? How do we fulfill our responsibility to that authority as the pillar and ground of truth? I think we have to remember, principally, brothers and sisters, that you and I have been bought with a price, the Lord says. We are not our own. Paul says, we are not to become, therefore, the slaves of men. I am, you are the blood-bought property of the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone has the authority to compel my conscience. He alone has the ultimate authority to compel my obedience. He alone has absolute authority. So what, then, are my duties related to civil government, the civil magistrate? How do I relate to the civil magistrate in a way that is honoring to the Lord? How are we to submit to civil authority without relinquishing our blessed status as slaves of the Lord Jesus Christ? Romans chapter 13, verses one through seven, will help us understand that. In Romans 13, I want us to consider, one, the source of civil authority, two, the substance of civil authority, and thirdly, commitments and obligations to civil authority. The source, the substance, and then the commitments and obligations of civil authority. First, consider with me the source of civil authority from verse one. 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, all right? Then explaining the source, then, of civil authority, Paul begins with an imperative that is supported by an indicative, an imperative supported by an indicative. The imperative or command is found at the beginning of verse one. Let every soul, that word let can sometimes be confusing in the Bible, that's generally indicative in the New King James, generally indicative of a command. God is commanding, let every soul be subject, be subject to the governing authorities. Literally, every soul, every person, I think the use of the word soul there is good to be inclusive of every single human being, not just Christians. Paul doesn't have in mind one particular part of society, he has in mind all of society, every single individual soul, every soul to surpassing or higher authorities, that's what the word means there, be subject. That be subject, that verb is present, meaning it's ongoing and it's passive, it's a passive imperative. The present passive communication or communicating a constant state, a constant heart disposition if you will, Paul is saying be subject, be willing, be willing to, be inclined to, be ready to obey the authority. By use of the passive sense, being subject, Paul's not referring strictly or solely only to obedience in the sense of a reluctant yielding. Obey doesn't matter how you obey, no. That's not what Paul is saying. Paul is speaking to the heart disposition of the Christian, to be ready, to be willing, the heart disposition of the person should be ready to submit, ready to obey, desirous of submitting, wanting to obey, okay? And Paul captures the heart of the matter, clearly in Titus chapter three, verse one, where Paul says remind them to be subject to rulers and to authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work. It speaks of an alertness, right? A conscientiousness, a sensitivity to what's being commanded and being ready, having a willing disposition, ready to subject yourself, ready to submit yourself, as Paul says in Titus three, ready for every good work. It says speak evil of no one, be peaceable, be gentle, showing all humility to all men. So the obedience then, enjoined by the command in Romans chapter 13, verse one is submission, not just submission, submission from the heart, right? A ready, willing heart disposition for submission. Matthew, Henry would summarize it as inclusive of loyalty, like fidelity, not just a yielding, but a loyalty, a fidelity, a respect and obedience. You may not necessarily respect the individual person in that office, but certainly we are to respect the office and there is a readiness, a willingness to obey. Loyalty, respect, obedience to just laws, ready to obey commands, voluntary subjection to legal penalties. Now that imperative, that command of God, Romans chapter 13, verse one is supported by a stunning indicative statement of fact. Paul says for or because, why are we to submit? Why are we to be subject? Because there is no authority except from God and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. So even our horrifically wicked government today. Yes, even our horribly wicked government today, supporting the murder of millions and millions and millions of babies in abortion. Yes, that government is a government that exists by the decree, by the determined will of God and we are to be subject. That same government that undermines marriage with sodomy or undermines marriage with no fault divorce. Yes, that government. Yes, even our horrifically wicked civil magistrate, the institution, that institution appointed by God. Now God is not the author of their sin. I wanna keep that very clear. God does not tempt them to sin. James says that, right? God is not the author of sin. God does not tempt anyone to sin. We see examples of governments just like that throughout history. Those governments Paul is saying instituted by God. Rome was one of the most repressive, oppressive regimes in all of history. So Paul is obviously not referring simply or only to godly or benevolent governments. Rome was the government in place when Paul wrote this letter and the more oppressive, the more repressive, the more tyrannical government is, I think the more important it is, the more critical that it is for Christians to understand the scope then of the imperative when Paul says to be subject. We need to understand exactly what that means, what that entails, the more tyrannical that governments become. Paul gives a reason for that. He's supporting the imperative with an indicative. He says four, because we're to be subject, for there is no authority except from God. Jesus Christ says essentially the same in Matthew 28, right? All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. So any and all legitimate authority is derived from him. He has all authority. So any other authority that is exercised is derived from him. Civil authorities therefore do not exercise absolute authority to themselves or autonomous authority to themselves. Civil authority is derived from the Lord Jesus Christ who's been given all authority. For there is no authority except from God and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. The London Baptist Confession of Faith 1689, chapter 24 addressing the civil magistrate. In article one, our confession says this. God, the supreme Lord and king of all the world hath ordained civil magistrates to be under him over the people for his own glory and the public good. I think that wording is really helpful and important. He's ordained civil magistrates, civil authority to be under him over the people for his own glory and for the public good. And to this end, God has armed them with the power of the sword for defense and encouragement of them that do good and for the punishment of evil doers, right? So God, think with me, God, working all things after the counsel of his own will, God hath ordained civil magistrates. He's not the author of their evil nor does he tempt them to evil, as James carefully says. However, what men mean for evil, God intends, God directs, God determines for good. Whether that entails the peace that we as Christians have enjoyed in this country for decades now or the righteous judgment that he has decreed in giving over men, even men in our civil government, women in our civil government and giving them over to a debased mind. Whatever God has determined, God intends that for good even though the men in those offices often mean that for evil. That's the doctrine of divine concurrence, doctrine we've talked about elsewhere that I think is really important. God executes what he decrees, what he's ordained through the use of secondary causes. Whether that's a lawful election or an unlawful election, whether that's through deceit, through insurrection, revolution, it is God the most high who rules in the kingdoms of men and gives them to whomever he wills. And God uses secondary causes often to set up those governments that he has appointed. We see that in scripture all over the place. Examples of God ruling over those kingdoms and appointing kingdoms to carry out his own determined will even when those kingdoms are wicked kingdoms. And oftentimes God establishing those kings, those kingdoms for the judgment of a certain people. So we see examples of this all over scripture, all over redemptive revelation. Listen to Isaiah chapter 10, Isaiah chapter 10 verse five. Listen, woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger. That's God speaking. And he's speaking of a particularly wicked kingdom, Assyria. Assyria would take the northern kingdom, the northern tribes by force. They would take them into exile into Assyria, conquer the northern kingdom. Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger God says and the staff in whose hand is my indignation. God says, I will send him, I'll send Assyria against an ungodly nation and against the people of my wrath. I will give him charge to seize the spoil, to take the prey and to tread them down like mire in the streets. Yet listen to what the Lord says about them. He, Assyria, does not mean so, nor does his heart think so, but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off not a few nations. It's a doctrine of divine concurrence. See, in the mind of Assyria, Assyria has no intention of doing God's will. They're not thinking to themselves, we're gonna do the will of the Lord. Assyria is out to do their own will, which is to conquer and kill and murder and torture and destroy so that they can take power, take land, take wealth for themselves. But what does God say? Assyria is the rod, the wrath, a rod of my wrath, in whose hand is my indignation and God is sending Assyria against, in this case, the Northern Kingdom. Listen to Isaiah 45, Isaiah chapter 45 verse one. Thus says the Lord to his anointed to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held. The Cyrus was a Persian king who God names by name long before Cyrus was ever born and calls him my anointed. In other words, God determines, decrees that Cyrus is going to do his will. What is the will of God that he will accomplish through Cyrus? He says there in verse one, to subdue nations before him and to loose the armor of kings, to open before him the double doors so that the gates will not be shut. Listen to verse five, speaking of Cyrus. God says, I will gird you though you have not known me so that they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that there is none besides me. I am the Lord, there is no other. I form the light and create darkness. I make peace and create calamity. I, the Lord, do all these things. That is an awesome example, isn't it, of the sovereignty of God over the nations and the sovereignty of God over kings, the sovereignty of God over civil authority. Habakkuk, chapter one, verse five. Listen, look among the nations and watch, be utterly astounded, God says. For I will work a work in your days which you would not believe though it were told to you. For indeed, I, God says, I am raising up the Chaldeans a bitter and hasty nation which marches through the breadth of the earth to possess dwelling places that are not theirs. Who decreed, who determined that bitter nation, the Chaldeans? God did. God did for his own purposes. Was it in the heart and mind of Chaldeans to do the will of God? No, they're doing their own thing. But what does their own thing ultimately accomplish? It ultimately accomplishes the will of God. It's a doctrine of divine concurrence. Many, many people make their own plans. Might a man plans his way but God directs their steps. From the Assyrians to the Babylonians to the Hitlers and Stalin's of our own day, God rules in the kingdoms of men and he gives them to whomever he wills. Now that is the source, the source of civil authority. But what is the substance then? The substance of civil authority. Look at Romans chapter 13, verse two. Therefore, therefore, whoever resists the authority, resists the ordinance of God and those who resists will bring judgment on themselves. Now we're looking at this text and looking at these verses from the perspective of the civil authority and the source and the substance of that civil authority. But verse two, therefore, whoever resists the authority, whichever person, whatever person resists the authority, speaking specifically of civil authority, the civil magistrate, which God has ordained, resists, stands opposed to, stands against, the ordinance of God. Paul is stating a principle here and in stating the principle, Paul doesn't give us the qualifications. We are to gather the qualifications as it were from good and necessary inference. We can gather qualifications from other texts of scripture. Paul is giving us the principle, right? When civil magistrate, when the civil magistrate is exercising its God-given authority as a responsible and accountable agent of God, the authority, those civil magistrates, verse two, are in harmony with the ordinance of God, right? That is, when a civil authority exercises that authority in keeping with God's law, that civil authority is in harmony with the ordinance of God or the will of God, the determined decree of God. And is operating within its God-given boundaries, is operating within its God-given jurisdiction. Therefore, under those circumstances, under the circumstances of the principle, when someone resists, stands opposed to, objects to the civil magistrate, they're not simply resisting the civil magistrate, they're resisting the ordinance of God. Do you see? The civil authority is exercising the authority that God has given it. When the civil authority is exercising the authority that God has given it, someone who resists is not merely resisting the civil magistrate, they're resisting God as well. Under those circumstances, whoever resists civil authority resists the ordinance or law of God. They find themselves standing opposed to God himself. In other words, the substance then, the substance of that civil authority is the ordinance, is the authority within the scope, within the bounds of the ordinance or the law of God. The authority is in keeping with the law of God, that which God himself has prescribed. For governments to act in a way then that is contrary to the ordinance of God is for civil authority to act in ways that are unlawful. When a civil authority, when a civil magistrate acts in ways that are not in harmony with the law of God, contrary to the law of God, that civil authority acts unlawfully. Now sometimes it's difficult for Christians to sort of wrap their hands around that concept because we've grown up in a society that's constantly taught us separation of church and state. These two things are entirely separate. No, no, no, no. Our government, our government has responsibility before God. Our government has accountability to God, responsibility to God. They are to steward the way that they exercise their authority according to the word of God. And so when our civil government acts in ways that are contrary to the ordinance of God, they are acting in ways that are unlawful. They themselves then resist the ordinance of God. And Christians in that circumstance are just, Christians are righteous in resisting that unlawful exercise. We are to obey God rather than men, right? We are not to become the bond slaves of men. So when someone then resists the civil magistrate or the civil authorities, when those civil authorities are operating within their God-given bounds, within their God-given jurisdiction, in harmony with the ordinance of God, then those civil authorities, that person who resists, they're not merely resisting the civil magistrate. That police officer, they're not merely resisting that police officer. They're not merely resisting that court order. They're not really merely resisting or standing opposed to that legislation or those taxes, but they are in fact resisting standing opposed to setting themselves against the ordinance of God, in fact, God himself. And those who resist, Paul says, will bring judgment upon themselves. Certainly they bring the judgment of the civil authority upon themselves, right? The legal penalties that are enjoined to the law. But they also could bring the judgment of God upon themselves. I think Paul has in mind there both. Four, verse three, rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. This, all of this is the basis of Paul's initial command in verse one to be subject to governing or to civil authority. What happens then? What happens when civil governments, when governments fail to uphold the ordinance of God? What happens when they become a terror to good works rather than a terror to evil works? On that case, Christians are not the bond slaves of men and Christians are to obey God rather than men. There are three areas, we established these on Sunday morning in our study of this, three areas in which Christians should take heed and obey God rather than men. First, when civil government commands something that God forbids. When civil government commands something that God forbids. Secondly, when civil government forbids something that God commands. And then thirdly, when civil government exercises an illegitimate authority outside the God given parameters of its jurisdiction, when civil authority overflows its banks, so to speak. When civil authority imperialistically marches across the borders of its jurisdiction. We must refuse to give civil government any authority that does not properly belong to it. We must obey God rather than men. And to do so is to abandon the responsibility, the accountability that God has given elsewhere. I think a good example of this, in particular in our day and age, when we hear so much about this on the news right now, is in the education of our children. Who has God given the responsibility of educating your children? Give the hint in the way I asked the question. He's given that to you. Ultimately, the father is the head of the household, but mom and dad, you're responsible for raising your children in the nurture and in the admonition of the Lord. So what happens then when government begins to encroach upon that God given responsibility that he has given to you? That's an area in which you're responsible, you're accountable to God, and you will stand before God one day and give an account for how you've raised your children. That's your responsibility. And so when the government comes in, they encroach upon that responsibility and you sort of allow that to happen and give them the responsibility of raising your children. When they do a miserable job of that, whose responsibility, it's ultimately your responsibility. So what happens, the civil government has marched past the boundaries of its jurisdiction into the sphere of the family where mom and dad are head, ultimately the father is the head of the household. When the civil government has marched into that sphere and begins throwing its authority around, that is an unlawful use of its authority. That civil government has now exercised an authority that is illegitimate and what are Christians to do? Christians should push back on that. No, no, no, no, no, no. You're not gonna mess with the education of my children. I have a responsibility before God. I have a responsibility before God to raise my children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. The government's not gonna have anything to do with that. Do you see? That's a time when Christians should resist. Therefore, we are to obey God rather than men. We see that beginning in verse three, Romans chapter 13, verse three, polls explanation then of our various commitments and obligations relative to the legitimate function of the civil magistrate. When the principle is operating, how are we to relate to civil authority? Verse three, four, rulers are not a terror to good works but to evil. Do you wanna be unafraid of the authority? What's your responsibility? Do what is good? You will have praise from the same. What is the government's responsibility? Verse four, he is God's deacon, deaconous. 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 the civil authority, the civil magistrate, is God's minister, God's deacon and avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore, Paul says, you must be subject not only because of wrath, but also for conscience's sake. For because of this, you also pay taxes for their God's ministers attending continually to this very thing. So we see in Paul's statement here of commitments and responsibilities, their role, their responsibility and our response in these verses, verses three through seven, three through six. Their role, their responsibility, our response. First, their role, the role of the civil magistrate is to be a terror to evil workers. There to be a terror to evil workers. The civil magistrate is to be God's minister, God's deacon, deacon, his minister to you for good. You see often on a police car, I've used this example before, but to protect and serve on the side of a police car. That's true and good that the police, we have the police, we're grateful to God that we have the police to protect and serve. But who ultimately, should the police be serving? They should be serving God. They are God's minister, God's deacon as it were. They are serving God's interests to us on behalf of us for our good to protect and serve. First, their role. Second, their responsibility. The civil authority, civil magistrate is obligated to do God's will, not their own will, not the will of the people, not the will of political parties or political interest groups. They're obligated to do God's will. All of those other wills, including the will of the people, is subordinate to God's will. Second Samuel, chapter 23, verse three, the God of Israel said, the rock of Israel spoke to me, he who rules over men must be just ruling in the fear of the people. No, ruling in the fear of God, right? They're to rule in the fear of God. If they govern at the consent of God to serve him, then the good that they are to do, verse four, is good that is determined by him. That good which they are to do is determined by God. It's not determined by the government. The government, civil authority, may think of all kinds of things that they believe to be good for the people. They may not be good for the people. Our government today is the government that calls evil good and good evil. We don't want them in charge of determining what is good for us and what isn't good for us. That needs to be done according to the word of God again. Their role, their responsibility, our response then. Verse five, therefore you must be subject. You must be subject. Paul goes back again to his imperative in verse one. You must be subject. Not only because of wrath, not only because you fear the judgment, but also for conscience's sake, for the Lord's sake because you know it is the right thing to do, right? That's what he's talking about. For conscience's sake. For because of this you also pay taxes. For they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing. Not only for fear of wrath, but for the Lord's sake. Our confession once again gives us a very helpful summary. Article three, civil magistrates being set up by God for the ends of fore said, subjection in all lawful things commanded by them ought to be yielded by us in the Lord. That's our responsibility to civil authority. When civil authorities are set up and they operate according to the ends of fore said, those instructions that Paul has given, then our response is subjection in all lawful things commanded by them, not subjection in unlawful things commanded by them. Do you see? Not in unlawful things, but our subjection in all lawful things commanded by them ought to be yielded by us in the Lord. Not only for wrath, not only because we fear wrath, but for conscience's sake, because it's the right thing to do. And we ought to make supplications and prayers for kings and all that are in authority that under them we may live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. First Timothy chapter two. Verse seven, render therefore to all their due. Taxes to whom taxes are due. Customs to whom customs. Fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. The Lord Jesus Christ would say it in Matthew chapter 22, render to Caesar the things that are Caesars, render to God the things that are gods. I'll read that text in your hearing we talked about it this morning. In Matthew chapter 22 verse 15, the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle him in his talk. Then they sent to him their disciples, the disciples of the Pharisees with the Herodians, a group that represented the civil authority in Rome, saying, teacher, we know that you're true. Teach the way of God in truth, nor do you care about anyone, for you do not regard the person of men. Tell us therefore, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Jesus perceived their wickedness and said, why do you test me, you hypocrites? Show me the tax money. So they brought him a denarius. Then he said to them, whose image and inscription is this? They said to him Caesars. So he said to them, render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are God's. When they heard these words, they marveled, left him and went their way. If you would be salt and light in this world, if you would honor the Lord in our relationship to civil authority, then we are brothers and sisters to take care to render to Caesar the things that are Caesars and take care that we render to God the things that are God's. All of that speaks to our relationship to civil authority, the Christians relationship to or responsibility to the civil magistrate. You know what I was thinking about this subject? When Jesus Christ returns, Jesus Christ is himself the fulfillment of all civil authority. You thought about that before? When Jesus Christ returns, Jesus Christ is himself the fulfillment of all civil authority. Why? He is king of kings and Lord of lords. He, when he comes, he will right all wrongs. He will establish justice in the gate. He will do away with injustice. Aceptor of righteousness is the scepter of his kingdom. He forever upholds the good of his people. Ruling in wisdom as king of kings and Lord of lords, the Lord Jesus Christ is the preeminent, the ultimate, the superlative civil magistrate if you will, right? The Lord of lords, the king of kings. All the kings of the nations will bring their glory and honor into the new Jerusalem and of his reign and of his kingdom, there will be no end. Praise the Lord. Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus. Pray with me. Father in heaven, Lord, we thank you and praise you for your wisdom in instituting civil authority. We see the wisdom of it, Lord. We need the civil authority to restrain the wickedness of this world, to restrain the wickedness of wicked men. And we thank you, Lord, in your wisdom that you've given civil authority the power of the sword. We pray for kings, for our president, for those in authority, for our government, for our Congress, for our court system, Lord, that they would govern lawfully. That they would govern justly in the fear of God and that we would, in subjection to them, in submission to them, enjoy a peaceable and quiet life, Lord, of serving you, worshiping you as you've called us to without fear of persecution or reprisal. And we pray, Lord, that those governing authorities would repent of their sin, would repent of exercising authority in a way that is unlawful, repent of calling evil good and good evil, and would turn back to you, Lord, exercising authority as you've ordained in a way that is honoring to you, in the fear of God, and that in a way that they operate, Lord, they would bring honor to you and would restrain the wickedness of evil men as you've called them to, and would be support for good. We love you, Lord, we thank you for your wisdom in these things, and we pray, Lord, for the soon return of our Lord Jesus Christ, who himself will establish justice in the gates, who will be king over us as he is now, even now, and will reign, Lord, and establish his kingdom and of his rule and of his kingdom, a kingdom where righteousness reigns, righteousness rules. Lord, we pray that he will come quickly, establish his kingdom in eternity, and that we will enjoy the blessedness under his rule and reign for all of eternity with him. We're grateful to you for our time in this study, Lord. Thank you for all that you do. Thank you for your word, helping us to understand these things, and may we honor you in the way we relate to civil authority. For the glory of your name, God, we pray these things. Amen.