Saintly Citizens
Independence Day in Independence! What better place is there to celebrate the freedoms God has given to us as citizens of the United States of America? If you hadn’t read it lately, I encourage you to read through the Declaration of Independence. It’s always good to revisit our roots as a nation and remember “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
Over the last 230 years battles have been won and lost. Our nation has experienced success and failure. We’ve advanced and we’ve regressed. I’ll leave it to others to comment on the details of our nation’s history, but I do want you to consider how we as Christ-followers here in the U.S.A. are supposed to live. The Apostle Paul gives us some clear guidance in this area when it comes to being saintly citizens.
1. We are Called to Respect the Leaders of the Land.
In Romans 13 we read, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. (verses 1-2).
Of course this does not mean we blindly agree with every policy that our leaders develop, nor does it mean we are to refrain from questioning the direction our country is heading at any given moment. What we are called to do is submit, recognizing that God ultimately establishes each and every authority. Our faith in Christ should be modeled by the way we respect those God has put in authority over us.
2. We Are Called to Obey the Laws of the Land.
In verses 3-5 Paul reminds us, “For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.”
Don’t ever get the idea that it’s acceptable to ignore the laws of the land. Sometimes we feel that as long as there are no police around we can do as we like. While we may not be caught by the police, we are often caught by our children or neighbors or simply by the Holy Spirit. Those who follow Christ should be stellar examples of what it means to be a good citizen.
3. We Are to Raise the Spiritual Welfare of the Nation.
Paul continues to teach us in verses 9-10 by stating, “The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”
In order to raise the spiritual temperature of America we must determine that we will be the thermostats and not the thermometer. In other words, our lives are to adjust the spiritual climate around us, not reflect it. Consider how this will change your workplace, the conversations you have in your home, or the way you interact with others in the community.
What changes do you need to make in order to become a saintly citizen? What may be keeping you from making those changes? I’d love to hear your response.
