We have seen that, in the progressing stage of God’s full salvation, the believers experience the dispensing of the divine Trinity in the matters of serving and worshipping God, working and laboring for the Lord, not loving the world, overcoming Satan, fighting the good fight, running the course of the race, and being profited in all things in their circumstances and environments. In this message we shall see that the believers experience this divine dispensing also in having the best attitude toward others.
It is crucial that the believers have the best attitude toward others. We are in the church, yet the church is among human society. We cannot live a life outside human society. Hence, there is the need for us to know what kind of attitude we should hold toward others, that is, toward unbelievers.
In having the best attitude toward others, the believers first need to be subject to the government. This is strongly charged in Romans 13:1-7. In 13:1a Paul says, “Let every person be subject to the authorities over them.” A natural character is a rebellious character, but a transformed character is submissive. Subjecting ourselves to the government requires a certain amount of transformation. Therefore, if we are submissive to God’s appointed authorities in the government, it is an indicator that we have a certain amount of transformation, because our natural character and disposition are rebellious. We were born rebellious, and our natural response to authority is to rebel. Subjection to authority requires transformation from the growth in life through the experience of the dispensing of the processed Triune God.
We need to recognize that the authorities are from God, appointed by God, as servants of God to the believers for their good. Romans 13:1b says, “There is no authority except from God, and those which exist are appointed by God.” Verse 4 says that the authority “is a servant of God to you for your good. But if you do evil, fear; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to him who practices evil.” The New Testament clearly teaches that all authorities are from God. Human government with its authority was established by God during Noah’s time. After the flood, God gave man the authority to rule over others (Gen. 9:6). It was by this ruling authority among men that the nations were set up. Therefore, as Christians we must recognize that the authorities are from God and respect them.
As servants of God, the authorities have been appointed by God to the believers for their good. This means that through the authorities God will allow us to live on earth in peace to be His testimony. While we are living on earth, we surely need a peaceful situation. In order to maintain a peaceful situation there is the need of government with authority to rule over the people. Through this ruling a good environment and a peaceful situation can be maintained. This is for our good.
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