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Well, please turn with me in 
your Bibles to Titus chapter 3, as we continue our exposition 
of Paul's letter to Titus. I'll read the chapter and then 
our focus will be on the first three verses, the Christian's 
duty toward non-Christians. In chapter 2, verses 1 to 10, 
the apostle tells us how we are to interact with one another, 
believers in the household of faith, how the older men are 
to function, how the older women are to function, how the younger 
women are to function, how the younger men are to function, 
and then the slaves. And Titus as well is to exemplify 
the virtues that are indicated in this section. So what we have 
in chapter 2 verses 1 to 10, as I said, deals with our interpersonal 
relationships with one another as God's people. Chapter 3 deals 
with the Christian's duty toward civil government and then the 
Christian's duty toward all men. And I believe that he's dealing 
with non-Christian with reference to government and the all men. 
So let's look at chapter 3. I'll read beginning in verse 
1. Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to 
obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, 
to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. For 
we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving 
various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy. hateful 
and hating one another. But when the kindness and the 
love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of 
righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy, he 
saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing 
of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us abundantly through 
Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by his 
grace, we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal 
life. This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to 
affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should 
be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable 
to men. But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, 
contentions, and strivings about the law, for they are unprofitable 
and useless. Reject a divisive man after the 
first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is 
warped and sinning, being self-condemned. When I send Artemis to you, or 
Tychicus, be diligent to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have 
decided to spend the winter there. Send Zenos, the lawyer, and Apollos 
on their journey with haste, that they may lack nothing. and 
let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet 
urgent needs that they may not be unfruitful. All who are with 
me greet you. Greet those who love us in the 
faith. Grace be with you all. Amen. Well, let us pray. Father, thank 
you again for the written word and thank you for the Holy Spirit 
who gave us the word and who continues to teach us the word. 
We know that Jesus said that he would not leave us as orphans 
when he departed to go into heaven, but he provided another comforter, 
one just like him. And we rejoice that the Holy 
Spirit is given as a seal and a guarantee of our final inheritance. We rejoice that he indwells the 
people of God who have, by grace, believed the gospel. And we rejoice 
that he doesn't leave us destitute. but you guide, and you direct, 
and you help, and you aid. And Lord, even now, we stand 
in need of this. Again, forgive us for our sin 
and its darkening influence over our minds, and we pray now that 
you would be glorified in this time, and we ask through Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, as I said, the section 
breaks down pretty simply into two broad categories. In the 
first place, we have the duty toward civil government in verse 
1, and then secondly, the duty toward all men in verses 2 to 
3. So I want to look first of all 
at this duty to civil government. Notice the way Paul starts off 
in verse 1. He says, remind them. Now he's 
not saying, I want you to begin a new series on what the civil 
government and our role to it ought to be. Remind them. That 
means that Paul had already taught. Paul had already instructed the 
people of Crete with reference to this particular aspect of 
their Christian experience. So he now calls on Titus to remind 
the various Christians and the various churches on the island 
of Crete of this particular duty relative to the civil state. 
The believers are reminded because Paul knows that within our own 
hearts, we are prone to wander and prone to leave the God that 
we love. We are oftentimes forgetful. That's why there is a lot of 
reminder in the Bible. We are oftentimes neglectful. That's why there are oftentimes 
reminders in the Bible. And there is a lot of sin remaining 
in us. So that's why there are a lot 
of reminders in the Bible. And when he says, remind them, 
he's talking about the various people groups he's already instructed. Again, the old men, the young 
men, the old women, the young women, and then the slaves that 
were in the churches in Crete. So he wants Titus to remind them. In the second place, we ought 
to look at the origin of civil government. Notice what the text 
says, remind them. to be subject to rulers and authorities. Again, Paul had already taught 
this, but it's good for us to renew our understanding with 
reference to the scriptures teaching on the role of civil government. 
With reference to the origin of it, it comes from God. God 
established civil government, and that's why it's crucial that 
we as his people, we as his subjects, express obedience and submission 
to the governing authority that he has instituted over us. So 
I want to look at various passages to underscore the reality that 
what we have in Scripture in terms of the origin of civil 
government is clear to all of us. You can turn back to the 
book of Genesis, Genesis chapter 9. We'll do a bit of a biblical 
theology of the origin of civil government. Certainly not all 
the passages, not all of the texts, not all of the teaching, 
but just a survey of some of the classic passages that have 
to do with the origin of civil government coming from God himself. In Genesis chapter 9, we have 
after the flood. And so God now tells Noah how 
life is supposed to be after the flood. And in Genesis 9, 
verse 6, he says, whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood 
shall be shed, for in the image of God he made man. And as for 
you, be fruitful and multiply, bring forth abundantly in the 
earth and multiply in it. This is significant for this 
reason. Prior to the flood, the earth was exceedingly corrupt. 
It was filled with violence. So now after the flood, God makes 
this covenant with Noah respecting civil government. Certainly there 
are other things involved in the Noahic covenant, but certainly 
we see the power of the state to be able to execute criminal 
offenders. particularly here, the crime 
of murder. Whoever sheds man's blood, by 
man his blood will be shed. The theological rationale for 
this is, for in the image of God, he made man. So the sword 
is given to the civil government at this crucial era in redemptive 
history. Luther says, this was the first 
command having reference to the temporal sword. By these words, 
temporal government was established and the sword placed in its hands 
by God. Turn over to the book of Deuteronomy, 
Deuteronomy chapter 17. Again, just looking at the origin 
of civil government coming from the hand of God himself. In Deuteronomy 
17, verses 14 to 20, we have instructions for the king in 
Israel. Now, at the time of the writing 
of Deuteronomy 17, there wasn't a monarchy. But God is directing 
his people to that particular end. They will have a monarchy. And what we have in Deuteronomy 
17, 14 and following are rules or principles or laws that govern 
the role of the monarch. Notice in Deuteronomy 17, 14, 
when you come to the land which the Lord your God is giving you 
and possess it and dwell in it and say, I will set a king over 
me like all the nations that are around me. You shall surely 
set a king over you whom the Lord your God chooses. One from 
among your brethren you shall set as king over you. You may 
not set a foreigner over you who is not your brother, but 
he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people 
to return to Egypt to multiply horses. For the Lord has said 
to you, you shall not return that way again. Neither shall 
he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor 
shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself. Now notice, this is crucial. 
The interesting thing about the monarchy in Old Covenant Israel 
was that it was theocratic in nature. When Solomon assumed 
the throne, it says that he sat on the throne of Yahweh. So it's 
a monarchy unlike other monarchies that we have witnessed in history. 
And verse 18 tells us as much. Also it shall be, when he sits 
on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself 
a copy of this law in a book from the one before the priests, 
the Levites. And it shall be with him, and 
he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn 
to fear the Lord his God and be careful to observe all the 
words of this law and these statutes, that his heart may not be lifted 
above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment 
to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his days 
in his kingdom, he and his children, in the midst of Israel. So the 
copy of the book that he was supposed to transcribe for himself 
was the Law of Moses. If the kings in Israel would 
have done that, it probably would have looked a whole lot different 
in terms of their particular reign. But with reference to 
civil government, we see that God is the origin point. Next, we have the giving of the 
judges prior to the monarchy. Prior to the first king, Saul, 
there were judges in Israel. Now the book of Judges details 
that for us. And when we hear judge, we often 
think of a black robe and a gavel and somebody that's just hearing 
cases and either rendering a verdict of guilt or innocence or whatever 
the case may be. That's not how the judges function 
in this setting. They were civil authority. They 
weren't like kings in many ways. They didn't have that title, 
but they certainly had that prerogative. They were to defend Israel, they 
were to vanquish the enemies of Israel, and they were to regulate 
conduct within Israel. So the period of the judges highlights 
as well that God is the origin of civil government. We have 
next a statement by Christ speaking as wisdom in the book of Proverbs. Proverbs 8, verse 15, Jesus says, 
By me kings reign, and rulers decree justice. By me, Christ 
says, kings reign. Moving on in sort of a biblical 
theological fashion, in the prophet Isaiah, in Isaiah chapter 45, 
verse one, God calls Cyrus, king of Persia, my anointed. Now, that is an English translation 
of the Hebrew word Messiah. The Greek word is Christ. So 
God calls Cyrus, king of Persia, my Christ, my anointed, my Messiah. In the prophet Jeremiah, in several 
places, God refers to Nebuchadnezzar as my servant. which both of 
these instances, and many others, again this is just a brief survey, 
indicate that God the Lord, Yahweh of Israel, is the sovereign over 
even pagan kings. So He's not only the origin, 
but He's also over them in terms of their supreme Lord. And then 
we have the men of God who served in pagan civil government. We just read of one. Joseph is 
exalted to that position of prestige in Egypt. He is given the second 
chair over all Egypt. This is an incredible thing and 
again highlights the origin of civil government. God didn't 
say, oh no, Joseph, you can't go work for Pharaoh. That's bad 
and we're Anabaptists. That's not what God does. God 
raised up Joseph to occupy that particular position. You have 
Daniel. who functioned in Babylon as 
a civil servant. You have Nehemiah, who functioned 
under Artaxerxes as his cupbearer. So you have men of God from Israel 
serving in civil government, even in pagan nations. With reference 
to monarchy, it was intriguing. The other day, we went through 
Genesis 49 in our study on Wednesday night, and John Calvin comments 
on the Shiloh prophecy in 49a. He says, hence we gather that 
when God would institute a perfect state of government among His 
people, the monarchy was chosen by Him. Which is intriguing. Calvin obviously 
favored a monarchy versus at least a constitutional republic 
or some such thing. Now, with reference to the monarchy 
in Israel, remember when the people do cry out for a king. 
They do that in 1 Samuel chapter 8. Now the problem isn't that 
they want a king. The problem is they want to be 
a nation like the other nations around them. So understand what's 
happening there in 1 Samuel 8. There's no contradiction. God 
knows that the people are going to ask for a king. But the reason 
why they asked for a king was not altogether good. And then 
in that passage in 1 Samuel chapter 8, God highlights, through Samuel, 
the problems there would in fact be with the king. You see that 
under Saul, obviously. There would be high taxation, 
there would be the co-opting of persons into the royal court, 
there would be a whole lot of things that would ultimately 
run roughshod over the people of Israel. So I'm not certain 
that monarchy is in fact the best form of government. Thankfully, 
we don't have to contend with that. in our present situation 
here. Now, in terms of the New Testament, 
perhaps the most famous passage is Romans 13. You can turn there. Romans chapter 13 is a lot more 
detailed than what we have in Titus chapter 3. Romans 13 verse 1, let every 
soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no 
authority except from God. There's the origin. It comes 
from God. Remember when Paul wrote in this 
particular epistle, It's about the mid-50s. Nero was the Caesar 
at that particular time. Nero was a bad, bad man. He wasn't as bad in the mid-50s 
as he would become later in the late 50s and early 60s. He was 
a wretch. He was a beast. In fact, John 
Fox refers to him that way. And there are some of us who 
actually interpret Revelation 13 along those lines, that the 
beast of Revelation is actually the emperor or the Caesar, Nero. 
But with reference to Paul, he's telling the people of God to 
be subject to the governing authority. So in this instance, it's not 
a righteous magistrate, it's not a godly magistrate, it's 
not a Christian magistrate, it's a magistrate. But nevertheless, 
this magistrate, Nero himself, was there as a result from God. 
He goes on to say, for there is no authority except from God, 
and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore, 
whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, 
and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers 
are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be 
unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will 
have praise from the same. For he is 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 God's minister 
and avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil." So 
Paul outlines the divine origin of civil government and the reality 
that civil government has coercive power. represented here by the 
sword. He has the power to punish offenders 
with reference to laws broken in a civil polity. Notice Paul's 
therefore in verse 5. Therefore you must be subject, 
not only because of wrath, but also for conscience' sake. For 
because of this you also pay taxes. for they are God's ministers 
attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore 
to all their due, taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom 
customs are due, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. Turn over to 1 Peter 2. Again, 
just sketching a biblical theology of civil government and highlighting 
the reality that civil government comes as a result of God. 1 Peter 
2. specifically verses 13 to 17. Therefore, submit yourselves 
to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the 
king as supreme or to governors, as to those who are sent by him 
for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who 
do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you 
may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, as free, yet 
not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants 
of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, 
fear God, honor So again, this isn't just a Pauline take on 
the divine origin of civil government. Peter shared this as well, and 
under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, both of these apostles 
enjoin upon the people of God the necessity of submission and 
the necessity of obedience to civil government. Turn to 1 Timothy 
2, final passage in our biblical theology. 1 Timothy chapter 2, 
there is a duty for us as God's people to pray for civil government. 1 Timothy chapter 2 at verse 
1, Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, 
intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for 
kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and 
peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good 
and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all 
men to be saved." We dealt with that last week. All kinds of 
men. Jews, Gentiles, kings, subjects. God desires the salvation of 
all kinds of men. So verse 4, I think as well, 
directs us in the way that we should pray for civil government. 
Certainly we want God to turn their hearts in directions that 
benefit us. I don't think that's necessarily 
wicked because Paul says so that we may lead peaceable and quiet 
lives. In other words, God, we want 
to live and function and operate in a manner that is submissive 
to civil government. We want to be obedient to civil 
government, but as well, we want to be left alone so that we can 
worship and glorify and honor God. But with reference to specific 
prayer, we should pray that God saved them, because God desires 
the salvation of all kinds of men. It's a beautiful and a wonderful 
thing. So in sum, I think our confession 
of faith in a good summary statement tells us what Scripture says 
concerning civil government. He says, or it says, 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. And to this end hath armed them 
with the power of the sword for defense and encouragement of 
them that do good and for the punishment of evil doers. Again, 
I think that handily summarizes the biblical data concerning 
the role or the divine origin of civil government. A. A. Hodge 
says, some have supposed that the right or legitimate authority 
of human government has its foundation ultimately in the consent of 
the governed, the will of the majority, or in some imaginary 
social compact entered into by the forefathers of the race at 
the origin of social life. It is self-evident, however, 
that the divine will is the source of all government, and the obligation 
to obey that will resting upon all moral agents, the ultimate 
ground of all obligation to obey human governments. It is the 
divine will that is the ultimate ground. That is our reason for 
obedience to civil authority. Now, it's this next point that 
may be a little bit controversial. When this COVID-19 thing began, 
I had to start thinking, as I'm sure many believers did, about 
the relationship between church and state. I'm sure that if you 
haven't, perhaps this message might start to get you thinking 
about those particular things. And what I'm about to say is 
the way things ought to be, okay? I think that's probably the safest 
way to proceed. I am not a hero. I was a lot 
more bold sharing these points with my beloved last night, a 
lot more bold than I feel myself to be now. I'm not a hero. I'm 
not William Wallace. I'm not going to lead the revolution. 
I am not that man. I am simply wanting to instruct 
us concerning the way things ought to be with reference to 
the relationship between the civil government and the church 
of the Lord Jesus Christ. So that's what this next point 
deals with, and I'm going to kind of stick to the notes because 
I think it's important for me to do so. So, there is this civil 
realm, this civil government that functions under God. We 
call it the state. We call it government. We call 
them magistrates. I think we've just demonstrated 
that the Bible teaches this. And it has God as its origin, 
that God is the one who called it into being, God is the one 
who raises men up, God is the one who puts men down, and God 
is the one who calls us to be obedient to them so that we may 
reflect obedience ultimately to God. Now, there is also the 
church. Now, the church does not exhaust 
the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is far more 
expansive, but the church is the visible representation of 
the kingdom of God on earth. Some have referred to the doctrine 
that I'm about to present as two kingdoms, and I think you'll 
understand why as we move through the data. So the idea is that 
there's a civil sphere or civil kingdom, and then there is a 
spiritual sphere or a spiritual kingdom, again, represented on 
the earth by the church of our Lord Jesus Christ. So the first 
point under the relationship between the civil and spiritual 
kingdoms is just that, the reality that there is a civil sphere 
and a spiritual sphere under God. Or there are two kingdoms, 
the kingdom of man in terms of civil government and then the 
kingdom of Christ with reference to redemptive purposes. Now I'm 
going to quote Francis Turretin. Now, he connects both of these 
kingdoms to Jesus Christ specifically. And that is very interesting, 
very wonderful, very excellent. And this is how he explains this 
two-kingdom relationship. He says, we must distinguish 
the two-fold kingdom belonging to Christ. So here's the thought. 
You've got Christ and then you've got two kingdoms. It's Christ 
who's over the church. It's Christ who's over the state. Everybody get that? There's two 
kingdoms. Christ is over both. The kingdom 
that is the civil state is not a law unto themselves. They're 
not autonomous. They don't get to function however 
they want. They're ultimately responsible to our Lord Jesus. 
I would ultimately connect that to the Noahic covenant. The spiritual 
kingdom is more connected to the covenant of grace. Not that 
the Noahic covenant doesn't serve the covenant of grace, but it 
was more of a common grace covenant that provided the arena for the 
preaching of special grace and the redemption of men. But back 
to Turretin. He says, we must distinguish 
the twofold kingdom belonging to Christ. One, natural and essential. That's the first kingdom. The 
other, mediatorial and economical. Christ possesses the former, 
that's the natural and essential, over all creatures with glory 
and majesty equal to that of the Father and Holy Spirit. So 
essentially what Turretin is saying is that Christ operates 
as king over the civil sphere like the Father and the Holy 
Spirit. In other words, he is hinging this area of Christ's 
authority upon the reality that Christ is deity. Christ is the 
second person of the triune God. And as God, he has absolute authority 
over the civil government. Now listen to what he does with 
the next kingdom. He says, the latter, that's the 
mediatorial and economical, according to the economy of grace, he administers 
in a peculiar manner as the God-man. So it's based on the incarnation 
of our Lord. It's based on the hypostatic 
union. It's based on the economy of redemption. It's based on 
the reality that Christ, as our head of the church, is therefore 
the authority and has the right to rule and exercise power within 
the context of his spiritual kingdom. Turretin then ends this 
section by saying the former, that kingship over the civil 
government, the former extends equally over all creatures. The 
latter is terminated specially on the church. So that there 
are two kingdoms, I don't think many people would say, oh no, 
that's not the case. Now, there are, in the history 
of the church, there are to be sure. But for the most of us, 
I doubt that this is revolutionary. I doubt that you're going, wow, 
I've never thought about that. It makes perfect sense. Christ 
is head over the civil state. Christ is head over the church. 
Now, in the history of the church, there have been erroneous or 
wrong ways to view the relationship. The two foremost are called Erastianism 
and the other is called Romanism. Erastianism teaches that the 
state is over the church. The Church of England is Erastian. The Church of England has as 
its head the Queen of England. So you have a civil authority 
that exercises authority over the church. Romanism simply refers 
to Roman Catholicism. Now, they have changed a bit, 
they have modified their practices a bit, but if you look at the 
history of the world, it was the Roman Pontiff, it was the 
Pope of that so-called spiritual realm, crowning civil authority, 
crowning emperors. So you have these two erroneous 
views. Erastian says that the state 
is over the church. Romanism says that the church 
is over the state. This two-kingdom position maintains 
that both are on equal standing under Jesus Christ. Listen to 
what I'm saying. Christ has had, there are two 
kingdoms. There is distinction between 
these kingdoms. There is overlap. Certainly we 
cannot live as if there is no government, but as well we cannot 
be overly political as churchmen. There are those boundaries that 
we need to respect one toward another. With reference to the 
question as to whether churches are essential or not is moot. That's not even in the ballpark. They are essential under Christ 
as the spiritual kingdom of God Most High on this earth. There's 
not a separate category for churches like there is for Walmart. The 
church is an expression of God's kingdom, and as a result, it's 
on equal footing with the civil state. The civil state does not 
have the authority or the right to tell the church as church 
what she can and cannot do. with reference to closing down 
churches, in that instance, the civil state oversteps their prerogatives. That is functional Erastianism. Again, I'm telling you the way 
things ought to be. I'm not going to paint my face 
blue and march on Ottawa. I am not prepared to take that 
step at this point. But I want us to understand, 
relative to the church, It is let every soul be subject to 
the governing authority. You and I as individuals in a 
commonwealth are to obey civil government. We are to submit 
to civil government, but the church as church cannot be commanded 
by the civil state. That is a usurpation. That is 
a overreach relative to this two-kingdom doctrine. Again, 
I just think people should think about this. I just think people 
should understand this. I just think people should have 
some basic knowledge of the way we ought to proceed relative 
to the various things that affect us as church in the 21st century 
in North America. Now, with reference to the application 
of this, I think it would be a lot easier in the United States. Because in the United States, 
and I know I'm an American, and I know that when I pray for America 
or I think about America publicly, People that are in Canada get 
a little bit weirded out. I remember many years ago, a 
guy rebuked me because you talk about America a lot. I'd only 
been in the country for a few years. I'm sorry, I'm an American. 
I'm a citizen of the kingdom of God most high. That's where 
my citizenship is, but like you, we all sort of have this love 
for for not only God, but for country and that sort of thing. 
So I understand that, but I just want to illustrate a point. In 
the United States, the highest authority in the land has secured 
the right of freedom of religion. No one under that constitution 
can ever usurp that constitution. You have, as an inalienable right 
from God, There is no one in the United States that transcends 
God. And the founders were genius. The founders were brilliant. 
The founders enshrouded that for the protecting of the religious 
sphere. Now, Canada provides for freedom 
of religion as well. However, from what I understand, 
and I need a lot more education in this regard, those rights 
are more like privileges. They can be granted, but they 
can be taken away. So if we are considering how 
things ought to be, they would be more likely to be in a civil 
government that is regulated by a constitution such as is 
in the United States versus one that's more liquid, one that's 
more elastic, and one that's more like a wax nose that can 
be manipulated by civil government. And where privileges are granted, 
privileges can be taken away. But with reference to this reality, 
as the people of God, again, I'm not asking that we launch 
a revolution. I'm asking that you consider 
what God's Word says, and to think clearly about these sorts 
of things, and to understand the Word of the living God does 
take into account the various things that we face in our own 
lives and in our own generation. The various challenges that are 
presented to us are addressed by the Word of God. The various 
things that provide, at least in our thinking, obstacles for 
how to live are provided or there's comment or there's direction 
given to us in the Word of God. We need to think God's thoughts 
after him. We need to understand scripture. 
Yes, we need to understand and define the doctrine of justification 
by faith alone, but it's good as well to have a rudimentary 
understanding of what's happening in terms of the civil sphere. 
All of us find ourselves in this particular situation. And there 
are things that certainly bug us. I'm sure you're bugged about 
COVID stuff the way I'm bugged about COVID stuff. But I'm purposefully 
trying to keep that out of it and simply highlighting the relationship 
between the civil sphere and the spiritual sphere. It's almost 
like they're two equal brothers under Christ. The one doesn't 
have the authority over the other, and the other doesn't have the 
authority over the other. I mentioned the separation of 
church and state this morning. That's not in the U.S. Constitution. That was a reference by Thomas 
Jefferson. It has been utilized to try and 
teach that we separate religion from the state. But that's not 
the context in which he spoke it. That's not the context in 
which he said it. But if we consider the reality, 
let's just play with their terms for a moment. As I said this 
morning, the only time we see the red flag waved about violation 
of separation of church and state is when it appears that the church 
has overstepped their bounds. The church has gotten political. The church is saying things that 
she ought not. Where are the people today invoking 
the separation of church and state when the state now has 
encroached itself upon the spiritual sphere? She doesn't have that 
authority as the civil state. Now again, you could probably 
press this and have churches open but nobody in them because 
let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. We're 
not going to mess with your church, but we're going to command every 
soul that they can't go to church. Again, there's a myriad of issues 
and a myriad of things to try and untangle and try to deal 
with. But with reference to the origin, we see that it's from 
God. With reference to the relationship, you need to appreciate there 
are two kingdoms operative in this world, and they function 
under Jesus Christ. The one has as its focus all 
creatures, all men. The second has as its focus the 
church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ rules the civil, Christ 
rules the spiritual. Christ as well has established 
these boundaries such that the civil is not supposed to encroach 
upon the state. Paul was not telling the Roman 
Christians in Romans 13 that Nero is the head of your church. 
That was not Paul's point. Let every soul be subject to 
the governing authorities, for there is no authority except 
from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore, 
Pastor Nero is going to come and encourage us. No, that's 
not his point. Paul is dealing with what Christians 
face in a sinful, polluted, and wicked world. Paul says, with 
reference to civil government, the believer ought to be subject. The believer ought to be obedient. And we direct our attention to 
those instructions now. Notice the duty of believers 
towards civil government. In verse 3, remind them to be 
subject to rulers and authorities to obey, to be ready for every 
good work. So in the first place, they are 
to be subject. We've already met that particular 
verb. We see it in chapter 2 at verse 
5. Young women are supposed to be subject. to their own husbands. We see it in verse 9. Bond servants 
are supposed to be subject to their own masters. We see it 
in Ephesians 5 with reference to the husband-wife relationship. 
This idea of submission, it means to be subject to, to submit oneself 
to. It's pretty simple. But notice 
what submission looks like. He goes on to say, be subject 
to rulers and authorities to obey. Now, we give the necessary 
qualification. Insofar as they don't command 
us to disobey God, we render obedience. Insofar as they don't 
keep us from honoring God, from worshiping God, from praising 
God, from obeying God, we do what they say. But we see those 
qualifications in the book of Acts, both in chapter 4 and in 
chapter 5. The apostle Peter, when told 
to stop preaching Jesus Christ, says, we must obey God rather 
than men. So that's the necessary qualification. But beyond that, we need to do 
what we're told. That is reflective of a godly 
response even to an ungodly civil government. Now, with reference 
to the specifics, I think John Gill nails it. He says, in all 
things that are according to the laws of God. Again, he's 
got in his head the reality that there are those qualifications, 
there are those limitations, when the state says, you must 
obey us and not God in a particular thing. He says, "...in all things 
that are according to the laws of God and right reason, that 
do not contradict what God has commanded, or break in upon the 
rights and dictates of conscience, in all things of a civil nature, 
and which are for the good of society, and do not affect religion 
and the worship of God." Now notice when Paul says to be ready 
for every good work. I guess or I think that this 
is in the civil sphere. In other words, your obedience 
ought to be such that you are ready for every good work when 
it comes to the civil polity. That doesn't mean you're at every 
parade and waving the Canadian flag. That's not what it means. 
But you're ready for every good work in terms of obedience to 
the civil authority. And then I want us to notice 
as well what Paul does in this statement. Look at verse 1 again. 
To be ready for every good work. This is contra the heretics of 
the false teachers that are indicated in chapter 1, verses 10 to 16. Notice in verse 16. They profess 
to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, 
and disqualified for every good work. But I want you to see something 
else. Titus is a short book. We're 
going to be finished with Titus pretty soon. Titus is three brief 
chapters, and there are four times in three brief chapters 
that Paul emphasizes believers do good works. And I would maintain 
that confirms chapter 1, verse 12. He says, one of them, a prophet 
of their own said, Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy 
gluttons. This testimony is true. Therefore, 
rebuke them sharply that they may be sound in the faith. In 
other words, the island of Crete was not populated with virtuous, 
noble persons. They were raw recruits. They 
were raw pagans. They were bad men and women. 
God saved them by grace, and now God, through Titus, tells 
them, I want you to do good works. And he tells them over and over 
again in the space of just three chapters. Notice in 2.14. He 
says, who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from 
every lawless deed and purify for himself his own special people, 
zealous for good works. So good works with reference 
to our fellow Christians. We are to engage in those particulars. We see here in chapter three, 
verse one, we are to engage in good works with reference to 
the civil government. That is a fruit of our justification 
by faith. Notice in chapter three at verse 
eight, He says, this is a faithful saying, and these things I want 
you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God 
should be careful to maintain good works. These things are 
good and profitable to men. If you were sitting there as 
Titus was reading this, you might begin to think, does Paul want 
us to do good works? Yes, Paul wants you to do good 
works. Paul is not a papist. He is not 
teaching, do good works in order to be saved. Paul is a Protestant. If I can be anachronistic for 
a moment, Paul understands that good works are the evidences 
and the fruits of us having been justified by faith. And then 
in 314, and let our people also learn to maintain what? good 
works to meet urgent needs that they may not be unfruitful. So with reference to civil government, 
the duty of the Christian is to be submissive. The duty of 
the Christian is to be obedient. The duty of the Christian is 
never to engage in violence. It is never to engage in lawlessness 
and rebellion, such as we are witnessing in the U.S. That is 
condemned by God, and we understand the reason for it, because the 
authority that exists is established by God. And when we live in a 
civil polity where we do have the freedom to protest, we can 
do that, but we can't get violent. We can't loot, pillage, rob, 
and destroy. We can't burn things down. In 
our civil polity, we've been granted some privileges. We can 
write letters to our congressmen or our members of parliament. 
We can write letters to our prime minister. We can have freedom 
of religion and freedom of expression. There are things that we can 
certainly do. Let's just sit and toe the line and say, oh, 
these are horrible things, but we just need to obey and submit. 
No, we can offer up genuine biblical resistance that is sanctioned 
by God in a particular commonwealth or a body politic. So it's not 
lie down and never ever say anything. It's not lie down and never ever 
think contrary to what the civil state is commanding you. That's 
not the point as well. And we need to get that in our 
minds and in our hearts. Now moving on, secondly, the 
duty to all men. Verses 2 and 3. Notice the focus. Verse two, to speak evil of no 
one. Now that could still be conditioned 
by or modify the statement concerning civil government. Speak evil 
of no one, no civil government ever. I certainly think it includes 
that, but I think Paul's compass is broader in chapter, or in 
verse two here. He says to speak evil of no one, 
to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility, and then notice 
the last part. To all men. So it's not just civil authority 
that Paul has in mind, but rather it is to all men. This isn't 
the only place in the New Testament where we learn that Christians 
actually have to be consistent with outsiders as well. Remember 
in 1 Timothy chapter 3, elders who are being considered for 
installment by the church are to maintain a good testimony 
with those who are outside the church. Now again, that may be 
difficult if a man is godly, a man is faithful, a man is consistent, 
a man may be castigated, and a man may be denigrated by those 
around him. But for the most part, I think 
Paul means cut your grass, put your trash cans away, pay your 
taxes, Don't be that fly in the ointment in the neighborhood 
that is just so contrary to everybody else. Don't be that guy. Don't 
be the guy in the lunchroom at work lecturing everybody else 
on their lives. Don't be what many on the left 
seem to be very, very often. Sorry, that was a bit of a cheap 
shot, but I think a fitting one. Don't be that guy. Have conscientiousness 
toward those outside. And then a clear, not clearer, 
but beyond just elders, look at Colossians chapter 4. Colossians 
chapter 4, the Apostle highlights this there as well. Colossians 4, 5. Walk in wisdom toward those who 
are outside. He's talking about outside the 
church. He's not talking about just out 
in nature, out in society. He's talking about those outside 
of the church. Walk in wisdom toward those who 
are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with 
grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to 
answer each one." So going back to chapter 3 of Titus, we see 
the focus is on all men. He then deals with our speech, 
and then he deals with our actions, or our conduct, or our disposition. Notice what he says in verse 
2, to speak evil of no one. Again, this does not mean never 
ever identify wickedness or lawlessness and comment on it. But don't 
speak evil of people in a way of slander, in a way of gossip. If we are given those prohibitions 
with reference to inside, we're not supposed to gossip or slander 
about our fellows in the house of God. Why would we think it's 
okay to do it out in greater society? Why would we think, 
and the verb is blaspheme, It is used with reference to God, 
to be sure, when we misspeak concerning God, but the word 
also is applicable with reference to men, oftentimes translated 
like we have here, evil speech, or slander, or those sorts of 
things that tear people down. We have a responsibility not 
only to believers, but to all men, and one of those responsibilities 
is to speak evil of no one. to guard your tongue, to bridle 
the tongue, to not engage in gossip. It's not okay to engage 
in gossip in your neighborhood. Paul's not just saying, I don't 
want you to gossip in the church, but you know, when you're at 
home and there's a lady in the block and she's really weird, 
all of you gather together and just talk about her and how bad 
she, no, don't do that. Speak evil of no one. And then 
he moves into the dispositional traits we are to manifest. The 
believer is to be peaceable toward all men. In other words, we're 
not supposed to be the revolutionaries. We're not supposed to be the 
powder kegs in society. We're not supposed to be the 
guy that's unraveling before everybody's eyes. We're supposed 
to be peaceable. Now, Paul adds a qualification 
or a necessary addition in Romans. In Romans 12, verse 18, he says, 
if it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably 
with all men. So if you go over to your neighbor's 
house and you say, hi, I want to give you a loaf of bread, 
and he punches you in the nose, you don't have to keep going 
back and get punched in the nose. As far as it depends on you, 
be at peace with all men. Now, you may not think that that's 
the best way to avoid a punch in the nose. You'd like to reconcile. 
Some people may not like you. Face the facts, and they might 
want to punch you in the nose. But as far as it depends on you, 
be at peace with all men. That's what Paul says to us as 
believers. The believer is to be gentle 
with all men. We see this recurring emphasis 
in Scripture. Again, typically toward one another 
in the context of the church, but here we're supposed to be 
gentle to all men outside of the church. Again, we're not 
supposed to lose our top and flip out and scream and yell 
and temper tantrums and all that sort of thing. Now, in your head, 
you might be thinking, well, I do do that. Okay, then repent, 
forsake your sin, get it in order. This is the marching orders on 
how God's people are to conduct themselves with reference to 
their fellows. George Knight points out that 
the word often, or the word, it is often contrasted with severity 
in Greek literature. So this gentleness. We're not 
severe with men. We're not those sorts of people 
that are perceived as a threat. And then ultimately the believer, 
the final point here in verse 2, the believer is to be humble 
toward all men. This word also in the New Testament 
comes out as gentleness, humility, courtesy, considerateness, meekness. We are to be humble, not only 
toward believers, but we're to be humble to all men. We're supposed 
to be like our Lord Jesus, whether we're in the church or whether 
we're in the civil state proper. Now, notice the reason. That's 
verse three. Verse three is a transition verse. Verse 3 functions in sort of 
between what we have there in verses 1 and 2 and what will 
ultimately follow. And I'll try and offer reasons 
why it functions as a reason for these admonitions in verses 
1 and 2 in a moment. But the verse is a transition 
between what we were, verse 3, and what we are now by God's 
grace, verses 4 to 7. Notice the text. Verse 3 4 that 
indicates again that it's a reason for verses 1 & 2 and we'll look 
at that in just a moment But right now notice for we ourselves 
were also once foolish disobedient deceived serious serving various 
lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hateful and hating 
one another but when the kindness and the love of God our Savior 
toward all men appeared, not by works of righteousness which 
we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us." So verse 
3, this is what we were. Verses 4 to 7, this is what by 
God's grace we've become. So you see, it functions in the 
same way the argument does in chapter 2. Remember chapter 2, 
verses 1 to 10, Paul gives us commands. He gives us exhortations. He tells us how we're to function 
as the men, the women, the young men and the young women that 
he gives specific instructions to. But it's grounded in the 
blessed indicatives of verses 11 to 14. In other words, we 
obey relative to our fellow believers because the grace of God has 
appeared to all men. It's taught us to deny all ungodliness 
and worldly lusts. It's taught us to put on self-control 
and righteousness and godliness. It is that blessed work of the 
Savior who gave himself for us to redeem us from every lawless 
deed and to redeem for himself his own special people, zealous 
for good works. So the imperatives of verses 
1 to 10 in chapter 2 are grounded in or are the result of the indicative 
of the gospel that we find in verses 11 to 14. The same tactic 
or the same strategy or the same framework is here in chapter 
3. You're to function this way toward 
civil authority. You're to function this way toward 
all men. Why? Because even though we once were 
this, now we are this. And as a result of God's empowering 
grace, as a result of the washing of regeneration, as a result 
of justification by God's grace, we are now free, we are now emboldened, 
we are now unleashed to obey the civil government the way 
we're supposed to, and we're to function toward all men. the 
way that we're supposed to. So that's the structure of the 
verse. But in terms of it being a reason for verses 1 and 2, 
I would suggest the verse is a reminder of what we were in 
order to promote patience in dealing with others. It's a reminder 
of what we were in order to promote patience in dealing with others. Have you ever said or have you 
ever heard somebody say, I can't believe that guy. I just don't 
know why he is the way he is. Well, Paul is telling us, you 
were the way he was. You ought to be patient. You 
ought to be long-suffering. You ought to realize that your 
anxiety, your upsetness, your irritation with him isn't doing 
anybody any favors. You are like that, therefore, 
hopefully, it will promote in you a willingness to express 
patience when you deal with people that are currently like you were. 
John Gill says, nothing has a greater tendency to promote humility 
and check pride in the saints than to reflect upon their past 
state and condition what they themselves once were. I think 
that's how it functions. Why would Paul do what Paul does? 
Again, he's going to unfold the redemptive grace of God in verses 
4 to 7, but as the reason for their obedience to the civil 
government and their disposition toward all men. So Paul says, 
this is what we once were. And notice Paul includes himself. 
Paul's not the right Reverend Dr. Sir. Paul was a sinner saved 
by grace. We know that from Romans chapter 
seven. I would not have known covetousness if the law had not 
said, I would not have known lust, he says, if the law had 
not said, you shall not covet. The apostle Paul includes himself 
in Ephesians chapter two, one to four as well. He was a sinner 
saved by God's grace. But another reason is that the 
verse is an encouragement as to what may occur in civil magistrates 
and all men." In other words, we were once like that, but now 
we're saved. Perhaps that irritating person 
you are dealing with that is trying your patience at every 
step may ultimately be called out of darkness into marvelous 
light. I've often thought this in a real practical way. If somebody 
cuts me off on the street, I mean mug them. I make frowns, I make 
faces, I'm very visual when I drive. I've often feared somebody that 
I've mean mugged visiting our church someday and saying, you 
know, I cut you off on Wellington and the face you made at me was 
not very attractive whatsoever. I think that's kind of the point. We need to understand that the 
person with whom we deal may ultimately be an object of God's 
grace. Calvin says, the knowledge of 
their former condition should therefore dispose them to fellow 
feeling, sympathetic feeling toward them. On the other hand, 
the grace of God, which they now enjoy, is a proof that others 
may be brought to salvation. In other words, if God is able 
to save us, he's certainly able to save a man in civil government. If God is able to save us, he's 
certainly able to save that employee at Walmart. If God is able to 
save us, he's certainly able to save that person who cut me 
off on Wellington. So there are valid reasons why 
we ought to consider what we were, what by God's grace we've 
become, to enable us some practical help in terms of our dealing 
with civil government and all men. When we understand even 
a glimpse of our remaining corruption, I hope that it would promote 
in us some fellow feeling with somebody who has reigning corruption. Again, we don't give pass to 
their sin. We don't say, well, you know, 
that's okay for you. No, but we understand what it 
is to be in bondage to sin. We understand what it is to having 
been dead in our trespasses and sins. So this attitude of, I 
can't believe so-and-so would ever do that. Why not? Haven't 
you ever done something that crummy? Haven't you ever done 
something that bad? Haven't you ever done something... 
As a Christian, I might add. Okay, so we need to have some 
patience with those around us. And then notice what he says, 
that we once were. We won't spend a lot of time 
here. I think this describes us pretty well in language that 
we can understand. We were foolish. And by foolish, 
Paul doesn't mean we didn't know 2 plus 2. By foolish, Paul doesn't 
mean we didn't know our ABCs. By foolish, he means without 
spiritual understanding. I think there's a comparison 
or parallel in Ephesians 4.18. the minds of their understanding 
having been darkened." We were foolish. We went astray. We left and departed from the 
living and true God. He goes on to say we were disobedient. Again, that's undercurrent with 
all sin. It is transgression of God's holy law. It is a lack 
of obedience to Him. We were deceived, he says. deceived 
by the devil, deceived by heretics, deceived by our own wretched 
hearts. There is the reality of self-delusion, 
and we need to appreciate that is operative in the hearts of 
those with whom we deal. Again, never justifying sin, 
never excusing sin, never saying, well, it is the way it is. No, 
but understanding, at least from the vantage point of my responsibility 
as someone else, they sin because they're sinners, and I need to 
understand and not scream at them incessantly. He says we 
served various lusts and pleasures. Again, And none of this ever 
makes people go, well, Paul, that wasn't my experience. Of 
course it was our experience. Of course that is the before 
picture. Of course this is what we were. And having this in our 
mind will hopefully promote patience toward us with reference to others. 
We lived in malice and envy. Malice and envy. These are not 
glorious terms. These are the very contrary traits. These are the vices to the virtues 
espoused earlier in chapter two. And then he says at the last 
bit, hateful and hating one another. You see, love is what we are 
supposed to express toward one another, not just in the context 
of the church, but what is the second great commandment? You 
shall love your neighbor as yourself. Now, your neighbor may or may 
not be a Christian, and I don't think it means just proximity 
on your street. Your neighbor is anyone that 
you come into contact with in terms of social interaction. 
The response to them, according to Jesus, with reference to the 
second great commandment, which embodies the second table of 
the law, is to love your neighbor as yourself. So hateful and hating 
one another is what we were. Now, by God's grace, we are to 
love. And when we get to verses four 
to seven, after that description in verse three, Isn't it amazing 
God saved us? Isn't it glorious that God saved 
us? This is what we were, but God. This is the depths of depravity 
in which we walked, but God. This is how we trafficked in 
life. These were the kinds of things 
that were true of us, but God. It really magnifies and shines 
the light on that justified by His grace that Paul stipulates 
there in verse 5. The whole gamut, the whole ordo, 
the whole blessed application of redemptive benefit to the 
believer is an indication of amazing grace to the believer 
because we were this and God by grace has saved us. Well, 
in conclusion, I want to outline just a couple of things and then 
we go. First, the elements involved in civil government. There's 
a recent book, I haven't read the whole thing, I'm in the just 
the beginning chapters of it, by David Van Droenen, and the 
title is Politics After Christendom, Political Theology in a Fractured 
World. And it's his attempt to basically 
sketch this theology of the two kingdoms. But he sets forth four 
principles with reference to civil government that we need 
to take into consideration. Four principles that we need 
to understand about civil government so that we don't err on one hand 
or the other. In the first place, political 
institutions are legitimate. Political institutions are legitimate. There is no authority except 
from God. The Anabaptists, or at least 
certain ones, thought that civil government was wicked. Civil 
government is bad. Civil government, no Christian 
could ever operate in the realm of civil government. Brethren, 
we are not Anabaptists. We acknowledge what the Bible 
teaches. God is the origin of civil government. Let every soul 
be subject to the authorities because there is no authority 
except from God. So civil government is legitimate. I would suggest 
there are some forms of civil government that are more legitimate 
than others in terms of the way that they rule or engage. But 
the second is that political institutions are provisional. 
And what he means by that is they're temporary. In other words, 
we will have civil government in this age, but not in the age 
to come. When we get to heaven, there's 
not going to be a parliament. When we get to heaven, there's 
not going to be a constitutional republic. When we get to heaven, 
there's not going to be those congressmen or senators or the 
various aspects of civil society that we now face. So it's provisional. It's for the here and now. Now, 
it's for life in this world that God created. A third element 
or a third feature is that political institutions are common. And 
what that means is it's for both Christian and non-Christian. 
It's not just Christians that have civil government. It's not 
just non-Christians that have civil government. Remember, that 
kingdom under Christ that includes all creatures. There is a commonality 
about civil government. It is instituted by God for good 
ends, ordained by God, and it's common to all men. And then the 
final observation, I brought some of this out in Act 16. Civil 
governments are accountable, always to God, and in a polity 
like we face, they are accountable to us as well, vis-a-vis voting, 
vis-a-vis writing letters, vis-a-vis engaging in those sorts of things, 
so that we can, in fact, hold civil government accountable 
under the auspices of submission to them, and obedience unto them. Again, God is not calling us 
to suspend our thoughts. He's not calling us to suspend 
our desires. He's not calling us to suspend 
what we see as lawful application with reference to God's Word 
in civil society. So civil government is ultimately 
accountable. Again, you've got some of the 
worst sorts of historical examples where there was no accountability 
to men with reference to Stalin. That just didn't happen. You 
didn't write letters to Stalin and say, can we have food? You 
just didn't do that. You got the gulag or you got 
the bullet. But with reference to Canada, with reference to 
the United States, they're accountable to us. We can vote, yay or nay, 
with reference to them. Secondly, the believer's responsibility 
towards civil government. We've already outlined it, but 
I just want to highlight that responsibility to pray for civil 
government. It's not only 1 Timothy chapter 
2 where we read that we're supposed to pray for kings and all who 
are in authority. It's also Jeremiah the prophet. 
Jeremiah chapter 29. Jeremiah 29, the people of God 
are called to pray for their civil authority and pray for 
peace in the cities in which they live. Now the interesting 
turn with reference to that is that the people of God at that 
time were in the Babylonian captivity. They were exiles. They lived 
under Nebuchadnezzar and that wretched regime. And nevertheless, 
the prophet Jeremiah tells them, Pray for your civil authority, 
pray for peace within the city that you live. In fact, it wouldn't 
surprise me if we meet Paul and he said, yeah, I had Jeremiah 
29 in mind when I told Timothy to pray for kings and all who 
are authority. It's the same sort of a mindset. In 1 Timothy 
2, again, it's Nero that is the highest civil authority within 
the Roman Empire, and the people of God are told to pray for that 
man. John Calvin says accordingly, 
seeing that God appointed magistrates and princes for the preservation 
of mankind, however much they fall short of the divine appointment, 
still we must not on that account cease to love what belongs to 
God and to desire that it may remain in force. That is the 
reason why believers, in whatever country they live, must not only 
obey the laws and the government of magistrates, but likewise, 
in their prayers, supplicate God for their salvation. This is commentary on 1 Timothy 
chapter 2. He goes on in his commentary 
in 1 Timothy chapter 2 to say this as well. It is our duty, 
therefore, not only to pray for those who are already worthy, 
but we must pray to God that He may make bad men good. We complain. Well, I shouldn't 
include you in that. I don't know if you complain. 
I know I complain. I need to pray more for them 
than I complain about them. That's Paul's point. That's what he means for us, 
to be submissive, to be obedient, and to live in the manner that 
he outlines, not only here, but in Romans chapter 13. The same 
sort of thing Peter does in 1 Peter chapter two. Brethren, we have 
our marching orders, not only with reference to one another 
in the context of the Church, but with reference to the civil 
government, and with reference to all men. May God, in His grace 
and mercy, enable us, by the power of His Holy Spirit, to 
truly shine His lights in a crooked and perverse generation, holding 
forth the Word of Truth. realizing we were that, but by 
God's grace we are now that, and as a result, we're to reflect 
that grace in the way that we conduct ourselves to other men. Well, let us pray. Our Father, 
we thank you for your Word. We thank you for the clarity 
of Scripture concerning these issues, and yet, God, we confess 
there are still so many things we don't understand, so many 
things about church-state relationships, so many things with reference 
to The government commanding us certain things that at times 
seem contrary. Lord, give us grace to be students 
of Holy Scripture. Guide us by Your Spirit. Cause 
us to obey those very clear things that we know for certain. To 
be submissive, to be obedient, to conduct ourselves toward all 
men in the way specified in our passage. We give praise to You 
that even though we were what we were, You saved us by Your 
grace and for Your glory. Help us now to live in light 
of that reality and help us to manifest the reality that we 
are trophies of God's sovereign grace. And for any and all who 
are hearing this that have not come to Christ, I pray that you'd 
open their hearts, that you would cause them to receive the word 
of truth, that you would cause them to believe on Jesus Christ 
and to know that blessedness of being found in Him. And we 
ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.