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So it's important for us to underscore 
and to understand the reality that civil magistrate is not 
just a social convention. It's not just the best possible 
option among men. A. A. Hodge speaks to this particular. He 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 government. So in other words, it's not just 
a social compact, again, it's not just the best agreed upon 
methodology, but government is or has God as its origin. Now, some certainly would prefer 
anarchy, that is, no government, no rule by men whatsoever. And as wonderful as that may 
sound and may seem, we do see that God ordained civil government. We do see that it does have as 
its origin the divine government. But having said this, we ought 
to realize that this thus imposes a limitation upon civil government. In other words, God is the origin. Therefore, the civil government 
does not have the right to be autocratic. The civil government 
does not have the right to be dictatorial. The civil government 
does not have the right to be a tyranny. Civil government is 
ultimately responsible to that agent by which they own their 
existence. namely, God Most High. In 2 Samuel 
23, 3, 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 God. So on the one hand, we see its 
divine origin, but on the other hand, we see the limitation of 
civil government. And that's something we need 
to remember. The government is never God. The government is 
never one to be bowed to. The government is not one that 
we must give religious homage and worship unto, but rather 
we are to see them in their particular ministerial role as God's agent 
of authority in the civil sphere. In fact, this whole idea was 
counter-cultural in the days of the apostles. Turn to Acts 
chapter 4 for just a moment. Acts chapter 4. One of the reasons why the New 
Testament emphasizes the fact that Jesus is Lord and Savior, 
not only in the first place, because he is Lord and Savior, 
but that was the title that the Roman emperor took. The Roman 
emperor was a kurios. He was a soter. He was a Lord 
and Savior. And for Peter in Acts 4.12 to 
say, nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other 
name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved, 
that was a direct challenge to the civil authority as it was 
then in that generation. Again, not a challenge to the 
civil authority in the sense that don't pay your taxes, but 
to understand the proper role and the position and the legitimacy, 
and yet the limitation of the civil authority. This was countercultural 
in Acts chapter 17. Remember, when the apostles are 
in Thessalonica, what is the charge that is placed upon them? It says in verse 7, well beginning 
in verse 6, But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason 
and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, These 
who have turned the world upside down have come here too. Jason 
has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the 
decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king, Jesus. This 
was offensive because they didn't want the emperor to be challenged 
in that particular realm. So on the one hand, we need to 
maintain the reality of the Christian's lawful duty to submit to the 
government. But on the other hand, we need 
to guard against what seems to be a tendency in our own day 
of deifying the state, of putting so much authority into the hands 
of the state that they are literally looking after us from the cradle 
to the grave. We look to God most high for 
that sort of providence and that sort of sustenance and that sort 
of provision. We ought not to be those who 
run to the state with everything and take on the idea of religious 
worship given to these particular men. Now note the purpose for 
which God ordained civil government. Notice in paragraph one, he did 
this for his own glory and the public good. So ultimately, it's 
for the glory of God. Civil government exists to bring 
glory to God. You say, well, they're not always 
consistent with those principles of righteous and justice that 
are the foundation of God's throne. They're not always consistent 
with those things which we would deem bring glory to God. When 
you go back in the Bible and you look in the Old Testament, 
you see, for instance, God referring to Nebuchadnezzar as my servant, 
you conclude that God used him to bring glory to his name. When 
the Lord God raised up Assyria as a means of chastisement and 
punishment for the northern tribes of Israel, that was for the glory 
of God. We may not see it now, but when 
there is even a wicked magistrate, ultimately God is going to be 
glorified. We may not be able to piece it 
all together, but we know that all that takes place will ultimately 
redound to the praise and the glory and the honor of God Most 
High, and as well for the public good. Again, anarchy may seem 
to be a bit desirable, especially coming out of a situation where 
we do have sort of an oppressive state. But anarchy ultimately 
is not good because men are full of sin. I mean, isn't that the 
problem we have with government? That's one of the wise things 
about having checks and balances with reference to the various 
agencies in government. You don't want to invest all 
of this authority into the hands of one particular man. But God 
has decreed or God has ordered the civil magistrate not only 
for his glory, but for the public good. We do need to understand 
that that public good is ultimately sacrificed, however, when the 
civil authority either A, does not carry out its obligations, 
or B, is oppressive and authoritarian. So that's an overall statement. 
Now notice the position of the civil magistrate. He has ordained 
civil magistrates to be under him. Again, the limitation on 
civil government. They are under God. They are 
his minister. They are not over God. They do 
not have the right or the prerogative to legislate immorality or those 
things that are contrary to God and his law. They are always 
and consistently under him. and then toward men, they are 
over the people. Now that's in their office, that 
is in their function, that is in their capacity. Again, when 
they're not functioning or engaged in that office or in that capacity, 
we don't owe them worship, we don't owe them religious homage, 
we don't owe them the sorts of things that we owe to the true 
and living God. They are over men in terms of 
their ministerial capabilities given to them by God. There is 
a position. There is a hierarchy. God has 
ordained certain spheres of authority within the various forms of government, 
in the family, in state, and in the church. So we need to 
understand that they are over us in that respect. Now, notice 
the authority that God has given to the civil magistrate. And 
to this end, right about the middle of paragraph one, 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. So that is the chief emblem of 
the state's power. It is the sword. John Murray. commenting in Romans chapter 
13 on the fact that God has given the sword to the civil magistrate. He says, the sword which the 
magistrate carries as the most significant part of his equipment 
is not merely the sign of his authority, but of his right to 
wield it in the infliction of that which a sword does. It can 
be wielded to execute punishment that falls short of death, but 
to exclude the right of the death penalty when the nature of the 
crime calls for such is totally contrary to that which the sword 
signifies and executes. In other words, that is the chief 
sign of the emblem of his authority. He has the ability, with reference 
to his place under God, to afflict punishments upon evildoers, evildoers 
of bad things, not on thought crimes, not on things that are 
internal, but on evil works, according to Paul. And he has 
the power to execute judgment or punishment upon that, up to 
and including death. And that's what the confession 
indicates here. He is armed with the power of 
the sword for defense and encouragement of them that do good and for 
the punishment of evil doers. You can look back at Romans 13 
so we can see this. Notice in verse 3, for rulers 
are not a terror to good works, but to evil. I think we ought 
to assume that Paul means there, rulers are not a terror to good 
works, but to evil works. Understand, the magistrate does 
not have the prerogative or the authority to punish thought crime. In other words, if I think something 
and I don't act upon it, I have not engaged in a criminal activity. I have sinned and God will deal 
with me as a result of my sin. But the magistrate is not about 
punishing sin, he's about punishing crime. Does everybody understand 
that distinction? You don't want the civil magistrate 
to wield the sword against thought crime. Because if they outlaw 
Christianity, and you think fond thoughts of Jesus in your mind, 
then they can legitimately execute you. Well, that's not the Apostle's 
emphasis. When he says, for rulers are 
not a terror to good works, but to evil, I think we ought to 
assume he means evil works. Evil works. It's those acts in 
society that are deemed as a criminal act by the standing laws of that 
society. That's what the rulers are supposed 
to do. God will always take care of 
sin. In the church, if somebody sins, they ought to be disciplined 
accordingly, but not with the sword. Notice the magistrate 
has the sword, not the father and not the pastors. Fathers 
don't have the right to carry out capital punishment of their 
children. They simply do not have that 
prerogative, and neither does the church. The church does not 
carry out this sort of punishment upon evildoers. The state, in 
the language of Gary North, has the monopoly over execution. That is God's legitimate agency 
to bring that sort of capital punishment upon criminal violators. So the family doesn't have this 
prerogative, and neither does the church. It is something given 
to the magistrate. Now notice, rulers are not a 
terror to good works, but to evil works. Do you want to be 
unafraid of the authority? Do what is good. You don't want 
to have to panic when the RCMP is behind you. Go the speed limit. 
You don't want to have to panic that you're going to get thrown 
into jail. Don't steal from Walmart. This is the apostle's argument. 
Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good. 
Now, I realize the authority at times takes innocent people, 
and either they're framed or there's circumstantial evidence, 
and they get a bum rap. But as a general operating principle, 
if you do what you're supposed to, hopefully you will be unmolested 
by the civil government. That's the apostle's argument. 
in this particular section. Notice, do what is good and you 
will have praise from the same. Now the praise there does not 
mean that when you obey the law, they will have parties in your 
honor. I think the praise simply means they'll leave you alone. 
You'll be allowed to do what you're supposed to do. You will 
be unmolested. You will be able to carry on 
going to work, going to school, going to church, having your 
family, and all those sorts of things. I think that's what the 
confession is after when it says, for the defense and encouragement 
of them that do good. The best thing that the state 
can do for us, in many respects, is to leave us alone. And as 
long as we are doing what we're supposed to, then hopefully we 
have a good expectation that that's what's going to happen. 
Now notice in verse 4, For he is God's minister to you for 
good. This is the role of the magistrate. 
Now remember, when Paul wrote Romans, Nero was the Caesar. Now, Paul wrote Romans around 
55, most likely. Nero got really bad in the early 
60s. They say that there were some 
decent men in Nero's life in the mid-50s that hedged him in, 
that kept him from being as beastly as he would become in the early 
60s. But nevertheless, it was Nero in the mid-50s that was 
on the throne in Rome at that particular time. And Paul says 
he is God's minister to you for good. Again, the idea being you 
do what you're supposed to. You yield submission as you're 
supposed to. You don't break laws as you're 
supposed to. And you will not be molested. You will not be bothered by the 
government. But he is God's minister to you 
for good. But if you do evil, be afraid. You've heard that the death penalty 
is not a deterrent. It most certainly is a deterrent. 
It certainly deters the person upon whom the death penalty is 
inflicted. In other words, once he is capitally 
punished, he doesn't go back out and commit the sorts of crimes 
that brought him to that place in the first place. But Paul 
tells us that if you do evil, be afraid. In other words, if 
the death penalty was, in fact, being carried out, there would 
be that ameliorating effect upon society. We see that in Israel. We see that in Deuteronomy. Then 
the person shall see and hear and what? They'll fear. When 
civil government carries out their role consistently, they 
carry it out biblically, they carry it out efficiently and 
swiftly, persons are going to be afraid. They'll make this 
conclusion. If I go out and do the same sort 
of thing that that person did, I will be executed if I am caught. Paul tells us that there is a 
deterrent part or there is a deterrent portion to the death penalty, 
and we ought to listen to Paul and not the opponents of the 
death penalty. He says, 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 
that's what our confession is speaking of, particularly here, 
and for the punishment of evildoers. As Murray said, the sword symbolizes 
the power to execute criminal offenders. Now, that doesn't 
mean every crime is to be punished by the sword. But that does mean 
we ought not to restrict the magistrate from engaging in what 
the sword does ultimately represent. So there are lesser punishments. 
But because there are lesser punishments, we don't diminish 
the reality of the greater punishment that Paul indicates is for criminal 
offenders here. We know that this is consistent 
Bible, Genesis 9, 6, God's instruction to Noah. that if there is someone 
who sheds blood by man, his blood will be shed for in the image 
of God he made man. And that is in a key and unique 
place. This is in the rebuilding of 
society. In fact, go to Genesis chapter 
9. I've never understood, I've never been able to get my mind 
wrapped around how persons can be opposed to the death penalty. I mean, I get why pagans are 
opposed to it, but I don't know why Christians would oppose the 
death penalty. I don't understand what drives 
that mindset. And to that end, I don't understand 
what drives Christians to be pacifists. I don't understand 
this whole idea when God the Lord has spoken authoritatively 
and told us how things are supposed to be done in society. Remember 
the particular situation. They come out of the ark. We've 
got the world beginning all over again. In some senses, Noah is 
another Adam. He is given the same instruction. 
He is told to multiply. He is told to be fruitful. He 
is told to fill the earth. He is functioning in an Adamic 
capacity in this particular instance. Luther says, this is the first 
or 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. Specifically, verse 6, whoever 
sheds man's blood By man his blood shall be shed, for in the 
image of God he made man." Note the offense, whoever sheds man's 
blood. That's an offense. That is one 
of the reasons why the flood came. If you go back to Genesis 
chapter 6, the Lord looked down upon the earth and what did he 
see? It was corrupt and filled with what? Violence. So post-flood, 
post-judgment, when God gives instruction to Noah, he says, 
I don't want the earth to be filled with violence again, and 
I'm going to give you a means, I'm going to install an agent 
by which we can deal with and punish those who violate this 
particular command. So we see the offense, notice 
the punishment, by man his blood shall be shed, not by God. It 
is by God through the agent he's ordained, specifically the civil 
magistrate. You see, it just doesn't do for 
us to say, well, you know, God will judge him in the end. Again, 
with reference to sin, most certainly. But with reference to a murderer, 
with reference to a rapist, with reference to somebody who violates 
these things, the magistrate must punish. They are not duty 
bound to suspend judgment and to suspend punishment. I think 
we run two risks with reference to the magistrate. A magistrate, 
either authoritarian or tyrannical or dictatorial or autocratic, 
But then we have passive. We have them advocating their 
very reason for existence. I would like them out of a whole 
host of things they have no business being involved in and do what 
they're supposed to do. They're supposed to wield the 
sword to protect the citizenry from enemies, domestic and foreign. That's their primary function. 
That's their job. That's why they exist. It's not 
to make sure you have a balanced lunch at your public school. 
It's not to make sure that you are eating in the macronutrients. 
That's not the function or the role of civil government, brethren. 
They are involved from cradle to grave, and they are accepting 
those things, or they are taking a pass on the very things that 
they exist to do to protect their citizenry from enemies, both 
domestic and foreign. We ought not to be afraid to 
walk down the streets of Chilliwack or Abbotsford because we're going 
to get murdered or raped. We ought not to be afraid that 
ISIS is going to show up at our door and bomb us. That's the 
legitimate expression of civil government. This whole debate 
on how to deal with refugees, that, you know, in many respects 
we're dealing with apples and oranges. We as individual Christians 
ought to love people. We as individual Christians ought 
to be kind. We as individual Christians ought 
to be hospitable. What's the function of the civil 
government? The function of the civil government 
is to protect its citizenry. It isn't to say, well, just come 
on in and we'll all have donuts together. No, there has to be 
something in place so that the magistrate executes his lawful, 
God-given role to protect people. That's what they're supposed 
to do, not micromanage every area of your life. I mean, there 
are agencies for everything. Buy a gun, there's an agent where 
you have to register. Somebody sits at a computer to 
hear somebody say, I bought a gun today. Is that their prerogative? 
Is that their function? Is that their role? There is 
an agent dealing with just about everything. And yet, when it 
comes to this most vital aspect of the existence of the civil 
magistrate, we see them reneging on their God-given responsibility. Notice, by man his blood shall 
be shed. Note the reason for in the image 
of God he made man. Now that could function in two 
ways. It could function as a reason 
for the command itself. Execute murderers because God 
made man in his own image. And a murder is ultimately an 
assault upon the image of God. But it could also function as 
a reason why God uses human beings as agents of criminal execution. Does everybody understand that? 
Notice, whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed. 
Why? For in the image of God he made 
man. So whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed. 
We execute murderers because they have violated the commandment. 
They have violated the fact that God's image is born. by the person 
they murdered. But it could be the rationale 
why God uses men as the agents to carry out execution, for they 
are in his image. That seems to be the thrust in 
Psalm 82. The Lord God refers to these 
judges whom he installs as Elohim, as gods. They represent or they 
image God in that capacity to bring the sword to bear upon 
criminal offenders. Now, Ursinus says, the magistrate, 
therefore, may be guilty of doing wrong not only in being cruel 
and unjustly severe, but also in being too lenient in granting 
permission to certain persons to injure others. Doesn't that 
happen? You see somebody or something 
on the news, somebody does this horrendous thing and they're 
eligible for parole in seven years? I mean, if the demand 
in scripture, and it is a demand in scripture, it's not a suggestion. There's some debate over which 
crimes are capital crimes according to the word of God. But there's 
no debate with reference to murder. Everybody agrees. If they believe 
in the death penalty, they believe that murder at least is a capital 
offense and ought to be punished by execution. Murderers get out 
of prison. Isn't that completely contrary 
to the will and to the mind of God with reference to these things? So I think her sinus is right. 
Thomas Watson says, to kill an offender is not murder, but justice. A private person sins if he draws 
the sword. We need to remember that. It's 
not your vocation to take a C4 vest and walk into an abortion 
clinic and tell them, we'll see you on the other side. That is 
not your prerogative as a private individual. God, as I said, gave 
the monopoly on execution to the state. He didn't give it 
to individuals and he didn't give it to the church. Now, however 
much on an emotional level we may rejoice or we may be happy 
that, you know, an abortionist per se gets taken out, we cannot 
violate God's law. We cannot circumscribe the word 
of the living God. We cannot say, well, because 
it was a good end, the means justify it. No, the means must 
be ordained by God as well. So it's not our right as private 
individuals to sit on a grassy knoll with a high-powered rifle 
taking out persons that we deem are to be taken out. So Watson 
goes on to say, a private person sins if he draws the sword. But 
as importantly, he says, a public person sins if he puts up the 
sword. A magistrate ought not to let 
the sword of justice rust in the scabbard. As he shall not 
let the sword be too sharp by severity, so neither should the 
edge of it be blunted by too much levity. In other words, 
it's not for a magistrate to say, I know you committed murder, 
but you had a rough background, and I'm just going to give you 
two years. No, no, no, no, no. Do you realize 
that in the Old Testament, God says, do not be partial to a 
poor man in a court proceeding. You do not let emotions take 
over. You let the facts dictate. In other words, if somebody's 
poor and they've done a heinous thing, you don't say, well, you 
know, you're poor, and I can understand why that happened. Or somebody 
is a rapist or a child molester or a murderer. Well, you know, 
I know you had a rough upbringing, so we're going to just give you 
the, no, no, no, you don't have the right to do that. That's 
why Lady Justice is blind or has a blindfold on. It's so that 
she doesn't. get drawn out by these emotive 
appeals to, wow, this is what happened back then, and this 
is what happened to you now. And we can see how this formed 
you to be the monster that you are. So we're only going to give 
you six months and in a summer camp. No, no, no, you can't do 
that. These men were absolutely right. As he shall not let the 
sword be too sharp by severity, so neither should the edge of 
it be blunted by too much levity. And we see this. We see severity 
over things like polluting the environment. I'm not saying we 
should pollute the environment. And we see levity when it comes 
to murder. You know, we see severity when 
it comes to, you know, this guy didn't do this in compliance 
with this government statute. We see the strong arm of the 
law come upon him. But we see murderers walking 
the streets in that expression of levity. Now notice, in the 
second paragraph, the Christian involvement in civil government, 
in paragraph 2. It is lawful for Christians to 
accept and execute the office of a magistrate when called thereunto. It's lawful for a Christian to 
function in the civil government. Now, I know that some will say, 
well, I don't know how they could because it's so filled with lies 
and corruption. Maybe it's so filled with lies 
and corruption because Christians stopped participating in the 
civil government. Maybe it is the case that some 
of our young men and some of our young women think through 
these particular things in terms of how they're going to serve. 
We oftentimes in the church see full-time Christian service as 
being just ministry in the church. Well, couldn't full-time Christian 
service be in the political sphere as well? Are we ever going to 
see any good come out of Washington or Ottawa if Christians consistently 
and continuously abdicate the responsibility to function in 
that capacity? I mean, come on. I don't know 
how they could do it. They're going to get tarred and 
feathered. Well, so they get tarred and feathered. And they get blessed 
because they're counted worthy to suffer shame for the name 
of Jesus Christ. The confession says, and the 
Bible says, that it is lawful for Christians to accept and 
execute the office of a magistrate when called thereunto. Now you 
might ask, why did our divines include this statement in their 
confession of faith? Well, because of the Anabaptists. 
I realize in our studies in the Confession, if you thought about 
it, the Anabaptists are like Big Brother in Orwell's 1984. 
He's just lurking, and he's looking at you, and he's bad. But the 
Anabaptists did teach that it was wrong to participate in civil 
government. The Anabaptists said it was wrong 
to be involved in any aspect of civil government. Waldron 
comments, our Baptist forefathers were not Anabaptists. It was 
Anabaptists who taught that Christians could not occupy the office of 
the civil magistrate without sin. It was they who taught that 
this office was of the devil. Clearly, our Baptist forefathers 
completely rejected such a view of government and the resultant 
pacifism it implied. They publicly distanced themselves 
from it in their confession of faith. So there's a historical 
context as to why paragraph two is here in our Second London 
Confession of Faith. Remember, they wrote to distance 
themselves from the Anabaptists. So it makes sense when they get 
to the section of the civil magistrate If the Anabaptists said that 
this was a work of the devil and that to involve yourselves 
in it was necessarily sin, it's legit that our Baptist forefathers 
indicate, no, it's lawful. It is lawful for Christians to 
accept and execute the office of a magistrate when called thereunto. I mean, even to wield the sword. 
Again, I think this is counter-cultural in the Christian mindset today. 
Well, we believe in the death penalty, but boy, what about 
that guy who carries it out? If we understand God's teaching 
on the matter, a Christian in good conscience could be an executioner. I realize that's not going to 
win me popularity points at the Methodists and other pacifists, 
but that's the biblical reality. If a man is in the position of 
exercising the role of a civil magistrate, and he has the prerogative 
to exercise the sword itself, then it's not sin. Remember that 
to kill an offender is not murder. There are differing approaches 
to ending the life of a person. There is justifiable homicide 
vis-a-vis self-defense and the execution of criminal offenders. That is not wrong or illegitimate. So we need to understand that. 
And in legitimate war, which our confession goes on to speak 
of in just a moment. Boy, pacifists everywhere, if 
they were listening to this, would be rolling over and saying, 
wow, those Baptist heretics, those reformed idiots. Now notice 
the implications of this lawfulness. It is lawful for Christians to 
accept and execute the office of a magistrate when called thereunto. in the management whereof, as 
they ought especially to maintain justice and peace." That's what 
a Christian magistrate is supposed to do, maintain justice and peace. I think it was Hodge who said 
something to the effect that really only Christians could 
be magistrates. He wasn't saying that sort of 
exhaustively. But if you think about it, it 
really is a Christian responsibility to function. Psalm 89, God or 
Yahweh describes the foundation of his throne as righteousness 
and justice. Who knows righteousness and justice better than a Christian 
who has been redeemed by the blood of the cross? But in saying 
that, concerning the Christian magistrate, the necessary implication 
is, is this is how all magistrates ought to function, right? If 
it is the role or the function of a Christian as a magistrate 
to maintain justice and peace, then shouldn't we include that 
a non-Christian magistrate should be engaged in maintaining justice 
and peace? Isn't that the ultimate end for 
their rule, their governance, their authority? It isn't to 
build their own kingdom. It isn't to get nice accouterments, 
either in Ottawa or in the White House. It's not to have a private 
jet, it's not to have a big bank account, but rather it is to 
maintain justice and peace. That ought to be the function 
with reference to the magistrate and that Christians pretty much 
expect all civil government to lie, to cheat, and to engage 
in injustice and non-peace doesn't mean that they're off the hook. 
We ought to pray and ask the Lord to turn the hearts of his 
servants so that they would function accordingly. Notice, according 
to the wholesome laws of each kingdom and commonwealth. Interesting 
addition. The Westminster and Savoy simply 
have commonwealth. The Baptists added kingdom. Does 
that mean they were completely monarchial? No. But if you're 
in a kingdom and you're in a commonwealth and they have wholesome laws, 
what's the Christian's function? To maintain justice and peace. Now notice. So for that end, 
they may lawfully now, under the New Testament, wage war upon 
just and necessary occasions. Now again, this is something 
of a controversial statement. We're Christians. There ought 
to be no reason why we would ever advocate for war. Well, 
there's a couple of things we ought to appreciate. in scripture 
concerning the legitimacy of war. We know, of course, in the 
Old Testament. I mean, no one can be a pacifist 
as they read the Old Testament, I would hope. I mean, Deuteronomy 
7, 1 to 5, there is a command to engage in holy war. The children 
of Israel were told to go in and utterly dispossess Canaan 
of its inhabitants. That wasn't through, you know, 
inviting them to leave. It wasn't through a social media 
campaign. It was through killing them and breaking things. That 
was what the Israelites were charged with doing. In Deuteronomy 
20 and 21, there are rules governing warfare. How do we fight wars? Well, God speaks to that. So, 
of course, the Old Testament speaks of God in commanding war. There's, as well, some lines 
of evidence in the New Testament that we ought to appreciate. 
The fact that there is a favorable view of military in the New Testament. Now, not favorable in the sense 
that I'm proud to be an American, waving our hands, and worshiping 
our military. But there's not a condemnatory 
attitude toward persons in the military in the New Testament. 
In Matthew chapter 8. specifically in verse 10, the 
centurion that had come to see his servant healed by our Lord 
Jesus. Matthew 8, 10, Jesus heard it, 
he marveled and said to those who followed, assuredly, I say 
to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel. except for the fact that he's 
a centurion. He really needs to resign his commission and 
get out and seek employment in the civil sphere. No, he doesn't 
say that. He commends this man for his 
great faith, irrespective of the fact that he is a military 
officer. Notice in Luke 3. Luke 3. If you go to Sermon Audio and 
you type in Dale Ralph Davis, you'll find a very excellent 
sermon on Luke 3, verses 1 to 20. It's basically, what do we 
do after Christmas? He says how during Christmas 
time, we're in Luke 1, And Luke 2, we come out of that, and we 
want to know, what does life under the gospel look like? And 
he has several excellent lessons from Luke chapter 3 that I really 
commend to you. It's very good stuff. But notice, 
when John the Baptist is preaching, he tells the persons that they 
must bear fruits worthy of repentance, verse 8. Now notice, particular 
persons come to him and ask, what do these fruits look like? 
Verse 10, so the people asked him, saying, what shall we do 
then? He answered and said to them, he who has two tunics, 
let him give to him who has none, and he who has food, let him 
do likewise. In other words, be generous. Be hospitable. Be kind. Don't be the sorts of 
people that, you know, get confronted by someone who's hungry at your 
door and say, be warm and be filled. No, hand them a turkey 
and a coat and invite them in and let them eat. Verse 12, then 
tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, teacher, 
what shall we do? And he said to them, collect 
no more than what is appointed for you. Notice he doesn't say 
quit because everybody hates tax collectors. Quit, because 
you are a terrible, wretched human being. You see what Jesus 
is saying? Bloom where you're planted. If 
you're a tax collector, be a godly one. In other words, in the regular, 
ordinary, daily affairs of life, you can bear fruits worthy of 
repentance. Verse 14, likewise, the soldiers 
asked him, saying, and what shall we do? Notice, he doesn't say, 
shave your heads, put an orange robe on, and go dance at the 
airport. So he said to them, do not intimidate 
anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages. He doesn't say, you're military 
persons, get out. Now, Jesus knows what military 
persons do, doesn't he? We all know what a military person 
does, don't we? We all suspect that those rifles 
they carry may actually be used on something other than a target 
at the range. We all know that, right? What 
is the highest function, the biggest responsibility that a 
military person has? It is to go to war. So Jesus 
doesn't say, well, I'm so against war, I want you to resign from 
the army, and I want you to just follow me. He doesn't say that. 
He gives them specific instructions on how they are to function as 
soldiers that are bearing forth fruits worthy of repentance. 
Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with 
your wages. Pretty simple, isn't it? In other 
words, bloom where you are planted. And then, of course, the role 
of the civil government. If the civil magistrate bears 
the sword for the punishment of criminal offenders, we certainly 
see that in the domestic sphere. In other words, if someone engages 
in murder, The magistrate ought to execute that person, but we 
ought to see it in the foreign sphere as well. If somebody sends 
jet fighters into our particular sphere and they start gunning 
people down and bombing them, doesn't the magistrate have the 
prerogative, know the responsibility, to launch a counter-airstrike. 
Now, again, I'm speaking in generalities. This whole idea of what constitutes 
a just and necessary war is probably a discussion that would take 
up an entire day. But the principle, you have to 
appreciate, the civil government bears the sword. Yes, it is to 
punish criminal offenders within a particular society, but it's 
also to defend against criminal offenders from another society. 
Hodge says, if it is right for an individual to take life in 
self-defense, it must equally be right for a community to do 
so on the same principle. Turretin says, from the very 
fact that Christ did not take away but confirmed the authority 
of the magistrate, he also approved of the right of carrying on war, 
since it pertains to the magistrate to defend his subjects against 
unjust violence. which certainly cannot sometimes 
be done without war. Now, Hodge steps very gingerly 
and tries to give some particular qualification. He says, no plea 
of honor, glory, or aggrandizement, policy, or profit can excuse, 
much less justify, war. Get that? We can't go to war 
because of honor, glory, aggrandizement, policy, or profit. That can't 
excuse, much less justify, war. He says, nothing short of necessity 
to the end of the preservation of national existence. In order 
to make a war right in God's sight, it is not only necessary 
that our enemy should aim to do us a wrong, but also, one, 
that the wrong he attempts should directly or remotely threaten 
the national life, and two, that war be the only means to avert 
it. Again, this is a discussion that 
could be had for many, many days, what constitutes a just and necessary 
war. But there is this sort of an 
idea that we can just go to war at any time. Well, we really 
need to tread a little bit more lightly on that. But we do need 
to demand of our civil government that they see the necessity or 
the prerogative to wage war upon just and necessary occasions. 
And then the final paragraph deals with the Christian's duty 
towards civil government, paragraph three. Notice the necessity of submission. 
Civil magistrates being set up by God for the ends of foresaid. 
Remember? Divine origin. God the Lord instituted 
the agency and the particular agents. Never forget that. Everybody 
who's in a public office is there because of the sovereign will 
of God. Now, that doesn't always mean it's for blessing. It doesn't 
mean it's always for will. It could be for woe, or it could 
be for cursing. But we do realize that everybody 
who occupies positions of government authority are there because of 
the living God. That's something I hope as Calvinists 
and reformed people we get. So notice, subjection in all 
lawful things commanded by them ought to be yielded by us in 
the Lord. In other words, we are to submit 
to the governing authorities. We are to do what they say in 
all lawful things. What's the qualification? When 
they command us to do something unlawful, we obey God rather 
than men. You see a particular illustration 
of that in Chapter 4 and 5 in the Book of Acts. The apostles 
are told to stop preaching Christ and Peter says we must obey God 
rather than man. So when the magistrate commands 
us lawful things it is our duty to submit and obey. But when 
the magistrate commands us to do unlawful things we must obey 
God rather than man. And notice the reason why we 
yield this is not only for wrath Not only because we're afraid 
of getting our heads cut off, I think that's the point, or 
going to prison forever without parole. Not only for wrath, but 
for conscience sake. It is legitimate before God and 
men to do what God says. In other words, when we see our 
obedience to the civil government properly, we will see it ultimately 
as an act of obedience to the Lord God Most High. It isn't 
Justin Trudeau or President Barack Obama. It is ultimately to the 
Lord God Most High. So that is the necessity to submit 
and then the responsibility to pray, we ought to make supplications 
and prayers for kings and all that are in authority, that under 
them we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness 
and honesty." 1 Timothy 2 certainly deals with this. Paul tells Timothy 
that in the first place, prayer is to be offered up for all men, 
for kings and all who are in authority. I suspect that in 
the mind of the apostle Paul, if not directly, indirectly, 
is the letter to the exiles by God in Jeremiah 29. This is instruction to persons 
in exile in Babylon. Now, I stress this to show you 
how important this is. I mean, 1 Timothy 2. When Paul 
writes 1 Timothy, we're in the 60s now. We're probably in the 
early 60s. So Nero's a bad apple. I mean, if you haven't ever read 
or heard or learned what Nero did as sort of fun and sort of 
things that he did to entertain himself, it really does make 
for interesting reading. John Fox in his Fox's Book of 
Martyrs referred to him as the beast. I mean, he would have 
garden parties, and he would light Christians on fire to serve 
as the torches. He would take animal skins and 
put them on persons, and in some perverted, bestial thing, he 
would attack them and go after them sexually. I mean, he was 
just a nightmare of a human being. And yet, in 1 Timothy 2, Paul 
says, pray for kings and all who are in authority. Now Timothy 
could have been thinking, even Nero? Even that wretch? Even that beast? Yeah, God's 
able to save even a Nero. But notice in Jeremiah 29, which 
incidentally is where verse 11 comes from. Verse 11 is one of 
those, unfortunately, misused texts. For I know the thoughts 
that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and 
not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. That doesn't mean 
you're going to be a dental technician someday. That doesn't mean you're 
going to win the lottery someday, or you're going to be the CEO. 
It's a letter written to the exiles in Babylon. They're going 
to get out of that exile. They're going to return to Judah, 
and God's plan and purposes are going to be realized through 
that people. But notice, in Jeremiah 29.5, 
build houses and dwell in them, plant gardens and eat their fruit. 
I mean, you've got to appreciate the ordinariness of this. I would 
imagine if there were persons taken into captivity by Babylon, 
there would be a subset of persons saying, we've got to destroy 
the Babylonian leadership. We have to free our people. We 
have to be revolutionaries. We have to gain our liberty. 
You know what God's instruction is? Do what you're supposed to 
do. Now, I'm not saying there's never 
a place for just revolution. Again, that's a whole other weekend 
topic. Is it ever right for a people 
to revolt against the civil government? Again, I have some thoughts on 
that. I think that we should someday visit that topic. But 
notice, in this context, build houses and dwell in them, plant 
gardens and eat their fruit, take wives and beget sons and 
daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters 
to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters, that 
you may be increased there and not diminished. and seek the 
peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away 
captive, and pray to the Lord for it, for in its peace you 
will have peace." Isn't this what Paul says to Timothy? Pray 
for kings and all who are in authority that we may lead a 
quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. On 1st 
Timothy 2, 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. He says, 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. Pray for their 
salvation. I think, again, in 1 Timothy 
2, that's the context in verse 4 specifically. So how do we 
pray for the civil government? We pray that God will save them. 
If God chooses not to save them, then may God restrain them from 
being as evil, corrupt, and wicked as they have the potential in 
their hearts to be. Well, let us pray. Our Father 
in heaven, we thank you for this day. We thank you for this opportunity 
to look at scripture and to look at our confession. Help us to 
think clearly concerning these things. We do pray for our civil 
government. We pray for men in high places 
that first and foremost, they would fear God most high, that 
they would kiss the son, the Lord Jesus Christ, that they 
would bow and worship to him. Father, you would indeed move 
their hearts to quit legislating wickedness and ungodliness. We 
long for a day when we see the criminalization of things like 
abortion and euthanasia and sodomy. We just pray that you'd have 
mercy, Lord God. And if they are not converted, 
we pray that you would restrain them from further acts of evil 
and wickedness. And God, help us to think clearly 
concerning these things. And we pray through Christ our 
Lord. Amen.