Authority Part 4: Civil Authority

Now that we have set a foundation for understanding what authority IS, in the big picture, we are ready to address the most practical issue that arises in the Christian life concerning authority: civil obedience. All authority in Heaven and Earth ultimately belongs to God, including civil authority. But we have also seen in Scripture that all of Satan's authority ultimately belongs to God. So just as no one would say that Christians ought to obey Satan, it is over-simplistic to say that Christians should always obey civil laws and leaders, just because their authority is established by God. Both Paul and Peter offer us clues in their letters that there are indeed limitations on the Christian command to submit to governing authorities. This sermon is meant to provoke believers to think about how to say Yes to God, even when laws and leaders say No.