DOCTRINE: The role of those in civil government is to obey their Master, Christ, be a terror to evil doers, approvers of good conduct, promoters of good, and instruments of God’s wrath on the wicked.
I. GOVERNING AUTHORITIES HAVE BEEN APPOINTED BY GOD AS HIS SERVANTS (Romans 13:1-2, 4)
I) The Lord Jesus Christ is the King of kings and the Lord of lords right now (1 Timothy 6:15). II) All human authority is delegated by God, and therefore accountable to Him (Romans 13:1). III) A servant does not get to choose what he does; his duty is to be faithful to his Master (Luke 17:10). IV) The only way for a servant to concretely know what his Master commands is through his Masters’ words (Deuteronomy 17:18). V) The servant who makes it his aim to obey his Master will be rewarded (Matthew 25:21). VI) If a servant does not know what his Master commands, the Master will give him a beating (Luke 12:48). VII) If a servant does not do what his Master commands, the Master will give him a severe beating (Luke 12:47). VIII) If a servant turns into a tyrant, the Master will cut him into pieces (Luke 12:46).
II. GOVERNING AUTHORITIES MUST BE A TERROR TO THOSE WHO DO EVIL (Romans 13:3a)
III. GOVERNING AUTHORITIES MUST APPROVE OF GOOD CONDUCT (Romans 13:3b)
IV. GOVERNING AUTHORITIES MUST PROMOTE THE WELL-BEING OF THOSE WHO DO GOOD (Romans 13:4a)
V. GOVERNING AUTHORITIES MUST CARRY OUT GOD’S WRATH ON THOSE WHO DO EVIL BY BEARING THE SWORD, NOT IN VAIN (Romans 13:4b)
There are many things in our day that God’s civil servants are doing that they should not do, but the biggest issue is that they are not doing what they should do—namely, protecting the weak and the innocent from those that would do them harm. And who is going to tell them their duty if we who are in Christ will not?
CONCLUDING EXHORTATION
I) Resolve to figure out what God’s civil servants are commanded to do by their Master, according to the Scriptures. II) Resolve to speak to God’s civil servants, according to the Scriptures, so that they may clearly know what their identity and duty is. III) Resolve to hold God’s civil servants accountable to their Master’s commands. IV) Resolve to love God’s civil servants enough to warn them away from the bad and exhort them toward the good. V) Resolve to confess to God and repent of any participation in or apathy toward the abortion holocaust that we have allowed to take place by not holding God’s civil servants accountable. VI) Resolve to love your pre-born neighbors, and, by faith, speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.
THE ROLE OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT: Romans 13:3-4
Romans 13:3-4
Brett Baggett • Romans 13:3–4
LEGISLATIVE WORKSHOP: Brett and Daniel
May 1, 2022 • Brett Baggett, Daniel Chepkauskas
GOALS 1) Preparedness. 2) Confidence UNDERSTANDING WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE WILL BE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION 1) Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (15-week threshold). 2) Oklahoma SB612 (Felony/$100k Fine) 3) Oklahoma SB1503 (Texas Style/Heartbeat/Life of Mother Exception/Does not prohibit Abortifacients/Women held harmless). THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES BASICALLY HAS THREE CHOICES 1) Rule Abortion unconstitutional 2) Provide States with regulative authority (highest probability) 3) Impose arbitrary 15-week threshold (Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization) Oklahoma will be left with SB612 if Supreme Court “kicks-down” regulative authority to states. Oklahoma will be left with SB1503 if Supreme Court imposes 15-week threshold or takes no action. In either case, Oklahoma will not criminalize self-induced abortions (abortifacients, cases of physical harm), and abortion will be deemed a felony, not murder (unequal parity of law). SPEAKING WITH LEGISLATORS 1) Give honor to those who are in positions of authority. “Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed” (Romans 13:7). “Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor” (1 Peter 2:17). 2) We must know our material well and communicate it with grace. “Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature” (1 Corinthians 14:20). God says we are to be “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). 3) Be clear as to the purpose of the meeting (e.g. conversation about Abolition, co-sign or author legislation). 4) Lead the conversation. 5) Be willing to be flexible in the conversation. e.g. If the person does not know or yet understand abolition, the main priority is education rather than to ask them at that time to author/co-author a bill. e.g. If the conversation seems to be getting contentious, do not press too hard. Thank them for meeting and see if you can leave them resources. 6) Don’t hesitate to ask questions (e.g. legislators’ perspective on Abolition and their concerns) 7) Be sympathetic to Legislators concerns (they may actually be well-intentioned and not know any better). WHAT TO DO BEFORE YOU MEET WITH A LEGISLATOR 1) Pray for humility. 2) Find out their prior experience with abortion legislation (reach out to Daniel Chepkauskas or Rescue Those or Free the States). *Legislators who continually author pro-life legislation are much more prone to pride. 3) Make sure you understand this is not a speech, this is a conversation. 4) Understand the arguments leveled against abolition (e.g. one of many avenues, hurts conservative index score). 5) Understand the arguments leveled against abolitionists (e.g. Abolitionists don’t understand the legislative process). HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR LEGISLATIVE MINISTRY TEAM 1) Choose team leader; team leader will initiate and primarily lead conversation. 2) It can become overwhelming if more than one person is talking at a time. 3) Team leader should have best grasp of material and communicate well. 4) Other members of team help assist team leader during the conversation (e.g. additional information, examples). COMMON OBJECTIONS “I’m only one legislator” “We won’t be successful” The intention of ‘Pro-Life’ laws is to save lives. What’s wrong with incremental regulation of abortion? “The Supreme Court won’t allow it” “Abolition seeks to criminalize women” “Abolition provides no exception for rape or incest” “Abolition provides no exception for ‘life of mother’ situations” “This legislation nullifies the U.S Constitution” “If overturned by the courts, this legislation would effectively overturn all other pro-life laws in statute” “Why shouldn’t Oklahoma mirror Texas’ S.B. 8 (Heartbeat Bill) which was left effective by the U.S. Supreme Court?”
