Ordinaces of Man: Addressed/Enforced

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces 1 Peter 2:11-17 and addresses the common objection to 'duty preaching,' arguing that any Christ-centered ministry must emphasize duty, as seen in Christ's…

Martin presents a common sentiment heard in evangelical circles: 'Duty, duty, duty. All I hear in the preaching is duty. I want more of the promises of grace.' This sets up his defense of duty preaching.

Duty, duty, duty. All I hear in the preaching is duty.

1:52 - 2:02 Read in full sermon

The point: Be transformed by the renewing of your mind, not conformed to the world's individualism and rebellion against authority, if you would live as resident aliens.

Martin uses Romans 12:2 to illustrate that the current age breathes 'crass individualism,' 'independence,' and 'egalitarianism,' which stands in stark contrast to God's command for submission.

If ever we needed to have Romans 12-2 applied to us, it is in this area. Paul says, be not conformed to this world or this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the good. We live in an age that breathes crass individualism, that breathes independence, that breathes and constantly exudes a disposition of egalitarianism. Everybody's on the same level.

11:29 - 12:08 Read in full sermon

Driving home: To rank yourself under another. It's dominant ideology. And the other ideas are the recognition of authority, an internal submission to that authority, and an explicit outward obedience to that authority.

Martin uses Luke 2:51 to illustrate the meaning of 'subject' (hupotasso) by showing Jesus, the Creator, submitting to His creatures, Mary and Joseph, recognizing legitimate authority in the domestic sphere.

And in Luke 2.51 we read that he went down to Nazareth and was, here's our word, subject to them. Jesus Christ, the creator of heaven and earth, the Lord of glory, submitting himself to the very law that he thundered from Sinai, went down to Nazareth. And was subject to two of his creatures, two of the people he would in a few years die to save.

16:02 - 16:32 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin defines the imperative 'be subject' (hupotasso) as ranking oneself under another, recognizing authority, submitting internally, and obeying externally, illustrating it with…

Martin tells the story of a Quaker child who says, 'me sitteth on the outside, but me standeth on the inside,' to illustrate that true submission, unlike the child's external compliance, involves internal submission of the heart, as Jesus demonstrated.

I've told the story before, little Quaker child, Quaker meeting has begun, everyone must be quiet. And the mother sits the little child down and she looks up and says in her quaint English, me sitteth on the outside, but me standeth on the inside, me standeth on the inside. I have by constraint externally submitted, but internally, no, not our Lord Jesus. He was subject to them, recognized their authority, internally submitted to it, and in his external pattern of life, he was a model of an obedient son.

18:21 - 19:00 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin defines the imperative 'be subject' (hupotasso) as ranking oneself under another, recognizing authority, submitting internally, and obeying externally, illustrating it with…

Martin uses Luke 10:17, where demons are 'subject' to the disciples, to further illustrate the meaning of hupotasso as recognizing authority, internally submitting, and externally obeying.

It's the same word used of what happened to the demons. Luke 10, 17. They came back from their first tour, having been given authority, the 17, they said, behold, the demons are, here's our word, subject to us. When they spoke in the name of Christ, the demons recognized the authority of Christ.

19:00 - 19:20 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Peter enforces the duty of submission with the pervasive gospel motive 'for the Lord's sake,' which encompasses honoring Christ's name, obeying His commands (like rendering to…

Martin imagines the 'knee-jerk reaction' of Jewish converts to the command to submit to human ordinances, given their history under a theocracy and their notoriety for insurrections, which helps explain the need for Peter's enforcement.

Though we have reason to believe the church was made up primarily of converts from the Gentile pagan world, there were no doubt some converted Jews. And the Jews had a tremendous sense of suspicion about any earthly government. For you'll remember that they lived under a theocracy for centuries, and God had told them that they were not to take a king like the other nations would. God was to be their king until he gave them a king.

26:32 - 27:01 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Peter enforces the duty of submission with the pervasive gospel motive 'for the Lord's sake,' which encompasses honoring Christ's name, obeying His commands (like rendering to…

Martin imagines the 'wild, independent, self-willed, headstrong Gentiles' who lived by their lusts and had no respect for authority, highlighting the radical change required by the command to submit.

So imagine the knee-jerk reaction some of these Jewish converts to the Christian faith must have felt when they heard the words, Be subject to every ordinance of man. And perhaps there had been wild, independent, self-willed, headstrong Gentiles that said, My only God is my lust. You read chapter 4 and we'll see. That was the lifestyle of many of them.

27:12 - 27:35 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Peter enforces the duty of submission with the pervasive gospel motive 'for the Lord's sake,' which encompasses honoring Christ's name, obeying His commands (like rendering to…

Martin mentions reading 18 or 20 commentators on the phrase 'for the Lord's sake,' noting the many suggested meanings, to emphasize the richness and depth of this motivational phrase.

Well it can mean many things. And again it's been fascinating to read the 18 or 20 commentators. If I were to just give you the list of things that they all suggest it may mean, I'd not only be here for the rest of our time this morning, but all of our time this evening probably. They suggest that, well, what he may be saying is, For the sake of the Lord's name.

28:28 - 28:49 Read in full sermon

The point: Children, if you truly love your parents, let 'for the sake of your dear mom/daddy' be a powerful motive for obedience and avoiding grief.

Martin uses the analogy of children's love for their parents as a powerful motive ('for the sake of your dear mom/daddy') to help listeners understand the compelling force of 'for the Lord's sake' for true believers.

Does that really get you where you are? You children, if you really love your mom and your dad what more powerful motive is to say look kids, for the sake of your dear mom don't do this. This will break her heart. This will grieve her.

33:18 - 33:38 Read in full sermon

The point: If 'for the Lord's sake' does not move you to change your thinking, attitudes, and actions, then you are lost, dead in your sins, and under God's wrath.

Martin contrasts Pharaoh's defiant question, 'Who's Jehovah that I should serve?' (Exodus 5), with the believer's heart response to 'for the Lord's sake,' to reveal whether one is truly saved.

Peter knows he's got them where they really are. Does that get you where you are? What do you say with Pharaoh in Exodus chapter 5 when Moses came in and says thus says Jehovah let my people go that they may serve me. You remember Pharaoh's response?

34:21 - 34:42 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And either we believe in the absolute sufficiency and authority of the word of God or we're out on the sea of utter subjectivism when it comes to these issues and I say let God be true and every man a liar whatever his p…

Martin highlights that the 'king' Peter refers to was likely Nero, a 'scoundrel' who would eventually martyr Peter, underscoring the difficulty and radical nature of submitting to unrighteous rulers.

or to governors being sent by him. Now this term governor is what was used of Pilate Matthew 27 and verse 2 it was used of Felix in Acts 23 and verse 24 these procurators or pro-councils were duly appointed by the king or by the Roman Senate and they were sent by the king in order to implement Roman rule in the particular area in which they were sent and that was assigned to them so when Peter makes a specific application of the directive he focuses on the highest and the lower seats of human authority as they existed at that time in the Roman government now this had real significance and it h...

39:33 - 41:01 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And either we believe in the absolute sufficiency and authority of the word of God or we're out on the sea of utter subjectivism when it comes to these issues and I say let God be true and every man a liar whatever his p…

Martin uses Pilate, a 'weak-willed, spineless' governor who condemned Jesus despite finding no fault, as an example of the unrighteous 'governors' to whom Christians are commanded to submit.

and say be subject to a scoundrel like Nero yes yes yes and most likely as we saw in an introductory study Peter probably wrote this letter from Rome in the short time he was there before his martyrdom be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake whether to the king as supreme if Nero is brought to the place of supreme power in political power by the sovereign Lord of the nations render him to obedience I didn't write it I didn't make it up I've got no desire to whitewash Rome but I'm ready to spill my blood to be honest with my Bible and this is what the Bible says this is what Go...

41:01 - 42:25 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And either we believe in the absolute sufficiency and authority of the word of God or we're out on the sea of utter subjectivism when it comes to these issues and I say let God be true and every man a liar whatever his p…

Martin quotes John Brown, a Scottish commentator, to clarify that Peter's reference to 'king' and 'governors' applies to the different organs of civil rule within a country, from highest to lowest officers, regardless of the form of government.

where Peter identifies in his specific application those to whom these believers were to be subject I can do no better than give you a brief quote from John Brown the godly Scottish commentator these words that is the king is supreme and governors sent by him and our duty to be submissive to them taken by themselves might mean submit yourselves to civil government whatever form it may wear monarchy aristocracy democracy or representative republic we might add there can be no question that in this sense the words would express the Christian's duty it's equally the duty of Christians if you live...

43:53 - 45:22 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin explains the twofold function of civil government: administering 'vengeance' (retributive justice) on evildoers and conferring 'praise' (protection and honor) on those who…

Martin quotes John Lilly to explain that the civil magistrate's domain is the 'outer court' of actions and public order, not men's opinions, religious faith, or conscience, emphasizing the limited but vital function of government.

this word praise can mean verbal commendation but it can mean something less than that and the commentators again debate whether there was actually a practice in the government at that time to give more public recognition to good citizens but certainly it does suggest that those who do well will have the protection and the consideration and the honor that is afforded them for their pattern of well doing now again perhaps I can do no better than to give you another brief quote from one of the commentators who's been very helpful to me in this series of studies a man by the name of John Lilly no...

49:43 - 51:11 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin explains the twofold function of civil government: administering 'vengeance' (retributive justice) on evildoers and conferring 'praise' (protection and honor) on those who…

Martin references Paul's statement in Acts, 'If I have done anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die,' to illustrate Paul's recognition of legitimate governmental authority to punish evildoers.

with spiritual and eternal things the civil magistrate be his station what it may must not seek to intrude his place of ministry if I may say so is the outer court his domain that which is seen and temporal especially is it his care to maintain public order to dispense justice between man and man by all necessary pains and penalties to repress and punish violence and fraud while even by so doing as well as by other positive manifestations of his favor to protect and encourage the honest and the upright members of society as Peter applies this directive he highlights what was still with all of ...

51:11 - 52:40 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not seek loopholes or exceptions for 'piddly' or 'inconsequential' ordinances, but let the full weight of God's Word grip you to be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake.

Martin cites Peter's own resistance to authorities in Acts 4 and 5 ('we ought to obey God rather than man') to show that there are legitimate exceptions to submission when human commands contradict God's.

a covering of wickedness but as bondservants of God but as I bring the message to a close will you bear with me while I make just two closing applications the first is note with me how broad and binding is this divine directive submit yourselves be subject to the to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake and some of you who listen with a Greek text you may say but Pastor don't you know that's an aorist passive imperative yes I do but the aorist passive imperative of has the sense of a middle alright so I've alleviated your tension over the Greek grammar and so it's right to render it submi...

54:09 - 55:38 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not seek loopholes or exceptions for 'piddly' or 'inconsequential' ordinances, but let the full weight of God's Word grip you to be subject to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake.

Martin uses Daniel 6 as a 'marvelous example' of civic obedience until the king's decree violated God's law, leading Daniel to obey God and accept the consequences, illustrating principled disobedience.

to God the book of Daniel is a marvelous example of this I'd hope we had time to go into Daniel chapter 6 Daniel is commended for his civic obedience he was a model citizen of Babylon until they said you can't pray to your God he didn't get all fussed he didn't cause a riot he didn't go cause a demonstration it just says he knelt and prayed three times a day as usual it's as though he never even heard the king's decree because the king entered an area where he had no right to enter and Daniel said I'm going to obey God and listen I'm going to accept the consequences of that disobedience under ...

55:38 - 57:07 Read in full sermon

The point: Meticulously obey even small ordinances like not littering a gum wrapper, crossing at the lines, or being honest on income tax, for the Lord's sake.

Martin provides concrete, seemingly 'piddly' examples of submission: not treating crossing guards with indifference, not rounding off income tax figures, not littering a gum wrapper, and crossing the street at the lines, to show the broad scope of the command.

when I make out my income tax I will not allow myself to be a litterer even with a gum wrapper I will cross the street where the lines are I will meticulously take to heart the injunction obey every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake for your sake Lord I will put the gum wrapper in my pocket and not throw it on the mall floor you say pastor you're serious yes I am yes I am yes I am obey every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake it doesn't say except the ones you think are piddly except the ones you think are inconsequential except the ones you think are unreasonable except the ones that you...

57:07 - 58:35 Read in full sermon

The point: Pray for kings and rulers and those in authority over us, and use legitimate influence in the ballot box.

Martin compares Christians who speak disrespectfully of the president to the language of secular political commentators (Bob Grant, Rush Limbaugh), condemning it as worldly and unbiblical.

of government what are we to do 1st Timothy 2 pray for kings and rulers and those in authority over us pray for the modern Manassas that they might be converted yes use every bit of influence in the ballot box and in your own legitimate sphere of influence in this particular form of government where you and I can have an influence yes but here's the baseline directive be exemplary in your submission to the powers that be and that submission as we'll see when we come to verse 17 involves honoring the king you mean we've got to honor Nero yes we've got to honor that man in the White House yes an...

58:35 - 60:04 Read in full sermon