COMMUNITY: How can we live together in love?
(ASD 8 & 10am 21st September. Romans – a letter that makes sense of life, by Andrew Ollerton – pgs. 201-226)
Canon John Byrne – Retired Clergy with PTO (Permission To Officiate)
Welcome again to our teaching series on Paul’s letter to the Romans, focusing today on chapters 13-14.
Inevitably this series closely following Andrew Ollerton’s book, Romans – A Letter that Make Sense of Life, is an overview of these chapters not a verse-by-verse study.
We’ve heard chapter 13 read to us this morning. It speaks about how we should live in our world today.
Chapter 14 please read for yourself. Its essential theme is how we should live with each other in God’s church today.
Last week we were on holiday on Guernsey – a fascinating and attractive island; not a country but part of the bailiwick of Guernsey, Herm, Alderney & Sark which are a Crown Dependency. Our King Charles is their Duke of Normandy. The bailiwick has its own government and laws. Its residents have British passports, but it feels like Britain with a difference. Since 1066 when Normandy and Britain became one kingdom the Channel Islands have been part of Britain and chose to remain so when Normandy was lost. Altogether, a complicated history and existence which the islands have shared for a millennium.
So, in Romans 13-14 two arenas of our life are in mind. The world and the church. Living in human society and living in God’s family. Two overlapping circles.
We belong to both. It’s not a new idea: we are born into the world, and we are born again spiritually through relationship with Christ into his family and church.
C21st life seems complicated and pressured. But, as Christians, we face it living in both these spheres. One is temporal – earthly kingdoms end, and one is eternal – God’s kingdom is everlasting.
National and international issues come uninvited into our living rooms through modern, digital media, TV and internet. Distance is no barrier to communication and knowledge. Social, political, justice and environmental issues continue to emerge. And they involve us all as world citizens.
The church at large and each church in particular have a shared life too. And we are called to work out how to live and to model a new way of living in the light of Christ, our Creator, Redeemer and coming King.
In Romans 13–14 Paul explores how we live in the light of the gospel, especially in a world that is hostile and a church community that is fragile.
The church in Rome faced both external and internal pressures in a context of persecution and martyrdom. So Paul looks at the radical ideas of loving our enemies and serving one another as the body of Christ. He considers the first century church’s attitude to secular government and internal church disagreements.
Similarly, Christians in every generation have to think how to be good citizens in God's Kingdom and in secular society, because we belong to both.
Paul’s letter has implications for how we submit to human authorities and how we submit to each other in God’s church.
1 Living in our human society
Paul calls the church in Rome to submit themselves to the authorities, which in their time must have been incredibly challenging. Romans were required to call Caesar Lord, but Jews and Christians were unable to do so. A dangerous stance to adopt.
Jesus famously taught that people should give Caesar what was his due and to God what was due to him too. And now Paul told the Christians to give to each their due, whether that was taxes, respect, or honour, because the authorities were God’s servants in society.
Romans 13:1 There is no authority except that which God has established. It is God-given for our good.
Christians don’t live in an isolated bubble. Just as the believers in Rome had to consider their attitude towards the government and ruling authorities, so do we. Paul writes to a church which is under pressure and urges them to submit to governing bodies, because they have God’s authority in doing their work for the good of society.
This must however be balanced with the rest of Scripture, and the tension between obeying God and obeying man must be considered.
Famously Bonhoeffer stood against the oppressive Nazi regime of WW2 and paid with his life. Some UK Christians today have expressed support for an organisation our government has proscribed as ‘terrorist’ in the debate about Israel and Gaza, seeing their stand as for justice and truth, and paying with a criminal conviction.
We see church leaders doing this similarly when they make statements about things like the treatment of refugees, for example. When they do this, they are not calling for the overthrow of the government, but for laws and policies to be just.
One right which I believe we should all stand up for is freedom of speech, the freedom to say what we believe about our Christian faith or about contemporary issues, without fear of what we say being labelled as ‘hate speech’. Although the pendulum may be swinging back, some universities which ought to be places of openness and free debate, have de-platformed speakers in recent times due to disagreement with their point of view.
Romans 13:12 The night (this world’s existence) is far gone, the day (the fullness of Christ’s coming kingdom) is near. Let us then put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armour of light.
Overall, the command to put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armour of light applies to both aspects of our Christian life, in relationship to the wider community and to the Christian church. We must live in human society even though it will fade away and we must look to eternity because it is God’s, and he calls us to share in it.
Some would like to disregard the elected government entirely because of their opposition to one, or a few, of their policies. Paul's words could allow us to challenge ungodly policies, but this does not mean that we should rebel against the people in power and refuse to submit to even their reasonable uses of authority.
2 Living in our church family
Paul also addresses issues that might come up in the community of Christ. He addresses those current to his day, particularly relevant for Jews and Gentiles, when it came to food and religious holidays. They might be less relevant for us today, but the principles are timeless. He puts unity in the church before individual needs and desires – pertinent then as it is today in our individualistic, rights-centred society whose attitudes will manifest in church too.
Romans 14:17 The kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Paul wants to steer away from endlessly discussing secondary issues about running the church and deciding the colour of the proverbial tea cups, and point towards the timeless reminder that God’s eternal kingdom is one of righteousness, peace and joy.
Romans 14:7-8 We do not live to ourselves and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So the, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.
He adds, Romans 14:19, Let us then pursue what makes for peace and mutual edification.
Because the night is nearly over and the day is almost here, we can put aside our own wishes, and submit ourselves to human authorities and to each other, and in this way honour Christ.
When the perfect comes the imperfect will pass away. One day the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our God. The two realms in which we live now will become one.
Paul in Romans 14:11 writes, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.
If you’re confused about aspects of life in our world and church today, be assured that in the Day of the Lord that is coming it’s going to get a good deal simpler! Let’s look forwards to that day.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, as your ambassadors, give us wisdom in how to live in this world.
Help us to acknowledge you as Lord while submitting to human authorities. Help us to stand up for justice, fairness and equality for all.
Help us to see where we may be bringing disunity or division, and to work in church and society for reconciliation and peace with you.
You call us to be the light of the world; help us serve you well and build your kingdom each day,
For your glory’s sake.
Amen.