Expert: Quentin Parker - 3/11/2010

Question
in your commentary of Rom.13: 1-7, you mention 4 areas that must submit to the lordship of Christ...are these "the" four areas of governance set out by the Bible?  Could you please give verses that state this (obviously, the Rom. 13 passage discusses civil authority, for example.  Thank you! Claire
I am presenting a discussion of Render to Caesar what is Caesars... for Tues. Mar. 16.

Answer
Hi Claire,

Thank-you for your question.

I believe you are referring to the answer I gave in which I stated: “The individual, the family, the church, the state – all must submit to the lordship of Christ and be governed according to God’s Word”. Well, Claire, every area of life must be lived in submission to the lordship of Christ – whether we would divide it into four specific realms or two or eight or even a hundred. I do believe, however, that these four distinctions adequately cover the primary spheres of authority in life and it’s often practical to make this division since the manner in which we are to submit to His authority and the specific commands He sets forth for our obedience are slightly different in regards to each particular area.

Sadly, it is Christ’s lordship over the civil realm which is most hotly debated. Most believers agree that the individual ought to live in submission to the authority of Christ – that’s evident from nearly every page of Scripture. The same is true of the church and ought to be as apparent in the case of the family as well. The Scripture has much to say on what we ought to believe and what we ought to do regarding those areas. But what of the political realm? If it is a legitimate realm of authority – and it is – then Scripture must have something to say about how we ought to submit to Christ’s authority in that respect as well. And it does: Scripture has much to say about the civil realm – about kings, nations, law and justice; a great deal of this instruction regarding government and law is to be found in the Old Testament.

We are called to “take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5)

1 Corinthians 10:31, further, tells us that whatever we do – whether we eat, whether we drink – we must do it ALL to the glory of God. Such a command is without question all-inclusive. If we must eat and drink to the glory of God – far less obvious duties – how much more ought we to glorify Him in our laws – which enforce morality and execute justice!

Indeed, Scripture goes so far as to tell us that if every area of our life is not under the authority of Christ – if we think “Has God really said…?”(Gen. 3) and suppose that the political realm is exempt from His rule and instruction – then we align ourselves with worldliness and set ourselves at enmity with God! “For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:7-8) and “You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” (James 4:4)

There is no alternative. There is no neutral ground. We have a choice: submit to Christ’s authority and His rule and command for every area of life (cf. 1 Cor. 10:31; 2 Cor. 10:5) or live according to the flesh as His enemies, and rebellious. “They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.”
(Titus 1:16)

As believers, we are His servants – sworn to seek His will and submit to His authority in all we do:

“Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.  I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.”
(Romans 6:16-19)

“Slaves are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.”
(Titus 2:9-10)

Finally, do remember Christ’s instruction in Mark 12:30-31: "Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart and with ALL your soul and with ALL your mind and with ALL your strength."

That’s everything. All of our being, all of our thoughts, all of our affections, all of our actions, all of our goals, our plans, our endeavors… Every area of our life – it’s His. “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? And that you are not your own for you have been bought with a price – wherefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Thanks for your question, Claire. I do hope you find this helpful and I pray, as well, that your presentation would be effective and glorifying to our Saviour.

God bless!
Quentin Parker