I want to read the article, then I want to read a couple of passages. Number 53, Civil Government Obedience of the Saints. We are to give unto all men the honor due to them as their place, age, and position requires. We are to defraud no man of anything, but to do unto all men as we would have them do unto us. And there's a series of scriptures. I want to read Matthew 7, verse 12, and then 1 Thessalonians 4, 3 through 6. Let's read Matthew 7, 12 first. Therefore, all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them. For this is the law and the prophets. This is sometimes called the golden rule. It's sometimes shortened to say this, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I think it reads kind of like that in Luke. Now read with me 1 Thessalonians chapter four and verses three through six. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you should abstain from fornication, that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor. not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles, which know not God, that no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter, because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. So honor them to whom honor is due according to their place, their age, and their position. The subject is obedience of the saints. And the first thing we want to notice is the obedience to the higher powers. Turn to Romans 13, verses one through seven. Let every soul, everybody, no exception, Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, for there's no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resists the power, resists the ordinance of God, and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, But to the evil, well, thou then not be afraid of the power, do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same. For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid, for he beareth not the sword in vain. For he is a minister of God, a revenger, to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore, ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake. For this cause pay ye tribute also. for they are God's ministers attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. I talked to a great number of people about this subject. I already knew what the scripture said. And the one answer that came back to me that I know many in this land hold to is this. To them, it's not so much the person, but the supreme law of this land is the Constitution of the United States and its 27 amendments. It's the same for the state of Alaska, which has its own constitution and some amendments. Those who serve in the office of president, vice president, serve as dictated in that portion of the constitution, which regards the executive branch of government In other words, the men carry out what is written in the Constitution or not. It's the same for those who serve in the Congress, in the Senate and House of Representatives. The Constitution spells out their duties and the particulars of their office. as does the Constitution for the judicial branch, which gives the judges their guidelines. So the Constitution is designed to do exactly as rulers are supposed to do in Romans 13, three and four that we just read. And that said, I'll read it again for your remembrance. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good. And thou shalt have praise of the same, for he is a minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid, for he bears not the sword in vain, for he is a minister of God, a revenger, to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. So rulers, the elected people, according to this passage, are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. What if, then, the ruler becomes a terror to good works and clings to that which is evil, as many are doing in our land today? I thought about this for years. I thought about it for a long time just recently, and I read everything I could read. Let me read a comment on this verse by Matthew Henry, a comment with which I agree wholeheartedly. The quote says, a praise to do to those that do well. Those that keep in the way of their duty shall have the commendation and protection of the civil powers to their credit and comfort. Do that which is good, and thou needest not be afraid of the power, which, though terrible, reaches none but those that by their own sin make themselves obnoxious to it. The fire burns only that which is combustible, Nay, thou shalt have praise of it. This is the intention of magistrate, and therefore we must, God's people, for conscience sake, be subject to it as a constitution designed for the public good to which all private interests must give way. But pity it is that ever this gracious intention should be perverted, and that those who bear the sword, while they countenance that connive at sin, should be a terror to those who do well. But so it is, when the vilest men are exalted, as they sometimes are, And yet even then the blessing and benefit of a common protection and a face of government and order are such that it is our duty in that case rather to submit to persecution for well-doing and to take it patiently than by any irregular and disorderly practices to attempt a redress. Never did sovereign prince pervert the ends of government as Nero did, and yet to him Paul appealed, and under him had the protection of the law and the inferior magistrates more than once. Better a bad government than none at all. That's what I believe. That's what I believe the scripture teaches. Here's a principle. This is in the context of masters and servants, but let's read this, and you'll see the idea here. 1 Peter 2, 18 through 25. Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the frail. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it if, when you be buffeted for your faults, you take it patiently? But if when you do well and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. Watch this. For even hereunto, you are called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow his steps. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. Who when he was reviled, reviled not again. When he suffered, he threatened not. but committed himself to him that judges righteously, who his own self bear our sins in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sin should live under righteousness, by whose stripes you are healed." And talking to a number of people, Sarah said, Caesar has no power. But we read, the powers that are, are ordained of God. Now let's read this scripture, and I wanna look at it for just a minute. Matthew 22, 21. They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's. Let's read the context. starting in verse 15, because it tells us a whole story. Then went the Pharisees and took account of how they might entangle him in his talk. And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know thou art true, and teach us the way of God and truth. Neither carest thou for any man, for thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us, therefore, what thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Show me their tribute money. And he brought unto him a penny. He saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's. When they heard these words, they marveled, and left him, and went their way. Now what was the question? Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not? Rendering to Caesar. Caesar was a Roman ruler who, according to Romans 13, six and seven, his business was, among other things, to collect tribute from the people. So the Lord said, render unto Caesar that which belongs to Caesar. The laws for our good, even the taxation that we're put under. The point is that magistrates do have authority of things in this present world, and we ought to render, therefore, unto the magistrates the things which are theirs, and unto God the things which are God's. If there's a conflict, then God must come first. He is the higher power. We cannot allow magistrates to tell us not to pray, not to study, not to gather together, not to preach the gospel. Those things would be against what God has told us to do. Remember that God has given them their place. Now let's read Titus chapter 3, verse 1. Paul tells the young preacher, put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, and to be ready to every good work. In 1 Peter chapter 2, verse 13 through 17, 1 Peter 2 verse 13 to 17, submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake. whether it be to the king as supreme or unto governors as unto them that are sent by them for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God that with well-doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. as free and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honor all men. Love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king. In this case, we have no king, but we have a paper that gives a law as a king would. And those who minister that law are the people that we look to and the people that we obey. I read through again much. of Fox's book of Christian martyrs. I never saw, I never found a single person in all of those thousands and thousands of children of God who raised their hand against the magistrate when they came to take their possession, when they came to imprison them, when they came to torture them, when they came to put them to death. There may be one there someplace. I never saw it. It's the same with the martyr's mirror, which has to do with the Anabaptists of old. I thought about John Bunyan. Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress is like a rehearsal of his own spiritual experiences. He was often in Doubting Castle and in the Slough of Despond and the Valley of Humiliation and the Shadow of Death. But this book is not about, the subject is not about the trials. The subject is about the victory of God's people in those trials. once when he was leaving the doors of the courthouse where he had been defeated. No, no, he was in prison for 13 years in the Bedford prison for preaching the gospel. So he could not preach. He said, as I was going forth of the doors, I had much ado to bear saying to them that I carried the peace of God along with me. The Waldenses, who lived in the Italian apse, built their homes there, their barns, planted their orchards and their vineyards, and kept their cattle. They were forced from their homes in the middle of the winter by the Pope's army. And they left their homes, their farms, their orchards and vineyards, with their old people and infants on carts, going forth to seek a new place to live, singing hymns as they walked. These are Christians. These are our Baptist forefathers. I ask my preacher brothers, in all of your studies, in all of your reading, Have you ever read where the Baptists raised their hand against the civil authorities? Have you ever come across Christians who stood up against governmental interference into private matters? Brother Jimmy Settlemyer said this. I hold this man in high esteem because he reads the same kind of things I read. He said, I do not know of any case in which Baptists undertook to resist the powers that be in the circumstances you've mentioned. Keech and Kiffin, which were Baptists of the 1600s when the London Baptist Confessions was written, and others suffered much at the hands of their ruling powers, but as far as I've read, never did anything but appeal to those powers for redress, which they usually did not receive." Then he mentioned Bunyan, who we've already talked about. And he said this about the early Baptists in the colonial America in New England. In New England, before the revolution, many Baptists had their property confiscated. and sold dirt cheap to pay for the minister's salary of the group that happened to be in power at the time, which was the Congregationalists who were trying to start another Old Testament entity in the land. Of course, they turned out Roger Williams from his home in the dead of winter, being reasonably certain that he would not survive the winter. and would not if the Indians had not taken him in. Afterward, they petitioned him to intercede for them with the Indians because he was friends with them. He did this and saved their town from being destroyed. He said, I think in such cases we must do what the Waldenses did. When the king, the pope, ordered them out of his kingdom in the dead of winter, He said, and I say and I believe, we may indeed face such things as there are. Now many in positions of power that have no concept of our nation's foundational documents and are vigorously chipping away at those foundations. It takes just a few years to undo what it took ages to erect. May the Lord help us. So we ask ourselves, preacher, what do we do when they come for our private property and they come to take our guns? You're a wise man. God has given you the wisdom of himself. You will know what to do. Consider your Baptist forefathers who sailed through bloody seas. Most of all, consider God's word. I want you to notice in the context of resisting governmental powers, if we take the sword, or whatever the sword stands for, we can expect to be slain with the sword. In my view, resisting the powers ordained of God by the sword and dying by the sword is an infamous death. Read with me Matthew 26, verses 51 through 53. And behold, one of them were which Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest and smote off his ear. Then said Jesus unto him, put up again thy sword into his place, for all they that take the sword shall definitely perish with the sword. Thankest thou that I cannot now pray to my father and he shall presently give me more than 12 legions of angels? He's looking to a higher power than a sword or a gun or whatever it is to resist the powers. Now please look at Revelation 13 and verses one through 10. Here it will, the experience will come exactly that way with the sword. John writes, and I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crown, and upon his head the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion. And the dragon, that is the devil, gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast, and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who's able to make war with him. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies. And power was given unto him to continue forty and two months, three and a half years. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle. and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. And power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations." Here's a time, brothers and sisters, when God delivers his people into the hands of the power that's the temporal power on the earth. and he will kill the saints. He will overcome them. All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If any man have an ear, let him hear. He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity. He that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. God's people, facing certain death, will trust the Lord whatever happens, no matter what happens, instead of trying to combat what they see as an evil power. To lead into captivity will cause one to be led into captivity. To kill with a sword will surely cause one to be killed with a sword. In my view, Better it is not to take up the sword or whatever else is meant by that, guns, knives, or clubs, against the powers that be, but wait patiently on the Lord, knowing by the scriptures what shall be the end of all things. Total power. Total power is coming. It's coming soon. And when it comes, we have no means by which to withstand. All those who use captivity and the sword shall reap it likewise, whether it be us or whether it be the powers that be, or ourselves as God's children. We all know this. We're invincible until the Lord is pleased to deliver us up to death. considering the statement of the confession of faith concerning submission, were to give unto all men the honor due to them as their place, age, and position requires. We live our daily lives in submission. Think about that. God's people are a submissive people. Let me read this. 1 Peter 5, 5. Likewise, you younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility, for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. In Ephesians 5, 21 through 23, Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wise, submit yourselves to your own husband as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church, and he's the savior of the body. Ephesians six, verses one through nine. Children, obey your parents and the Lord, for this is right. Honor thy father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise, that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters, according to the flesh, with fear and trembling and singleness of heart, as unto Christ, not with eye service, as men pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. with goodwill doing service as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. And ye masters, do the same things unto them forbearing threatening, knowing that your master also is in heaven, neither is there any respect of person with him. And we read Titus one through three said, be subject to principalities and obey magistrates. We're submissive people, are we not? We can be proud and pompous and lift up our back against the word of God, but all we do is hurt ourselves. We sing the song, Paul says, to me, to die is gain. For when we die, we're suddenly in the presence of the Lord, which is far better. The flesh doesn't like to think about that. And there's no doubt in my mind that in the days ahead, except God intervene in our behalf for his own purpose, many of us will die at the hands of the higher powers. Let us defraud no one. Let us submit ourselves, as Luke 631 says, as you would that man should do to you, do you also to them, likewise. Many of you carry weapons. I understand that. And you're entitled to defend yourself in every way possible except the magistrate. I think that's a teaching of the scripture. I pray you'll consider that. I believe it so. I'm finished. Thank you for your attention.