“Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme.”
for the Lord’s sake
The phrase “for the Lord’s sake” means because of the Lord’s sake. The motivation to obey the government is our love for the Lord. We submit ourselves to social institutions to honor the Lord.
Matt. 5:11, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.”
Acts 9:16, “For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
2 Cor 12:10, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
1 Jn 2:12, “I write to you, little children
Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.”
3 Jn 7, “Because they went forth for His name’s sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles.
“For my name’s sake, for Christ’s sake, his name’s sake” – that is the reason the Christian does what he does.
PRINCIPLE:
The controlling incentive for obedience to government is to honor the Lord.
APPLICATION:
We may not agree with the present government or even the laws of our nation at a given time, but we obey the laws of government for the Lord Jesus.
