Grace Community ChurchGrace Community ChurchMay 3, 2009May 3, 2009

Love Fulfills the LawLove Fulfills the LawRomans 13:8-10Romans 13:8-10

A Living SacrificeA Living Sacrifice

Romans 13:6-7Romans 13:6-76 6 For because of this you also pay For because of this you also pay

taxes, for the authorities are taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this ministers of God, attending to this very thing. very thing. 7 7 Pay to all what is owed Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

Romans 13:8Romans 13:88 8 Owe no one anything, except to love Owe no one anything, except to love

each other, for the one who loves each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.another has fulfilled the law.

Civil Law or Moral Law? Civil Law or Moral Law?

Romans 2:14-16Romans 2:14-1614 14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the For when Gentiles, who do not have the

law, by nature do what the law requires, law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. they do not have the law. 15 15 They show that They show that the work of the law is written on their the work of the law is written on their heartshearts, while their conscience also bears , while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them accuse or even excuse them 16 16 on that day on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

STOP!!!STOP!!!

Separation of Church and State!Separation of Church and State!

11stst Amendment Amendment

Congress shall make no law respecting an Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…the free exercise thereof…

Iowa Supreme CourtIowa Supreme Court""State government can have no religious views, State government can have no religious views,

either directly or indirectly, expressed through either directly or indirectly, expressed through its legislationits legislation... This proposition is the essence ... This proposition is the essence of the separation of church and state. As a of the separation of church and state. As a result, civil marriage must be judged under our result, civil marriage must be judged under our constitutional standards of equal protection and constitutional standards of equal protection and not under religious doctrines… We are not not under religious doctrines… We are not permitted to do less and would damage our permitted to do less and would damage our constitution immeasurably by trying to do constitution immeasurably by trying to do more.“more.“

Ben FranklinBen Franklin““God governs in the affairs of man. And if a God governs in the affairs of man. And if a

sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured in the without His aid? We have been assured in the Sacred Writings that except the Lord build the Sacred Writings that except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. I firmly house, they labor in vain that build it. I firmly believe this. I also believe that, without His believe this. I also believe that, without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel” building no better than the builders of Babel” ––Constitutional Convention of 1787 | original Constitutional Convention of 1787 | original manuscript of this speechmanuscript of this speech

ThomasThomas Jefferson Jefferson““God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can

the liberties of a nation be thought secure when the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are a gift from God? That they are not liberties are a gift from God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed I to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, and that His justice cannot sleep is just, and that His justice cannot sleep forever.” forever.”

Vol. IV, p. 289. From Jefferson’s Notes on the Vol. IV, p. 289. From Jefferson’s Notes on the State of Virginia, Query XVIII, 1781.]State of Virginia, Query XVIII, 1781.]

James MadisonJames Madison

Democracies have ever been Democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security, incompatible with personal security, or the rights of property; and have, in or the rights of property; and have, in general, been as short in their lives general, been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their as they have been violent in their deaths.deaths.

John AdamsJohn Adams

Remember, democracy never lasts long. It Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.that did not commit suicide.

Noah WebsterNoah Webster

Our citizens should early understand that Our citizens should early understand that the genuine source of correct republican the genuine source of correct republican principles is the Bible, particularly the principles is the Bible, particularly the New Testament…New Testament…

Alexander HamiltonAlexander Hamilton

The law… dictated by God Himself is, of The law… dictated by God Himself is, of course, superior in obligation to any course, superior in obligation to any other. It is binding over all the globe, in other. It is binding over all the globe, in all countries, and in all times. No human all countries, and in all times. No human laws are of any validity if contrary to this.laws are of any validity if contrary to this.

We have no government armed with power We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any inadequate to the government of any other." other."

John AdamsJohn Adams--October 11, 1798--October 11, 1798

Romans 13:9-10Romans 13:9-109 9 For the commandments, “You shall For the commandments, “You shall

not commit adultery, You shall not not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” neighbor as yourself.” 10 10 Love does Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. love is the fulfilling of the law.

1 John 4:7-111 John 4:7-117 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from

God, and whoever loves has been born of God God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. and knows God. 8 8 Anyone who does not love Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. does not know God, because God is love. 9 9 In In this the love of God was made manifest among this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. that we might live through him. 10 10 In this is love, In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. sins. 11 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.ought to love one another.