Savage Street Church of Christ

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11122017AllAreSubjectToGodsLawActs17.30–31DonRuhl

All Are Subject to God’s Law

Acts 17.10–11

Don Ruhl • Savage Street, Grants Pass, Oregon • November 12, In the year of our Lord, 2017

Prelude:

1. Everyone on Earth is subject to the law of God, even if they are not Christians.
   1. Everyone can see it in the natural realm:
      1. We are all subject to gravity,
         1. whether we like it or not,
         2. whether we believe gravity exists or not,
         3. whether we agree with it or not.
      2. We are all subject to death,
         1. whether we like it or not,
         2. whether we believe death exists or not,
         3. whether we agree with it or not.
   2. However, most people fail to see that this applies in the spiritual realm also.
      1. We are all subject to the Lord’s teachings and commandments,
         1. whether we like them or not,
         2. whether we believe they exist or not,
         3. whether we agree with them it or not.

Persuasion:

1. All People Are Subject
   1. Some say the NT is only for Christians.
      1. They say outsiders are not subject to the Law of Christ.
      2. They argue that after baptism they are then obligated.
   2. Why then become a Christian and submit to laws that you may break?
   3. Consider Acts 17,
      
      30 “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17.30–31).
      
   4. 2Th 1
      
      7 …to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power… (2Th 1.7–9).
      
   5. John 12
      
      “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day” (John 12.48).
      
2. Further considerations:
   1. Requirements of salvation imply everyone is under God’s law
      1. E. g., the definition of sin
         
         4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness (1Jo 3.4).

         17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death (1Jo 5.17).
         

      2. Sin is breaking God’s law
         1. Does the world break God’s Law?
         2. Does the world do unrighteousness?
      3. Salvation requires us to repent from sin.
      4. The Great Commission
   2. Their argument implies
      1. that the requirements of salvation are not part of God’s law.
      2. If it is true
         1. that all men are not subject to God’s law,
         2. then they imply that His requirements are not part of God’s law:
            1. Yet, where do we find the requirements of salvation?
            2. We find them in God’s covenant with the world.
      3. If it is true that all men are not subject to God’s law,
         1. then they are not under obligation to obey His teachings.
         2. Yet, we know that they are obligated to obey His teachings.
            1. Therefore, all people are obligated to obey His teachings.
            2. Otherwise, why would anyone ever become a Christian?
3. The Bible Teaches That People Sin by Violating God’s Law
   1. That is because they are in obligation to it.
   2. First Corinthians 6
      
      9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God (1Co 6.9–11).
      
      1. Why were they those things?
      2. Was it merely by breaking civil laws?
         1. Did you know that homosexuality was against the Lord in America
         2. until 2003!
            1. Then our wonderful Supreme Court decided
            2. that it should not be anymore.
               1. Therefore, what would are they breaking now?
               2. How can we say they commit sin?
      3. If they were not obligated to God’s law,
         1. they would not be guilty of those sins,
         2. hence they would have inherited the kingdom of God.