The Power of the Sword

We have already looked together at the variety of powers contained within the plural "authoritIES" in v 1 and the various powers they possess. God has established these authorities and has delegated power to them. Civil government, established by God, is not a "necessary evil" as it is often represented to be, but a positive good intended by God to be a blessing to us. The sword in v 4 is not merely symbolic:it is the sword of the Roman executioner putting to death citizens convicted of heinous crimes and of the Roman centurion preserving the Pax Romana. This morning I want to address two lawful uses of the sword and one unlawful use...