Honor to Whom Honor

November 9, 2025
Dr. Terry LeQuieu
Romans

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Romans 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

Scripture Reference

Romans 13:7 — Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

Introduction

The title of this sermon is “Honor to Whom Honor.” Dr. Terry LeQuieu preaches from Romans 13, a passage that instructs Christians about their duty to governing authorities. This message is framed around honoring those who serve our nation — particularly our veterans and military — and why Scripture compels us to render them honor: because of their stand, their struggles, and their sacrifice. While the setting is patriotic, the heart of the sermon is biblical: God ordains authority, and Christians are commanded to respect and honor those who protect and provide for our freedoms. This message seeks to help young adults and the average church member grasp practical, spiritual, and compassionate responses to veterans, and encourages evangelistic care for their eternal souls.

Outline

Understanding the Biblical Command
1. God Ordains Authority
  Romans 13:1-2 teaches that “there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.” Even when governments are sinful or hostile to God, ultimate authority and historical method remain under God’s sovereign allowance. Christians are called to be subject to higher powers for conscience and order.
2. Types of Dues
  Verse 7 divides our obligations into categories: tribute and custom (financial obligations), fear and honor (social obligations). We pay taxes and obey laws, and we also show proper respect and honor to those who serve the public good.
Why We Honor Veterans: Their Stand
1. Freedoms are Bought and Defended
  Every liberty we enjoy has been preserved by men and women who were willing to stand and defend it. Our Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the everyday freedoms of worship, speech, and assembly remain meaningful only when defended by those willing to risk life and limb.
2. Enemies Exist Then and Now
  Throughout history — from tyrants like Nero to modern ideologies that oppose liberty — enemies to freedom persist. Veterans took an oath to defend the Constitution against foreign and domestic threats; Christian duty includes recognizing and supporting that stand.
Why We Honor Veterans: Their Struggles
1. Invisible Wounds and PTSD
  Many veterans return home with wounds not visible to the eye: PTSD, nightmares, flashbacks, depression, traumatic brain injury, chronic pain, and emotional detachment. These are real struggles that need compassion, understanding, and biblical counsel, not only quick dismissal or judgement.
2. Difficulty Reintegrating
  The military trains people to survive in combat and extreme environments; it does not always teach the skills for peaceful civilian life. Veterans can struggle with relationships, employment, and identity — and many suffer because the systems meant to help (bureaucracy, VA care) are inadequate.
Why We Honor Veterans: Their Sacrifice
1. Ultimate Losses
  Some veterans paid the ultimate price with their lives. Others lost limbs, health, marriages, or their careers. Sacrifice isn’t only the battlefield death — it is the loss of time with family, the physical scars, and the long-term costs like Agent Orange or experimental exposures.
2. Public Treatment and Duty to Remember
  Historical responses to veterans vary. After World War II many soldiers were celebrated; Vietnam veterans were often mistreated. Scripture calls us to remember and honor sacrificial service regardless of public opinion cycles.
Psalm 91: The Soldier’s Psalm — Spiritual Care and Hope
1. God as Refuge and Fortress
  Psalm 91 identifies God as the place of safety. Soldiers and veterans know what “refuge” and “fortress” mean practically; the spiritual reality is trusting God in the midst of battle and after.
2. Divine Protection and Deliverance
  Verses 11–16 describe angels and God’s deliverance: “I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.” The Lord promises care for those who trust Him. This is both comfort and a directive: minister Christ’s comfort to veterans.
Practical Christian Responses
1. Simple Acts of Honor
  Kindness, saying “thank you for your service,” offering a handshake, standing for the flag and national anthem — these are concrete ways to honor veterans and obey Romans 13:7’s social obligations.
2. Advocate and Care
  Vote, serve, volunteer, and help veterans navigate benefits. Show respect for national monuments and history. Help veterans find biblical counseling and community that supports spiritual healing.
3. Evangelistic Responsibility
  Ultimately, honor includes offering the gospel. Good deeds do not save; Christ alone saves. We must compassionately and boldly share the Gospel with veterans so their sacrifices have eternal meaning.
Gospel Clarity
1. All Have Sinned; Christ Alone Saves
  Romans 6:23 and Romans 10:9–13: the wages of sin is death; the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. If a veteran (or anyone) dies without Christ, their service cannot secure their soul. The church has both a duty to honor and to call men and women to saving faith.

Summary

Romans 13:7 commands Christians to render honor where honor is due. Dr. Terry LeQuieu applied this to veterans and military service, urging the church to remember three biblical reasons to honor them: their stand to defend our freedoms, the struggles they endure (often unseen), and the sacrifices they paid in service. Scripture (including Psalm 91) offers comfort and a promise of God’s protection and honor toward those who trust Him. Christians are called to practical acts of respect, civic responsibility, compassionate care, and urgent evangelism — because temporal service deserves temporal thanks, but eternal souls deserve the gospel.

“We should honor our veterans because of their stand, because of their struggles, and because of their sacrifice.”

Quote to Ponder

This succinct quote from the sermon distills the three-fold reason we honor veterans. Ponder it through the week and let it guide your actions toward those who served.

Application for the Week

Practical, biblical steps you can take this week to honor those to whom honor is due:

Speak Thankfulness
When you see a veteran or service member, say “Thank you for your service.” Offer a respectful handshake. A simple word of appreciation costs nothing but honors much.
Show Civic Respect
Stand for the national anthem and treat the flag respectfully. Attend or support local Memorial Day/Veterans Day events. Vote to preserve freedoms and support policies that assist veterans.
Listen and Learn
If a veteran shares difficult memories, listen with compassion. Avoid minimizing painful experiences. Encourage them to seek biblical counseling and to connect with church care ministries.
Practical Help
Offer to assist with small needs: rides to appointments, help with paperwork, connecting them to local VA or veteran-focused charities, or bringing a meal to a veteran family.
Pray with and for Veterans
Use Psalm 91 as a prayer for protection, healing, and peace. Pray for relief from PTSD, for physical healing, for families, and for spiritual awakening to Christ.
Share the Gospel
Engage lovingly in spiritual conversation. Offer to share the plan of salvation (Romans 6:23; Romans 10:9–13). If a veteran expresses interest in salvation, invite them to speak with church leaders or one of the pastor’s team.
Serve Regularly
Make honoring veterans a habit, not a single-day activity. Volunteer with local veteran ministries, or start a church outreach that intentionally cares for the veterans in your community.

As Romans 13:7 instructs, render to all their dues. Let our church be known as a place that honors sacrifice, ministers to wounded souls, and points all people — veterans included — to the only One who saves eternally: the Lord Jesus Christ.