Romans 13:8-14 – The Debt You Owe

Romans 13:8-10 – Your Debt

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman as fulfilled the law.” – Rom. 13:8  Paul frequently speaks of love - “love must be sincere”, “be devoted to one another in brotherly love”, let all that you do be done in love”, love your neighbor as yourself”, “walk in love”.  Love is the proper fulfillment of God’s moral law.  We are to love all people – believers and unbelievers. 

Love never fails; love never ends.  We Christians should pay our debts including the debt of love for others, because love fulfills God’s law.  We are to owe nothing to anyone and as in previous verses we are to pay our taxes.  There is one debt that we will always have a need to pay and that is the debt of love.  We have incurred this debt because we received God’s gracious love while we were still sinners.  If you have received the gracious gift of eternal life, then you owe a debt to love to all people.  Through His love for us, His love should spill over to others.

Paul reminds us to not commit adultery, or murder, or steal, or covet.  We are to “Love your neighbor as yourself.  Love does no harm to its neighbor.” – Rom. 13:9-10.  When we disobey these commands we are harming someone.  Who is our neighbor?  It’s anyone and everyone.  We are to love all people, not only other Christians.  Love is not a feeling, but a choice.

How are you working at paying the debt that you will always owe – the debt of love for others?

Principle:  Christians are to love all people.

Romans 13:11-14 – Your Walk

Paul tells us in Rom. 13:11-14 that at this present time we should wake up because our salvation is near.  We’re getting closer and closer to the return of Jesus so we should be ready and live as if He will return anytime.  We are to put aside deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.  We are to behave decently, not in orgies and drunkenness, not is sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.  We are to clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and not gratify our sinful desires.

This “present time” Paul is talking about is an evil time.  It was evil in Paul’s day and it is evil now.  It’s a dangerous time when there are many evil beliefs and behaviors.  It’s a time to wise up, repent and believe.  It is a time for salvation.  Now is the time to live faithfully for God.  Christians have unlimited opportunities to glorify God and influence others for good.

 

Believers should wake up.  We should not be lazy as we wait for Jesus’ return.  He has given us all work to do.  We are supposed to be awake and walking in the light of day, because we are looking for the coming of the Lord Jesus.  Unbelievers are more than asleep and lazy – they are dead spiritually.

How are you living out the gospel in light of our times?

What does it mean “to put on the armor of light”?  The Bible often describes the sinful world as living in darkness.  Satan’s territory in Col. 1:13 is described the world as the “domain of darkness”.  We are to not walk in darkness.  Unbelievers live in darkness, but Jesus is the Light of the world and when we follow Him we walk in the light.  To “put on the armor of light” is to put on the Lord Jesus and choose right behaviors.  We must live as Christ wants us to live and not think about the things that would satisfy our sinful human desires.

What does it mean to “clothe yourselves with the Lord”?  It’s walking in the ways of Scripture and being like Jesus.  It’s obeying His commands, being merciful and forgiving, and loving others as much as we love ourselves.  It’s putting on His character.  It’s staying in His Word as we learn how to live as He did, staying in prayer, and putting Him in the center of our lives.  It’s running from temptations and running to God.

In today’s culture we normalize behaviors that the Bible calls indecent.  Some of these indecent things are sex outside marriage, divorce, drugs, excessive drinking and partying, abortion, homosexually, murder, jealousy, and the list goes on.  Even churches are watering down the message of Christ and His truths.

The world says if you believe in moral absolutes, you’re living in the dark ages.  It says there is no judgment and hell.  How could a loving God judge good people?  The Bible tells us just the opposite.  The world is in darkness concerning God, concerning our purpose for living and concerning death and eternity.

How do you normalize unbiblical behaviors?

Principle:  The way to live decently is to clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Next time we will study Romans 14.  Have a blessed day and thanks for visiting my site.  Hope to see you here again.  --  I encourage you to trust in Jesus.

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Romans 13:1-7 – The Government and You

“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.  The authorities that exist have been established by God.  Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.” – Romans 13:1

Wow!  Did you hear that?  We are to submit or be subject to all governing authorities, because God is the one who gave them their authority.  That means your local officials and all federal officials – even the President.  You may not agree with everything they do or say, but according the God’s Word we are to honor and submit to them.  When we do we are honoring God.  When we refuse to submit to them and the rules of the land, we are ultimately rebelling against God.

Do you pay your taxes without complaining?

Do you support the office of President even though you voted for someone else?

The only time we should refuse to submit to governing authorities is when they go against God’s standards.  An example of this is Daniel 3 when the king told everyone to bow down and worship his golden image each time they heard the horn blow.  Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused the kings orders.  The king threw them into the blazing furnace.  You know the story.  God protected them and they came out of the furnace unharmed.  In Daniel 6 the king issued a decree that no one should bow before any god or man except the king.  Daniel refused and continued to pray to God.  The king put him in the lions’ den, but Daniel was protected by God and was unharmed.

Paul tells us why we should submit to authorities.  First, God has places them in authority and by submitting to them we are submitting to God.  Second, if we rebel we rebel against God and God will bring judgment on us.  God has a purpose in everything He does.  He even uses evil rulers to make His plans complete. 

Acts 1:15-19 and 2:23 illustrate clearly that God used evil acts by Pilate and evil people to accomplish His plan of sending Jesus to die for sins of those who would trust Christ as Lord and Savior.  Another example is that of Joseph Genesis 45.  It was God’s plan that he be sold into slavery by his brothers in order to save them from a severe famine.  His brothers meant to do evil, but God used Joseph for good.

What kind of example do you set for others who watch your response to governing authorities?

Do they see you cheating on your taxes?

Do they see you breaking the speed limit or a running red light?

What is your attitude toward paying taxes?  Are you grateful?  It’s the taxes you pay that provide paved roads, pay for programs for those in need, support our armed forces, benefits all kinds of agency and pay salaries for police and firefighters and people who  make rules and run our government.  We should be grateful because of our taxes we are kept safe, which gives order and prevents chaos.

Christians are required to:

Be subject to the government unless it ask us to disobey God – Rom 13:1, 1 Peter 2:13-14; Acts 4:19-20; 5:29; Dan 1, 3, 6

Grant proper honor to those in authority – Rom 13:7; 1 Peter 2:17

Do right and cooperate with government authorities whenever possible – Titus 3:1-2;

1 Peter 2:15

Pay taxes – Rom 13:6, 7; Matt. 22:17-21

Pray for government authorities – 1 Tim. 2:1-2

Be informed and vote for candidates and issues which uphold God’s purposes – Matt. 5:13-16; Titus 3:1

We are to respect and honor everyone. 

“Honor your father and mother.” – Ex. 20:12 

“Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God.  I am the Lord” – Lev. 19:32.

“Let the elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.” – 1 Tim. 5:17 

“God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, who no one as seen or can see.  To him be honor and might forever, Amen.” – 1 Tim. 6:15b-16

How can we respect and honor those who character and decisions are different from ours?  We can listen to them and their opinions.  We can be kind accepting their choices.  Don’t argue with them.  We can give them our opinion and focus on God because He is in control.  We can pray that God will guide them in the right way of thinking.

How does the amount of time complaining about government compare to the amount of time you spend praying for the government? 

Principle:  Scriptures teach that everyone must submit to government authorities because they have been established by God.

Next time we will study Romans 13:8-14.  Have a blessed day and thanks for visiting my site.  Hope to see you here again.  --  I encourage you to trust in Jesus.

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