Romans 13: The Gospel of Grace & Civil Government
Application: The student will describe the necessity to be a good citizen and support his government.
WHEN WE CLOSED OUT OUR STUDY OF CHAPTER 12 WE WERE REMINDED THAT WE ARE TO BEHAVE IN SOCIETY IN A CHRISTIAN MANNER SO THAT OUR BEHAVIOR WILL REFLECT WELL ON OUR FAITH AS BELIEVERS.
WE WERE REMINDED TO LIVE IN PEACE AND TO EVEN LOVE OUR ENEMIES WHILE LEAVING VENGEANCE TO THE LORD.
WE ARE ALL AWARE OF HOW OTHERS ENJOY POINTING TOWARD US IF MISBEHAVIOR IS SEEN WHICH REFLECTS HYPOCRISY OF OUR FAITH.
WE SEE THE WARNING OF THIS INSTANCE IN 2ND SAMUEL 12:14 IN THE WORDS SPOKEN BY THE PROPHET NATHAN TO KING DAVID AS THE SIN OF DAVID WAS REVEALED:
“Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.”
WE HAVE SEEN THIS SAME INSTANCE IN RECENT YEARS AS ONE OF OUR GREATEST DEFENDERS OF OUR FAITH, RAVI ZACHARIAS, WAS REVEALED TO HAVE A SECRET LIFE OF HORRID SIN, ALLOWING EVERY ATHEIST HE EVER DEFEATED IN DEBATE TO POINT THE FINGER AT ALL BELIEVERS AS HYPOCRITS.
TO PROPERLY REFLECT CHRISTIAN VIRTUES IN AT THE CORE OF OUR INSTRUCTION BY PAUL AS HE TEACHES US THAT OBEDIENCE TO CIVIL GOVERNMENT IS NECESSARY.
VERSE ONE AIMS THIS INSTRUCTION AT “EVERY SOUL” CLEARLY INDICATING HOW PAUL VIEWED THIS TEACHING AS APPLYING TO ALL BELIEVERS.
IN THIS CHAPTER PAUL WILL TEACH US THE FOLLOWING:
WE ARE SUBJECT TO HIGHER CIVIL POWERS (1-2)
WE ARE SUBJECT TO RULERS (3-5)
WE ARE SUBJECT TO DEBTS (6-7)
WE ARE SUBJECT TO COMMAND (8-10)
WE ARE SUBJECT TO TIME (11-12)
WE ARE SUBJECT TO CHRIST (13-14)
BECAUSE PAUL REALIZED THE BELIEVERS IN ROME LIVED UNDER SUCH ADVERSE CONDITIONS EACH DAY, THEY NEEDED REMINDING THAT THEIR LIVES MUST REFLECT THE LORD EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE SUBJECT TO OTHER AUTHORITY IN CIVIL SOCIETY.
LIVING AND WALKING IN CHRISTIAN SPIRIT UNDER THESE AUTHORITIES WITNESSED PROPERLY FOR THE FAITH.
OUR OBEDIENCE IS TO BE CONSTANT UNLESS CIVIL AUTHORITY DIRECTLY COMMANDS BEHAVIOR CONTRARY TO THE WILL OF GOD.
HUMAN GOVERNMENT IS A DIVINELY DIRECTED INSTITUTION.
BELIEVERS ALSO ARE MEMBERS OF A SPIRITUAL INSTITUTION, THE CHURCH.
BUT BOTH BELIEVERS AND THE UNSAVED LIVE UNDER CIVIL SOCIETY.
THESE POWERS PAUL SAYS ARE ORDAINED BY GOD, EVEN WHEN INDIVIDUAL LEADERS ARE WICKED & UNGODLY.
GOD HAS DECREED GOVERNMENTS FOR MANKIND, BUT HE HAS NOT DIRECTLY COMMANDED THEIR NATURE.
HE HAS ALLOWED TRIBAL RULE, DEMOCRACY, MONARCHY, AND DICTATORSHIPS TO EXIST.
FIVE TIMES IN THE FIRST FOUR VERSES PAUL USES THE PHRASE “OF GOD” TO ASSURE US THAT GOVERNMENT IS UNDER GOD’S AUTHORITY.
ALL GOVERNMENT GOES BACK TO THE COVENANT GOD MADE WITH NOAH IN GENESIS 9 WHEN GOD GAVE THE RENEWED EARTH INTO THE HAND OF MAN.
GOD HAS NEVER REVOKED THAT COVENANT.
THEREFORE IT IS THE DUTY OF A CHRISTIAN TO BE A GOOD CITIZEN AND PETER TAUGHT THE SAME LESSON IN 1ST PETER 2.
VERSE 4 CLEARLY STATES THAT THE CIVIL LEADER IS SUPPOSED TO BE A MINISTER FOR GOD TO CITIZENS FOR GOOD.
HE CARRIES THE POWER TO PUNISH UNDER GOD’S AUTHORITY WITH THE SWORD UPON THOSE WHO DO EVIL.
GOVERNMENT IS TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY AND TO PUNISH CRIME.
VERSES 6-7 TEACHES US THAT BECAUSE GOVERNMENT IS GOD ORDAINED, WE ARE TO PAY TAXES, EVEN WHEN THEY ARE ONEROUS.
WE REMEMBER THAT JESUS ARRANGED A UNIQUE WAY TO PAY THE TEMPLE TAX HIMSELF USING A FISH TO BRING THE TAX MONEY TO BE PAID.
OUR OVERALL LIFE BEHAVIOR IS DEFINED FOR US IN VERSES 8-14 TEACHING US TO LIVE WITH A VIEW OF THE RETURN OF THE LORD AND TO SHOW LOVE FOR ALL OTHERS UNTIL HE ARRIVES.
WE ARE NOT TO ENTER INTO MUCH DEBT OR OTHER OBLIGATION BUT RATHER TO SERVE THE DEBT OF LOVE.
CREDIT ITSELF IS NOT A SIN AS LONG AS WE ARE ABLE TO REPAY BUT WE ARE TO USE CREDIT WISELY.
THE DEBT OF LOVE FOR OTHERS SHOULD BE THE ONLY DEBT WHICH REMAINS UNPAID FULLY IN THIS LIFE.
IN VERSES 9-10 WE SEE THAT AS A PERSON WORKS TOWARD PAYING THE DEBT OF LOVE HE WILL INSTINCTIVELY KEEP THE OTHER COMMANDS IN HIS LIFE.
GOD BROKE DOWN THE ORIGINAL 10 COMMANDS INTO TWO SECTIONS, ONE BEING RELATION TO GOD AND THE OTHER BEING RELATION TO MANKIND.
PLUS JESUS ADDED A SECOND COMMAND OF “LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR AS OURSELVES” AS EQUAL TO LOVING GOD.
LOVE WORKS NO ILL TOWARD OTHERS.
IF A PERSON’S HEART AND LIFE IS CONTROLLED BY LOVE, HE WILL NEED NO OTHER CIVIL LAW.
VERSE 11 SPEAKS OF THE IMMINENCE OF THE LORD’S RETURN AND THIS MESSAGE WAS USED TO URGE HOLY LIVING.
CHRISTIAN DUTY IS OBEDIENCE TO CIVIL AUTHORITY UNTIL THE LORD RETURNS OR WE GO TO HIM IN MORTAL DEATH.
IN EITHER CASE, WE WILL HAVE EARNED THE BEST REWARD BY HAVING CHRIST GREET US AS FAITHFUL SERVANTS WHO HAVE DONE WELL.
THE LAST FOUR VERSES OF CHAPTER 13 LISTS EIGHT COMMANDS FOR CHRISTIANS AND THESE ARE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC TO ASSURE THERE IS NO MISUNDERSTANDING IN EXACTLY WHAT PAUL IS TEACHING.
THESE ARE:
CAST OFF THE WORKS OF DARKNESS
PUT ON THE ARMOR OF LIGHT
LIVE HONORABLY
STOP RIOTING AND DRINKING
SHUN ALL IMMORAL LIVING
REFRAIN FROM QUARRELS/CONTENTION/ OR JEALOUSY
CLOTHE OURSELVES IN THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST
MAKE NO PROVISION FOR LUST
THESE VERSES ARE A CALL TO HOLINESS.
CASTING OFF WICKED WAYS OF DARKNESS MEANS SPIRITUAL DARKNESS OF SIN, EVIL, WAR, CAUSING HUNGER OR SUFFERING TO OTHERS.
THE ARMOR OF LIGHT MEANS THE WEAPONS OF HOLY DEFENSE PAUL WILL LATER DEFINE FOR US IN EPHESIANS 6 AS THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD AGAINST DARKNESS.
THE NEXT TO LAST COMMAND OF PUTTING ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS POWERFULLY MEANT TO ASSURE WE UNDERSTAND THAT OUR MOMENT OF SALVATION IS ONLY THE BEGINNING OF THAT NEED.
IT REMAINS A DAILY ACTIVITY AND EXPERIENCE AND REFERS TO OUR SPIRITUAL WALK AFTER WE ARE SAVED.
WE SEE THE TRANSITION IN PAUL’S TEACHING FROM THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TEACHING ON THEOLOGY INTO TEACHING ON EVERY DAY LIFE OF THE BELIEVER.
PAUL FURTHER EXPLAINS THESE COMMANDS CAREFULLY IN COLOSSIANS 1 AND THERE HE SUMMARIZES IT PERFECTLY WHEN HE WRITES IN VERSE 19 THAT:
“…FOR IT PLEASES THE FATHER THAT IN HIM SHOULD ALL FULLNESS DWELL…”
JESUS HIMSELF TAUGHT US THAT WE ARE TO FIRST SEEK THE KINGDOM AND THEN ALL OTHER THINGS WILL BE ADDED UNTO US.
WHILE THE CHRISTIAN WALK IS DEFINED FOR US IN THESE VERSES IT IS NOT PROMISED TO BE AN EASY PATHWAY.
IT IS THE PATHWAY OF THE FEW AND IS TO BE DIFFERENT FROM THE PATHWAY OF THE MANY WHICH LEADS ONLY TO DESTRUCTION.
WE ALL KNOW THERE ARE MORE THAN A FEW ADVERSITIES AS WE SEEK TO WALK IN ONENESS WITH OUR LORD.
HE SENDS THESE ADVERSITIES TO US IN THE FORM OF SLIGHTS, INJURIES, INSULTS, INFIRMITIES, POVERTY, ABANDONMENT BY FRIENDS & RELATIVES, LIES, HUMILIATIONS, & TEMPTATIONS ALLOWED.
THESE ACTUALLY ARE NEEDED BY US SO THAT WE MAY ENLIST THE ASSISTANCE OF OUR INDWELT HOLY SPIRIT TO GUIDE US OVER THESE ISSUES WORKING WITH US TO UNDERSTAND THESE THINGS ARE NOT TO BE SEEN AS BITTER TO US BUT ARE RATHER PLACED IN OUR PATH SO THAT OUR OVERCOMING EACH ONE BRINGS US CLOSER TO THE DIVINE UNION WE ALL SEEK WITH THE LORD.
THE 1ST STEP IN THAT ETERNAL UNION IS IN OUR SALVATION MOMENT WHEN JESUS PROMISED IN JOHN 3:18 THAT FROM THAT INSTANCE, WE HATH PRESENT TENSE, LIFE ETERNAL.
PAUL PREACHES A FINE SERMON TO THE ROMAN CHURCH IN CHAPTER 13 CONCERNING THE LIFE EXPECTATIONS OF A BELIEVER.
HIS TEACHING HERE IS AS POWERFUL AND SURE FOR US AS IT WAS THE DAY HE WROTE IT 2,000 YEARS AGO.
NEXT WEEK WE STUDY CHRISTIAN LIBERTY.
