Sermon Tone Analysis

Wenstrom Bible Ministries

Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom

Thursday January 21, 2010

www.wenstrom.org

Romans: Romans 13:8a-Paul Commands Roman Believers To Fulfill Their Financial Obligations

Lesson # 445

Please turn in your Bibles to Romans 13:8.

This evening we will begin a study of Romans 13:8 by noting that Paul prohibits the Roman Christians to owe nothing to anyone meaning that they are to fulfill their financial obligations to everyone.

On the heels of this prohibition he commands them to fulfill their moral and spiritual obligation to love one another since this is the fulfillment of the Law.

Romans 13:8, “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.”

Romans 13:9, “For this, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,’ and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’”

Romans 13:10, “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

This passage echoes the teaching of the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 19:18) and the Lord Jesus (Matthew 22:35-40).

In Romans 13:7, Paul commands his readers to fulfill their four-fold obligation to the Roman governmental authorities.

However, here in Romans 13:8 he prohibits them from owing any person anything in the sense of a financial debt meaning that they are to fulfill their financial obligations.

On the heels of this he commands them to also fulfill their moral, spiritual obligation to love one another since this fulfills the law.

Therefore, we can see that Paul cleverly employs the idea of “obligation” to make a transition from a discussion of the Christian’s responsibility to the civil governmental authorities to a discussion regarding their financial and spiritual responsibilities to their fellow human being, whether saved or unsaved.

This is indicated in that in Romans 13:7 he uses the noun opheile and its verb form opheilo in Romans 13:8.

Romans 13:8, “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.”

“Owe” is the second person plural present active imperative form of the verb opheilo (o)feivlw) (o-fay-lo), which is the verb form of the noun opheile that appears in Romans 13:7 and was articular meaning “your obligations.”

In Romans 13:8, the verb opheilo means “to owe” and is used in a prohibition with regards to the fulfillment of a financial obligation and in a command with regards to the fulfillment of a spiritual or moral obligation to love one’s fellow human being regardless if they are a believer or not.

The word is used in the prohibition in a financial sense of fulfilling one’s financial obligations indicating that the Roman Christians were to fulfill their financial debts to everyone in addition to those they owe the governmental authorities as stated in Romans 13:7.

This prohibition does not forbid a Christian from incurring a debt but it demands that the Christian repay any debts that they do incur promptly according to the terms of the contract.

Then, the verb is used in the command in a moral sense of fulfilling one’s Christian obligation to love one’s fellow human being as commanded in the Word of God (Matthew 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 10:25-28; John 13:34-35).

The present imperative form of the verb opheilo is a “customary present imperative” indicating that Paul is commanding the Romans “to continue making it their habit of” owing absolutely nothing to anyone except to love one another.

Paul’s statements in Romans 1:8 and 15:14-15 imply that the Roman believers were already obeying this prohibition and command and thus the prohibition and command in Romans 13:8 are friendly reminders to continue doing so.

This prohibition does not forbid a Christian from incurring a debt but it demands that the Christian repay any debts that they do incur promptly according to the terms of the contract, thus it basically means “Pay your bills on time.”

The admonition here is not to get into arrears (overdue accounts).

However Paul is not giving a prohibition against borrowing money, which Scripture permits and regulates (Exodus 22:25; Leviticus 25:35, 36, 37; Deuteronomy 15:7, 8, 9; Nehemiah 5:7; Psalm 15:5; 37:21, 26; Ezekiel 22:12; Matthew 5:42; Luke 6:34).

Paul’s point is that all our financial obligations must be paid when they are due (Deuteronomy 23:19, 20; 24:10, 11, 12, 13).

We should practice financial responsibility by living modestly and within our means, always remembering that the borrower is a slave to the lender (Proverbs 22:7).

With this prohibition in Romans 13:8, Paul is addressing the believer’s stewardship with regards to his finances.

The Scriptures teach that there are at least four areas of stewardship: (1) The stewardship of time—redeeming it for eternity.

(2) The stewardship of talents—discovering and developing our spiritual gifts and natural talents for the blessing of others and for God’s glory.

(3) The stewardship of God’s truth—multiplying ourselves through evangelism and discipleship.

(4) The stewardship of our treasures—laying up treasures in heaven through financial faithfulness.

Romans 13:8 is often used as an absolute prohibition against borrowing, but it does not necessarily forbid the use of credit.

It simply teaches the necessity to pay one’s obligations whether physical or spiritual as they come due.

Concerning credit there are two basic alternatives: (a) Buy now on credit and pay the installments with interest.

(b) Save now and buy later with cash and save the interest.

Remember that interest adds to the cost of living and consequently reduces our capacity for wise stewardship.

If we must borrow, we should seek low interest for short terms.

We must be aware of the fact that credit can be risky because it can place people in bondage to creditors and to their own desires rather than to God’s will and makes impulsive buying too easy.

Satan’s cosmic world system depends heavily on impulsive buying to cover over a bored, frustrated life.

Credit can be used as a substitute for trusting God or to get what we want in place of waiting on Him.

Sometimes people use credit to prevent themselves getting into a situation where they have to depend on God.

They do this because they are afraid He won’t give us what we want when we want it (Ps.

37:7-9, 34; 147:11; Matt.

6:30-34; Phil.

4:19).

Another important principle to remember is that credit reduces our ability to give to God and to those in need.

The use of credit is often nothing more that a failure to be content with what we have (Phil.

4:11; 1 Tim.

6:6-8; Heb.

13:5).

A materialistic person is never content with what he or she has but the spiritual person learns to be content with what he has or doesn’t have.

When it comes to borrowing, we must not purchase something on credit if it will jeopardize our financial freedom.

We must never go into debt today based upon a future event like a raise or a potential sale.

This is nothing more than presuming upon the Lord and His sovereignty.

Another principle is that we are never to go into debt for a house before we have secured a source of income (Prov.

24:27).

We are never to finance daily needs, living expenses, or pleasure items.

A Christian should never finance items that depreciate quickly, except on very short terms (i.e., 30-90 days).

On appreciating items, such as a house or for business investments, the Christian should never borrow beyond their ability to cash out of the obligation through sufficient collateral plus the value of the item, should it be necessary to sell.

A believer must never allow debts (excluding mortgage) to exceed 20 percent of their take-home pay.

They must seek after ten percent or less.

They must never allow a mortgage payment (including insurance and taxes) to exceed 25 or 30 percent of their take-home pay.

In regards to borrowing the believer must always ask himself or herself, “Do I really need this?” or “Have I asked the Father for it in prayer and waited long enough for Him to supply it?”

or “Am I impatient and seeking immediate gratification?” or “Is God testing my faith, values, or my motives?”

The believer should ask himself or herself, “Did I wrongly spend the money God provided for this item or have I violated God’s financial principles?” or “Am I guilty of being stingy?”