Practical Christlike Living Pt 2

Romans 13:1-14

Verse 1......Subject to the governing authorities: The connection between Romans 12 and Romans 13 is clear. If the Christian is not to seek personal vengeance, it does not take away the government’s authority to punish wrongdoers.

Be in subjection......carries a meaning of a soldier being subject to a superior officer.

Scripture makes one exception to this command:

When obedience to civil authority would require disobedience to God’s Word.....

Exodus 1:17 “But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.”

Daniel 3:16–18 “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”

Daniel 6:7–10 “All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellers, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.”

Acts 4:19 “But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.”

I can say more about this.......there has been times after Scripture was written and during that where governing authorities, would demand that everyone bow to Caesar and you must carry around a document stating that fact.

Without that document, you would be turned over to Roman authorities and be punished accordingly.

Polycarp, a student of John’s, was burned for that very reason. And so were many others.

These governing authorities have no authority except it be from God.......

Since God alone is sovereign.....He has given us these authorities......

Those that exist are from God.......God has allowed those authorities to exist......for His purposes.

Some might ask why?????.......That is above me but I do know that God does turn us over to our own insanity at times! He has done it and I am sure will do it!

The King of Assyria.....God used........King Cyrus He used.......He referred to them as His instrument!

Verse 2........If God has put them there and the ordinances (laws) is not against God, then Christlike folks are to obey those laws.

“Resistance to legitimate authority legitimately exercised is wrong”

The punishment (condemnation) will be from the government.

You do the crime, you will pay the time.

This is all because God has allowed this government to be in place...........Paul is supposing that government is not calling you to go against the Word of God!

This is made clear in verse 3......

Verse 3........There seems that most governments have been a deterrent to crime......even some of the most wicked..........today’s world seems that it is not a deterrent to crime.......

Paul continues in this verse.........do what is good and you will have praise of the government...

Law abiding citizens would receive praise in a government that is against evil and for good.

Do you want to not fear the authorities? Then do what is good and you will have praise from them.

It is when the bad receives praise that we need to take note, punishment for good and praise for evil, would be a sign for us!

Few governments will harm those that obey laws, in fact they will commend them!

Verse 4......There seems to be some disagreement in this verse on Paul’s intent......

It seems clear......

The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong.

One writer wrote this: “It is through the just punishment of evil that government serves its function in God’s plan of holding man’s sinful tendencies in check. When a government fails to do this consistently, it opens itself up to God’s judgment and correction.”

I do not read that God will punish the governments that don’t but I believe it would work.

Wrath.....some agree that God’s wrath is working through the punishment, others just say that it is punishment given by civil authorities.......I believe we can treat it as chastisement from God........

However, we can clearly see evil governments arresting Christians for just preaching the Gospel…it has and is happening!

I want to state something else about this that I read: “The authority is God’s servant to bring about good and not something else, but this “good” can be understood in more ways than one. Some hold it to mean the good of the individual, his prosperity. Or, bearing in mind 8:28 where God works everything for good, it is possible to see the words as meaning that what the ruler does will in the end promote God’s purpose for the blessing of his people, that is, their salvation. Another possibility is that the ruler is to bring about conditions for a tranquil and quiet life in which God’s people can serve him effectively (cf. 1 Timothy 2:2 “For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”

The writer went on to say that all of these “good” could of been Paul’s intention.

Verse 5.......Basically tells us not to do good just to keep from punishment, but do it to keep a clear conscience before God.

Do not obey just because you are going to be in trouble if you don’t......

although that is a good reason for the punishment is to deter evil

Obey because you are following Christ and that should be our heart is to be pleasing unto Him!

The born again follower of Christ is more interested in pleasing God than the punishment that disobedience incurs!

The love outweighs the lusts!

Verse 6-7.....Pay your taxes........This is one of much difficulty, however it is a command of Christ.......

Matthew 22:21 “They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.”

One of things Jesus asked was Matthew 22:19–20 “Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?”

That particular moment is not about paying taxes, to me, it is a reality of God!

We think so much in earthly terms that we cannot see the truth of this statement!

What is Caesar’s? The money actually for one.......

What is God’s? We are.........the government is not our maker or owner, God is.....

We render to Caesar what Caesar has created, but to God what God has created and that is ourselves!

Which is the most? To Caesar it is a portion, in some cases it is a great amount. To God it is all of us

I read this last week: “Huxley, the great English novelist, made an interesting statement one time.  He said, "It doesn't take much of a man to be a Christian.  It just takes all of him.”  And Henry Drummond, who was a very dear friend of D.L. Moody, put it like this, in one of his messages he said, "Ladies and gentlemen, the entrance fee to God's kingdom is nothing, but the annual dues are everything."

Paul is speaking of actually paying what is due our civil authorities......

One commentator said this: “By implication, Romans 13:6 also says that the taxes collected are to be used by government to get the job done of restraining evil and keeping an orderly society — not to enrich the government officials themselves.”

Because the rulers are servants of God.......

They are attending to thwarting evil and promoting good!

Verse 7 says to render to all

Give to all.....all could mean “all authorities” or it could mean “everyone”....which would be concluded by verse 8.

Whatever it is tribute (taxes) to whom it is due.....

Custom which could be a form of a tax

Fear.......esteem or reverence.

Honor........Respect

Basically, whatever is asked by the government, give....whatever they have said is due you give.

I think Peter sums up this section pretty well.....1 Peter 2:13–17 “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.”

I also believe this does not excuse behavior and actions of an evil government.

But God is in charge and he will and has also used wicked rulers to judge a nation.

John Calvin said that.

Verse 8.......Pay what you owe.......never be in debt to folks........this is not a prohibition against borrowing, which is spoken of in Scripture......

Exodus 22:25 “If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.”

Matthew 5:42 “Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.”

OT and NT, also Jesus has spoken of borrowing and lending..........I believe what this part of the verse is speaking, to make sure you do not leave your lenders begging for the payment of the loan.

They must be paid when they are due.

The next part of this verse, let there always be an obligation to love.....

In other words, love is a constant debt to pay folks....

“We may pay our taxes and be quiet. We may give respect and honor where they are due and have no further obligation. But we can never say, ‘I have done all the loving I need to do.’ Love then is a permanent obligation, a debt impossible to discharge.” (Morris)

Some argue whether or not this is just to Christians......but when Paul adds that this kind of love is the fulfilling of the law, adds the idea of Matthew 22:37–40 “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

That brings it our neighbor, which is all those we come in contact with. which verse 9 will declare.

Galatians 5:14 “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

Verse 9....... “For” (which NIV omits) brings out the logical connection. Paul proceeds to cite four of the ten commandments to show that if one loves, these commandments will be fulfilled.

He omits the commandments that refer to God, presumably because he is dealing with the duty to one’s neighbor, and he omits the commandment not to bear false witness but he is not giving a complete list and this is surely to be included in whatever other commandment there may be.

He is citing some typical requirements of the law simply to show that love fulfils all that they lay down. He speaks of the commandments as being summed up “in this word” (NIV has rule) and goes on to quote Leviticus 19:18, Love your neighbor as yourself.

This is sometimes taken as justification for self-love, but neither the commandment nor Paul says as much. The fact is that people do love themselves, and “God addresses His command to us as the men that we actually are, the sinners who do, as a matter of fact, love ourselves, and claims us as such for love to our neighbours” (Cranfield).

Paul is saying in strong terms that believers must love the people they do in fact encounter.

It is easy to “love” in an abstract way, but Paul wants his readers to love the people they actually meet day by day (with all their faults). Love is something that takes effect in the home, in the marketplace, in the workshop, on the village green, wherever people are met.

Verse 10.......Self explanatory.........That kind of love........the Romans 5:5 “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

That love that is from above, does no ill to it’s neighbor.

Nygren reminds us that love is the fruit of the Spirit and that against such there is no law (Galatians 5:22–23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

Law is against sin, not against love.

“To live ‘in Christ,’ to walk ‘in love,’ is something entirely different from living under the law and striving to fulfill all its requirements; and yet the law is fulfilled in it.” Love is all-important in the servant of God; without genuine love service will always be defective.

Verse 11.......Paul is telling us to live in these practical ways, is the fruits of our faith in Jesus Christ, now he gives a because of this.....

“And that” is a connection with the past passages........the word “that” is defined in the concordances as “this”..........some translators have this as saying “Do this”.....

Read it this way.....”Do this, knowing that the......” Do what is previously stated, because you know.......

Our salvation is nearer than what we believed.........

Our salvation is completed when Christ returns and when we inherit the New Heaven and the New Earth!

However, it also received when we enter the presence of God the Father, cleansed from sin.

I would argue that our earthly death brings us to our salvation, because there is no changing after death.

Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”

Hebrews 9:28 “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”

With that as knowledge, we live out this truth of loving our neighbor.....which calls for us to awake out our spiritual slumber.......wake up from our unresponsiveness to the things of God.

The Bible frequently uses the return of Christ to motivate people to holy living.

Titus 2:11–13 “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”

Verse 12.............Night---The night of man’s depravity and satan’s dominion

Day-----Is speaking of Christ’s return and reign.....

In light of Jesus’ return ( I would also say “our possible death”) Paul exhorts believers to repent of and forsake their sins.

2 Peter 3:14 “Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.”

Put on the armor of LIGHT........Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

Paul is fond of the metaphor of the Christian’s armor (2 Cor. 6:7; Eph. 6:13–17; 1 Thess. 5:8; perhaps Rom. 6:13). He does not consistently locate any particular Christian attribute with any one piece of armor and, for example, the breastplate is righteousness in Ephesians 6:14 and it is faith and love in 1 Thessalonians 5:8. It is the general idea that appeals to the apostle. It is interesting that here he speaks of putting off the “works” of darkness, but of putting on not the “works” of light, but its “armor”. That life is a battle was highly important to Paul.

Verse 13........Let us walk honestly.........Let us live a life pleasing to God, manifesting our inward reality of our faith in our outward behavior.

Following Jesus leads us into a pure and holy behavior, the desire of such!

Paul uses 3 pairs to describe the opposite of Christlike living.....

The first pair is rioting and drunkeness......

The word for rioting is sometimes translated as “revelings” in other places in NT.

It means carousing or orgies.......

Drunkenness is self explanatory......but both carry the meaning of abuse of strong drink

Mostly involving wild parties.....

The next pair is chambering and wantonness.......

Translated these two point to sexual immorality.....

Chambering is sexual immorality and wantonness is more about unrestrained lust.

Follow through with your evil desires.

The last pair is strife and envying.........dissension and jealousy......

Both indicate a determination to have one’s own way, a self-willed readiness to quarrel. All six of these vices stem from self-will; they are all the outreach of a determined selfishness that seeks only one’s own pleasure.

We should not think that first-century Christians came from the most upright and honorable sections of society 1 Cor. 6:9–11 with its “that is what some of you were”). Rather, the gospel took up and transformed many who were the dregs of society. Paul is mindful of this and warns against relapse.

1 Corinthians 6:9–11 “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”

Verse 14........The entirety of this verse is a view presented by Paul of taking off and putting on clothes.

Put on the Lord Jesus....the idea we have taken off the old man and put on the new man which is in Jesus Christ!

Galatians 3:27 “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

Ephesians 4:24 “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

Colossians 3:10–12 “And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;”

Make no provision for the flesh....is a perfect translation of what Paul is stating........

Deny yourself....the body of death that Paul spoke of in Romans 7.....

It is said that Paul has the intent in this phrase of planning ahead....

Most sinful behavior results from wrong ideas and lusts that linger in our minds.