Romans 13 (2)

Jon Courson’s Application Commentary Chapter 13

After discussing the believer’s function in the body of Christ in chapter 12, Paul opens chapter 13 addressing the believer’s function in society. What role do we as believers have in the society in which we live? Chapter 13 is devoted to this question, telling us how we, as believers, are to be engaged in our culture

The Bible Exposition Commentary Chapter Eleven: Right Relationships Mean Right Living (Romans 12–13)

God has established three institutions:

The Lord God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air from the ground, bringing them to Adam to see what he would name them. Whatever Adam called each living creature became its name. Thus, Adam named all the cattle, the birds of the air, and every beast of the field. However, no suitable helper was found for Adam among them.

Therefore, the Lord God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep. While he slept, He took one of Adam's ribs and closed up the flesh in its place. The Lord God fashioned the rib He had taken from the man into a woman and presented her to the man.

Adam then proclaimed: "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man."

For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. Both the man and his wife were naked, yet they felt no shame.

2] Government Genesis 9:1–17 (NKJV)

Divine Mandate and Provision:

A sense of fear and dread of mankind is placed upon all living creatures: the beasts, birds, moving things on the earth, and fish of the sea, placing them under man's authority (2).

Every living moving thing is given to mankind for food, just as the green herbs were (3).

However, the consumption of flesh with its life—that is, its blood—is strictly prohibited (4).

Sanctity of Life and Justice:

God will demand a reckoning for lifeblood from every beast and from every man (5).

The principle of capital punishment is established: "Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed," because man was made in the image of God (6).

A reiteration of the command to Noah and his sons: bring forth abundantly and multiply on the earth (7).

The Covenant with All Life:

God spoke to Noah and his sons, establishing a covenant with them and their descendants (8-9).

This covenant extends to every living creature that was with them: the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth (10).

The terms of the covenant: Never again shall all flesh be destroyed by a flood; never again shall a flood destroy the earth (11).

The sign of this perpetual covenant between God and all living creatures on earth is the rainbow (12, 17).

God sets the rainbow in the cloud, and whenever a cloud is brought over the earth and the rainbow appears, God will remember the covenant (13-15).

The rainbow serves as a visual reminder for God of the everlasting covenant to never again let the waters become a flood to destroy all flesh (15-16).

3] the church Acts 2:1–47 (NKJV)

On the Day of Pentecost, the disciples were together when a sound like a mighty wind and tongues of fire appeared, and all were filled with the Holy Spirit, beginning to speak in other languages. Jews from many nations in Jerusalem were confused and amazed, each hearing the disciples in their own language. Some mocked, saying they were drunk.

Peter stood up and declared that this fulfilled the prophecy of Joel, saying God would pour out His Spirit on all people. He then preached that Jesus of Nazareth, attested by miracles, had been crucified by them but was raised by God, as David had prophesied. He stated that the exalted Jesus had poured out the Holy Spirit they were now seeing and hearing. Peter concluded by saying God made this crucified Jesus both Lord and Christ.

Cut to the heart, the crowd asked what to do. Peter told them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. About three thousand people were baptized that day and devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. The believers shared all things in common, praising God, and the Lord added to their number daily.

Paul was writing to believers at the very heart of the Roman Empire. As yet, the great persecutions had not started, but were on the way. Christianity was still considered a Jewish sect, and the Jewish religion was approved by Rome. But the day would come when it would be very difficult, if not impossible, for a Christian to be loyal to the emperor. He could not drop incense on the altar and affirm, “Caesar is god!” In our own day, we have people who teach riot and rebellion in the name of Christ! They would have us believe that the Christian thing to do is to disobey the law, rebel against the authorities, and permit every man to do that which is right in his own eyes. Paul refuted this position in this chapter by explaining four reasons why the Christian must be in subjection to the laws of the State.

Romans 13:1–14 (NKJV)

1Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.  Jon Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2003), 978–979.

Some object to obeying rulers (like those in Washington D.C.) by citing their flaws. However, Paul wrote this while the notoriously evil Caesar Nero was in power, yet he insisted believers be subject to those "higher powers," as God has ordained everyone in authority. This is true even for brutal leaders like Nero or Adolf Hitler. Hitler's atrocities, while terrible, ironically led to world sympathy that made the establishment of the nation of Israel possible, fulfilling prophecy.

This perspective means I don't worry about the political situation, believing God is in control and orchestrating events for His ultimate prophetic plan and the ushering in of His kingdom.

Believers know society will inevitably "fall apart" (Matthew 24:37). If you knew your house would be destroyed, your priority would be saving people, not decorating or cleaning. Similarly, why expend energy trying to fix the country politically if it's doomed? The New Testament does not exhort or show examples of political mobilization in the church.

Instead of political activism, our focus should be "getting folks engaged in Jesus and excited about the Lord." We are called to be "ministers of reconciliation, rather than ministers of confrontation." Jesus, Paul, and the early church focused on the eternal kingdom, not temporal world change, even amid rampant governmental and moral corruption.

2Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.

Does this verse mean we’re never to disobey those who are in authority over us? No.

In Acts 5:40-42  when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. 42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

So, yes, there is a time when we are not to be subject to those in authority. Yes, wives, there is a time when you are not to be submitted to your husband. Yes, children, there is a time to disobey your parents. When? When they tell you to do something that is directly contrary to the written Word of God. But make sure that if you follow such a course, you have Scripture in context and rightly divided—not just a feeling—to back you up. 3For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 

4For he is God’s minister to you for good.

Jon Courson’s Application Commentary Chapter 13

Just as God established the power, God established the officers who enforce the power. They are ministers of God. Therefore, if you’re doing good, you don’t need to be afraid.

Driving a tad faster than I should have been, I saw red lights in my rearview mirror. After pulling me over, the officer asked for my license, and said, “Aren’t you a minister?”

“Yeah,” I said. “And, according to

But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 

for he is God’s minister, - even though government officials might not be believers, they are still ministers of God, because He established the authority of the state

an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. - He is God’s servent to execute His wrath [punishment, vengence] on the wrongdoer

5Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 

let’s move higher on the motivation scale

not only because of wrath - fear of punishment

but also for conscience’ sake. - because it’s the right thing …. someone once said ‘a clean conscience is a soft pillow’

 1 Timothy 1:5 (NKJV)

5Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,

1 Tim 4:1-2

4 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,

6For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 

7Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. 

8Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 

9For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 

10Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. 

11And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 

12The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 

13Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 

14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.