S234-081008 Ro 13b

Alêtheia Christian Fellowship ~ 081008 ~ Romans 13b

My question last week was: In what, and more to the point: In whom do you really trust?

The reason I asked that question is because everything comes down to faith – what do you believe and then how much do you believe it.

You cannot abandon your earthly possessions, comfort and life, not to mention that of your friends, family and children if you don’t really believe that God will make it okay.

The question posed by Pam last week was what about Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Nazi regime? (At Westminster Abbey = Elizabeth, MLK, Bon, Romero)

Meusel responded to the Confessing Church's timid action in 1935 by saying: “Why does the church do nothing? Why does it allow unspeakable injustice to occur? …What shall we one day answer to the question, where is thy brother Abel? The only answer that will be left to us, as well as to the Confessing Church, is the answer of Cain."

Abortion: 1.5 million U.S. (50 million per year globally), 43% of U.S. women will have an abortion and 92% seeking abortion were using birth control. (12 wks, 86%)

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

Stop owing to anyone… i.e. discontinue being obligated – pay your debts.

Owe is ojfei>lw, to be morally obligated to another; financial or otherwise. It is found 35 times in the New Testament usually with the sense of, “necessary behavior.”

You may strive to be in debt to no one, but everyone is indebted to God and Christians more so, therefore we are indebted to all because He asks.

Leave no outstanding debt to necessary behavior except the debt that can never be paid – love.

Why can love never be paid? Because love incurs greater debt as it is paid. “The hurrieder I go the behinder I get.” “You can’t get there from here.”

Company Store

The more you love the more love is poured through you because love of neighbor is not your love in the first place.

The Law is summed up in positive terms by Jesus as the Greatest Command and the next like the first… Paul skips to the end because he knows to genuinely love one’s neighbor one must first love God unconditionally.

Romans 13:9&10 ~ 9For 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.” 10Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

An explanation of “love your neighbor,” and why it is the positive summation of the Law – specifically the human relation portion, but the totality of the Law in reality.

Byzantine Text adds false witness.

You shall have no other God is the first command and if one truly obeyed that there would be no need of any other command.

Coveting is the final command and is the negative summation of the entire Law.

Coveting distrusts God and creates a false God

Coveting distrusts God and creates enmity between neighbors

$10,000 hand-me-down shotgun

Romans 13:11-13 ~ 11Do this, knowing the time,

that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. 12The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.

Why would we love God and in turn love others? Ultimately because of eternity.

Servant without reward, but…

Paul brings up the seriousness and certainty of the inevitable.

Time” is not crono>v, but kairo>v – appointed time or season.

Purely eschatological

Salvation as in completed salvation

Armor of light = Whole armor of God

Therefore wake up to what is important – put away foolish and childish things like debauchery and strife.

Daycare center children would rather play than work and they would rather fight for their rights than work things out.

Imminence is obvious – some say Paul was mistaken???

They focus on the Lord calling individuals home and while that’s true that’s not what the Bible is stressing.

We behave because we know the season

We partied and we slept, but now it’s time to wake up.

Romans 13:14 ~ But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

True surrender is accepting the death of self and the handing over of your life for Christ to live instead.

Clothe yourself externally with who you truly are internally.

Don’t forget our crab apple.