Now Understand This!

…so, on the heels of describing THE Christian ethic, Paul encourages (still in the imperative) his audience, first of all as I mentioned briefly last week and had covered in greater detail this past October, to be God-honoring citizens in the opening of this section of his letter (chapter 13.1-7)...

Romans 13:1 CSB

Let everyone submit to the governing authorities, since there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God.

Romans 13:7 CSB

Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor.

…then—transitioning from his thoughts in verse 7—to our focal text today—Romans 13.8-14—the Holy Spirit inspires Paul to bring forth two broad-scope categories of our lives in which we are to be ‘living sacrifices.’ OH, and it’s all still IMPERATIVE.

Soooo, let’s look at the first of these two aspects of our lives. We must understand that...

Love Gets It Done [Romans 13.8-10]

A Necessarily Worthwhile Debt (13.8-9)

“Owe”—must; under obligation; indebted

Matthew 22:34–40 CSB

34 When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they came together. 35 And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test him: 36 “Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?” 37 He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the greatest and most important command. 39 The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. 40 All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”

(also…Leviticus 19.18; Matthew 19.19; James 2.8)

An Inexhaustible Debt Yet Always Achievable (13.9-10)

“You have what it takes!”

The Commandments mentioned here are in the future tense!

(Exodus 20.13-17)

To show the incomplete, open-ended translation of the Q’al imperfect in Hebrew.

[Paul is using the LXX translation of the OT here.]

James 2:8 CSB

Indeed, if you fulfill the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well.

We Must Also Understand That…

It’s Time to Wake Up Righteously [Romans 13.11-14]

The Alarm is Sounding (13.11-12)

2 Peter 3:10–13 CSB

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed. 11 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness 12 as you wait for the day of God and hasten its coming. Because of that day, the heavens will be dissolved with fire and the elements will melt with heat. 13 But based on his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

Revelation 1:3 CSB

Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep what is written in it, because the time is near.

Get Up & Get Going (13.13-14)

Ready to & Doing Right!

Ephesians 4:1–3 CSB

Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Ephesians 5:8–10 CSB

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light—for the fruit of the light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth—testing what is pleasing to the Lord.

Wearing Christ, Not Flesh.

Galatians 2:20 CSB

I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 5:16 CSB

I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh.

Dressed in His righteousness alone; Faultless to stand before the throne! // On Christ the solid rock I stand; All other ground is sinking sand…(giving you time to sing the repeat!)

CONCL—

My hope is built on nothing less; Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame; But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

My hope…amid challenging circumstances in life…to honor my Lord…for eternity…is built on the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ alone.

Romans 8:37 CSB

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Romans 13:14 CSB

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires.

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