1 Romans Paul’s Exposition of “Salvation by Grace Through Faith” Lesson 17 VIII. God’s Righteousness: DEMANDING RIGHTEOUS LIVES Romans Romans 12:1 - 15:13 Today’s Lesson: 13:1-14, Page 150

2 B. Christian Behavior Reflects Indebtedness To Other Men Romans 13: Obligations to civil government (1-7) a. a.Origin of civil authority over Christians (1,2)   Jews and many Christians of the day thought their allegiance was to God, not earthly governments   Paul issues a command rather than a plea: “Every Christian must be subject to the government! (1)   The “ordinance of God” (v2) is the command in verse one that orders submission to legal authority   Any disciple who dares to challenge this command places himself in opposition to God by whom the command was issued (2)   Resisting the government results in condemnation -- spiritual punishment and possibly a civil penalty

3 B. Christian Behavior Reflects Indebtedness To Other Men Romans 13: Obligations to civil government (1-7) b. b.Purpose of civil governments (3,4)   Those living a Christian life have no fear from the civil authorities, and may even receive praise (3)   Those who break the law should be afraid of the power of the authority since they use the sword as an instrument of punishment, even in the use of capital punishment (4)   Rulers are servants of God (4)   They execute wrath (punishment) on those who are evil (law breakers) (4)

4 B. Christian Behavior Reflects Indebtedness To Other Men Romans 13: Obligations to civil government (1-7) c. c.Duties to civil governments (5-7)   Two pervasive reasons for the Christian to submit to civil authority are clear: (1) The authority will be offended at his disobedience and undesirable consequences [“wrath”] will be inflicted by the government on the rebellious lawbreaker; (2) The Christian’s conscience will be offended by his disobedience after he has learned that God disallows his contrary actions (5)   Pay your taxes and fees because they constitute the usual means by which necessary funds are procured to underwrite the costs of public business (6)

5 B. Christian Behavior Reflects Indebtedness To Other Men Romans 13: Obligations to civil government (1-7) c. c.Duties to civil governments (5-7) (Continued)   Even though contributing to the church treasury is not a tax, the same principles apply since contributions constitute the usual means by which necessary funds are procured to underwrite the costs of church business   Both civil governments and churches are ministers of God

6 B. Christian Behavior Reflects Indebtedness To Other Men Romans 13: Obligations to fellow creatures (8-10) a. a.Pay debt of love to all (8)   “Owe no one anything” -- this gets to the point in verse 7, “Render to all their due   We do owe others our love, or debt of love -- one debt that is never paid off   Christians who truly love others will do them only good

7 B. Christian Behavior Reflects Indebtedness To Other Men Romans 13: Obligations to fellow creatures (8-10) b. b.Kindness was one purpose of the Law (9,10)   Some of the ten commandments are listed by Paul, those regarding the treatment of our neighbor, to show that we must obey them not because the Law of Moses demanded it, but because love demands it  ” (10)  “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of the Law” (10)

8 B. Christian Behavior Reflects Indebtedness To Other Men Romans 13: Urgency of developing a righteous character (11-14) a. a.Time of judgment draws near (11,12a)   It was “high time” to wake up and get busy at being the best that they could be!   This in itself would serve two purposes: [1] it would better prepare them to give a good account of themselves as saints in whatever “judgment” they encountered, and [2] it would tend to calm any fears that outsiders might have about the worthiness of their “peculiar” commitment to Jesus

9 B. Christian Behavior Reflects Indebtedness To Other Men Romans 13: Urgency of developing a righteous character (11-14) b. b.Behavior is governed by light, not darkness (12b-14)   “Works of darkness” was the life that had characterized their previous service to the devil (12)   Righteous lives [“the armor of light”] would both shield them from harmful accusations by their detractors and keep them secure from evils all around them (12)   Christians must walk (behave properly, honestly, decently) as in the day

10 B. Christian Behavior Reflects Indebtedness To Other Men Romans 13: Urgency of developing a righteous character (11-14) b. b.Behavior is governed by light, not darkness (12b-14) (Continued)   Three evil pairs of bad behavior were likely commonplace among the people in whose midst the church at Rome existed -- things they were not to do: – –revelry (carousing) and drunkenness, – –licentiousness (morally unrestrained, fornication) and lewdness (shameless conduct, wantonness), – –strife and envy (jealousy)

11 B. Christian Behavior Reflects Indebtedness To Other Men Romans 13: Urgency of developing a righteous character (11-14) b. b.Behavior is governed by light, not darkness (12b-14) (Continued)   They were to put on the Lord Jesus Christ   We put on Christ when we are baptized   We also put on Christ by living righteously which is the context in verse 14   Lusts are fulfilled when we allow sinful thoughts and actions to take over our lives