Romans 13
COMMENTARY:
: 1 Let every soul be subject to the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. (5021 “ordained” [tasso] means appoint, to put in order, to assign a place, designate, set aside, arrange, or put in place.)
DEVOTION: Paul is writing to a group of believers who were living in Rome. It was the center place of worship of the emperor. The emperor was not given to sharing worship. So the Christians were always under scrutiny by the government.
The Christians were to honor Christ first but also subject themselves to the laws of the land. They had to understand that God was the one who appointed those who were in power over the people of Rome. Most of the Emperors were anti- Christian. Some burned the Christians on light poles. Some sent them to be killed by lions.
God appoints those who are put in positions of leadership over nations. No one is able to rule without the LORD’S approval. It is hard to believe that HE allows some people to rule over nations. Many rulers treated believers badly.
Today we find that our nation is full of people in leadership who hate what the church stands for regarding many issues. They make laws that hurt Christians in their daily walk with the LORD.
Society at large is doing everything in their power to cause those who say they are believers to stop attending church on Sunday. They schedule many activities for their children that pull them out of church to be on sports teams. If the parents chose church their children can’t play on the team.
Our responsibility is to honor the LORD through our worship. However, many churches are led by pastors who don’t even open the Bible on Sunday.
Our national leader claims to be a believer and should set an example of a believer but that is not happening. God has allowed him in office. We are responsible to pray for his salvation and for his leadership. If he doesn’t honor God he has to answer for it and if we don’t honor him with our prayers we will answer for it.
Nations rise and fall on leadership. The church has to hold the course of obedience. In spite of the conditions of society in our nation we still have to pray for our president and leaders. We have the responsibility to vote even when we think our vote won’t matter. To not vote is to disobey the LORD. Our leaders will face the LORD one day. They will answer for their actions. We will answer for ours.
We need to step back and always remind ourselves that our eternity rests in the LORD. Our present is under HIS control and HE understands what is happening and HE is allowing it. It is part of HIS plan.
CHALLENGE: We need to believe that God is sovereign over our nation or not. If not we are not trusting in the LORD with our whole heart.
: 6 For for this cause pay you tribute also for they are God’s ministers, attending continually on this very thing. (3011 “ministers” [leitourgos] means a person working in service of deity, servant, one who cares for another, or public servant.)
DEVOTION: We are in tax season now. Every year on the 15th of April we are to mail our forms in to the government with a payment if we owe them money. Sometimes even children have to pay taxes but it is usually only the parents. It is hard on some to pay their taxes if they are living from paycheck to paycheck.
However, the LORD wants us to be good citizens. That means that we at least file our tax return or ask for an extension to get the money together to pay. God has ordained government. Government workers need a paycheck too.
We can grumble that there are too many government workers or too many people who receive welfare but that doesn’t give us a right not to pay our taxes. Those who work for the government and those who take welfare will all answer to the LORD if they are not doing things right.
Our responsibility is to pay what we owe when we owe it and the LORD will bless us for our actions. Being a good citizen is not always easy but it is something the LORD wants us to be.
CHALLENGE: If our government asks us to do something that disobeys the LORD then we have to obey the LORD at all costs.
: 8 Owe no man anything, but to love one another for he that loves another has fulfilled the law. (3784 “owe” [opheilo] means be obligated, be in debt, to be under obligation, be obligatory in view of some moral requirement, or be indebted.)
DEVOTION: We are to use the money the LORD gives us wisely. This means that we should try to stay out of debt. It is again hard for those who live paycheck to paycheck. There are many plans out there for Christians to follow.
There are enveloping plans. There are budget plans that we write out each paycheck. There are individual plans that we make up to help us spend our money wisely.
The goal of all the plans is that we don’t have too many bills at the end of the month with no money left over. In an ideal plan there is even a saving account. So at the end of the day we don’t have to go to someone and say we can’t pay them.
If our financial house is in order we can follow this verse by saying to those who have helped us that all we owe them is love.
I have had many family members and friends that have helped me over the years. I hope that I can be available to help these same individuals when they need my help financially or otherwise.
My goal is to show my love for those around me. We need to be able to say to those who need encouragement that we love them. We need to do it not only with our voice but with our actions.
Do those around us know that we love them? This should be especially true of our families and friends.
CHALLENGE: Being available is a great way to show our love at times.
: 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. (4307 “provision” [pronois] means foresight, forethought, providence, or to think ahead.)
DEVOTION: Paul uses the illustration of getting dressed in the morning. Each morning we get up and change into clothes that we can wear outside of our home. Some get into suits. Some are blue collar workers who get into their jeans and t-shirt and go to work. If we went to work with the wrong clothes on – someone would say something to us.
Paul is telling the Christians that each morning they have to put on the LORD Jesus Christ. HE has to be LORD of our life each morning. That can only be done through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
What happens if we start our day dressed in the wrong clothes? If we have not put on the LORD Jesus Christ, we go out the door with the wrong clothes on.
Whose clothes are we wearing? We are wearing the clothes of the flesh. These clothes cause us to walk in the wrong direction. We are not heading to work for the LORD, we are on our way to serve ourselves. When we serve ourselves we are selfish and lazy. We go after things that the flesh desires.
This chapter tells us to obey those in authority over us because they are the ministers of God. We are to obey the commands of God. There is a list given in this chapter of those things that God considers evil or sin.
Paul wants us to put on the armor of light instead of the works of darkness. If we are to put on the armor of light then we have to give no place for the works of darkness. The battle is real. We have two natures in our once we chose to follow Christ. The old nature wants to work the works of darkness. Our new nature wants to put on the armor of light.
The choice is a daily choice in our walk with the LORD. Each day the LORD shows us new mercy. Each day the LORD gives us our daily bread. Each day we are to take up our cross and follow HIM. If we realize these things, we will not want to think about doing evil. Our flesh is weak but the Holy Spirit can give us strength to overcome our flesh. Are we depending on the LORD each day? HE promises to never leave us or forsake us. HE promises to give us strength. Praise HIS name.
CHALLENGE: Each morning, ask the LORD whose clothes you have put on.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Pay tributeverses 6, 7
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Lawverses 8-10
Commandmentsverse 9
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Godverses 1, 2, 4, 6
Ordained of Godverse 1
Ordinance of Godverse 2
Minister of Godverses 4, 6
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Lordverse 14
Jesusverse 14
Christverse 14
Lord Jesus Christverse 14
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Subject to higher powersverse 1
Government ordained of Godverse 1
Rulersverse 3
Minister of Godverses 4, 6
Revengerverse 4
Conscienceverse 5
Pay tributeverses 6, 7
Custom to whom custom is dueverse 7
Fear to whom fear is dueverse 7
Honor to whom honor is dueverse 7
Owe no man anythingverse 8
Sin Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Resist powerverse 2
Damnationverse 2
Evilverses 3, 4
Commit adulteryverse 9
Killverse 9
Stealverse 9
Bear false witnessverse 9
Covetverse 9
Not love neighborverse 9
Works of darknessverse 12
Riotingverse 13
Drunkennessverse 13
Chamberingverse 13
Wantonnessverse 13
Strifeverse 13
Envyingverse 13
Lusts of the fleshverse 14
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Subject to governmentverses 1, 5
Good worksverse 3
Praiseverse 3
Pay taxesverse 6
Owe not man anythingverse 8
Love one anotherverse 8
Love your neighborverses 9, 10
Awake out of sleepverse 11
Salvationverse 11
Believedverse 11
Put on armor of lightverse 12
Walk honestlyverse 13
Israel(Old Testament people of God)
Commandmentsverse 9
Not commit adultery
Not kill
Not steal
Not bear false witness
Not covet
Love your neighbor as yourself
Church(New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
DONATIONS:
Remember that all donations to Small Church Ministries are greatly appreciated. The treasurer will send a receipt, at the end of the year unless otherwise requested. Please be sure to make check out to “Small Church Ministries.” The address for the treasurer is P.O. Box 604, East Amherst, New York 14051. A second way to give to the ministry is through PayPal on the website: www.smallchurchministries.org. Also, if you can support this ministry through your local church please use that method. Thank you.
Visit our Facebook page for Small Church Ministries – please invite others to join us on Facebook. Thank you. Look for the logo from the devotionals.