Bible Materials

Romans 13:1-14

by Paul Choi   05/23/2010   Romans 13:1~14

Message


VICTORIOUS LIFE IN CHRIST

Romans 13:1-14

Key Verse:13:1 “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”

  Last week we learned our duty toward God as Christians who are freely justified by God’s grace. Paul said that we should offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. We also must not conform to the pattern of this sinful world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds, and we should grow in the image of Christ Jesus. Paul also encouraged us to serve our Christian brothers and sisters as we do for the Lord and to pray for those who persecute us and hate us. It is not easy for us to obey even one of these commands. However, when we deny ourselves and fulfill our duties toward God, we will be blessed and be called sons and daughters of God.

  In chapter 13, the Apostle Paul teaches us about our duty toward our country and our neighbors as citizens. In fact, Christians have a double identity both as a citizen of God’s kingdom and a citizen of our country. As it is very important for us to fulfill our duty as citizens of heaven, so is also important to fulfill our duty as citizens for our country. Good Christians should be good citizens of their countries. Today, let us study how to live as victorious and influential Christians, citizens of heaven and citizens of this country.

First, we must submit ourselves to the governing authorities (1-7) Look at verse 1. “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” It is not easy for anyone willingly to submit to any authority on earth, especially to the governing authorities. During Paul’s time, Israel was ruled by the Roman Empire. The Israelites would not acknowledge the authority of the Roman government and hated to obey them claiming that they should obey God alone as his chosen people.  So, there were unceasing protests and demonstrations by the zealots who fought against the Roman government. The Apostle Paul was a Jew and understood this national conflict more than anyone else. At that time, the believers were under severe persecution from the Roman and local governments. Nevertheless, Paul admonishes Christians to submit to the governing authorities.

Why? He explains several reasons why we should submit ourselves to the governing authorities. First of all, we believe that all authorities on earth are established by God.  We believe that our God is the sovereign ruler over human history and each person’s destiny. We acknowledge God’s divine involvement in establishing and deposing kings and kingdoms of the world. Daniel in the Old Testament was not a professional historian. However, he had prophetic insight to see God’s divine sovereign rule in human history. When he was a teenager, he was sent to Babylonia as a hostage with his three friends. Through the Babylonian captivity, Daniel clearly saw God’s divine judgment on his people, the Israelites, who had rebelled against God and worshiped idols. He knew that God had used Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, as His will-enforcing tool to punish Israel. While living in Babylonia, Daniel also had witnessed how the Sovereign God demonstrated his power and will to the kings of Babylon and Persia one by one, starting with King Nebuchadnezzar (Da 4), King Belshazzar (Da 5), and King Darius (Da 6). In his vision, Daniel also saw God’s vision that God would raise kings and kingdoms to liberate his people from the hand of Babylonia and to send them back to their homeland.(Da 9:24,25) The prophet Daniel deeply accepted the sovereignty of God over the kingdoms of the world and said in Daniel 4:25, “the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.”

Second, when we submit ourselves to the authorities, we are doing right in the sight of God.  Look at verses 2,3 “ Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you.” When we submit ourselves to the governing authorities, it is not a mere political submission, but a spiritual submission. In other words we submit ourselves to the authorities because we submit ourselves to God who instituted the authorities. When we have fear of God, we have spiritual submission. For example, King David submitted himself to Saul’s kingship even though King Saul was not an admirable or respectable king. Actually, King Saul was David’s enemy who had attempted to kill David many times out of jealousy. However, David did not rebel against King Saul because he had the fear of God. One day, David had a chance to remove King Saul who was sleeping in a cave. But David did not touch Saul, only cutting off a corner of Saul’s robe (1 Sa 24:4) Afterward, his conscience stricken for cutting off Saul’s robe, David cried out, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” (1 Sa 24:6) When we submit ourselves to any authorities, we are doing right in the sight of God.

Third, the authorities are God’s servants. Look at verses 4-6. “For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.” In this complicated and diverse human society, we need order which provides us with safety and security. Suppose there are no traffic rules and no police officers for even one hour in downtown St. Louis. What will happen? We had the bitter experience of the absence of authorities during the LA riot in 1992. So, in order to receive proper protection and civil service, we need governments and authorities. In this respect, the authorities are God’s servant. President Barrak Obama is God’s servant. American senators and congressmen are also God’s servants. Even the University City police officers are agents of God’s wrath who brings punishment on  wrongdoers and protect us from gangsters.

We are born rebellious and judgmental, especially toward the authorities and governments. Instead of criticizing and judging them, what should Christians do? We must pray for them. 1 Timothy 2:2-4 says, “to offer prayer for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” If a president had done something wrong against God and against us, before throwing a stone to him, we must repent of our lack of prayer for him. This is our duty as a citizen of God’s kingdom and a citizen of this country. 

In order to be a good and influential citizen, we must fulfill other basic duties. Look at verses 6-7. “This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.” People find ways to pay the minimum amount of tax to the government and to receive the maximum amount of tax return money. In view of Paul’s teaching today, this is not the proper way of life as good Christians. We need to pay proper taxes to our governments because the governments must pay all the government workers and expenses for executing and undertaking projects, and for other things. So the less we pay taxes, the poorer the country becomes.  Paying proper taxes is our basic duty as children of God and as citizens of this nation. Even Jesus paid taxes to the Roman authorities. He said to the Pharisees who were not willing to pay taxes to Caesar, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (Mt 22:21)

Second, love your neighbor as yourself. (8-10) In verses 8-10 Paul teaches us our duty toward our neighbors. Look at verses 8-10. “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” People may think that their duties toward neighbors are just cutting grass regularly and not bothering them with noise. However, our duties as Christians are more than just these. We should love them as ourselves. God gave human beings several rules to keep for neighbors in the Ten Commandments. Paul said all these rules are summed up in one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  Each country and each government has its own constitutions and laws. However, if everybody loves their neighbors as themselves, we won’t need any laws. Love is not only the spirit of the law, but also the fulfillment of the law.

  In order to love our neighbors as ourselves, we need to overcome our selfishness. Loving our neighbors is not an option, but obligation according to God’s law.

Third, clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ. (11-14) In these verses Paul teaches us about our duty to our generation. Christians should not be selfish or self-centered. Christ did not die only for me myself, but also for people of the world, including our generation. We are responsible for this generation. Christians should have prophetic insight and spiritual eyes to see our generation with God’s compassion. Look at verses 11-12a. “And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here…”  If we remain in our selfishness, we are spiritually sleeping. If we ignore others’ salvation, we are still in darkness. When we look at our generation, it is ripe for the harvest. When we look at young people in this generation, they are like harassed and helpless sheep without a shepherd (Mt 9:36, Mk 6:34)

What, then, should we do in order to be responsible and influential Christians? We must clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ. Look at verses 12b-14. “So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.”  There is saying in Korea, “Our clothing is our wing.” It means that people act and behave according to what they wear. In other words, even a beggar may act like a prince if he wears a kingly robe. Christians should put aside dirty and sin-stained clothes and put on the armor of light. Donning the armor of light reminds us that we are good Christian soldiers who fight against our enemy Satan. Indeed, we are fighting against Satan, and our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the power of darkness of sin. So Paul said to the believers in Ephesian Church, “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (Eph 6:11)

  Long ago, a young man named Augustine was living a selfish and hedonistic life. He was using his life only to gratify his sinful desire with orgies, drunkenness, sexual immorality, debauchery, dissension and jealousy. He had no compassion on his generation and no prophetic vision from God. However, when he listened to a sermon of Bishop Ambrose based on Romans 13:12-14, his conscience was pricked, and his heart was moved. He came to realize that he was in deep spiritual slumber from seeking only to satisfy his sinful desires. When his spiritual eyes were opened, he repented of all his sins with many tears. Immediately he put aside the deeds of darkness and clothed himself with the Lord Jesus Christ. He repented of his selfish and sinful life and began to pray for his generation. Finally, he wrote his testimonial messages, “Confession” and “The City of God”. These two classics have changed many and influenced the world from generation to generation. We must put aside our dirty clothes of sin and clothes ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Today we learned about our duty as Christians and citizens. We should submit ourselves to any authority God has instituted whether it is from church, or from government, school, work, or from home. We fulfill our duties not because we are weak, but because we love God and fear Him. We believe that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. We also believe that God will give us the final victory when we submit ourselves to the governing authorities. Our God is the God of order and peace. May God bless all of us as we fulfill our duties as children of God and as citizens of this world. Amen. 


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