Romans 13 – Submission to Authorities, Fulfilling the Law Through Love

Romans 13 – Submission to Authorities, Fulfilling the Law Through Love

Be subject to governing authorities. God instituted government. If you resist government you resist what God appointed. Rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Our authorities are God’s servant for our good. Government carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Be subject not only to avoid God’s wrath but for the sake of conscience. This is why we pay taxes. Pay to all those what is owed them – taxes, revenue, respect, and honor. Owe no one anything. Only love each other. If you love you fulfill the law. The commands about adultery, murder, stealing, and coveting are fulfilled in loving your neighbor as yourself. Salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. Let’s cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Walk in daytime not in orgies, drunkenness, sexual immorality, sensuality, quarreling and jealousy. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

God has given government for our good and we should submit to it in so much as we are able to serve the Lord first and foremost. Also, the law is fulfilled in us as we love our neighbor. Turn from the darkness of sin. Everything from sexual sin, drunkenness, to quarrels. Put on the Lord Jesus Christ to fight sin. Don’t let your flesh gratify its sinful desires. Praise God that through Christ we have hope. Because we know the love of God in Christ we can love. In Christ we can have the delight of our heart fixed not upon sin and the things of this world but upon Christ.