REPRESENT
Romans 13:1–14
Romans 12 and 13 deal with relationships, including our relationship to God, our relationship to other believers, our relationship to our enemies and in this chapter, our relationship to the government.
Honor authorities. (1–7)
God has established three institutions: the government, the home and the Church.
Remember that Paul is writing to believers living in Rome — the heart of the empire. This letter was written in the time before the greatest degree of persecution.
Ultimately, believers would be forced to bow the knee, place incense on the altar and declare “Caesar is Lord.”
Failure to comply would end in death in the Circus Maximus, the Circus of Nero or another public location.
Paul encourages his readers to be subject to the authorities placed over them.
Remember also that God places government over us to protect the citizens and punish evildoers. More importantly, those who are elected by us are selected by God. They are put in positions of authority either to bless us or to discipline us.
Paul instructs us to pay our taxes and give respect to those who have authority.
We owe allegiance to the authorities placed over us unless they require us to break God’s higher laws.
Is there a dynamic tension as a believer living in a world in which many governmental policies run counter to biblical principles? How should we respond?
Honor each other. (8–10)
In the spirit of Dave Ramsey, Paul encourages His readers to owe no one a debt except the debt of love! “Love one another” is the new commandment Jesus gave to His disciples. (See John 13:34–35.)
When we love others, we fulfill many of the other laws. Paul elaborates on this principle by listing some of the Ten Commandments and claiming they are all summed up in the commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself.”
What are some ways we can practically show love to those around us? Believers are commanded to love our neighbors.
Honor Christ. (11–14)
Paul closes this section by giving the motivation for his readers’ submission to the authorities over them. The motivation is not fear, but love and devotion for Jesus Christ. We should understand that “now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.”
No one knows when Jesus is coming back. However, I know that it is one day closer than it was yesterday. Paul tells readers first to wake up from our slumber. Next, we are to clean up our lives. Finally, we should grow up by putting on the Lord Jesus Christ “and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires.”
How do we live out our calling to be salt and light in a time when our commitment to Christ is at odds with the culture?
EDITOR’S NOTE — The Sunday School lesson outlines are provided by Lifeway.
By Don Fugate
Senior pastor of Foxworthy Baptist Church in San Jose, California
