Chapter 13
| Romans: -1- -2- -3- -4- -5- -6- -7- -8- -9- -10- -11- -12- -13- -14- -15- -16- |
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| 13:1 Let every soul be arranged under those rights and authorities held to be superior. For there is neither authority nor right except by God [h]. 2 Moreover the rights and authorities that exist have been arranged by God. Therefore, the one who opposes the right or the authority, opposes God’s arrangement; and those who oppose will bring judgment upon themselves. 3 Now, the rulers themselves are not to be a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you now wish to avoid those rights and authorities? Do good and you will receive praise. 4 Indeed, the right and the authority is as a servant of God to you into good. If you do evil, however, then be afraid, for the sword he bears is not without purpose. Indeed, he is as a servant of God, an avenger in opposition to evil doing. 5 Therefore, you should submit, not just on account of the anger that could be directed towards you, but also for the sake of a [pure] consciousness. 6 For this reason, you should also pay tribute; for they are servants of God persisting in this purpose. 7 Return to all what is due to them. To whomever belongs tribute, render tribute; to whomever belongs a toll, render the toll. To whomever belongs respect, render respect, and to whomever belongs honor, render honor. • 8 But do not owe anything, or be under obligation in anything, to anyone, except to love one another. Indeed, the one who loves the other has fulfilled law and brought it to completion. 9 For such commandments as, “You will not commit adultery,” “You will not murder,” “You will not steal,” “You will not lust” (Deuteronomy 5:17-21) among others, are summed up in this: “You will love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18) • 10 Love does not work evil to your neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of law. 11 Finally this, be aware of the time, that the hour for you to awaken out of sleep is already here; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is advanced, and the day has drawn near. • We should set aside, therefore, the works of darkness, and should enclothe ourselves with the armor of light. 13 We should walk in good form, as in the daytime, not in partying and drinking, not in sexual immorality and insolence, not in contention and jealousy. • 14 But put the Lord Jesus Christ upon yourself, enclothe yourself with, sink into the Lord Jesus Christ as into a garment, and do not give thought [one way or the other] regarding the desires of the flesh (i). |
| Gospel Comments | Notes |
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| • Covenant: The Covenant requires one master only. Allegiance to or rebellion against the causes and entities of this world ARE each a second master. We respect authority in what is right; we live peaceably with all, but we owe obligation to none. • Speak Christ: The issues of, and any attachments to, this world create a story of self that has no place for the Father’s purpose. Such compromised stories also divide Christ’s body. • Kingdom: Inside of Kingdom is found all fulfillment and completion. The Kingdom is Love, believers in Jesus loving one another with pure hearts. Our Love for all believers is the fulfillment of law and the completion of Christ Jesus. • Definition: Light is honesty, for light hides nothing inside the presence of God. The entrance of light is the entrance of Jesus into our hearts. Darkness has two parts: subduing the flesh and feeding the flesh. To enclothe ourselves with light is to place all that we are, including our sin and our shame, into Jesus. • Ruling Verses 5, 6, & 7: Ruling Verse 5 is HOW Jesus comes to us first that He might share life with us in intimate fellowship. Ruling Verse 6 is HOW Jesus carries us as we are into all the knowing of God now ours. And Ruling Verse 7 is HOW we walk inside of Jesus now, in full confidence of faith. Out from these three HOW’s, we put Jesus upon ourselves. • Ruling Verse 10: John 14:20 places us into the relationship of Father and Son, now inside of Them. John 17:3 is purpose, that we know the Father by knowing Jesus sent into us. Then, Romans 13:14 is our part, what we do with this Jesus now the very fabric of our lives. In our acknowledgment, in all our thinking and speaking, we place the Lord Jesus upon all that we are, and especially our sin and shame, who alone saves us. • Ruling Verse 10: We are inside of Jesus, and we remain inside of Him (John 15:4). Yet God has given us a part to play, that is, our active faith. Our part is to acknowledge the Lord Jesus as the entire fabric of our lives. Putting Jesus upon ourselves, then, is shaping the words of our consciousness by the Gospel Words that are Christ Jesus, that we would see ourselves as part of Him, that we might KNOW the Father. • Speak Christ: Speaking Christ is a critical part of putting the Lord Jesus upon ourselves. Putting Jesus upon ourselves is an act of faith every moment in the story we speak of ourselves inside our consciousness. Putting Jesus upon ourselves cannot be an outward effort of fleshy doing. |
h. Paul is writing this during the rule of Nero, who will command that Christians be put to death, including Paul. It is clear that Paul means obedience only in what is right. We are to “obey” the beast in what is right, yes, but Paul is in no way suggesting that we are to worship or “trust in” human political government. i. Yes, this is a more accurate translation of the Greek words. |