Romans Chapter 13
As believers we have some obligations to authorities, we are not free to just live how we feel or think. We know that God established a system of authority and if we resist obeying them, we are disobeying God. In the previous chapter we learned that the believer does not seek revenge on those who wronged them. It is the responsibility of the authority systems of our world to punish the wrongdoers. We certainly know that this does not happen properly in our modern world, but none the less it is their responsibility as given by God.
Let's Reflect
1. In punishing those who do evil things the authorities invoke what emotion in the people?
2. The authorities will use a weapon to execute judgement on the wrongdoers. In the period of the Romans their common punishment was to decapitate. Hanging people on a cross was reserved for the worst criminals. What weapon is mentioned in this passage? This practice would cause a lot of fear, wouldn’t it?
3. When those in authority carry out judgement on wrongdoers, they are in effect carrying out the judgement of whom?
4. As believers we are also instructed to pay monies to the governments. What are we to pay?
5. In fact, we should strive to not owe any person money. The only thing we should be indebted to other people is what?
6. What commandment is given that sums up the whole picture of how a believer is to treat other people?
7. Every day when we wake up in the morning, we are one day closer to the Lord’s return. In fact, many of us believe that we are seeing signs all over this world that we are in the “birth pains” of the last days. Because we can see the signs all around us that the Lord is preparing to wrap this up, and because we want to please Him with the way we live, we need to do something about that. What is the first thing believers need to do according to verse 11?
8. What is the second thing we need to do as seen in the first part of verse 12?
9. What is the third thing we need to do as seen in the second part of verse 12 and verse 14?
10. In this life we can definitely be tempted to enjoy the pleasures of lust and all sorts of sexual impurities, and all sorts of inappropriate behaviors, but we can confess those sins and then put on the armor of light which is the Lord Jesus. This means we pay attention to how we live as His representatives, and we live in His strength not our own. When we put on Jesus Christ in our life, then we will be able to do what?
Devotionals
