ROMANS 13

I. Christians & Civil Government (v. 1-7)

As citizens of Heaven, we are not to be conformed to this world (Rom. 12:2). However, this doesn’t free us of our duties to the society in which we live.

The authority of those who govern has been entrusted to them by God. They are accountable to Him to govern wisely and benevolently. (Example: Nebuchadnezzar)

Governing authorities are to be representatives of God on earth and to administer civil justice. When government becomes abusive, it ceases to be God’s instrument.

Christians owe allegiance to governing authorities but first and foremost are to obey God. Only Jesus is our Lord (Acts 5:29). (Example: Darius and Daniel, Daniel 6)

Mark 12:17(Amp Bible)

17Jesus said to them, “Pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

II. Love Fulfills the Law (v. 8-10)

We are to love our neighbor which is a continuation of our social responsibility.

Love is the complete fulfillment of what God’s law demands. It is an obligation that we will always owe.

III. End Time Urgency (v. 11-14)

Paul lists typical sins that will interfere with our being ready for Christ’s return:

  1. Revelry, Drunkenness
  2. Disturbing the peace of others
  3. Being a nuisance
  4. Indecency
  5. Lewdness, Licentiousness, Lust
  6. Controlled by harmful passions
  7. Little value on virtue and little or no shame about their gross immorality
  8. Given to excess
  9. Don’t generally care what others think about them
  10. Strife, Envy
  11. Ungodly competition
  12. Refusal to take second place
  13. Begrudges what others have (jealousy)

Living in close personal relationship with Jesus is the suit of armor for the believer (Eph 6:10-20).

ROMANS 14

I. Personal Freedom and Respect for Others (v. 1-12)

Paul is explaining the need to moderate one’s own personal Christian liberty out of love and concern for others. (This is a great segue into Brother Ronnie’s next Bible study series on Offense in the Church). The particular expression of this in the society to which Paul was addressing was conflict over food laws and holy-day observances. What things might it be in our day today?

Whatever is done or whatever is avoided in the Christian life is to be “to the Lord” (v.6). All of life is to be offered in worship (12:1).

The bottom line is that we avoid being stumbling blocks to one another (v.13).

The issue here in Rome was not a dispute about how to be saved or about fundamental Christian doctrine. Their dispute was a threat to the unity of the church and could have become fatal to some of the believers’ relationships with Christ.

Observations:

  1. Controversy over non-crucial matters has proved to be very divisive when imposed on other believers who do not see them as being essential for living a devoted Christian life.
  2. Space needs to be given for the moving of the Spirit and for a variety of styles of worship. Worshipers need liberty to worship God in a context of order and in an atmosphere free of criticism.
  3. Wherever Christians assemble, among them there will be the spiritually more mature and the spiritually less mature. As a result, there will be differences in thinking and priorities, which may lead to conflict in congregations.

Paul charges both stronger and weaker Christians to show mutual tolerance and respect for each other.

It is alright to have our convictions, but it is our Christian duty to let other people have their convictions, too, and not impose ours on them.

II. Acting in Love Toward One Another (v. 13-23)

Christian liberty must be balanced by Christian love. Love (agape) is more than affection and sympathy, it is a deep concern for the welfare of others.

You cannot fulfill God’s commandments without loving others. (Galatians 5:14, James 2:8)

Conflict in the church always has the potential to bring reproach from the onlooking world and to be a spiritual hindrance to others.

Paul’s admonition to the strong and to the weak is to pursue peace and mutual edification by being good representatives of the Lord and building up one another in the faith. His concern is not only with the spiritual welfare of the individual, but also with that of the body of Christ. Harm done to an individual also affects the community of believers as a whole (1 Cor. 12:12-27).

Final thoughts:

  • If believers are convinced that something is wrong and do it anyway, to them it is sin.
  • God makes us responsible for one another, especially the stronger for the weaker.
  • We are to love one another in ways that promote spiritual growth rather than hinder it.
  • Essential teachings of faith must not be compromised but preserved and defended (for instance, marriage is a holy institution between one man and one woman)