Romans 13 Devotional
by Pastor Mark Hudson

Romans 13 is a relatively easy chapter to understand.  Paul’s writing is clear, concise, and compelling.  There seems to be three distinct sections: 1-7; 8-10;11-14

The first concerns our relationship with governing authorities.  You can imagine how first century believers living around the Mediterranean Sea must have understood this passage.  How could Paul say that about Roman Emperors like Nero?  But how do we read it with our government, or Chinese, Russian, or Christians in Middle Eastern countries understand this passage?

          Paul clearly teaches the absolute sovereignty of God even in which person or persons are in authority.  God establishes governments and we ought to be thankful for our government and the stability of economic system, our roads and bridges, the safety we enjoy as well as all the benefits our government provides. 

          Theoretically, governments are not “a terror to good conduct” (v. 3) but this is not always the case.  Nor is it always true that if you do good, “you will receive his approval.”   There are many governments then and now that have done the opposite.  Yet our obligation to our governing authorities remain.  We are not told to obey unconditionally but to be subject to the governing authorities. 

          As Moo, writes, “In addition to governing authorities (see also Tit. 3:1), Paul urges Christians to submit to their spiritual leaders (1 Cor. 16:16) and to “one another” (Eph. 5:21); and he calls on Christian slaves to submit to their masters (Tit. 2:9), Christian prophets to submit to other prophets (1 Cor. 14:32), and Christian wives to submit to their husbands (1 Cor. 14:34 [?]; Eph. 5:24; Col. 3:18; Tit. 2:5).”

          Then in verses 8-10 love is extolled as the fulfillment of the law.  Christians according to Rom 8:4 fulfill the law by belief and obedience to Christ.  Here love is the fulfillment of the law or at least the law in relationship to others.  This is a significant section highlighting the Old Testament stress on love (Lev 19:18) as well as our Lord’s insistence on love in (Matt. 22:34–40//Mark 12:28–34//Luke 10:25–28; see also John 13:34–35).

          Finally, in the last section, we hear the call to holy living by being “woke” as our cultures says but distorts.  We are to cast off the works of darkness.  Those are “orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.”  But casting those aside, we are to put on a new pair of clothes, the Lord Jesus Christ, “and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”  These verses were used to call St. Augustine to faith.  Prior to his conversion, he had a live-in girlfriend and a child.  He was a sensual academic until his conversion.  But these verses helped to wake him up to genuine faith and godliness.

          The time is near.  We are so often asleep in our materialism and luxury.  Many of us do not come from a Christian home.  We are like Gentiles from the first century in the areas around the Mediterranean.  We can easily fall back into those old ways.  We are to put on the armor of light because we dwell in the light, not the darkness. 

          Oh, you may say I do not engage in orgies.  Do you quarrel with others?  Are you jealous of someone’s home, husband, wife, job?  Are you a sensual person noticing body types, looking and judging people by their looks?  What do you think about or dream about?

          We are called to honor those above us and to respectfully pay taxes, give respect and honor to our teachers, boss, parents, etc.  We are called to pay the debt of love we owe to everyone around.  Loving others fulfills God’s law.  When  we love others out of our love for Christ this is a powerful testimony to God’s grace to unbelievers and believers as well.

          Finally, we must not act like we did before we came to Christ.  We are new creations and so we renounce the old ways.  We are not living in the flesh to please ourselves.  Rather we put on the Lord Jesus and follow him from the heart.  We do not live covering up our deeds but live in the light of God and others.

          Father, You are calling us to live holy lives.  We find our greatest joy and satisfaction in that life where we honor You.  We are so thankful for our government and pray for our leaders daily.  We need to love the way You do.  Help us to love others.  Finally, we do not want to go back to Egypt or our old lifestyle.  We want to follow You toward more holiness.  Pour out Your Spirit so we can live in a way that brings honor and glory to Your Son.  Amen.