Romans 13:1-7 – Submission to Governing Authorities
Verse 1:
“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”
Paul begins with a command for all believers to submit to the governing authorities. This statement is rooted in the idea that all authority ultimately comes from God. Whether believers are under just or unjust rulers, Paul asserts that God is sovereign over all human institutions. The Bible provides similar teachings in passages like 1 Peter 2:13-17 and Jesus’ own words in Matthew 22:21 (“Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s”).
Verse 2:
“Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.”
Resisting governing authorities is equated to resisting God’s divine order. Paul warns of consequences for rebellion, both from the government and from God. Here, Paul does not explicitly address how believers should respond to corrupt or oppressive rulers, but the principle is clear: Christians are called to respect the order that God has established, as long as it does not force them to disobey God’s law (see Acts 5:29 for instances where civil disobedience is necessary for obeying God).
Verses 3-4:
“For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.”
In these verses, Paul provides a rationale for submitting to governing authorities: they serve as God’s agents to maintain justice and order. Ideally, rulers should reward good and punish evil. The “sword” represents their authority to enforce laws and execute justice. While governments may not always operate this way, Paul is presenting the general function of authority as intended by God.
Verse 5:
“Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.”
Christians are to submit to authorities not just out of fear of punishment but as a matter of conscience. This reflects the internal transformation that comes with being a follower of Christ. A believer’s conscience, informed by the Holy Spirit, leads them to live in a way that honors God in every aspect, including civic duties.
Verses 6-7:
“For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.”
Paul points out that paying taxes is a practical example of submission to authorities. Just as Jesus instructed in Matthew 22:21, Paul emphasizes the believer’s responsibility to support the government financially and to show respect and honor to those in positions of authority.
Romans 13:8-10 – Love Fulfills the Law
Verse 8:
“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.”
Paul transitions from discussing submission to authorities to focusing on the Christian’s primary moral duty: love. Here, he connects the believer’s social responsibilities with the overarching command to love others. The only “debt” that should remain is the continual obligation to love. This reflects Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 22:37-40 that the greatest commandments are to love God and love your neighbor.
Verses 9-10:
“For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,’ and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”
Paul lists several of the Ten Commandments, showing that love is the underlying principle behind them. When a person loves genuinely, they will not commit adultery, steal, or harm others. In essence, love leads to obedience to God’s moral law. Galatians 5:14 echoes this sentiment, emphasizing that love fulfills the law.
Romans 13:11-14 – Living in Light of Christ’s Return
Verses 11-12:
“Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.”
Paul now moves to eschatology (the doctrine of last things), urging believers to live with a sense of urgency and awareness that Christ’s return is imminent. “Salvation” here refers not just to initial justification but to the full realization of salvation at Christ’s second coming. Paul calls believers to “wake from sleep,” which means to be spiritually alert and active, casting aside sinful behaviors (“works of darkness”) and living righteously (“armor of light”).
Verse 13:
“Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.”
Here, Paul describes the practical implications of living in the light. Believers are to live morally upright lives, avoiding behaviors that are characteristic of darkness, such as drunkenness, sexual immorality, and quarreling. The emphasis is on living transparently, as those who belong to the day (symbolizing purity and righteousness).
Verse 14:
“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”
Finally, Paul instructs believers to “put on” Christ, meaning to clothe themselves in His character and live in accordance with His will. This requires active resistance to sinful desires, avoiding any opportunity for the flesh to take control. This echoes Galatians 5:16, where Paul writes, “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”
Conclusion:
Romans 13 teaches Christians to live faithfully in both civic and moral spheres. Submission to governing authorities is part of the Christian’s witness, as is the continual practice of love, which fulfills the law. Paul urges believers to live in the light of Christ’s return, casting off sinful behavior and putting on the character of Christ. The chapter challenges Christians to live with integrity, love, and an eternal perspective, always mindful of their testimony to the world and their responsibility before God.