Romans 13
Respect for Authority
13 Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. 2 So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. 3 For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. 4 The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. 5 So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.
6 Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.
Love Fulfills God’s Requirements
8 Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. 9 For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.”[a] These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b]10 Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.
11 This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. 13 Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. 14 Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.
14 Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.
Romans 13:14
Last week Emma went away to Scotland with her mum for a few days, which left me in charge. We watched TV, ate ice cream for lunch and stayed in our pyjamas for the whole of the day. It was fun (and slightly nauseating) and it is fine to have a day like that every now and then… but you can’t live like that.
In Romans 13:14 Paul says that we should clothe ourselves in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is not speaking about the indwelling or filling of the Holy Spirit, although I am sure that he would argue that you should ask the Holy Spirit to fill you every day for what he has for you. In fact, the word ‘presence’ is misleading - it was added by the translator and is not part of the original verse. The Greek literally says, ‘but put on Lord Christ Jesus.’ It is not talking about a presence felt inside you but about becoming the presence.
When Kohl was 2 we bought him a Captain Hook outfit. Every day he would wake up and immediately put it on. This happened for two years and we began to grow nervous… this is just a phase, right? Meanwhile, he would do everything as if he was a pirate.
This is what Paul is saying to us. Every day, when you wake up, put on the clothes of Christ. Become the presence of Christ in your workplace for your colleagues. Become the presence of Christ in your marriage for your spouse. For a Christian to leave the house and live unlike Christ is like forgetting your trousers. It is an essential part of who we are.
When a policeman puts on their uniform, they are no longer Jane but instead become PCI Jane. They now represent the police force, they follow procedures, follow orders and act like an officer of the law. After a while, they can no longer take off the uniform - the become what they learnt. In the same way putting on Christ changes our activity, our authority and our identity.
What would be the impact if today you chose to speak like Jesus, pray like Jesus and love like Jesus?
