Tag: Romans

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Romans- Week 12- Day 2- Romans 13:3-4

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:  (4)  For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. 

Romans 13:3-4 

Explanation:

Have you ever been driving down the road at night and had flashing blue and red lights show up in your rearview mirror?  When that happened did your heart skip a beat in fear?  I know that it has happened to me.  Why did that happen?  It happened because we know that we don’t always perfectly abide by the speed limit and if there are flashing lights behind us then we may be getting a ticket.  If we see the flashing blue and red lights then there is a chance that I was breaking the traffic laws.  Now, if we had illegal materials in the car or a warrant out for our arrest, then the terror would be greater than the fear of getting a ticket.  If we were driving 5 miles under the speed limit, had not committed a crime, and was being very careful in how we were driving, then our anxiety would be much less.  Why?  Because I’m doing what is right.

God has instituted human government ,not as a perfectly impartial and perfectly righteous institution immune from human corruption, but as an institution that generally speaking is a check on anarchy and mob rule.  Governments tend to reward things that keep order and punish things that disrupt law and order.  In that sense the ruler “beareth not the sword in vain.”  He has power and authority for a reason, and that reason is to “execute wrath upon him that doeth evil”.  If you do what is right and lawful “you will have praise of the same”.  You will have praise of the governing rulers for doing the right thing.

Application:

Paul is writing this to the Romans, and that says something to us.  The Roman government was not a christian government.  Ultimately we know that the Roman government executed Paul himself.  Paul was not making a case that the government is always to be obeyed in every situation no matter what.  If the government puts itself at odds withour loyalty to God then our citizenship in heaven trumps our citizenship here on earth.

What Paul is saying is that even corrupt human governments are in authority by the soveignty and will of God.  We should obey the law.  We should submit to human authority and thank God for the right behavior that comes from sinful people (including ourselves) being scared of the consequences of evil works brought to bear by human government.

Response:

Answer this question: What does good citizenship look like for a child of God?

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Romans- Week 12- Day 1- Romans 13:1-2

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. (2) Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

Romans 13:1-2

Explanation:

The child of God is sincerely and clearly a citizen of heaven first and foremost.  Our first allegiance is to the Lord.  There are some that would take that truth and make the claim that we have therefore no allegiance or responsibility to any governmental institution.  Paul has been predominantly speaking of how we relate to those inside the body of Christ in chapter 12.  In chapter 13 he begins to speak of the responsibility of the child of God to the “governing authorities” or human government.  Paul makes several observations about human government.

1.  Human government has a deligated authority from God.  Any authority in the world has authority because God has allowed it and even appointed human government.

2. To resist governmental authority is to resist God’s authority.  God has instituted this authority in the world and we should obey this authority.  This does not mean that everything a government does is right.  There is a time for civil disobedience when the governing authorities compel us to disobey God. 

3. Those who resist the authority that God has deligated to human government will “incur judgement”.  This means that even believers who disobey government will endure the consequences of that disobedience.

Application:

This is a particularly interesting subject to read and write about right now as I am writing this post while under the “stay at home” order of the state of Ohio.  To be honest, I’m not in love with the order.  But I know that to obey this order, at this time, is God’s will for my life as He has instituted this government over me and my house.

Response:

Take a few moments and thank the Lord for the blessing of having some civil order that comes from the common grace of human government.

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Romans- Week 11- Day 5- Romans 12:16-18

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. (17)  Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.  (18)  If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Romans 12:16-18 

Explanation:

The mistake that we can make in interpreting this passage of scripture is to interpret each sentence as separate statements that are unconnected items.  It comes across as a list.  But these sentences flow out of the context of the passage.  These statements are the commands of the Holy Spirit of how we are to live as He transforms are thinking and behavior. 

  • “Be of the same mind one toward another”–  There is a unity of mindset as believers put God and each other ahead of themselves.  It doesn’t mean uniformity in every preference or circumstance.  It does mean a unity in the Lord and submission to each other.
  • “Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate.”- The word “high” here means “esteemed”. The idea is not to look at the things that are esteemed in this world and judge men exclusively by those things.  The person with the sharp clothes and the big business is not more valuable or more loved by God than the person with lower means.  The person who has more is not automatically a bad or greedy person because they have more.  Those human distinctions should not govern the way that we view each others value.
  • “Be not wise in your own conceits”- Don’t let the way you view things be your only perspective.  Try to see things from God’s point of view.
  • “Recompense to no man evil for evil.” – The heart of the Christ follower is not to extract revenge on anyone that does us wrong.  The right response is the response of forgiveness.  Forgiven people forgive.
  • “Provide things honest in the sight of all men.”- The idea here is to give regard for that which is good and honest in a public way.  We honor good things wherever they are found, especially knowing that both our brothers and sisters in Christ and the lost world see how we respond.
  • “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”-  Though this local body of believers were likely to be persecuted, maligned, and socially marginalized for their commitment to Christ, the admonition is to try to be at peace even with those who hate them.  If there was a way to get along they, and we, are supposed to find that way.

Application:

These items are at the next level of authentic love for those around us.  Why?  Because they speak not just of loving those with which we have values and priorities in common.  They also speak to loving those around us who do not share our values and who set themselves against us.  The only way that this kind of love happens in and through us consistently and genuinely is by the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through us.

Response:

Like yesterdays question, which of these responses do you need to implement today?

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Romans- Week 11- Day 3- Romans 12:9-10

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

(9) Let love be without dissimulation.  Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.  (10) Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another. 

Romans 12:9-10

Explanation:

After calling those who have been saved to right living through right thinking, Paul begins to explain what that looks like.  In today’s text he talks about love and what true love looks like.  True love is authentic without a hint of hypocrisy.  Dissimulation can also be translated hypocrisy.  True love hates evil because of what evil does to people.  Love also “cleaves” or joins itself to what is good.

When our minds are not conformed to this world, but are transformed it will lead to a righteous prioritizing of relationships.  It will lead to a selflessness.  Yesterday I heard someone make the connection between the word kind and the word kin.  When we talk of our “kin” we are talking about our family.  To be kind is in a sense to treat someone like they are related to us.  We treat them like we treat our kin.  Paul seems to make a similar connection in verse 10 where he appeals to “brotherly love” as the flavor of our “kind affection” to one aother.  

He also uses the word “honor”.  The word is used in two distinct ways in the New Testament.  The word is used for a fixed value, price, or sum.  It is also used as it is here to speak of honor.  Of course there is a connection between the two ways it is translated.  When we honor someone we treat them with a certain value.  Here you could say that Paul is calling us to honor people by placing a value on them in how we treat them as greater than the value we place on ourselves.  We literally take the attitude that their welfare, preferences and desires are greater than and to be valued more than our own.  

For that kind of love to happen, the Holy Spirit has to do a work of God in our hearts, minds, and bodies.  This is not our natural inclination, nor the pattern of this world.  We have to be transformed by the renewing of our mind for this reality to pervade the church.

Application:

In this text the meaning is closely tied to the application.  So let us just make some summary statements:

  • When our minds are transformed by the Holy Spirit love will be the fruit of that thinking.
  • True love hates evil in the lives of those that are loved.
  • True love clings to the good.
  • To love our spiritual family by honoring them as a valued brother and sister is God’s will for our lives.  We put their needs and welfare above our own.
  • There should be a connection between our quiet time in prayer and Bible study and our love for those around us.

Response:

3 Questions to help us respond today:

  • 1. What thinking needs to change in our life for us to rightly love those around us?
  • 2. What evil in our life is being clinged to instead of abhored? 
  • 3. What good needs to be rightly valued in our lives?