God’s Righteousness Maintains Relationships – Romans 13

1. Read: Romans 13:1

2. About the Text:

1) Romans is about righteousness (Romans 1:16-17).

2) God has done His part in making man righteous.

3) We must do our part to maintain righteousness in our lives.

4) “Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous” (1 John 3:7).

5) How do we practice righteousness?

3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. God is behind the government.

1) “The most high rules in the kingdom of men” (Daniel 4:17, 25, 32, 5:21).

2) Resistance to the authority is resistance to God.

3) Those who resist bring judgment on themselves.

4) Acts 5:29 is the one exception, “We ought to obey God rather than men.”

5) Daniel 6:10 is an example of this.

2. Generally, rulers are a terror to evil, not good.

1) If we do good, then the government will not bother us.

2) If we do evil, we should expect judgment.

3) We should also obey for conscience sake.

3. Paying taxes is part of obeying the government.

1) Jesus paid taxes to the temple – Matthew 17:24-27.

2) Didrachma – A shekel of Tyre was used to pay the tax.

3) A one-half shekel tax was required for every male every year before Passover.

1. “Owe no one anything”

1) This is not talking about money.

2) Not talking about commitment.

3) Talking about making relationships God’s way, not man’s.

4) Man makes relationships through obligation – quid pro quo.

5) God makes relationships by selfless giving.

2. We owe it to one another to love one another.

1) Because God loved us first – “We love, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

2) Because God selflessly gave His Son – “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

3) Because we are members of one another (Ephesians 4:25).

3. When we do this, we fulfill God’s law.

1) The law was designed to prevent harm to national Israel.

2) When we love, we do not cause harm to others.

3) We will not act selfishly but think of others first.

4) This means we will fulfill the purpose of the law.

1. Now is the time to change your life for Christ.

1) Salvation is closer every day.

2) The night is far spent.

3) The day is at hand.

4) “And working together with him we entreat also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain (for he saith, At an acceptable time I hearkened unto thee, And in a day of salvation did I succor thee: behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation)” (2 Corinthians 6:1-2).

2. Cast off the works of darkness.

1) Reveling – worldly parties.

2) Drunkenness – drinking alcohol for recreational purposes.

3) Chambering – living together with someone for sex with whom you’re not married.

4) Wantonness – excess of various behaviors such as gluttony, laziness-addictions.

5) Strife – uncontrolled arguments, fussing and fighting.

6) Jealousy/Envy – desiring what someone else has.

3. Put on the armor of light.

1) Walk becomingly – as those who follow Christ who did not sin.

2) As in the day – open, transparent, honest, and sincere.

3) Put on the Lord Jesus Christ – he set the example for us – 1 Peter 2:22.

4) Do not make provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts –

5) “Abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22).

1. The righteousness of God means maintaining good relationships with . . .

1) The Government

2) Our Neighbors

3) Christ

2. Invitation