Romans 13:6

Romans 13:6 says, For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.   I believe Paul was talking about supporting the government materially. We may feel that there are way to many taxes on us today, but that does not give us the right to ignore paying them or to attempt to find dishonest ways to avoid them.  Verse seven adds, Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. We are to be good citizens, supporting those in a position of authority.  We may not like taxes, but we usually want what they provide for us.  Usually when we disagree with how taxes are spent it is because someone else benefits from that more than we do.  We may not want taxes, but we want the government to step in when there is a natural disaster that affects us personally.  We need to remember that nothing of this world will go with us into the kingdom of God to come, and therefore should not be our greatest concern.  Verse eight continues, Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.  Some interpret this to mean we are never to borrow money, but I don't believe that was what Paul was saying.  I believe he was telling us not to attempt to cheat others out of what we owe them.  If we live life out of love for our fellow man, then we will always want what is best for them.  This will eliminate any desire to attempt to keep for ourselves what we owe them.  We must always remember that we are to live to bring honor to God.  Verse nine states, For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  Paul is talking about the commandments that have to do with the way we relate to other people.  If we are followers of Christ, we already have to be obeying the commandments that relate to God and us.  In this verse, Paul reminds us that we are still to follow the other commandments, not for salvation but to be able to live at peace with our neighbors while bringing honor to God.  After reminding us of all the things we shouldn't do, Paul summarised it all by telling us what we should do.  We are to love our neighbor as ourselves.  When we do this, disobeying all the other commandments mentioned here will never be a possibility.  Verse ten adds, Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.  If we truly love our neighbor as God expects us to, we will never even have thoughts of wishing them evil.  When we love God and our neighbor as we should, the law is fulfilled, because we will never have a desire to go against the law of God.  Of course, since we still have free will, we may still have times when we don't love as we should, and then we find ourselves under the penalty of the law again.  This does not mean we are suddenly not saved, but it does mean we are in need of repentance and forgiveness.  Verse eleven continues, And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.  I believe Paul was calling for Christians to awake spiritually because the time of Christ returning was closer than they thought.  We today hear many Christians saying that the second coming is going to be soon, but we really need to be spiritually awake because for each follower of Christ everyday we are one day closer to being united with Him. Verse twelve says, The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.  We are to walk in the light of Christ, and not to live in a spiritual slumber.  The day to do what God calls us to do is at hand. Verse thirteen adds, Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.  Paul calls on us to live honestly with God and with all people.  This will then keep us from all the negative actions mentioned in the rest of the verse.  Verse fourteen continues, But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.  This is how it is possible to live above the sinfulness of the world.  We put on the Lord Jesus Christ.  I believe this means to be filled with and led by the Holy Spirit.