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.

Romans 13:1

Romans 13:1 says, 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.  This verse and the next few have to do with how we as followers of Christ relate to those in power.  Here, Paul tells us that we are to be subjected to those that rule over us, because they only have the power that God allows them to have.  Theirs is an earthly power and God has the eternal power.  The early Christians were accused of attempting to overthrow the government and establish an earthly kingdom, and Paul I believe was reminding them and us that ours is not an earthly kingdom. The question becomes where do we draw the line at obeying the government?  If we are called on to do something that is clearly against God's law, then should follow the law of God.  I cannot imagine what it is like to be a follower of Christ in some parts of the world today, but wherever we are, we need to acknowledge that God is the One Who will be with us no matter what.  We must put our faith in Him and live up to our calling as Paul taught in the last chapter.  Many things are done today in the name of Christ that are just the opposite of what He teaches.  I wish I could say that I fully understand when we should not submit to the powers of the world, but can only conclude that if it has to do with earthly things, then we should, but if it has to do with violating the laws of God, then we should not.  Verse two adds, Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. This verse is for me especially hard to understand, but I believe has to be interpreted in the light of loving your enemies.  We must submit to the will of God as His followers, and in doing so acknowledge His sovereignty over all.  We are to live in a way that reflects honor on God.  Verse three continues, 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:  I believe Paul is saying that if we are obeying the law, we have nothing to fear from the law.  Once more, I believe we have to draw the line at any law that would cause us to do anything against the law of God, but even then we have to ask how do we go against that law.  I believe that whatever action we take has to be under the leadership of the Holy Spirit and must bring honor to God.  We also have to realize that there will be consequences when we disobey the law.  Verse four states, 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.  Paul lived in a time when Christians were being openly persecuted, but he said they were to still obey the rulers of the land, but under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  When we do this, we do not have to fear those in power.  I do not believe that this means that there is never a time to stand in opposition to the rulers of whichever country we live in, but that when we do that we are sure that we are doing it to bring glory to God.  Verse five adds, Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.  I believe Paul is telling us that as followers of Christ we are to obey the laws of the government not just to avoid punishment, but also that we won't have a guilty conscience.  We cannot follow God and break the law without it bothering us.  We are to live to glorify God.  Again, I believe that if we must choose to obey the law of man unless it violates the law of God, then we must choose to obey the law of God, no matter what it costs.  I also believe the Holy Spirit will guide us in this decision, and it will always be one that will bring honor to God.

Romans 12:10

Romans 12:10 says, Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;  In these next few verses, Paul tells us how we should live our lives as followers of Christ.  First, we are to have a brotherly, or God given love for one another.  We cannot have this type love for others and want anything less than what is best for them.  We are to put them above ourselves. Just as Christ died to save all people, we are to be willing to die to self will to reach others with His message of salvation.  Verse eleven adds, Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Here, Paul is telling us how God expects us to live in the world.  Again, when I say Paul is telling us, we need to acknowledge that is God telling us through Paul.  We are not to do our work half heartedly, but to the best of our ability.  We do this because the way we do our work reflects on God.  If we claim to be followers of Christ and try to do as little as possible to get by at work, this does not show the world that we live by a higher standard.  As God's people, whatever we are doing we represent Him to the world.  Verse twelve continues, Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;   Paul tells us that we need to be a rejoicing people because we have hope in Christ.  This enables us to be patient in tribulation.  When we encounter problems in life, we need to just patiently continue to serve God.  We can do this more effectively if we are in continual prayer with God, seeking His strength to see us through.  Verse thirteen states, Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.  I believe this means more than paying the preacher, though that is certainly included.  It means we are to help fellow Christians who are in need.  I know we are called to help everyone we can, but we should especially be looking to help meet the needs of fellow believers.  We should willing reach out to those around us with the love of God.  Verse fourteen adds, Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.  Here Paul moves from our fellow Christians to the rest of the world.  We are to bless those who persecute us and not curse them.  We cannot pray for the destruction of others even if they hate us, but we must pray for their salvation. We can never eliminate all the evil from the world as long as people have self will.  Verse fifteen continues, Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. We are to share in the lives of others.  If the have good news, we are to rejoice with them and not be envious of them.  If they are suffering, we are to suffer with them. Verse sixteen says, 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.  I believe that Paul is telling us that we are to treat all people equally, no matter their standing in the world.  If we attempt to live by our standards instead of God's, then we are truly wise in our own conceit, which is not wisdom but a lie.  Verse seventeen adds, Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.  We are not to live by the philosophy that says I'll get even with you, but we are to forgive others.  I believe living honest in the sight of everyone means more than financially, but means in every aspect of our lives.  Our actions must be consistent with our words and beliefs. Verse eighteen continues, If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.  It may be impossible to live at peace with some people, but we need to make sure we aren't the ones who make it impossible.  We are to show the love of God to the world.  Verse nineteen states, Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.  As followers of Christ, we are to have the same attitude He had on the cross and ask that God forgive those who harm us.  Verse twenty adds, Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.  We may want to believe that God does not mean this in all instances, but I don't see an exclusion.  I do not see a concept of let's destroy them before they harm us. Verse twenty-one concludes this thought saying, Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.  We are to overcome evil through the goodness of God.  I believe that to approach the world any other way as followers of Christ is to give in to evil.

Romans 12:4

Romans 12:4 says, For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:  I believe that Paul was continuing with the thought of why we shouldn't think more highly of ourselves than we should. We might tend to think that what we do for God is more important than what others do, but Paul tells us that we don't all serve the same purpose in God's kingdom.  We are all given certain gifts by God, and all are necessary for the advancement of His kingdom.  Verse five adds, So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.  I believe Paul is continuing to tell us why we should humbly accept whatever role God calls us for.  We should never aspire to do what someone else is called to do, and should certainly never be jealous of their calling. Everyone is needed to carry out their calling for God's kingdom to function properly.  Though there are many members of the body of Christ, we are to be one in purpose.  All the members, functioning according to their purpose, makes for the strongest body of Christ.  Verse six continues, Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;  Paul begins to give examples of the calling a person may have.  Paul tells us that we have different gifts, but they are all given to us by God's grace.  He says that if we have the gift of prophecy, the we are to prophesy according to the faith God gives us.  I don't believe that prophecy here means fortelling the future, except to the extent that the gospel tells us of everlasting life, but means proclaiming the gospel and the effect it should have on our lives. There is nothing new to add to the gospel.  Verse seven says, Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;  Paul is still pointing out that we all have a different calling. He is also telling us that is our responsibility to fulfill that calling, so the kingdom of God might grow and our faith might expand. Anytime we are fulfilling God's call for our lives, we are growing in faith.  We need some to minister and some to teach, but not all.  Verse eight adds, Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.  We certainly need people to exhort the word of God, but how often do we think of giving as a calling?  If God's kingdom is to expand, funds are required since God chooses to work through His people.  We are to give, not for show, but with simplicity. We certainly need people today to rule with diligence.  As with giving, ruling should not be self-serving, but for the good of all people, especially the poorest and least powerful.  When we show mercy, it should be with cheerfulness.  Since God has shown mercy on us, we should likewise be cheerful in showing mercy on others, and not do so grudgingly.  Verse nine continues, Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. I believe Paul is telling us that God wants us to share His love with everyone.  We cannot decide that certain people are unworthy of God's love.  We are to hold on to God's will for us, which is the good, and abhor that which is not His will, or the bad.  When we as followers of Christ all function together as one body, we can accomplish so much more than if we try to do things our way.

Romans 12:1

Romans 12:1 says, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  This has always been the passage that I come back to when life is seemingly out of control.  God, through Paul, is asking us to give ourselves to God.  It is by the mercy of God that this is even possible, so it is certainly not an unreasonable request.  We are to be a living sacrifice.  Once we accept Christ and become His followers, we are to daily sacrifice ourselves to His service.  We are not called to death, but to life everlasting.  Too often we live as though once we accept Christ we have to sacrifice so much, but we are not called to sacrifice anything that we really need.  We are to live by God's plan for our lives.  Paul says this is a reasonable service.  God gives us everlasting life, so it is only reasonable that we would want to live our lives for Him.  Verse two adds, And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.  Paul says that we are not to be conformed to the world.  I believe this is more than in the way we look and talk, though those are certainly aspects of not conforming. When we want to look and act like everyone else in the world so that people will not think we are different, this is not what God says to us.  We are to be different, and not just in outward appearances, but in an inward change.  We are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.  We are no longer to think as the world thinks, but are to follow God's leadership in all things.  A transformer can take something small and make it larger, or it can take something large and make it smaller.  I believe too often we feel that when we accept Christ that our lives have somehow been made smaller.  We dwell on what we have given up for God, instead of seeing how much He has improved our lives.  We cannot be His followers without being transformed into something better. Our very thought processes are to be changed.  We need to remember that God looks to the reason for actions and not just the actions themselves.  Verse three continues, For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.  Paul was speaking to them through the grace God had shown him, not through the status he had achieved by birth and education. He called on us to do the same, relating to people through the grace God has bestowed on us.  When we do, we cannot think to highly of ourselves.  Instead of being boastful, we are to be sober, because we owe everything to God through faith. Since God has freely provided salvation for all, it is a small thing that He calls on us to do to willing submit to Him through faith.

Romans 11:28

Romans 11:28 says, As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.  I believe that Paul was still attempting to tell the Gentiles that they had no reason to feel superior to the Jews or anyone else because they were saved by Christ.  The fact that the Jews had rejected Christ brought the gospel to the Gentiles.  Had the Jews not rejected the gospel, they would have been the ones bringing the gospel to the Gentiles.  The Jews were and are still loved by God. I believe this special relationship has nothing to do with anything that the Jews, or Israel ever did, but simply has to do with the fact that God chose them to work through to reveal Himself to the world.  The same can be said of anyone.  We as followers of Christ do not have a special relationship with God because of anything we did of our own merit.  Verse twenty-nine adds, For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.  I believe that Paul is saying that the call of God to all people goes out even before we repent.  I do not believe that this means repentance is not necessary when we accept God's call, but that He calls and equips us even before we acknowledge Him.  Verse thirty continues, For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: The Gentiles in the past had not believed God, and there are certainly many, many today who still do not.  Still, through the gospel of Christ, we are called to be God's people in the world today by accepting Christ as our Savior and Lord.  We have obtained the mercy of God, even though His chosen people do not accept Christ.  Verse thirty-one, states, Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.  We, as followers of Christ, now have the responsibility of reaching out to the Jews, wherever they may be, with the gospel.  They failed to follow God's leadership, but He still reaches out to them.  Verse thirty-two adds, For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.  I believe that Paul was saying that that the failure of the Jews to follow God's leadership showed the need for the mercy of God, not the law or heritage, to bring salvation to everyone, including those who were called His people. Verse thirty-three continues, O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! This tells us where we stand in relationship to God's knowledge.  His knowledge and wisdom are so deep that we cannot understand them even if we try.  I believe this is why the gospel is so simple even a child can understand it.  We do not have to have all the answers about why everything happens.  We only have to put our faith in one thing that did happen, the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Verse thirty-four states, For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counseller?  When we continually ask God why something did or did not occur that we wanted, we are attempting to God counsel God.  We cannot always know the why of everything, but we can know God is with us if we are His followers.  That should be enough no matter what happens in life.  Verse thirty-five adds, Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?  I believe that Paul is asking what can we give God that wasn't already His.  We can offer nothing but obedience to Him through faith in Christ. Everything we have already belongs to God.  Verse thirty-six continues, For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.  Once more, we must acknowledge first and foremost that everything is God's today and forevermore.

Romans 11:22

Romans 11:22 says, Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.  I believe that Paul was again telling us that God is a God of mercy and goodness, but that He is also a God of justice.  God could simply condemn all people due to their sins, but He chose to make a way to redemption due to His mercy.  To those who reject that way to salvation, which is faith in Christ alone, this gospel becomes a severity, as it separates those who reject it from God for all time.  Verse twenty-three adds, And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. Paul was still referring to the unbelieving Jews in his day.  He did not say if they believed that they would be a branch again, but they would also be grafted in to the Root, which is Christ.  They would not suddenly be made whole by their own merit.  We can never become a part of the family of God, followers of Christ, by any physical factor. Once we accept the fact that we are simply sinners saved by grace, we can never feel superior to anyone else.  We, as followers of Christ, are to live to bring glory to God and never to ourselves.  Verse twenty-four continues, For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?  The Gentiles were a wild olive tree, going there own way without any direction from God, but they were grafted into the good olive tree, or the family of God.  If God could and would bring them into His family, then He could certainly graft the Jews, the descendants of Abraham, into the true vine if they believed in Christ.  We need to acknowledge that the Jews had to come to God through Christ.  Physical birth could not save them, and only a spiritual rebirth, a grating in to the root of Christ could. Verse twenty-five concludes, For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Paul always wanted to educate those he witnessed to about the truth of Christ and the kingdom of God.  I believe here he was warning the Gentiles not to become conceited because of their salvation through Christ.  The Jews might be blinded to the gospel, but they were still the people that God had chosen to work through first, and He had not and will not give up on them.  In verse twenty six, Paul states this saying, And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:  I believe that Paul is speaking of the true Israel, those who do accept Christ as Savior and Lord.  The Deliverer, Christ, shall turn them from their ungodliness.  Verse twenty seven states, For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.  The covenant that God had with Israel was based on their obedience to His will, and when they come to Him by faith in the covenant of Christ, He will take away their sins. That is the only way anyone can come to God, but it is also the way that all can come to God.  We must never think that the gospel is only for a select few.