Romans 13

Submission to Government

Questions for Reflection

Why does Paul bring up the Christian’s role of the government after writing about the Body of Christ and persecution in chapter 12?

Romans 13:8-14 (Love)

(13:8) “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.”

The expression “love one another” usually refers to believers (“one another”). Here, however, it extends to all people (“neighbor”). Love is the one debt that “can never be paid off.”[]

(13:9) “For this, ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,’ and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Paul cites from the Ten Commandments: Seventh, sixth, eighth, and tenth (Ex. 20:13ff; Deut. 5:17ff). The summary of the Law can be found in the OT (Lev. 19:18) and in the words of Jesus (Mt. 19:19; 22:39ff). Love is the fulfillment of what the Law requires (Gal. 5:14).

(13:10) “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

Love still has a moral dimension. Love shouldn’t harm or take from others. This looks back to Romans 8:4 where Paul writes, “[God] did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit” (Rom. 8:4 NLT). We agree with John Stott who writes, “Love needs law for its direction, while law needs love for its inspiration.”[]

(13:11) “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.”

When Jesus taught about his Second Coming, he repeatedly gave the practical application to “be alert” (Mt. 24:42; 25:13; Mk. 13:32-37; Lk. 12:37; Lk. 21:36; cf. 1 Thess. 5:6). Eschatology is intertwined with our love for others. When we realize that our time is short, it makes us want to give our lives away with the limited time we have left. Our resources will all burn up. Why not give them away now before it’s too late?

“For now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.” This shows that the Bible holds to a linear view of time: the return of Christ is “nearer” than when we first believed. This also shows that the term salvation can be used in a broad sense. We are already saved, but we still await salvation. In this context, “salvation” refers to our glorification (cf. Rom. 8:23).

We don’t know when Jesus will return. However, the “uncertainty of the time” should not deter the “certainty of the event.”[] We don’t know when Jesus will return (Mt. 24:36), but we do know that he will return.

(13:12) “The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

The “night” refers to this present evil age (Gal. 1:4), while the “day” refers to the return of Jesus. This alludes back to renewing our minds, rather than conforming to the world-system (Rom. 12:2). The motivation for change is based on the fact that we will be glorified at the return of Christ. Why not line up our lives right now with our future state? Harrison writes, “The Christian is to live as though that final day had actually arrived, bringing with it the personal presence of Christ.”[] Paul’s argument is similar to 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11.

“Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.” This language of “putting off” and “putting on” comes up throughout the NT as the way to see transformation (Eph. 4:22, 25; Col. 3:8, 12; Eph. 6:11, 14; 1 Thess. 5:8; Jas. 1:21; 1 Pet. 2:1). Later, Paul explains that we “put on” Jesus himself (v.14); that is, we rest in our new identity in Christ.

The “armor” (hopla) can be translated as “any instrument one uses to prepare or make ready” or as “an instrument designed to make ready for military engagement, weapon” (BDAG). The concept of armor refers to protection, but offensive action is also in view. This aligns with Ephesians 6:10-18, which uses language that refers to both defensive armor, as well as offensive weapons.

(13:13) “Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.”

We should act consistently with what we will be.

“Carousing” (kōmos) could refer to having a feast, but it was typically used of Pagan feasts, where participants would engage in wild behavior. It was “originally a festal procession in honor of Dionysus—compare our festival of Mardi Gras” (BDAG).

“Drunkenness” (methē) isn’t consistent with being “awake” and “alert,” which was mentioned above (v.11). Since our time is short, we need to make the most of our opportunities—not wasting our lives for pleasure.

“Sexual immorality” (koitais) is where we get our modern term “coitus” (i.e. sex). It can refer to lying down in a bed, sexual intercourse, or “sexual excesses” (BDAG). In this context, it refers to sexual immorality, because it is accompanied by other vices—not least of which is “sensuality.”

“Sensuality” (aselgeiais) refers to a “lack of self-constraint which involves one in conduct that violates all bounds of what is socially acceptable, self-abandonment” (BDAG).

“Strife” (eridi) refers to “engagement in rivalry” or “contention” (BDAG).

“Jealousy” (zēlos) is a neutral term. It can refer to “zeal” in general, so it can be used for zeal aimed at good or evil. In this context, it can be defined as “intense negative feelings over another’s achievements or success, jealousy, envy” (BDAG).

It’s interesting to see Paul putting sins like orgies and drunkenness right alongside jealousy and strife. By mentioning strife and jealousy, Paul is likely setting up for the divisions which he will address between the weaker and stronger brothers in Romans 14.

(13:14) “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”

The term “put on” (enduō) is identical to Galatians 3:27, which states, “All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed or (enduō) yourselves with Christ.” However, in Galatians, Paul is referring to our position in Christ (past tense completed), while here he is referring to our condition (present tense).[]

“And make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.” How do we stop the constant invasion of the flesh? Paul tells us to make no “provision” (pronoia), which means “thoughtful planning to meet a need, forethought, foresight, providence” or “make provision for something, be concerned for or about something” (BDAG). Therefore, much of our battle is in our mind. The flesh wants to take more and more ground. Don’t give it a foothold!

In AD 386, a professor of rhetoric at Milan despaired over the reality of his sinful life. He wept in the garden of a friend, wondering if he should make the decision to come to Christ. At this moment, he heard a child singing, “Tolle, lege! tolle, lege! (“Take up and read! Take up and read!”). He picked up a scroll of Romans, and he read this passage (Rom. 13:13-14). Later, he wrote, “No further would I read, nor had I any need; instantly, at the end of this sentence, a clear light flooded my heart and all the darkness of doubt vanished away.”[] This man went on to become one of the greatest minds in Christianity: Augustine of Hippo (AD 354-430).

Questions for Reflection

Read verses 8-14. If all you had were these verses, how would you define the biblical concept of love?

What reasons does Paul give to motivate us to love others?

What is your reaction and response to this quote from John Stott? He writes, “It is sometimes claimed that the command to love our neighbours as ourselves is implicitly a requirement to love ourselves as well as our neighbours. But this is not so. One can say this with assurance, partly because Jesus spoke of the first and second commandment, without mentioning a third; partly because agapē is selfless love which cannot be turned in on the self; and partly because according to Scripture self-love is the essence of sin.”[]