THE GOSPEL OF
CHRIST
SPREADING THE SOUL-SAVING MESSAGE OF JESUs
(Chapters 13-16)
Introduction by narrator accompanied by a cappella singing:
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. Spreading the soul-saving message of Jesus. And now, Timothy Sparks and Ben Bailey.
Ben Bailey:
“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities” (
Timothy Sparks:
And I’m Timothy Sparks. Welcome to our study of the Book of Romans. This message is brought to you by
individual members and congregations of the churches of Christ. We hope that
you will visit the
We now begin a study of Romans 13. Here, we learn that Christians are supposed to be the best possible citizens. Paul tells us that we are to make sure that we submit ourselves to the powers that exist within government. God has decreed that the government has the power to enforce justice, and that in so doing, it will be God’s servant to keep things running properly. For example, God has empowered the government to enforce the death penalty, because, as Paul notes, “the government does not bear the sword in vain.” One of God’s ways of taking care of these things is by setting up the government, and then empowering it to deal with evil doers. This might remind us also of what Peter said when he wrote, “Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters” (1 Pet. 4:15). We’re not to suffer as a murderer, as a thief, as an evil doer, or as a busybody in other people’s affairs. But if we suffer as a Christian, we are not to be ashamed, but are instead to glorify God (1 Pet. 4:16). Romans 13 teaches us that Christians need to be the best citizens possible.
Ben Bailey:
Being good citizens means that we will obey the laws of the land. If those laws do not contradict the law of God, then it is my responsibility to obey them. For example, if the law states that on the Interstate I can go 70 miles an hour, and I decide to go 80, then I’m not doing what I should be doing. When I disobey the governing laws, Romans 13 says that I also disobey the laws of God. Another example might be that of taxes. Jesus taught that we should render to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and give to God what is God’s (Mk. 2:17). If someone cheats on their taxes, they think they’re cheating only the government. But according to Romans 13, they’re really sinning against God. So as we think about practical matters relating to such things as the speed limit or paying taxes, we need to remember that those are things that help the Christian be a good example. Isn’t this really why Paul would say something like this? Paul’s not trying to give honor to an ungodly government. Rather, he’s trying to teach us to exhibit Christian character in an ungodly world. If we as Christians (who are supposed to be the best citizens of all) don’t obey the speed limits and other laws, how will the world look at us? If we do those things that are ungodly when we are supposed to be the ones who are trying to do right, what will that say to those around us about Christianity? All of this, of course, must be considered in light of Acts 5:29, where we are instructed to obey God rather than men. We must always put God first. If our government was to institute a law which said that we couldn’t worship God, then in that instance it would be acceptable to break the law of the land in order to obey the law of God. But if God’s laws and the government’s laws go hand and hand and do not contradict one another, then it is a command of God that we obey the government’s laws. The point of Romans 13 is that we are to submit to the governing authorities, so long as that does not require us to violate God’s laws.
Timothy Sparks:
In Romans 13:7-8, Paul says that we are to render to each person whatever they are owed, and to render honor to whom honor is due. Then he says in verse 8 that we are to “owe no one anything, but to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.” Christians should be people who pay their debts. This is part of being a good citizen, and it’s part of being a good steward. We must pay others what we owe them. We need to be right in God’s sight by being right with other people. We are to owe people nothing but love. This is a universal law of God. We owe each and every individual love. Why is this the case? John says, “We love because He first loved us” (1 Jn. 4:19). The only reason we love at all is because God first loved us. Owing love to each and every individual is something that God requires of us. This was true under the Old Testament as well. Leviticus 19:18 teaches that we are to love our neighbor as our self. When the people asked Jesus about “the greatest commandment,” He said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mt. 22:37-39). Jesus teaches us that we are to be people of love. Jesus tells us to love our enemies. We are to pray for those who persecute us (Mt. 5:44). This is very difficult to do. In Romans 12:18, Paul said that, as far as possible, we are to live at peace with all people. We are to do good to our enemies. If our enemies are hungry, we are to feed them. If they are thirsty, we are to give them something to drink. By so doing, we will heap coals of fire on their heads. So, when we come to Romans 13:8, and Paul says, “Owe no one anything except to love one another,” he is telling us that we owe love even to our enemies. God so loved that He gave His own Son (Jn. 3:16). From Romans 13:8, we learn that we owe a great debt. Paul began the Book of Romans by saying, “I am a debtor to preach the gospel” (Rom. 1:14). Paul was a debtor to preach the Gospel, not only to those whom he liked, but also to his enemies. Those enemies persecuted him so much so that they even dragged him out of the city and left him for dead after having stoned him. Yet he still owed them love. Stephen (Acts 7) gave his life, yet his dying request was that the Lord would not lay the sin to the charge of his persecutors. He wanted them to be saved. That was the kind of love that Stephen had. So, when we look at Romans 13:8, we see that we, too, owe a great debt of love. This means that we will do what is in another person’s best interest, even when it’s not necessarily pleasant, because it is what God would have us to do.
Ben Bailey:
In Romans 14, we learn that we must not do anything that could cause another person to stumble. In Romans 14:13, Paul says, “Let us…resolve not to put a stumbling block, or a cause to fall, in our brother's way.” As a Christian, I not only have to think about myself, but I also have to think about others. Sometimes, we must bear the scruples of the weak, as Paul would say. We have to look to our other brothers and sisters, and make sure that even though we may have the liberty to do something, it must not offend someone if we exercise that liberty. The example Paul uses in Romans 14 concerns the eating of meats that had been offered to idols, and that were then being sold in the market place. If someone purchased this meat and served it at a meal, those who knew that the meat had been offered to idols might have a problem with that, and say, “Why are you eating meat that was offered in an ungodly way to idols? Don’t you know that’s wrong?” Really, there’s nothing wrong with eating meat that has been offered to an idol, is there? It’s still “just meat.” “But,” Paul says, “if it costs my brother his soul, I’ll never eat meat again.” That’s the attitude we ought to have. If something we do is causing others to sin, although we may have the right and to do that thing, we ought to have the mindset that if it’s going to cause people to be lost, then we won’t do it. Interestingly, when you talk with people about this idea, especially as it relates to matters of their dress or the way they live, many get angry and say, “That’s my Christian right, and that’s what I’m going to do—whether people like it or not!” That’s not at all the mindset of Jesus. Many people are too concerned about self, and too unconcerned about others. We must make sure that whatever we’re doing doesn’t offend people.This is a classic example of Christian love, and of one Christian submitting to another.
Timothy Sparks:
As we look at Romans 14:17, Paul says, “The
Ben Bailey:
Paul
has spoken very harshly in the Book of Romans against the Old Law as
a way of salvation. Now, as he approaches Romans 15, he has in his mind the
idea that some might be thinking that the Old Law is of no value at all—that
it’s worthless, useless, and of no value to the Christian. That’s not the case,
for, as he says in Romans 15:4, “The things were written before time, were
written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the
scriptures, might have hope.” The Old Law that he’s discussing here was written
before the Christian era. Although it is not the law that presents salvation
and proscribes worship, it is nevertheless a wonderful book of history that
contains important examples and numerous practical lessons for our lives. For
example, in Genesis 6 we learn of the wrath of God. God wants people to be
saved, and will do everything He can to help them. But He can also be a
wrathful God. As we come down through the sands of time in history, we enter
into the Exodus—the time of
Timothy Sparks:
Perhaps one of the most beautiful verses in the entire
Book of Romans is Romans 15:13, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy
and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy
Spirit.” God can fill us with hope and joy, but we have to believe in Him and
in His Word. We have to have the “obedience of faith” of which the Book of Romans
speaks (Rom. 1:5; 16:26). This means we have a faith that completely and wholeheartedly
obeys God. In Romans 16, Paul sends greetings to a number of saints. We, too,
need to be more liberal in our greetings. We need to be people who go out of
our way to meet and get to know other brothers and sisters in Christ. I believe
there is also another application that can be made from this text. We need to
be willing to greet people who have not obeyed the Gospel—people who are not
Christians. We need to be very friendly people who love the lost, and who are
concerned about individuals who are not yet Christians. Notice Romans 16:16,
“The churches of Christ greet you.” Paul emphasizes “the
Ben Bailey:
In Romans 16:26, as Paul begins to speak again of the obedience
of faith, he says in verse 20 that the God of peace is going to shortly crush
Satan. He thus brings us back to the scheme of redemption. God, through the
centuries, had been working in such a way that the final victory would be the
child of God’s. Today, that victory can be yours. The Book of Romans tells us
that the Gospel has the power to save (Rom. 1:16-17). You can obey the Gospel,
and be one of God’s children. Members of the
Timothy Sparks:
Romans 11:33 provides a wonderful statement about God’s scheme of redemption. “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” God has given us such a wonderful plan of salvation. We need to obey it, and then we need to live it in our daily lives.
We hope that you will visit the
Narrator accompanied by a cappella singing:
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST is brought to you by loving, caring members of the church of Christ. The McLish Avenue church of Christ in Ardmore, Oklahoma, oversees this evangelistic effort. For a free CD or DVD of today’s broadcast, please write to:
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST
You may call 580-223-3289. Please visit us on the
web at www.thegospelofchrist.com.
We encourage you to attend the
1. What is the main topic of discussion in Romans 13:1-8?
2. How do Romans 131-8 and Acts 5:29 fit together?
3. Explain the meaning of Romans 13:8 in regard to financial debts of Christians.
4. According to 1 John 4:19, what makes it possible for Christians to love?
5. In Matthew 22:37-39, Jesus spoke to the people about “the greatest commandment.” Then, He talked to them about another commandment that flowed from that one. What was “that other commandment”?
6. Explain Paul’s statement in Romans 1:14, “I am a debtor to preach the gospel.”
7. What was Paul’s point in Romans 14:14 when he urged Christians not to put a stumbling block in a brother’s way?
8. Explain from the context of Romans 14 what would be wrong, in the first century, with Christians eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols.
9. What did Paul mean when he said, “Whatever is not from faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23)?
10. If we disagree with another Christian over a matter of opinion, what are our two options about how to handle the disagreement?
11. In Romans 15, Paul pointed out that the Old Law was not “valueless.” What value does it have for us today?
12. According to Romans 15:13, what is one of the blessings of being a child of God?
13. According to Romans 16:16, to whom does the church belong?
14. Does Christ’s church have more than one scriptural name? If so, list some of those names. Support your answer with Scripture.
15. Paul begins (Rom. 1:5) and ends (Rom. 16:26) the Book of Romans by talking about “the obedience of faith.” Explain what is meant by that term.
16. What famous Old Testament example of “obedience of faith” does Paul use in the Book of Romans to make his point about the obedience of faith?
17. What did Paul mean when he said, “The
18. In Romans 13:8, Paul said that we should give “honor to whom honor is due.” Explain that statement.
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST,