Romans 13:8-14
The Christians social duty
Welcome!
√ Great cooks in our fellowship - many thanks to all those who brought food to the fellowship night!
√ Verichip article - moving quickly toward the end of the age.
Would you open your Bibles to...
1John 4:8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Pray
Intro
√ Reminds me of a story...
A couple ordered their wedding cake and asked that the baker write the scripture of 1 John 4:18 which reads...
1John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
Unfortunately, due to an error by the baker, or a smudge on the order form the baker wrote the text of John 4:18 in beautiful script which reads...
John 4:18 "for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly."
√ By way of review we’ve been looking at the Lord’s instructions to Christians concerning our response to the great love of God shown to us in the gift of His Son.
The context of chapters 12 through 15 is found in Romans 12:1
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”
In view of all that God has done for us we are called to present ourselves as a living sacrifice which Paul has so far defined for us as our duty...
To use our gifts to build the Body of Christ
To treat fellow Christians with sincere love
To model Christ to the unbelievers
To submit and support those in authority (government)
Paul continues his instructions here in the balance of chapter 13 with a look at our Social Duty - that is, how we are to live amongst the people in our community.
Fitting, as we looked at our duty to those in authority over us in verses 1-7...
...now we look at our duty toward our neighbor!
Ap. Very important for us to recognize this duty, and to put it into practice. Too often the cults do a better job of being a “good neighbor” than we Christians who have the real deal!
Our social duty (vs. 8-10)
Rom 13:8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
Rom 13:9 For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
Rom 13:10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
√ Our social duty as Christians
Be free of heavy obligations
Love your neighbor
1) Be free of heavy obligations
There’s a quite a bit of commentary on exactly what Paul means by...
“Owe no one anything” - vs. 8
Some believe it to mean that Christians should not ever borrow money. Others, believe it to mean that Christians should never borrow money for anything except an asset, others believe the context is social...
Let’s look at the instruction as two-fold:
Financial
Social
Financial
There’s a lot of wisdom in being free of heavy debt.
If you’re leveraged to the point that you’re not free to go and do the Lord’s will...
...then you’ve become a slave to your lender.
Ex. A home loan that fits into a single income is a good investment.
Credit card debt is a bad investment!
Ap. If the Lord calls you to greater ministry opportunity you don’t want to miss it because of financial obligations!
Hold the things of this world with a light touch - don’t them them get a hold of you! Save yourself the stress - heavy financial obligations will keep you from being able to focus on ministry.
Social
Don’t indebt yourself to people through favors granted. To do so means that people “own you” - and will lead to compromise of your principles.
Ex. Herod - obligated himself to his step-daughter and found himself compromised so that he felt he had to grant her wish for the head of John the Baptist.
Ex. Peter - allowed himself to be influenced by the Jews visiting from Jerusalem and no longer ate with the Gentile believers.
Ap. As Christians we must guard our principles and integrity so that we never find ourselves in the place where we are obligated to someone and find our hands tied to do what’s right in a situation.
If you have compromised yourself, do the right thing even if it means you’ll be humiliated or lose the favor of another. Please God first.
2) Love your neighbor
“Who is my neighbor?”
...asked a man who wanted to justify himself. To which Jesus then shared the Parable of the Good Samaritan
(Luke 10:25-37).
Jesus’ point was that everyone is our neighbor!
Therefore, the instruction regarding our social duty as Christians is to love everyone!
Why?
Because in so doing we fulfill the Law of Christ!
Love fulfills the Law
Paul reveals the foundation of the entire Mosaic Law - that foundation is love! Quoting from the second tablet of the Law (dealing with interpersonal relationships) Paul demonstrates how love is the motivation behind the Law.
You see the act of loving another person will by it’s nature do what the Law demands.
Ex. If you really love your neighbor then you...
Won’t steal from them
Won’t have sex with their spouse
Won’t lie about them
Won’t covet what they have
...rather, you’ll want what’s best for them and will do everything within your power to be a blessing to your neighbor.
Conversly, if you do...
Steal from them
Have sex with their spouse
Lie about them
Covet what they have
...then you can’t honestly say that you love them! Rather, you love yourself more than you love them as evidenced by your actions.
Ap. What freedom! No longer do we have to worry about a set of rules and regulations that we must keep to please God.
Now all we have to do is let love (agape) guide our behavior, attitude, thoughts, and speech.
WWJD? - He is love!
A love that’s real
Have you found that it’s a lot easier to talk about loving my neighbor than actually doing it!
I’ll admit it, there are some people that are hard to love! In fact, I can be one of them!
Ex. They may....
Be rude
Overbearing
Busy body
Smell bad
Not your type
But, the Lord doesn’t let us off the hook. We’re called to love one another regardless of how we feel or think about that person (or people).
As I quote often...
John 13:34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
John 13:35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
Note first that it’s a commandment, and second, the model - Jesus “as I have loved you”, third that it is our primarily witness to the world!
No room for squiggling!
Be encouraged, if Jesus could work this kind of love into the lives of the disciples He can do it in ours too!
Ex. Was there ever a more diverse group of men than the 12?!
A tax collector
A Revolutionary
Fishermen
Impulsive
Thoughtful
They were forever arguing with one another, competing with one another, giving others a hard time (Mary when she anointed Jesus’ feet, the people who brought their children to Jesus, etc.)
Yet, these men learned to love and appreciate each other.
Ap. The love of Jesus must mark our lives - both toward believers and unbelievers.
Remember, you can have all the spiritual gifts, even give your life for the Gospel, but without love it’s of no value! (I Cor. 13).
The Christian’s duty in example (vs. 11-14)
Rom 13:11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
Rom 13:13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in licentiousness and lewdness, not in strife and envy.
Rom 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
√ Note the instruction
Paul closes this section dealing with our social responsibility with instructions regarding our life style!
Specifically, our personal holiness.
“Holiness! Don’t tell me you’re getting legalistic on us pastor!”
We’re not talking about rules and regulations. Rather, Paul is calling Christians to have a life style like Jesus!!
While I don’t think Jesus had a list of do’s and don't - He definitely had a standard in His life.
His life style was marked by personal holiness.
Holiness = Separated
Ex. Jesus lived in the world, but He was not of this world.
In the same way Christians lives are to be marked by a separation; living in the world, but not behaving like the world.
Note the picture language Paul uses to show us the separation:
Day vs. Night
Light vs. Darkness
Awake vs. Asleep
The point is that there are activities and behaviors that have no part in the life of a Christian.
Ex. Darkness
revelry (wild parties, orgies)
drunkenness
licentiousness (sexual immorality)
lewdness (lust)
strife (fighting, arguing)
envy (jealousy)
Ap. Our lifestyle ought to be like that of Jesus’. No excuse - no pretending that because you’re under Grace you don’t know it’s wrong.
The people in the world see this kind of behavior and use it as an excuse to reject Jesus!
Don’t play games - give your lifestyle to Jesus and let Him change your desires!
√ Note the motivation
Paul gives us a good reason for living a holy life.
Jesus is coming back!
Paul points out that each day brings us closer to the end of the Age.
Great reminder that all Christians in all ages until Jesus returns are called to live with the expectation that Jesus might come today!
Ex. “Watch and be ready”, “You don’t know the hour or the day”, “Like a thief in the night”, etc.
For the person who might be tempted to think...
“Jesus isn’t coming back in my life time!”
...are you sure that you much life time left?!
Friend, the Lord may call you home today! None of us is guaranteed tomorrow. Jesus may have your promotion papers ready!
Ap. Live your life for Jesus today! Don’t waste your time and life involved in the things that you know are not pleasing to God.
√ Paul closes with by sharing the secret for holy living.
“Put on the armor of light” - vs. 12
“Put on the Lord Jesus Christ” - vs. 14
“Make no provision for the flesh” - vs. 14
What does all that mean?
The key is found in the word “provision”.
Lit. = “make no forethought”
That is, don’t spend your time thinking about how to satisfy the lust of your flesh!
Instead, spend your time thinking about how to satisfy the Lord.
Ex. Fasting - when I fast I’ve found that I’ve got to keep myself busy. If I have too much time on my hands with nothing to do I find my thoughts quickly going to FOOD!
But, if I keep busy I find that I’m distracted by what I’m involved with and food gets pushed out of my mind.
Additionally...
I don’t spend time driving slowly through the parking lot of Burger King.
I don’t hang out in grocery stores.
I don’t look through gourmet food magazines.
Ap. Sin - if I’m trying to live for Christ and keep clear of sin I need to fill my mind with His thoughts and keep myself busy about spiritual things so that I don’t have time to be thinking about how to satisfy my flesh.
So...
There are places that I don’t spend time.
Places I don’t hang out in.
Magazines, movies, and music that I subject myself too.
Because I recognize that if I think long enough on sin - I’ll soon be involved in it!
Jam 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
Jam 1:14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
Jam 1:15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
Sin is the result of careful planning, it never just happens!
Close
√ As Christians - Christ’s ambassadors, we have a social responsibility to...
Be free of heavy obligations
To love our neighbor
To have a lifestyle like Jesus
√ None of us can do that on our own power.
Need the power of the Holy Spirit Who was given to us that we might be His witnesses.