Romans 13:3-5 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; 4 for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. 5 ...  Read More

Romans 13:2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.So what if our government went Nazi and promoted the slaughter of innocent people? How might Romans 13 then be interpreted? Did not the Jewish midwives defy the pharaoh to preserve Hebrew male babies when they were born? They “feared God, and did not...  Read More

Romans 13:1b For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.Two reasons to obey governing authorities can be seen in Romans 13:1. First, the Apostle Paul, speaking for God, commands it. So, to follow a command of God is to worship God—offering oneself as a living sacrifice (12:1). Second, all governing authorities exist by God’s consent and are “established...  Read More

Romans 13:1a Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities.Paul knew a little something about the topic of civil obedience. On one occasion, after being falsely accused of breaking the law and being put into the Philippian prison, instead of moaning about the injustice of it all, he and his companion Silas spent their night “praying and singing hymns of praise to God” (Acts 16:2...  Read More

Romans 12:19-21 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.           In Romans 12:19-21 Paul conti...  Read More

Romans 12:14-18 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. 18 If possible, so far as it depend...  Read More

Romans 12:10-13 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.Christians offering themselves to God as living sacrifices (12:1) both love and hate—havi...  Read More

Romans 12:9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.As every Christian knows, acting in accordance with one’s faith in every situation life gives is not easy. Behavior that glories Christ is not necessarily natural, but since believers are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, it is of course attainable. The Christian, having been saved by the Lord Jesus Christ, now has the ...  Read More

Romans 12:6, 8 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly… 8 he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.               A fifth spiritual gift given by God to the Church for those who would offer themselves to Him as living sacrifices is “he who gives” (Gr. metadidōmi), or the...  Read More

Romans 12:6-8a Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; 7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation…               After prophecy, Paul lists service (Gr. diakonia) as a spiritual gift, from which the English wor...  Read More

Romans 12:6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith…            Paul’s urging from the outset of Romans 12 concerns the ongoing worship of God in view of His mercies (v. 1). Christians are to worship God with their lives, refuse to conform to the world around them, be trans...  Read More

Romans 12:4-5 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.Verse 4 explains v. 3, specifically concerning how one Christian measures himself against another. The truth is, the Church of Jesus Christ is a group of people—a body—who have placed their faith in Chri...  Read More