Coming back now to our study
in the book of Romans, Romans chapter 13. And we'll pick up
with about verse 7 and verse 8. We begin again with the Lord's
instructions for us as believers, how to conduct ourselves among
all men. If you would look just across
the page at Romans 12 verse 18, Romans 12, 18, if it be possible,
as much as life in you, live peaceably with all men. So the Lord would have us be
peacemakers. Blessed are the peacemakers.
Theirs is the kingdom of God. So we begin with the Lord's instructions
for us as believers how to conduct ourselves among all men. And especially among those where
we worship and where we live in Christ and among one another
being one body members one of another. Now, let's begin with
verse 7. Render therefore, or therefore
render to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due. I remember
he's talking about the powers that be are ordained of God.
The offices we have in government, whether it's the president all
the way down to the governor, to the mayor, to the county judge,
all these offices are ordained of God and they're for our good.
Render, you imagine what it would be if we lived in society with
no law and no law enforcement. It would be, I mean, as bad enough
as it is, it would be just total chaos, total anarchy. Render,
therefore, to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due,
custom to whom custom would be due, and then fear. fear to whom
fear is due, honor to whom honor is due. Now here is the sum of
what Paul has been teaching, therefore, render to all men
their due respect, knowing that their office is given of God.
We are to give tribute, and here we can also make a reference
to paying our taxes, to paying our taxes. Now, I know that when
we fill out that tax form at the end of the year and we sit
down and we pay our taxes, it's not really a pleasant thing to
do, but it's necessary. It's necessary. It's necessary. We are to pay our taxes without
rebegging, pay our taxes to whom it is owed, to whom it is due.
And then he mentions here custom or duty or pay your bills. Pay your bills. Those to whom
you owe money to, pay them. Pay your bills on time. And then
we're to give fear and respect to whom it is owed, especially
in the office as a circuit judge or a district judge or a Supreme
Court judge or any office that we have. We know that those who
rule over us do so by the authority and will of God. We are to fear
and respect those to whom it is owed, especially the office,
maybe not so much the person, but the office, but the persons
involved as well. Everybody who has an office,
whether it be a policeman on the street, or the mayor of the
city, or a civil magistrate, they rule by the authority, will,
and power of God. And we, especially as believers,
need to be in subjection unto them, and in doing so, we show
that we are in subjection to God. We're in subjection to the
power The powers that be are ordained of God. And then we're
to give honor to whom honor is due, to whom it is owed. In doing
so, we honor God who has ordained these things to our good. It
is therefore our responsibility. We are accountable unto God.
It is our responsibility to obey, respect, and submit to those
in authority as we would unto the Lord. Parents, obey your
children in the Lord. For this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus concerning you. Let every soul be subject to
higher powers, for there is no power but of God. The powers
that be are ordained of God." Now, we need to teach this here,
but really this is a lesson that needs to be taught everywhere.
In our schools, what would the school be without a principal
who was in charge? What if the kids were in charge?
Or if the kids weren't charged in the classroom. Sometimes they
think they are. But the teacher is that authority
in the classroom. What would the classroom be?
You wouldn't learn anything, would you? You see, the teacher
has to have the respect and honor of those children. And the principal,
he needs to have the respect and honor of those who are teachers
in the school. And right on up the chain. And
when we submit to that authority was submitting to the will of
God and were being in subjection to the will of God. Now, look
at verse eight. Owe no man anything. Now what
does that mean? Owe no man anything, but you
owe this. You owe this to everyone, to
love one another. That's what you owe. That's what
you owe to everyone. To love one another. For he that
loveth another hath fulfilled the law of God. Now Paul returned to that subject
in verse 8 of love. Of love. You remember back over
here in chapter 12, Romans chapter 12, verse 9 and 10. Let love be without dissimulation. Let it be true and genuine, sincere,
not in hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil, cleave
to that which is good, be kindly affectioned one to another with
brotherly love, in honor, preferring one another, preferring one another. Oh no man anything. Paul returns
again to this subject of love, the love of God that's shed abroad
in our hearts, no stronger motive to inspire us to obedience, and
subjection to the will of the Lord than His love toward us. We love Him only because He first
loved us and because He has loved us with an everlasting love and
has given us and made us new creatures in Christ. The fruit
of the Spirit that dwells in the heart of believers is love
to God and love toward one another. The love of Christ, we read in
2 Corinthians 5.14, the love of Christ constrains us. I think the greatest motivator,
it's not fear of punishment, it's not even promise of reward,
the greatest motivator the believer has in his life to serve the
Lord and to serve one another is his love to us. I mean, he
loved us so that he laid down his life for us. Then that next
verse talks about, brethren, we ought to lay our lives down
for one another. By this you do show forth the
love of God that shed abroad in our heart. Now, where it says
here, owe no man anything, it's not talking about financial debt,
not talking about financial debt. There's nothing wrong with borrowing
money and making timely payments to the lender as we have agreed.
Now, if we couldn't borrow money and if we didn't owe money, well,
we couldn't buy a house, we couldn't buy a car. So he's talking about
something bigger than a financial thing. He's talking about giving
respect and honor to whom it is due. Owe no man anything. This is talking something much
more important, being in subjection to the will of God and to obey
the commandment of the Lord to love one another as he loved
us. James, remember our study in
the book of James called that the royal law of love in the
gospel commands us, not suggestion. It's a command of the Lord. Now,
let's turn and read that one more time. Turn back to John
chapter 13. John chapter 13. John 13, look at verse 34. John 13, 34. He says, The new
commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another, as
I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this, verse
35, by this shall all men know that you are my disciples if
you love one another. Now again in the book of John,
find John chapter 15, look at verse 12. John 15 verse 12, this is my
commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
Greater love hath no man than this, than a man lay down his
life for his friends, and you are my friends, if you do whatsoever
I command you. Our Lord as King and God as Supreme,
Sovereign over all, doesn't make suggestions. He commands his subjects as the
king rightly should do. We are to love one another as
he has loved us. Pastor Mahan made this comment
in his commentary book on Romans. He says, our true spirituality
is not measured by how much doctrine we know. You can know all the
right doctrine and still be lost. You can know all the right doctrine
and know all the right answers and still not know God. Our true
spirituality is not measured by how much doctrine we know,
but rather how much we love, and forgive one another. That's a spiritual man. That's
a man who's growing in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord
Jesus Christ. We're to love one another and
to forgive one another even as God for Christ's sake has forgiven
us. We know that we pass from death
unto life because we love the brethren. Now, I would have you
turn to 1 John chapter 4. Find 1 John chapter 4. John has
a whole lot to remember when we studied through 1 John. He
has a whole lot to say about love, doesn't he? 1 John chapter
4. Look at verse 7. 1 John 4, 7. Beloved, let us love one another,
for love is of God. And everyone that loveth is born
of God and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not
God, for God is love. And this was manifested, the
love of God toward us, because that he sent his only begotten
Son into the world, that we might live through him, hearing his
love. And this was manifested, the
love of God toward us, because he sent his only begotten Son
into the world, that we might live through him. Verse 10, hearing
his love, not that we love God, but that he loved us and sent
his son to be the propitiation and sacrifice for our sin. Beloved,
if God so loved us, we ought to love one another. We ought
to love one another. Look over at verse 20, 1 John
4, 20. If a man say, I love God and hate his brother, if a man says, well, I love God,
but I don't like you, and I hate you, what does that say? If a
man say, I love God and hate his brother, he's a liar. For
he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how could
he love God whom he's not seen? And this commandment, we have
we from him, that he who loveth God loveth his brother also. Now, that's a pretty clear message,
is it not? Now, I must confess, I'm convicted
by the fact that I don't love as I ought to. I don't love as
I should. I don't even love God as I should.
I love Him, but not like I should, not like I will one day. But
we are commanded and motivated by the word of the Lord to love
one another as He has loved us. One old writer said this, love
is a debt we owe, but we can never fully pay. Love is a debt
we owe that we can never fully pay. We constantly owe it to
Christ and to all men. Those who are blessed to love
one another have honored the commandment of God. And we have honored the law of
God as we are in subjection to the Lord Jesus Christ. who perfectly
love God in body, soul, and spirit. Now that's what the law of God
demands. The law of God demands absolute, perfect love, body,
soul, and spirit. And not one of us have ever done
that one time. It is our aim, it is our goal,
it's something we inspire into. But our hope is this, the Lord
Jesus Christ said, I didn't come to destroy the law, I came to
honor the law of God. The Lord Jesus Christ is the
only man upon this earth as a God-man mediator who did love God with
all of his soul, mind, body, and strength. God says of him,
this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased and God is
well pleased with everyone that is in his son. This is the only
way that we have honored the law of God perfectly is to be
found in Christ. Now, Christ is all of our righteousness,
he's all of our Faithfulness before God and to the law of
God. Now, does that mean that we're
to be unfaithful? No, we're to be in subjection to the rule
of God's word and his command. Look at verse 8 again, Oh no
man anything but to love one another for he that loveth another
hath honored or fulfilled the law of God. Now the only way
we can truly and actually fulfill the law of God is to be found
in Christ. Now, here's what the law of God
demands. The law of God demands absolute
perfection. And none of us, none of us can
attain to that level. The law of God was never given
to cause us to have salvation. The law of God was never given
that we might attain into a righteousness. The law of God was given to show
us that we are sinners, that we are guilty before God. For
this, it says in verse 9 and following, here's what the law
of God demands. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Now, none of you are guilty,
right? We're just the opposite, we're
all guilty. We're all guilty. We're all guilty. Thou shalt not commit adultery,
but we have, we are. Thou shalt not kill. Now I've
never taken a gun and shot somebody, but the Lord said to be angry
in your heart is to be guilty of murder already. Now I've never,
never actually committed the act of adultery, but the Lord
said to look upon another with the intent or even the thought
is to be guilty of adultery already. So here's the point the Lord
is making, we're guilty, we're guilty. The law says nothing
but stop your mouth, you remember Roman chapter three, stop your
mouth, you're guilty before God. Thou shalt not steal and to have
a covetous thought is to be a thief. Thou shalt not bear false witness,
you've never told a lie. You've never exaggerated one
time, have you? How big was that fish you caught? You see, the point I'm making
is this. To offend in one point of the
law is to be guilty of all the law of God. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not steal. You shall
not bear false witness. you shall not covet. This is
the strictness of the law of God. This is what the law of
God demands. And what the law of God reveals
to us that we're all guilty. We're all guilty. That we need
someone greater than us, better than us, to fulfill the law of
God for us. The only one that The only one
that ever had no sin, knew no sin, and did no sin, who honored
every precept of God's law, and word, deed, thought, and motive,
is the Lord Jesus Christ. He's the Lord, our righteousness. Thou shalt not covet. Thou shalt not covet. None of
us are guilty there, are we? We're all guilty. We're all guilty. And if there be any other commandment,
it's briefly comprehended in this. And surely you've done
this one. You love your neighbor as yourself. Now if you think you've accomplished
that one, you're deceived. You're deceived. You know, it
should be our desire to love our neighbor. It should be our
desire to love our enemies. But we don't do this one either. Love your neighbor as yourself.
This flesh is just not capable of doing that. Now the new man
in Christ, this is his desire and this new man in Christ cannot
sin. This new man in Christ has honored
the law of God as it's fulfilled in our substitute, the Lord Jesus
Christ. Paul here in verse 9, I want
to make this real clear. Paul here in verse 9 is not putting
us back under the law. Now that would be contrary to
the whole message of the book of Romans, would it not? We're
justified, look back at Romans 3. Paul here is not putting us
back under the law. He says in, you find Rome in
chapter 3, but let me just remind you of these verses. Likewise,
reckon yourselves also to be dead indeed in sin, but alive
unto God through our Lord Jesus Christ. For sin shall not have
dominion over you, for you're not under the law, but under
grace. We're not under the law, but under grace. Now, wherefore
then serveth the law? What does the law teach us? It
teaches one lesson. You know what it is? I can sum
it up in one word. Guilty. The law of God says you're
guilty. Now I know people don't like
to hear that word, but look at Romans 3.19. Now we know that What things whoever the law saith,
it saith to them that are under the law, that every mouth may
be stopped, all the world may become guilty before God, therefore
by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in
his sight. Now, is that clear? Say, well, I've never done this,
I've never done that, I've never done this, I've never done that,
therefore I'm a moral and righteous man, therefore God ought to accept
me. That's nothing but salvation by works. And we know by the
deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified, for by the law
is the knowledge of sin. The law of God does not remove
guilt, it exposes guilt. When you walk into a dark room,
dusty, musty, dark old room it's not been entered into for a long
time and you turn on the light switch and you see all the cobwebs
and the dirt and the filth. Does the light remove the cobwebs? It exposes the dirt and that's
what the law of God does. It exposes us as guilty for by
the law is the knowledge of sin. But now here's the good news
of the gospel. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested
being witnessed by the law and the prophets. Even the righteousness
of God which is by the faith of Jesus Christ. That's our hope. The faithfulness of the Lord
Jesus Christ, He is our righteousness. He is our righteousness. Christ has redeemed us from the
curse of the law, being made a curse for us. Let me just read
for you one more reference. You don't need to turn to this,
you're quite familiar with it. But again, I'm emphasizing here
that Paul in Romans chapter 13 is not putting us back under
the bondage of the law to obtain a righteousness by the deeds
of the law. That would be contrary to the whole message of the book
of Romans and contrary to the whole gospel message. Therefore,
he says in Galatians 5 verse 1, Stand fast therefore in the
liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled
again with the yoke of bondage." Now you can have bondage if you
want to. By his grace, I want liberty. I want freedom. Behold,
I, Paul, say unto you that if you be circumcised, if you be
circumcised to be justified before God, if you try to obtain a righteousness
by your morality, Christ shall profit you nothing. Nothing. I testify again to every
man that is circumcised that he's a debtor to do the whole
lot. I mean, you better get in the livestock business right
quick and buy you some bulls and goats and sheep and start
coming to God by the burnt offering and the peace offering and all
these different offerings by the blood offerings of bulls
and goats. He's a debtor to do the whole law. Christ has become
of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law. If you say, well, I'm justified
before God by what I do, or what I don't do, you've departed. You see what it says there? It
said you're fallen from grace. You've departed from the salvation
by the grace of God alone in Christ. Now, Love worketh no
will to his neighbor. Love is the fulfilling of the
law. And that's what Christ has done for us. He's fulfilled the
law of God for us. I will pick up there. I'd actually
intended to get down to verse 14, but I know that that's not
going to be possible with the time that we're given here. So
we'll wind it up with that and come back next time.