Christian Responsibility

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Responsible Citizenship

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Not many preachers have preached a sermon on this text. Leaders often become the target of much humor and criticism, but notice what Paul says about this. "Let ever person be subject to governing authorities." Matthew Henry says this requires inward honor and outward respect, both in speaking to them and in speaking about them.

Now at the time Paul was led to write this there was an additional reason for it. Because Christians had been given the false reputation of being trouble makers, they were urged to be even more respectful of the local authorities. Most of the civil magistrates were pagans and unbelievers, but Paul says this did not destroy their authority.

Paul gives two reasons for doing this. first of all, we should show respect for authority "for wrath's sake". Christians will always be subject to scrutiny. We might say that we live in a "glass house". For the early Christians, the least show of disobedience was dealt with severely, and so it is with us, not only by those who condemn us here on earth but by the Holy Spirit who brings our conscience to account. this brings us to the second reason, "for conscience sake". Disobedience causes a probe of conscience and this takes from us the joy of our salvation. Jesus said we should render unto Caesar (governing authorities) the things that belong to him, Paul says that this is "responsible citizenship".

God ordains all authority even if it is evil, therefore to resist that authority is to resist what God has ordained and appointed and will incur His wrath. Rulers do not pose a problem to those who do not pose a problem to them. So stay out of trouble and receive their approval. So be obedient to authority and avoid God's wrath and for your conscience sake.

Here Paul speaks of that which is due to "authority". He mentions taxes, revenue, respect and honor. This is not easy for often those in authority are such that we do not think that they deserve honor. But Paul says that it is the "position" not the "person" that deserves honor.

We must remember that Paul is writing this letter to Jewish Christians in Rome who were rich, by the worlds standards, but were very heavily taxed and Paul is saying to these people and to us, be just and honest in the paying of your taxes. It is often true that people who are honest to a fault do not hesitate to finagle the government out of any tax money that they can.

Thus Paul is saying that if we are to be responsible citizens, we are to give honor to authority, father, mother, minister, teacher, law enforcement officers and government officials whoever they might be, and to pay our taxes no matter how difficult it might be.

The Importance of Love

The second part of this study on "Christian Responsibility", stresses the importance of "Love". Notice Paul starts this instruction with the words, "Owe no one anything." Pay all your debts, but there is one debt that we can never repay, and that is the debt of love. Why is love a debt? Simply put, because it is due.

How important is love?

Paul says that love is the fulfilling of the Law. This was important to these Christian Jews. And who should we Love? We should love our neighbor. And who is our neighbor? Everyone that we come in contact with. If we love somebody, we cannot treat them badly. We would never think of killing them or dishonoring them by committing adultery or by stealing from them. On the other hand, even if we do not do these things against our neighbor, and have not love, we have accomplished nothing.

How important is love?

Matthew Henry says that loving and being loved is all the pleasure, the joy and happiness of being alive. Children raised without love are warped beyond repair. Marriages entered into without love is adulterous from its inception. Service to God or man without love is meaningless and worthless.

How important is Love?

Jesus asked Peter three times, "Peter, do you love me?" Without love, all of Peter's efforts for his Master, even his martyrdom would have been meaningless. Love not only does no ill toward anyone but it also does all the good that is within your means. Love is living, active obedience to the Law. God is love and everything that He does is out of love, even His judgments.

The End of the Age

These verses reflect Paul's belief that Christ's return was imminent, might even occur during his lifetime. The fact that this did not happen nor has it happened now for 2,000 years, does not make it any less so. We, as Christians, should live expectantly, as Paul did, perhaps even more so seeing the events of the times and the clear evidence of the coming of the "end times".

Paul gives us instruction in four areas of our lives that should reflect our hope and expectation of Christ's coming. These instructions have to do with work, dress, walk and preparations.

The first instruction has to do with work. Notice we are to work NOW. Many believers at the time of Paul believed as Paul did that the coming of Christ was imminent and therefore there was no need to work, either for food or for the sake of those who had not heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But Paul tells them to "awake" and consider their soul and souls of others. It was time to be busy as there was much work to do. The time of their "consummation" (death and reward) was near. He cautioned them about being "slow and dull" in their Christian life.

The second instruction had to do with dress. This, of course, had to do with spiritual dress. Paul says we are to take off our "night cloths" , the darkness of sin must be cast off, and put on our "day cloths", those of expectation and work. This Paul calls "the armor of light". What is our "armor"? Our armor is Christ, the Holy Spirit and the Gospel. Without our armor, we are useless.

The third instruction had to do with "walk". When we awake and put on the armor of God we are to walk honestly and discretely, being that which becomes a Christian. We should be aware that the eyes of the world are upon us. Then Paul lists a few things that should not be a part of the "Christian walk". We should not be given to much partying, much drink, the lusts of the flesh but rather be pure, chase and modest. Be not given to quarreling or jealousy.

The fourth instruction has to do with how we should prepare for the first three. "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh." If we do this, we will live expectantly, realize how late it is and go to work vigorously, put on the whole armor of God and then be about the Father's business.

All this is good to know, why don't we do it?

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