Bible Commentaries
Romans 13

Verses 1-14

CHAPTER 13

1. Obedience to Authorities. (Romans 13:1-7 .)

2. Love the Fulfilling of the Law. (Romans 13:8-10 .)

3. The Day is at Hand. (Romans 13:11-14 .)

Romans 13:1-7

The children of God are strangers and pilgrims in the world. Our citizenship is in heaven. But what is the Christian to do as living under different forms of government? The Christian is to be in subjection to these, for the powers that exist are ordained by Him. Resisting these powers would mean resistance to God who has ordained them. They are God’s ministers to maintain order. “Render therefore to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.” If Christians had always obeyed these injunctions, how well it would have been. But often they are forgotten and an attempt is made to control the politics of this age and to rule.

Romans 13:8-10

“Owe no man anything, but to love one another, for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” The first sentence does not mean that it is wrong to borrow money. The question is about paying. If a debt is due it should be paid exactly on time. Borrowing money in a reckless way, without any prospect of returning the amount, is sinful, and often great dishonor has been brought upon the name of our Lord on account of it. But there is another debt which always remains. The Christian owes the debt of love to all. And this love is the fulfilling of the law. Love does not work ill to his neighbor. The natural man may claim that he keeps the sum of the other commandments, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself,” but he cannot do it. Only one who is born again, in whose heart there is love, has the power to do this.

Romans 13:11-14

The Coming of the Lord is brought before us in these verses as a motive to holy living. The final salvation is nearing, for the night is far spent and the day is at hand. The blessed hope is to be always before the Christian’s heart; it is a purifying hope. “He that hath this hope set upon him purifieth himself as He is pure.” In view of that approaching day, when we shall see Him face to face and be with Him in glory, the exhortations are given to awake out of sleep, to cast off the works of darkness, to put on the armor of light, to walk becomingly as in the day, to abstain from the things of the flesh, putting on the Lord Jesus and making no provisions for the flesh. We are to walk in the light as the children of the day, with faces set towards the coming glory. And never before were those exhortations more needed than now. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. The signs of the end of the age are seen everywhere, and yet in these solemn days how few of God’s people walk as the children of the day in the path of separation.