Romans: Chapter 13

Our Responsibilities to Government; and those who rule us.

As True Believers, we are dual Citizens; both of Heaven and Earth. We have God-given Responsibilities to govern and rule the earth, as well as obey God. There is no conflict. Keep these basic Truths in mind as we read and study this chapter.

13:1-2

God has given us free will. Only with free will can we love and worship God. Along with our free will comes responsibility. We are accountable to God for everything we do; we cannot blame the government or anyone else for our actions. Our Governmental Authority comes from our Constitution, which is based on True Godly values. Rulers who ignore, or subvert, our Constitution, do not have authority over us. We are privileged to have a form of Government, of the people, by the people, for the people, based upon a Constitutional Republic. A one-world government leads to a satanic government. Satan uses socialism to attack all four areas God gave us: our basic freedom to worship God, our free will; marriage and intimacy; our God-ordained right and responsibility to raise godly children; and family as the basis for society. (2.) Anyone who resists the authority of our Constitution brings judgment upon themselves. Keep in mind as this is true for us as well as our elected rulers.

13:3

Our rulers are to NOT be against good works, but against evil. We should not have to fear godly rulers, as they will honor those who do good. They are also to punish evildoers. God ordained that murderers be put to death; and evil men be stoned. There were no jails in Israel, as evil men were dealt with immediately. God said that to allow murderers to continue to live polluted the land. Is our country polluted with murderers? How many babies have been murdered by those who use a ‘law’ contrary to God: Roe vs. Wade?
The number of known killers, in America, outnumber ALL our teachers, judges, and police force! That fact should send a chill up your spine. Not using capital punishment, is to fight against the very Word of God.

13:4

Those who rule are to be God’s representative to us for good. They are also ordained by God, to execute wrath on those who do evil. Rulers have God’s authority to execute evil-doers by the sword; to execute and punish those who do evil. Yet, if Rulers do NOT do as they are ordained, we are to challenge them. John the Baptist challenged the King who did evil. Remember, corrupt rulers bring corrupt government. Yet Jesus said no one was greater than John. We must remove corrupt rulers.

13:5

We must be obedient to godly rulers not just because we fear wrath (punishment), but because our very conscience requires it. We honor God by honoring godly government. (See Acts 4:13-19)

13:6-7

We are to pay reasonable taxes to pay for God’s ministers that serve us. (7.) We are to pay taxes for things that are related to the duties of the government. We are to honor and support godly rulers. IF we have rulers who dishonor the Rule of Law, then we are not obligated to support them. They are subverting our government. Obviously, we cannot just refuse to pay taxes that fund abortion and other evil practices, because we can be put in jail; but we must do whatever we can to change those evil practices that violate our Rule of Law, which is our Constitution. We, as Americans, are in a unique position. We are responsible for our rulers; they work for us (or are supposed to!) If our rulers get out of control and do evil, we must rise up and challenge the evil they do. That is the very method that was used in the beginning to found our country and Constitution! Consider joining an organization that is working to reclaim America for God. Again, we suggest ALLIANCE DEFENDING FREEDOM. This is probably one of the most effective ways you can do your part to overcome evil in our country.

13:8-10

Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another. This means we are not to have special interests controlling our rulers. We know them as “Lobbyists”. We are obligated to love one another. Thus all government should do what is right and good. By doing this, loving others; we are obeying God. Jesus commanded us to love one another. (9.) All the commandments that pertain to our relationship with others, is summed up in the command to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Notice what is addressed: Adultery, immorality, murder, stealing, lying, greed and coveting. (10.) True love never harms anyone; therefore True Love fulfills God’s command ~ the law.

13:11

So how do we do this? We must shake ourselves out of apathy and become fervent about obeying God’s Word. Our complete Sanctification is closer to completion than when we first became Believers. Remember, that Justification was becoming a Believer, declared righteous before God. Sanctification is our growing in the power of being free of sin, we now have power to say NO to sin. The final part of our Salvation is our Glorification, which comes upon completion of Sanctification; which happens when we pass from this earthly life into Heavenly life. When do you actually receive Eternal life? Right Now! You already have it, IF you are a True Believer.

13:12

The evil ways of our past are gone, and the more we embrace Truth, the clearer we see our godly Glorification ahead of us, coming nearer and nearer. Our lives here on earth may be more than half over; we must strive as never before to utilize the Truth of the Word of God to equip ourselves to continue to become Sanctified. See Ephesians 6 for the Armor of God.

13:13

Chose to walk with the Holy Spirit. Live and walk in the Light. Jesus is the Light; live as though Jesus is standing next to you, watching everything you do, say and even think. He knows what you think BEFORE you even form your thoughts!

13:14

Chose to have your will follow the Holy Spirit. Then you will ‘put on Jesus’ by making His Will, your will. Then you will know you are living a life of continuous worship. True worship honors Jesus in everything you do, think and say. Don’t give your flesh an opportunity to sin, take your thoughts captive. Sin is the result of improper thinking, so your thoughts are the source of your sins. The Battlefield is in your mind!

Most great governments only last approximately 200 years and follow this pattern: People are in BONDAGE and seek God; then people go to great FAITH; then to COURAGE; which when used, brings them to LIBERTY and Freedom; Liberty then allows them to reach ABUNDANCE; too much abundance brings COMPLACENCY; people then become ignorant, and this becomes APATHY; then they become DEPENDANT; which leads them back into BONDAGE. So, where is America on this cycle? Too many people say, “I don’t know and I don’t care.”

Some years ago Joe Wright was asked to open the Kansas State Legislature with prayer. This is the prayer he gave, a True Invocation:

“Heavenly Father we come before you today and ask Your forgiveness and seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says “woe on those who call evil good” but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We confess that we have ridiculed the absolute Truth of Your Word and called it pluralism. We have worshiped other gods and called it multiculturalism. We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have neglected the needy and called it self-preservation. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it “choice”. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem. We have abused power and called it political savvy. We have coveted our neighbors’ possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us O God and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent to direct us to the center of your Will. I ask this in the name of your Son, the Living Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen”

Why not pray God’s very Word into your life and your land; for your house and place; for your family’s life, and the life of your Country, that God’s name, eyes, and heart maybe there forever?

God speaks to us in 2 Chronicles 7: 14-16 ~

14. If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. 16. For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.