13:1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
The idea of submitting to a secular authority has always been controversial among Christians. While the subject of submission is often responsible for unbelievers to reject Jesus (not willing to be held accountable to anyone), Christians also have difficulty in submitting, making ‘submission’ an unacceptable concept. However, we need to remember that Jesus was submissive to His Father (see Luke 22:42 and John 6:38-40 for examples) and that we are to be submissive to Him. Especially evident when He taught us to pray, “thy will be done” (see Matthew 6:10). Although as believers we are not ultimately under human authority we are expected to submit to human governments and institutions that God places over us.
One might ask the question; why should we submit? God wants us to obey human authority to demonstrate that our faith is real and that our concern for others is genuine (see also Matthew 5:3-11), so that others will see our witness and possibly be willing to accept Jesus themselves. Does that mean Christians are to blindly follow human institutions? No, that is not what Paul is saying. Christians are to obey all laws and respect all authority up to the point we are called to do something God forbids or not do something He commands (see Acts 4:19-20; 5:27-29). Consider the story of Stephen in the book of Acts. Stephen was obedient to God and was willing to stand in front of the Jewish leadership giving them a summary of the Old Testament and pointed out that their interpretation of God’s Word was wrong (see Acts 6:8-7:60). Even though he was instructed not to teach in the name of Jesus he would not stop, which ultimately got him stoned.
13:3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.
Paul says that these authorities do not cause one to fear them for doing what is right and good, they strike fear in those who do wrong. If you don’t want to fear the authority, then do what is good and obtain their approval, as they are God’s servant for our good. But if you do wrong, now you should be afraid, as the authorities have been given what they need to enforce the laws and will punish those who do disobey. Therefore, believers should submit to their authority, not only to escape punishment but also to keep a clear conscience.
13:6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
For the same reasons Paul gave to encourage submission to authorities, he is now telling Christians that they are to pay their taxes. They are not to have anything owed, taxes are to be paid to those that taxes are owed, any revenue (fees, tolls, etc.) must be paid, respect (Greek ‘phóbos’, fear, reverence, etc.) must be given to whom respect is owed, and honor to whom honor is owed. This would include recognizing people’s titles and positions of authority (judges, police, etc.)
Love is the Fulfilling of the Law
13:8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Paul summarizes by saying, “Owe no one anything.” Perhaps one way to paraphrase this chapter would to say, “be a good citizen.” Returning to the primary principle behind all Christian behavior, Paul calls every believer to love each other. But this is not a call to just love fellow Christians, we are to love everyone, Paul explains that the one who loves another person has fulfilled the law. He shares how the commandments listed, and all of the other commandments can be summed up in, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (see Leviticus 19:18). Since love does no wrong to a neighbor, love fulfills the law.
Being often blinded by the strict nature of the law, we may find it difficult to see the connection between the law and love. The truth of the matter is that God’s law cannot be obeyed apart from love. But what does Paul mean when he says love fulfills the law? Can love alone satisfy God’s strict compliance to the set of regulations given to Moses on Mount Sinai? Jesus told us that on the precepts of fully loving God and loving our neighbors, hang the entire law and the words of the prophets (see Matthew 22:34-40). This may sound strange until we realize that the love both Jesus and Paul are both talking about is agapē love. This love is not based on emotions, it is a self-sacrificing unconditional love, a love that is not natural to humanity. We are only able to attain agapē from God through Jesus.
13:11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Paul knew that Christians can become complacent, apathetic or lethargic in their service to God. Here, in an attempt to bring believer’s focus back on Jesus, Paul calls their attention to the time, that the hour has come to wake up. He states that our salvation is nearer to us now than ever before. Salvation may be defined as the moment we are with Jesus for eternity in heaven (see also James 5:8; 1 Peter 4:7).
The Bible often speaks of light versus dark (or daytime versus nighttime) as metaphors for good versus evil and that which is from God versus that which comes from the world, Satan or the heart of a sinful man (for a few examples of this form of dichotomy see Psalm 139:12; Proverbs 4:19; Isaiah 5:20; 9:2; 43:16; 45:7; 50:10; Jeremiah 13:16; Matthew 4:16; 6:22-23; 8:12; Luke 1:79; 12:3; 22:53; John 1:5; 3:19-21; 8:12; 11:10; 12:35-36, 46; Acts 26:18; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Corinthians 4:6; 6:14; Ephesians 5:8; 6:12; Colossians 1:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:5; James 1:17; 1 Peter 2:9; 1 John 1:5-7; 2:11). Paul uses the same contrasting terms, where darkness refers to things that are thought to be hidden (known to be wrong), that are contrary to godly behavior, versus those things done in the light for all to see. Paul says the time of night is over as daytime is now here, so we need to cast off and destroy those things done in the darkness and put on the armor of light, living according to God’s Word (see also John 3:20; Ephesians 5:11; 6:11-13; Colossians 3:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:8).
Christians are to walk as though everything they do is being observed in the light, nothing hidden. Believers are not to participate in orgies, drunken behavior, sexual immorality, sensuality (Greek ‘asélgeia’, licentious, absence of restraint, sexual excess), quarreling or jealousy (see James 3:13-18). Instead, they are to “put on” (Greek ‘endúō’, clothe oneself) Jesus Christ, to be like Him, and not allow the body to seek gratification in any lustful desires. The New Living Translation states it this way, “Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.” (verse 14, NLT)