Page 91 - Romans Student Textbook.doc

It is the desperate nature of the times that requires such a response to the ways that evil shows itself.
Paul used the contrast between darkness and light in which to frame his directives. The overarching
command he gave about how to respond to the darkness of evil is “Let us walk properly as in the
daytime.” 116 Paul used a form for this command that directs the command at himself as well as to the
Roman Christians. The other commands in the paragraph line up under this one. They are to “cast off the
works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” 117 And “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no
provision for the flesh.” 118 They give insight how walking properly in the daytime is to be accomplished. All
of them together remind us of Paul’s final encouragement to the Ephesian church to use the armor that
God provides through His Spirit and His Word to battle actively against ever manifestation of evil that they
encounter as they work at living in a way that is pleasing to Him. 119

Theology for Living Now

This passage calls us to examine our hearts closely, not just in our relationship with the governing
authorities but in our relationships to everyone on our lives. It calls us to pay all that we owe to
everyone to whom we owe something. We cannot do that by ourselves. We need the help of God through
His Son, the living Word and the enablement of His Spirit. With that help we obey this command. When
we do, God’s genuine love is put on display so that lost sinners will see and be challenged to also become
genuine worshipers of God.

Love that is genuine and unhypocritical will always move us past theory into concrete action. Our love for
God will make a real difference in the lives of those people around us as we take seriously God’s directive
to face the coming evil days that precede His return with a determination to love our neighbors for His
sake in both our deeds and our words.

What Romans 13 Says About Submission to Government Authority

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CweDgdXFdU

116 Romans 13:13, ESV.
117 Romans 13:12, ESV.
118 Romans 13:14, ESV.
119 Ephesians 6:10-20.
90