In The Last Days (September 17, 2023)

IN THE LAST DAYS

Text: Romans 13:8 -14

Romans 13:8-14  Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.  (9)  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, "Love your neighbor as yourself."  (10)  Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.  (11)  Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers;  (12)  the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light;  (13)  let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy.  (14)  Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires (NRSV).

In the first part of Romans 13 Paul points out that we should submit to our government. In the second part of Romans 13, it may seem like Paul is rambling while talking about

> debts,

> four of the ten commandments,

> Loving our neighbor,

> putting aside the works of darkness,

> living honorably in the armor of light,

> Not sleep walking but remembering that our salvation is near!!!

Paul is making a point. What’s his point? His point is for the congregation of the church at Rome then and the church today is to be loving to our neighbors. Two things we want to talk about today are distractions and love.

DISTRACTIONS

Why talk about distractions if Paul never specifically mentioned it? In verse thirteen Paul seems to allude to distractions. Why?

1) Submission: In the first half of Romans 13 Paul tells us to submit to the government because it was established by God.

2) Authority: Paul talked about being subject to governments because they have been established by God, (verse 1) to keep from being punished and to keep a clear conscience (verse 5) and do what is right (verse [in God’s eyes]. “Government is to be obeyed because it is ordained to punish evil (Gk. kakon) and promote good (Gk. agathos)”. (H. Wayne House. New Testament editor. Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary. Thomas Nelson, Inc 1999). Since God wants us to be Holy as He is Holy, then we cannot side with anything that desecrates God’s holiness!

3)Civil Disobedience:

> If the Jewish midwives had not been civilly disobedient, then we would never have had Moses (Exodus 1:15 -17).

> Based upon what we know of Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego, they refused to submit to Nebuchadnezzar as their Lord, bowing only to God., we call that a legitimate civil disobedience (Daniel 3). .

> Peter was civilly disobedient and preached the Gospel even after he was arrested, forbidden and released (Acts 5:17 - 42).

> Paul was also arrested numerous times in the book of Acts for preaching the Gospel.

> You would not be here today if our spiritual ancestors had not been civilly disobedient!

4) Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “The underground, Confessing Church in Nazi Germany in the 1930s (led by men like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was martyred) took a bold stand in their Barmen Declaration”. https://www.aomin.org/aoblog/uncategorized/a-biblical-case-for-civil-disobedience-the-right-use-of-romans-13/ Paul said,   “Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor” (Romans 13:7 NIV). 

5) Avoid money obstacles: Paul encouraged people to owe nobody anything except to love one another.

6) Misers: Misers have a problem with money because they hoard money and live meagerly while owing nothing to no one.

John G. Wendel and his sisters were some of the most miserly people of all time. Although they had received a huge inheritance from their parents, they spent very little of it and did all they could to keep their wealth for themselves.

John was able to influence five of his six sisters never to marry, and they lived in the same house in New York City for 50 years. When the last sister died in 1931, her estate was valued at more than $100 million. Her only dress was one that she had made herself, and she had worn it for 25 years.

The Wendels had such a compulsion to hold on to their possessions that they lived like paupers. Even worse, they were like the kind of person Jesus referred to “who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:21).

Daily Walk, June 2, 1993 Galaxie Software. (2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press. Their money is a distraction because it cannot save them.