(Rom 13:10) “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”  True love for a person leads us to say what a person needs to hear, yet refrain when hearing would do them no good. Love ask the Lord for the discernment as to which to do and the power to do it.

(Rom 13:9) For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”   If one lost, then they would not hurt a man by lying with his wife. He would not kill him, nor steal from him. You get the picture.

(Rom 13:8b) “…he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. (9) For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”  The saved are free from the penalty of law – Christ paid it on the cross. Yet, law reflects the standard of life that pleases our Father. Therefore we seek to love in order to please Him.

 (Rom 13:8)  “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”  Oftentimes all we see is the negative of a verse. That is a part of our fallen nature. But look at the positive: we owe everyone “love”. Not love that overlooks or condones sin; not love that keeps one from reaping what they have sowed; but love that cares for their soul.

(Rom 13:7) “ Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.”  Our society has taught us to not respect anyone – just ourselves. No, we are to subject ourselves to authority – period. We only rebel against authority when it goes against the teachings of God’s Word.

(Rom 13:6)  “For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.”  Even the Lord Jesus paid taxes: (Mat 17:27)  “…. go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.” 

(Rom 13:5) “Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.”  We must never forget that our “happiness” is not what matters before God. What matters is our witness before the lost of one that seeks to do that which is right and good. The souls of the lost are to come before our happiness.

(Rom 13:5) “Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.”  In all matters, whether home, church, or government, we are to seek to have a pure conscience. The goal is not the ability to ignore our conscience, or to explain away our sin – but to seek to live in subjection to the laws of God.

Rom 13:4  For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.  As one naturally compares this to our own government, we see how badly ours fails. Not to worry, the Lord will judge all wrongs. Look forward, for the Lord will have such a righteous government on this earth a thousand years!