Romans for Youth
Commentary by Pastor Ron Beckham

Romans Chapter 13

Verse 1.  “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.”

Most people want to GIVE orders, not follow them.  But your parents, teachers, and bosses are there because God CHOSE them.  He told them to be good to you, and if they are not good, it’s not what God wanted.  God wants GOOD for you.

Verse 2.  “Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.”

As much as you can, obey those in charge of you, like teachers, parents, church leaders or bosses.  Obviously, if they do bad things, don’t follow them, and ask help from OTHERS in “authority.”  But if you just don’t WANT to obey, you’ll bring trouble on yourself.

Verse 3.  “For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same;”

If you do good things, you don’t need to be afraid.  If you keep on doing good, sooner or later, you will be thanked for what you are doing.

Verse 4.  “for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.”

God intends that parents, teachers, bosses and other leaders will be GOOD to you.  He has in mind that YOU will be turned from bad to good, by those who watch over you.

Verse 5.  “Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience' sake.”

It’s good to do what your leaders say, not only because they might punish you, but also because God gave you a conscience, so you’ll know what is right and what is wrong.

Verse 6.  “For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing.”

We should pay our taxes when we are supposed to pay them, because taxes are used to pay the police and others in government, who really are “servants of God,” whether they know it or not.

Verse 7.  “Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.”

It is good to say “Sir” or “Ma’am” to teachers, police officers and other leaders.  Listen to them and respectfully do what they say.  Why? – That’s what God WANTS us to do!

Verse 8.  “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.”

You and I OWE respect to those who are in charge of us, and “respect” is a form of love.  If we love others, we keep God’s Law.

Verse 9.  “For this, ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

This verse quotes the Law of God (Exodus Chapter 20 of the Old Testament).  We are NOT to take anything that does not belong to us, or even WANT what they have.  We are to LOVE others as Jesus told us in Mark 12:31.

Verse 10.  “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

When we love one another, we KEEP the Law of God.  You’ve kept it all in the sight of God when you really CARE for other people.

Verse 11.  “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.”

To learn to love others is like waking up from a dream in the morning.  Jesus WILL return soon and now is the time to LOVE one another.

Verse 12.  “The night is almost gone, and the day is near Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

The trouble in this world is like the cold and dark at night.  Live a GOOD life and let His “light” (understanding) shine through you, so that others will see His love in you.  It’s almost “morning” and the Lord Jesus will soon return.

Verse 13.  “Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.”

Live a good life.  Be pure and kind toward others.  Don’t get drunk or use drugs and don’t have sex outside of marriage.  Don’t fight with others or be jealous of what they have.

Verse 14.  “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”

Let Jesus be closer to you than the clothes you wear, and don’t even think the bad thoughts that are so common to this world.

Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.fridaystudy.org
ron@fridaystudy.org