Romans 13:10-14

A Study of The Book of Romans

Lesson 97 Chapter 13:1 – 14

“Our relationship to our Goverment.” - Part 3 Verses 10 – 14

By Pastor Randy Johnson

1. Verses 10 - 11 “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. (11.) And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.”
1. Who is the “neighbour” that is here mentioned? The word means - countryman, Christian or friend – Your fellow citizenship not just fellow Christians or fellow church members. Remember this chapter is dealing with society in general.
2. “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour…” no ill means - no evil – as long as Christians are a loving and peaceable people we are obeying Gods laws.
3. Verse 11 could be a wake up call to today’s churches and Christians. I believe when Paul says “… for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” He is speaking of the second coming of Christ. The churches seem to be asleep and we need to wake up. Time is drawing to a close and the time for salvation is coming to an end. We have a world going to hell (literally) and the Lords churches are sleeping.

a. I am afraid we have all became the Laodicea church and we are l neither cold nor hot.

b. If there is love for society from the Lord’s churches then we will work the fields for a harvest.

c. We do not need to allow the Sovereign Grace of God prevent us from being active in salvation. 1 Corinthians 1:21 “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”

d. 1 Peter 4:7 “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”

4. “…knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep…” for every Christian and every church. If we cannot see the Lords return at hand we are all blind. We are no better than the 5 virgins that failed to buy oil and having our lamps trimmed.

a. All we need to do is to look at the signs of our time.

b. 1 Corinthians 15:24 “Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.”

c. Beloved if the churches and Christians do not wake out of our sleep we will miss a blessing, yes our Sovereign God will save all the elect and then we can explain to the Lord why we were asleep instead of working.

2. Verse 12 “The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.”
1. Verse 12 is a warning, the Lord is coming and sleeping is not all we need to stop, sinning must also come to an end.
2. Jesus will come as a thief in the night when least expected, are we ready to see Jesus? Are you ready?
3. “…let us therefore cast off the works of darkness…” - James 5:8 “Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”
4. Ephesians 5:11 - 14 “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. (12.) For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. (13.) But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. (14.) Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” – This includes Christians who walk in an unworthy matter.
3. Verse 13 “Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.”

1. “Let us walk honestly, as in the day…” as though all can see your deeds.
2. Those that walk according to Gods word are not going to walk in darkness. Galatians 5:16 “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”
3. Philippians 4:8 - 9 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (9.) Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”
3. Verse 14 “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”

1. “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ…”

a. Put on Jesus Christ as you would clothing, wear Him every day and you will fulfill the law of God.

b. Hebrews 4:15 “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

c. 1 Peter 2:22 “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:”

d. This is whom we are to put on everyday.

2. “…and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”

a. The word “provision” means – forethought – we are not even to have any thoughts about sin or disobeying God. Christ never did and we cannot put on Christ until even these forethoughts are gone.

b. 1 Peter 2:11 “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;”

c. 1 John 2:15 - 17 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (16.) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (17.) And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”