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Romans 13: The Practice of civic Christianity

Romans 13: The Practice of civic Christianity. Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Introduction.

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Romans 13: The Practice of civic Christianity

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  1. Romans 13: The Practice of civic Christianity Paul’s Letter to the Romans

  2. Introduction • When guidelines are laid down for the behaviour of Christians towards those who are outside the fellowship, it is natural that something should be said about the Christian’s relation to the secular authorities – municipal, provincial, imperial. • This subject became specially acute during the decade following the writing of this letter. Paul's Letter to the Romans

  3. Judaism was collegio licita • Gallio (51 AD?) in Acts 18:12-17 • Was Paul’s experience of Roman justice fairly favourable (and so v6 and v3?) • But: Jesus was a convicted felon (Tacitus simply refers to this as proving his point of Christian wickedness). • Cf Acts 17:6f. • Cf Mark 12:17 • But what if the authorities are unrighteous? Paul's Letter to the Romans

  4. 5 tricky points on civic submission! • Everyone must submit? (v1a) • There is no authority that God has not established? (v1b) • To rebel against [human] authority is to rebel against God? • “Rulers hold no terror for those who do right”? • “If you do wrong…he does not bear the sword for nothing” [but for righteous judgement]? Paul's Letter to the Romans

  5. J.W.Allen: • [This chapter] “contains what are perhaps the most important words ever written for the history of political thought. Yet it would be a gross mistake to suppose that men, at any time, took their political opinions from St Paul.” Paul's Letter to the Romans

  6. The extent of submission • Submit to the authorities (v5) • Because of possible punishment v5a • Because of your conscience v5b • Similarly, pay your taxes (v6) • Submit in all ways: taxes, revenue, respect, honour… Paul's Letter to the Romans

  7. Love, for the Day is near (8-14) • Submission means mutual love (v8) • The Law is summed up in the injunction to love your neighbour (vv9-10) • “Understanding the present time” • An expectation of the imminent return of Christ? (“the time… the day… the hour”) Paul's Letter to the Romans

  8. In view of what is about to happen… • Put aside the deeds of darkness (v12) • Behave decently, as in the daytime (v13) • Orgies, drunkenness, debauchery, dissension, jealousy: normal (?) sins combined with sins of a community n conflict? Paul's Letter to the Romans

  9. A return to ch 8? • “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh”. • Gal 3:27, 5:16; Eph 4:24. Paul's Letter to the Romans

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