The passage that we are going to read today is, of course, in the book of Romans, and we are going to read from chapter 12, beginning with verse 17 into chapter 13, verse 14. I begin with verse 17, Romans 12:17. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lies in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenged not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath. For it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him. If he thirst, give him to drink. For in so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Chapter 13, verse 1. Let every soul be subject unto the higher power, for there is no power but of God. The power that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resists the power, resists the ordinance of God. And they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Will you then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and you shall have praise of the same. For he is a minister of God to you for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid.

For he beareth not a sword in vain. For he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must need be subject not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For this cause pay ye tribute or taxes also. For they are God's ministers attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, and honor to whom honor. Owe no man anything, but to love one another, for he that loveth another has fulfilled the law. 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, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love works no ill to his neighbor. Wherefore love is the fulfillment of the law. And that knowing the time that is nigh, a time to wake out of sleep. For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 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 armor of light. Let us walk honestly as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantedness, not in strife and envying.

But let us, or put ye on the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof. I stop here in verse 14 of the end of this 13th chapter. And remember that when we spoke last time together concerning these chapters 12 and 13, we said that these two chapters really begin to ask the sections that deal with the service and the duty of the believer. Amazing how true it is. As I've mentioned last time in our meeting, it is here where we fail as the children of God. We know the doctrine. We know the position that God had given to us.

But practically speaking, we do have to confess that we fail so much in these areas. In fact, Romans chapter 12 and chapter 13 together deals with the four relationships that we must have in this world. God left us here in this world. He saved us. And we need to have right relationship number one with the Lord himself. That took us back to chapter 12 verses 1 and 2. If we have a right relationship with the Lord, it will enable us to have a right relationship with our brothers and sisters. Right relationship with the enemies and the world around us. And right relationship with the government, with the state under which we find ourselves today.

And it began always, brothers and sisters, with a right relationship with the Lord. That's what we have covered in verses 1 and 2 of chapter 12. "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." The right relationship with the Lord will lead us into a right relationship with our brothers and sisters. That's what we have also covered from verse 3 to verse 16 in our last ministry meeting together.

And we said that we are part of one body, the body of Messiah. And every one of us is a member of that same body. And every one of us is very much important for this body. If we have to function right, we must have an understanding that we are part of the body of Messiah. Now, you might say it is easy to be in a right relationship with the Lord, and it may be easy to have a right relationship with our brothers and sisters, but it is not easy to have a right relationship with our enemies. It is not easy to treat our enemies in a right way because, after all, they are our enemies.

Now, here's what the Apostle Paul says in verse 17 to 21, and he's teaching us the importance of simply having a proper relationship even with those that are enemies. This is hard to practice. This is hard to practice. When we have somebody who opposes us, we have a natural desire to react in a negative way. And so Paul is giving us six things in verse 17 to 21 in order to show us that it is important to have a right relationship even with our enemies. Meaning that we are to respond to them on a higher level. After all, we are believers. We are saved. We are saved people. We are a company of forgiven people, and we are to know how to react to our people.

And you know, some of the early believers have their own enemies even out of their own homes, even their own families. It says, Yeshua said in Matthew 10 verse 36, "Man's enemies shall be they of his own household" in Matthew 10 and verse 36. Some early believers have experienced persecution by their own family members. Their own household became their enemies. And so Paul shows us principles that are not easy. They are really divine principles. They are principles that could only be enacted when we have a right relationship with God. And so, notice those six things that he is telling those believers. First of all, in verse 17 of our chapter, in the first part of verse 17, he is telling them something like this.

He says, "Recompense to no man evil for evil." Well, if somebody does evil to the believer, how is she or he to react to the one that does something wrong? The Hebrew word "ra" or "evil" in the Greek as well. Evil is something wrongdoing. When somebody does to us something wrong, how do we react to that? And why should we react different than the world around us? Well, after all, think of the Lord Jesus of Yeshua. When He was reviled, He reviled not against. When He was threatened, He threatened not, but committed Himself to the one who does righteously. We have a great example in the person of Yeshua, the Messiah.

And so, Paul is really leading us to the principle that we have in Scripture that's been taught by the Messiah Yeshua Himself, that we are not to react in an evil way when somebody does evil to us. And that's why He's saying, "Recompense not evil for anyone who does evil to us." We are to live on a higher level. And again, we have to remember that, naturally speaking, we cannot do that. Naturally speaking, we would react immediately in an evil way to the one who does evil to us. But here we are exhorted, number one, not to respond in an evil way to those who have done to us evil.

This is very encouraging to see. This is a command and a lesson that we are taught by the Lord Himself. In chapter 5 and verse 38 of the Gospel of Matthew, He said that it has been said that you are to give an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say unto you, Yeshua said, that ye resist not evil. But whomsoever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other cheek as well. We have a very high expectation from the Lord. But these are the characteristics that had to be evident in the life of the children of God. Secondly, He tells us in the same verse, verse 17b, to be honest in our dealing.

You notice, He says, "Provide things honest in the sight of all men." You know, this is another thing. You remember we said a few times, where the rubber meets the road is the area that we fail so much. We know we have been honest enough with the Lord to confess our sins before Him so He will forgive our sins. But in our dealing, how do we deal day by day in our life dealing with mankind? How do we deal? Are we dealing honest with others? He's saying to us here, He says, "Provide things honest in the sight of all men." In areas of our dealing, in our business area, in our relationship area, we have to deal in an honest way.

And why we have to deal in an honest way? Because that is the features that should come out of the believer's life. Because after all, we belong to the Lord Jesus. And if we, at times, fail in being honest, it's good for us to confess it before the Lord, so He will help us to move back to the center where we can deal, and we can continue to deal honestly with things in our life. In 2 Corinthians 8:21, the Apostle Paul said, "Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men." Honesty is also very important. That is part of our service.

This is part of our duty. That is part of our responsibility. Thirdly, in the same passage, in chapter 12, verse 18 this time, He said, "To seek to live in peace with all men." You notice He said, "If it is possible, as much as lies within you, live peaceably with all men." Now, sometime it is not possible. Sometime others will not allow you to live in peace with them. We might have a difficulty with our next door neighbor. We might have difficulties with family members. We might have difficulties with people that are really causing us to be very angry and very upset, but the Bible does teach us that as much, if it is possible, seek to live in peace with all men.

Not only with our brothers and our sisters, but with all men. Even those that oppose the Gospel. Even those that are the enemies of the people of God. To seek to live in peace with all men. You know why we have to seek to live in peace with all men? Because that's what will characterize the coming days, when the Messiah Yeshua is going to come to this world, and He will reign as King of Kings. He will be the Prince of Peace. That He will establish peace here in this world. The Hebrew word for peace is Shalom. In Israel we say Shalom when we come, Shalom when we go, because we long to have Shalom in relationship with others, and yet there is no Shalom.

There is no Shalom in the land, there is no Shalom here, there is no Shalom everywhere in this world because of sin. The believer should desire to live in Shalom, in peace with all men. Sad to see how many friction exists. Unnecessary friction. Unnecessary war. I was just listening to the news just recently in Israel, the Hebrew news, and I could see Hamas is looking for vengeance against Israel. Hezbollah is planning to do something against Israel. And Iran is planning to have something against Israel. And it seemed to be not peace at all. In the United States and Europe against the Taliban. And all over this world is nothing but the wars and rumors of wars.

And yet the believer is to seek as much as it is possible, as much as it lying within you, live peaceably with all men. We are to seek to bring Shalom. We are to seek to bring peace and to live in peace with others. There are two different peace that we find in the Bible. There is one that is the peace with God. And another one is the peace of God. And the peace of God is the practical result of walking with the Lord. We might not be able to always have peace with others, but we should seek as much that it is within us to live in peace with all men, the people that are around us.

So that's the third exhortation that he tells us in relation to our enemies. Now notice the fourth exhortation is in verse 19. He's saying, "Dearly beloved, not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath. For it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord." That is interesting here because now the apostle telling them that we are not to seek to restore or to give vengeance against someone who has done evil unto us, who has done wrong unto us. He says, "Give place unto wrath. Leave it with the hand of the Lord." Because after all, the Lord is the one that to him belong vengeance.

This verse 19 is a quotation from the book of Deuteronomy chapter 32, when God said to Israel, "Israel, vengeance is mine. I'm going to repay. You just leave things in my hand." It's not good for us to take things into our hands and start to act upon it because after all at the end we mess up. We often fail. But God is going to take care of his own people. If somebody have wronged us and if somebody caused us aggravation and so on, listen, give place unto wrath. Leave it. Leave room for that. Allow this. Don't take things into your own hands. Because God said, "It is written, vengeance is mine.

I will repay." That is a quotation from Deuteronomy chapter 32 and verse 35. "Do not return evil for evil. Be honest in your dealing. Seek to live in peace with all men. Give place unto wrath. Do not avenge because he said, vengeance is mine. I will repay." Fifthly, in these verses, in connection with our dealing and our relationship with enemies, with people who oppose us, is found in verse 20 and there he says, "Deal right with your enemy." in verse 20, "Therefore if thine enemies hunger, feed him. And if he thirst, give him to drink. For in so doing you shall heap coals of fire on his head." You see here the Apostle Paul writing to believers.

And believers that had to behave like the Messiah Yeshua himself when he was here. In some small measure he says, "Listen, your enemies, if they are hungry, give them to eat." Now that is difficult to do. This is not common to the heart of the natural man. If someone is our enemies, we want to keep, or in other words, to add more hurt to him by nature. But he is saying, "No, you behave different." He said, "If your enemy is hungry, give him to eat. If he is thirsty, give him to drink." Why? What happened? "Because in so doing you shall heap a coals of fire on his head." What is that coals of fire on his head?

You know, when someone who became your enemy and you treat him in the right way, the Lord will use these actions to speak to the conscience of this individual. "How come this one, this believer in Jesus, treat me after all what I have done to him? How come he treat me in such a way?" Well, that's exactly what the Lord have done. That's exactly what Yeshua did here. Because if we react in the flesh, and we react in our sinful nature, we do not at all show the character of the Messiah in doing so. The Lord Jesus, the Messiah, have reacted in such a way.

It was amazing to watch as we read the scripture, to see the way he did behave. Again, I'm repeating the verse in Matthew chapter 5. It says in verse 44, "But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you." Now he was saying this in two ways, to the early disciples who were persecuted, were hunted by those who oppose the name of Yeshua. And he's also looking to the future, the time when the disciples of the tribulation period will also be persecuted by their enemies. And he's saying to them, "I'm telling you," he says, "you should love your enemies, you should bless them that curse you, you should do good to them that hate you, pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you, that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven." Evident of being a child of the Father is the characteristics of the Messiah in our life here today.

And enemies are people, are individuals that we naturally do not love and do not want to react in a positive way. And Jesus, the apostle, just like the Lord Yeshua, saying to the disciples, to the believers at Rome, he's saying to them that your enemy when he comes, when he's hungry, you give him to eat. When he's thirsty, give him to drink. And he's saying when you do that, you are heaping, you are putting upon him coals of fire on his head. And that, you know, coals, fire on the head is hot, is burning. And the conscience will be pricked. And he will realize, or she will realize, boy, these behaviors only coming from God, and they will respond in a proper way.

So that's the fifth exhortation in connection with our relationship to those that are called our enemies. And finally, in connection with the enemies, telling the believers at Rome, not to be overcome with evil. Notice the last verse of chapter 12, "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." Overcome with that which is positive, with that which is good. Do not allow evil to get a grasp of you, and to get a hold of you. So you will be so taken up by this evil, that you will want to respond in an evil way. But do not allow that to come upon you. In the book of Hebrews, that I mentioned by way of exhortation to the Hebrew believers there, is that the believers should be careful not to harbor animosity and hatred.

And many times, many can get defiled by that. When we get anxious, and when we allow evil to take over our lives, what's happening? We begin to defile others around us. And we begin to influence others with negative words and action against somebody else. And the apostle Paul is saying, "Do not allow evil to take over you, but you overcome evil with good." For all the evil that they have done to Yeshua, he responded with good. For all the hatred that he had experienced for mankind, he responded with good. For all the hatred that they have given unto the Lord, he responded in love and in goodness.

And that's what we want, that the Lord will work in our lives. So brothers and sisters, this is chapter 12. We see that we should have right relationship with the Lord himself, verses 1 and 2. We are to have right relationship with our brothers and sisters as believers, verses 3 to 16. And we are also to have a relationship, a right relationship, or proper relationship, even with those that are called our enemies. That's what we have in verses 17 to 21 of chapter 12. And so now we are going to chapter 13. The whole chapter leads us into having a proper relationship to the government. Now we have read today, earlier in our reading, in Genesis chapter 9, and we have to understand that all government and authorities, we have to understand that God has given us the institution of a home.

We have to understand that God has given us the institution of a home. God has given us the institution of a home. He has a husband and wife, and you remember in the Garden of Eden, God brought Eve to Adam, and he formed a home. Let a man leave his father and mother and cleave unto his own wife, and they too become one flesh. The home, the family. It's an institution that was given unto us by God. And by the way, this institution is really broken into pieces today. Satan is attacking the homes today. That's why there are so many broken homes, so many divorces, so many problems in homes.

It's unbelievable what's going on today. He succeeded, in a very good way, succeeded to destroy the home. It is only the believers that have been preserved by God, and because they are adhering to the institution that was given by God, the home. But not only the home is the institution that God had given to us, he had given to us civil government. God had also, like we have read in chapter 9 of the book of Genesis, that God had given us the institution of the government. And specifically, I want you to read with me, and I'll read this for you, verses 5 and 6 of Genesis chapter 9. He says, I'll read just verse 6, God had given us the institution of the government, the civil government.

We live in this country, God had given us this government. Now, sometimes we might say that we don't appreciate the government under which we find ourselves, but nevertheless, every government that existing today was ordained by God. We're going to see it in chapter 13 in a moment. In fact, it is important to bear in mind that God is the one who is setting up government, He is setting up kings, and He is taking off kings. God is the one that has instituted the government. There is a verse that I think I should read in Daniel chapter 2, where Daniel said in verse 21, Daniel said this, we read in verse 21, He changes the times and the seasons.

He removes kings and He setteth up kings. He gives wisdom unto the wise and knowledge to them that know understanding. He reveals the deep of secret things. He knows what is in the darkness and the light dwelleth with Him. God is in full control. Everything that's being done in one government, whether it is darkness or another government, whether it is light, it is known by God. He is the one that changing the time and the season, removes kings and setting kings up. Daniel chapter 2 verses 21 and 22. This is clear. The Bible does teach us that God is the one that have established the civil government. So there is no king, whether it is here in this country, or no ruler, whether it is in the Middle East, even in an area that you and I would say these are bad governments, dishonest government.

God is the one that have instituted the government and He is the one that is in full control. We might ask ourselves the question, could the one such as Hitler be the one that God have allowed him to be in authority? Could be the one like Nebuchadnezzar would be the one that God have allowed him to be in authority? Well, the Bible does teach us that the civil government is being placed by God, even though the leading responsible individual is not obeying the word of God. So we have the institution of the home. We have the institution of civil government. The third institution is what is known today as the church, the body of Messiah.

That was also an institution of God, meaning that this body of Messiah, this company of believers here began, by the way, in Acts chapter 2, is also something that God had instituted. God is the one that had placed it here in this world. So the whole chapter, He gives us the public obligation, and He gives us the private obligation. The public obligation, verses 1 to 7, and the private obligation in the verses later on, from verse 8 all the way to the end. There is a responsibility that the child of God has towards the government. So let's look at the obligation that we have. Why should we have obligation?

First of all, in the first four verses, we have the first reason why we should have obligation, we should submit to the government. It is because of the righteousness of God. It's for wrath's sake. I'm reading the first four verses. Let every soul be subject unto a higher power. For there is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resists the power, he resists the ordinances of God. And they that resist shall receive to them self-domination. For the rulers are not for terror, but to good. But He said that, Will you then not be afraid of the power?

Then do that which is good, and you shall have the praise of the same. For he is a minister, or the minister of God, to thee for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid. For he beareth not the sword in vain. For he is a minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Here is the first reason that we are to submit to the power that be, to the government under which we live, because of wrath's sake. Last word here in verse 4. He is a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Can you imagine if you have a country that have no government to give us laws and rules in this country?

Can you imagine what the chaos is going to happen if you don't have rules on the highway? You don't have rules in this government. You don't have order of things to be done. Can you imagine what's going to happen if everybody will do what he wills? Well, God set up the government, and he gave us policemen, and he gave us soldiers, and he gave us tax collectors, and he gave us all these officials, a president or a prime minister, and premiers, and mayors, and all those that are responsible to execute the laws and the rules that God would have us to have in this world.

Well, we need those governors. We need them. And so in verses 1 to 4, the reason that we are to submit to the authorities is because of the fact that if we will not submit, we will be disciplined for wrath's sake. None of us like to be disciplined. None of us like to be receiving, let's say, a ticket on the highway because we have violated the law of the speed limit, or one reason or another to receive discipline. We don't like that. And yet we need to recognize that God has placed the government in order for us to live in peace and to have order in this country.

So verse 1, 2, 3, and 4, it tells us, first of all, that every power is of God. Notice verse 1. Let every soul be subject unto the higher power, for there is no power but of God. The power that be are ordained of God. We live in a very comfortable country like Canada. We have good, in a sense, we have much order in comparison to other countries, but it is ordained of God. God is the one, as it's clearly said, the powers that be are ordained of God. You might not like how the leadership of this country do what they do and how they function and how they execute those laws.

But nevertheless, the Bible teaches us that all powers are of God. Paul said it elsewhere. Look at this. In 1 Timothy 2, in the first two verses, Timothy was told by Paul about the kings. He's saying to them, "I exhort, therefore, that first of all, supplication and prayer, intercession, giving of thanks, be made for all men." And then he says, "For kings and for all that are in authority." Why? "That we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godliness and honesty." We are to pray for the government. Because the government are ordained of God. And we are to realize that we want those kings and prime ministers and presidents to be under the authority of God.

We are to pray for them. We are to commit them to the Lord. For all powers are given by God. Second verse. In Romans chapter 13, verse 2. All men need to submit to the state's law. To the laws that we have. He's saying, "Whosoever therefore resists the power, he resists the ordinances of God. And they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation." Again, he's telling the believers. He's speaking to Christians, to believers in the Messiah. He's saying to them, "You cannot resist the power, the authority." In fact, he's saying to them, "If you are resisting the authority, you are actually resisting God." Now, here where we have to be very careful, because you remember when Peter was told not to preach in the name of Yeshua by the leaders at that day.

You remember the leadership there took him and they put them in jail because they were speaking about the name of Yeshua. Well, he says, "Who it is more important to submit to? Is it God? Should we listen to God or should we listen to man?" Well, when it's come to the sharing of the love of God with the world around us, we are responsible to obey God rather than man. But when it's come to the rules that the government gives us in this world, we have a responsibility to submit to the authority of the government. Because if we resist the leadership, the power, we are actually resisting the ordinance of God.

That's why we are to recognize, to appreciate the authorities and to pray for them. To pray for the government, to pray for the kings, to pray for the rulers. Because when we pray for them, God is able to turn their hearts towards Him. And that they will rule in a proper way. And they will take care of those that are their subjects. So, the question is, why would the government, why do we have the government, why do we have the power? In verse 3, he shows us that the powers are for order. In order that there will not be chaos. Rulers are not for terror, but to good works.

But to the evil, he says. In other words, they are not rulers or terrors to good works, but they are against evil. Will thou then be afraid of the power that do that which is good, and you shall have a praise of the same. If we are doing the right things, we have no reason to be afraid of the power, of the authority of the government. So, the government and its rules are against the ones that actually do evil, do wrong. And if we do not want to be afraid of the power, then we are to do the things which are right. Again, I want to pause here and mention that we can look at all the governments existing in this world.

And we have some communist governments. We have Islamic governments. We are privileged to live in a democratic country. But can you imagine to submit to authorities that are downright wrong? The Romans believers, when they were under the Roman government, it was Nero who was the one who was in power. And he was a wicked ruler. He was against the believers, against the believers in the Messiah, the Christians. Can you imagine that they were still responsible to be under and to obey the authority of such a government? And they are exalted by the Apostle Paul. Sometimes we cannot fathom, we cannot understand it. And yet, God left us here in this world to be like the Lord Jesus, to be an example here in this world.

In verse 4, he is really telling them that the government are serving here for good. For he is a minister. This is the government, the power. He is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do that which is evil, be afraid. For he is the one that beareth not the sword in vain. For he is the minister of God, an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Here is that word, the sword. The sword that he holds is he has the authority to execute justice here. To execute, as it says here, to execute wrath upon those that doeth evil. Today, again, I want to say, even the people who commit murder end up to come out many times scot-free.

Because the government did not execute right execution. You remember what we had in Genesis chapter 9 and verse 5 and 6? Whosoever shed blood, by men shall his blood be shed. This is not to take something to our own hands. But this is the government responsibility to execute justice. That's what we learn here in Romans chapter 13, the first four verses. The government is here to execute wrath upon the one that do evil. The believer is to behave differently. The believer is to behave in such a way that will characterize the person of the Lord Jesus and the believers who live here in this world are to be different than the world around us.

We are to live on a higher level than the rest of the world that are around us. So the first four verses, we are to submit to the authority of the government because they are the one that executing wrath upon the one that do evil. In verse 5, 6 and 7, here's the second reason why we are to submit. It's for our own conscience, for the individual conscience. Conscience is that buzzer that we have, that God has given to us when sin came into this world. You remember how conscience came in? When Adam and Eve have violated the command of the Lord, they hid from God behind the trees.

Their conscience really bothered them. Because they knew that they did that which was wrong. And so here the Apostle Paul is saying in verse 5, 6 and 7, he says, Listen, you should have submission to the government because of your own conscience. Verse 5, it says here in verse 5, Wherefore, ye must need to be subject not only because of wrath, but for conscience' sake. We sometimes want to be subject to the requirement of the government because we don't want to get punishment. But Paul is saying it's not only because of this. It's because of conscience. We have conscience. And our conscience has been given to us to guide us, to submit to the Lord.

So we will honor the Lord and our conscience will be free. Often time our conscience is not free. Because we knew we have done something wrong. And we have no liberty and no freedom. Because we knew we have done something wrong. And Paul wants the believers, he wants them to recognize that we are under this government, but to do it because we want to do it as unto the Lord. We want to submit as unto the Lord for conscience, but beyond. Not only because we are scared of wrath, but for conscience that we will have liberty before the Lord. And so he's saying in verse 5, that we are to be subject for conscience' sake.

Verse 5. Verse 6. He's telling them that they are to give their dues to the government. Verse 6. For this cause we are paying taxes. For there are God's ministers attending continually upon this very thing. You know, that's why the government giving us those officers that will collect, the tax collectors to collect the taxes from us, from all men. We are paying those taxes to them so the country will move on. That they will be able to function as a country, as a state. And so we are paying them taxes. He says in verse 6. We are paying them tribute in verse 6. Because they are God's ministers. They are executing the order in that state.

Can you imagine if nobody would pay taxes today? Now we might not like how much taxes we pay. That's true. But nevertheless, we need to pay taxes so the country will survive and will move. Somebody have to pay for the roads. Somebody have to pay for lights that we get. And all the things in the streets and entrances and so on. Pavement. We have to pay taxes. And so he's saying to them. We are paying taxes. So we'll be able to function. This is verse 6. And so, he's saying now in verse 7. For conscience sake. So we are to render tribute and custom and fear and honors to their leadership.

Render, therefore, to all their dues. Tribute to whom tribute due. Custom to whom custom. Fear to whom fear. Honor to whom honor. We might not like the premier of one province. But we are to respect and to honor the office. Even if we don't like what the man does. So those words here. Tribute mean taxes. Custom mean revenue. Fear is respect and honor. Honor. Finally, honor. Finally, honor. We, as believers, are to respect and to honor the government which God placed us under. Not easy. But that's where the reality of the life of the believer is. So, number one. Because of righteousness sake and wrath sake.

We are to submit to the government. Number two. Because of our own personal conscience. We are to submit to the government. Amen. Now, thirdly. In the next verses. Verse 8, 9, and 10. He wants us now to do that out of love for God and love for mankind. This is the private obligation that we have. We have to realize that out of the love of Christ constrains us. The love for God, the love for people should constrain us to do the right thing. And so, in verses 8, 9, and 10. He says, first of all, in verse 8. We are to love mankind. He says, "Ow no man anything, but to love one another, for he that loveth another has fulfilled the law." When he says, "Ow no man," he doesn't speak necessarily about only the brothers and sisters, the believers.

But he's taking us to be as we are under the realm of the government, the country we are under. We are to owe no man anything, but to love." That's the Greek word agapeo, unconditional love. "To love one another, for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." That means that if I want to fulfill the law that had been placed above us or upon us, if we are submitting to the law, we are proving that we are loving even the one that executes that law. By loving one another, love is really a fulfillment of God's law. If I love men, I will treat him in the right way.

If I love men, I will submit to authority. If I love men, I will do him or her no harm. If I love unconditionally, that's what he's saying. If we love someone, we will treat them in a right way. So love is the motive here. For love's sake, verse 9, loving our neighbor is really a sum up of what God had given us in the scriptures. Verse 9, "For this cause thou shalt commit not adultery, thou shalt not kill or not murder, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, thou shalt not covet. If there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying.

Namely, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Listen, what he's really saying, that if I love my neighbor, I will not steal from him. I will not commit adultery. I will not murder. I will not bear false witness. I will not covet. But this is the fulfillment. Love is the fulfillment of the requirements of God in this law. And thirdly, he says in verse 10, "Love is the fulfillment of the law." The third reason why the believer is to be subject to the government is also for love's sake. What a difference would it be if people would treat each other in a loving way, in a godly love, in an agapeo way.

Can you imagine what's going to happen here in this world when people out of love will treat each other? Can you imagine what a difference it will make in the world in which we live in? You know those five things we read in verse 9? It's in relationship to the others. That's what the law is all about. God given the law to Israel. God had given the law for the whole world in order that there will be peace. They will enjoy each other. There will be love here in the center in this world. But it's not working. Why? Because we didn't submit ourselves to this and therefore instead of love there is hatred.

Instead of love that brings peace there are wars. And the believer is exhorted to be different. The believer is to submit to the government because of wrath's sake, because of conscience's sake, and because of love, the love of God that ought to constrain us to behave in such a way. So that is the third reason why we are to submit to the government. And finally, brothers and sisters, verses 11 to 14. And this is because of the person of the Lord Jesus. We are to submit to the government for Jesus' sake. For Yeshua's sake. These are the last verses. Look what he is saying to us. He says to them, wake up.

Make a clean up in your life. And to grow up. Make a change in our life. He is saying to the Romans. He is saying to us. Verse 11. Knowing that the time is now nigh. It is a high time. To wake out of sleep. For now is our salvation nearer than when we first believed. He is writing to believers. He does not write to unbelievers. We might talk to an unbeliever and he will say to him or her. Wake up. Accept the Lord Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Turn to the Savior and become a child of God. That is to the unbeliever. But he is writing now to believers at Rome.

And he is saying to them. The time is now. High time. He says wake out of sleep. Because now our salvation is nearer than we first believed. Now think of you and I. You and I might have come to faith in the Lord. Yeshua the Messiah 10 years ago. 20 years. 30 years. Think about it. Today. Our salvation. Salvation. Meaning the time that the Lord is going to come. Is far closer. Than what it was. 30 years ago. Can you imagine? We have heard the message of the gospel 30 years ago. But 30 years passed. And we are nearer to the time of his coming. So he is saying wake up.

Make a change in your life. He is saying for Jesus sake. Make a change in your life. Our salvation is nearer than when we first became believers. Wake up. That call of wake up is not to unbelievers. It is a call of wake up to the believer in Yeshua the Messiah. In verse 11 and 12. He continues. He is saying in 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 armor of light. You see. The night is far spent. Time passes by. The night is spent. But the day is at hand.

Soon Yeshua is coming. How do we like him to find us. When he is coming. What would you want him to find you doing. When the Lord Yeshua is going to come. Would you want him to find you being occupied with him. Faithful to him. Awakened to the fact that he is coming. At any time. They asked one of these Bible teachers years ago. They asked him. If Jesus is going to come today. What he will find you doing. Would you do anything different. Than what you have done yesterday. This man said. I will not do anything different. I will get up in the morning.

I will begin the day in prayer. I will have to have my breakfast. I will read my Bible. And I will make the arrangement that I need to do. And I know I have a preaching time in this city. At that time. At that time. And I am going to have to visit Mrs. So and so. And I am going to visit my children. And I am going to do the same thing that I have done yesterday. Because every day I am in anticipation of the coming. Of our blessed Lord Yeshua the Messiah. The time as it says in verse 12. The night is fast spent.

The day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness. And let us put on the armor of light. You notice the contrast between darkness and light. Every time we are living as believers. In a lifestyle that is dishonoring to the Lord. It is darkness. And every time as believers we are doing that which is honoring to the Lord. This speaks to us of light. The armor of light. The clothing of light is putting on the Lord Yeshua the Messiah. Who will change our behavior. Who will change our conduct. Because He is coming soon. And He wants to find us pleasing unto Him.

So the night is fast spent. The day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness. And let us do that which is light. The works of darkness. He is speaking about believers who are doing the works of darkness. And how the enemy is so great in shooting those darts at us. So keeping us occupied with things that are called in the Bible works of darkness. All these things that are only bringing negativities and sin. And that which dishonor the Lord. That's the works of darkness. But we want to be occupied with that which is light and life. And so we are to put on the armor of light.

So wake up in verse 11 and 12. Secondly, He is saying to them to clean up. In verse 13. Let us walk honestly as in the day. Not in rioting and drunkenness. Not in chambering and wantedness. Not in strife and in envying. See, we need to remove that which is rioting and drunkenness and wantedness and strife and envying. To remove it. Because that belongs to the darkness. That does not belong to the light. And again, He is speaking about our responsibility here and now in the world in which we live in. Not only we are to wake up, but we are to clean things out. To remove those things from our life.

And finally, He tells them to grow up. And this is the last verse. Put on the Lord Jesus the Messiah. Put Him on. You know, in Ephesians, we have put on the whole armor of God. Ephesians chapter 6. But here in Romans chapter 14. He is saying put on. And He is telling them to put on the person of the Lord. How do we put on the Lord Jesus? How can we put Him on? That means that we are to be engaged with Him. To talk with Him. To walk with Him. To read His word. And also to submit to Him. Oh, how it is not part of our nature to submit to the Lord.

This is so much against our sin nature to submit to Him. But here He is telling us to put Him on. You know, if we put Him on. Wherever we go. Whatever we do. He is going to be with us. Because we put Him on. So wherever we go. In every dealing that we have. We will be able to deal with things the way the Lord will be pleased. How do we deal with each other? How do we deal with our brothers and sisters? How do we deal with our husbands and wives? With our children? How do we deal with each other? With mankind? Do we deal in a way that Jesus the Messiah will be pleased?

Can we say that what I said and what I spoke and what I did was something that Yeshua will be pleased with? Could He sanction that? How do we deal? Do we put the Lord Jesus on us? And listen, the second half of verse 14. Make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof. Oh, what a high requirement is this for us. Not to make provision for the flesh. The flesh gets constantly lustful. Angry. Falsely. And on and on and on. The more we have the Lord Jesus put upon us. Or put in our hearts and in our life. The less of those things are going to be evident in our lives.

That is so precious, brothers and sisters. You notice that in those four things that he says about submission to the government. The last one is the one that is more touching to our hearts. Yes, we are to obey the government because we don't want to get punished for their sake. Yes, we are to obey the government because we want to have a free conscience. Yes, we want to obey the government because of love. The love of God. The love of the Messiah constrains us. And we are to love mankind. And finally, we are to submit to the government because of Jesus' sake. Of Yeshua's sake.

To put him on us. Put the Lord Yeshua the Messiah. And make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof. That's where the rubbers meet the road. That is where we need a lot of grace from the Lord. May the Lord help us in this. And with this we have concluded Romans chapter 13.