Romans

Lesson 16

13:1 to 13:14

Romans 13
1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4 For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.

  1. Who are the governing authorities?

    2. _________________________________________________________________________

  2. What is meant by "submit himself"?

    3. _________________________________________________________________________

  3. What are the two reasons that we should submit ourselves to the governing authorities?

    4. _________________________________________________________________________

  4. Can there be any authority that God has not established?

    5. _________________________________________________________________________

  5. What do we rebel against if we rebel against the authority?

    6. _________________________________________________________________________

  6. What will we bring upon ourselves if we rebel against the authority?

    7. _________________________________________________________________________

  7. What do rulers hold for those who do not do right?

    8. _________________________________________________________________________

  8. Does the authority exist for a specific purpose?

    9. _________________________________________________________________________

  9. Who is the authority supposed to hold terror for?

    10. _________________________________________________________________________

  10. How can one be free from the fear of authority?

    11. _________________________________________________________________________

  11. What does the authority do to us if we do what is right?

    12. _________________________________________________________________________

  12. Whose servant is the authority?

    13. _________________________________________________________________________

  13. What is between "bear the sword" and "agent of wrath" in verse four?

    14. _________________________________________________________________________

  14. What is the authority supposed to bring?

    15. _________________________________________________________________________

  16. What are the two reasons we are supposed subject ourselves to the authority in verse five?

    17. _________________________________________________________________________

  17. Was the government of the Roman Empire democratic? Was it just? Was it Christian?

    18. _________________________________________________________________________

  18. Did God establish authorities so that they could do anything they wanted to?

    19. _________________________________________________________________________

  19. What should we do if the authority goes against God's justice?

    20. _________________________________________________________________________

    Acts 4
    1 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4 But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.

    5 The next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest's family. 7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: "By what power or what name did you do this?"

    8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 He is
    " 'the stone you builders rejected,
    which has become the capstone.' 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

    13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16 "What are we going to do with these men?" they asked. "Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name."

    18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. 20 For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."

  20. Based on Acts 4:5 can we conclude that the people gathered were the authorities?

    21. _________________________________________________________________________

  21. In Acts 4:19 who did Peter and John decide to obey?

    22. _________________________________________________________________________

    Acts 16
    35 When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: "Release those men." 36 The jailer told Paul, "The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace."

    37 But Paul said to the officers: "They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out."

    38 The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. 39 They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. 40 After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia's house, where they met with the brothers and encouraged them. Then they left.

  22. Did Paul receive an order from the authorities in Acts 16:35?

    23. _________________________________________________________________________

  23. Did Paul immediately obey this order?

    24. _________________________________________________________________________

  24. In doing this was Paul subjecting himself to some authority? Which one?

    25. _________________________________________________________________________

    Acts 24
    25 As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, "That's enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you." 26 At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him.

    27 When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews, he left Paul in prison.

  25. What was Felix expecting from Paul in Acts 24:26?

    26. _________________________________________________________________________

  26. Was what he was hoping for one of the mandates of authority given by God?

    27. _________________________________________________________________________

  27. Did Paul give money to Felix?

    28. _________________________________________________________________________

  28. How long was Paul in prison for not paying a bribe to Felix?

    29. _________________________________________________________________________

  29. Would it have been better for the cause of the gospel for Paul to have paid a bribe?

    30. _________________________________________________________________________

  30. Were Felix and God in accord on this?

    31. _________________________________________________________________________

  31. Who did Paul decide to obey?

    32. _________________________________________________________________________

  32. Was this an easy decision for Paul? Were the consequences easy?

    33. _________________________________________________________________________

  34. Can we simply disobey the authorities because we don't like them?

    35. _________________________________________________________________________

  35. If we are not obeying the authorities established by God whom should we be obeying?

    36. _________________________________________________________________________

    Romans 13
    6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

    8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 10 Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

  36. Why do we pay taxes?

    37. _________________________________________________________________________

  37. Can a Christian be an authority and serve God?

    38. _________________________________________________________________________

  38. To what do the authorities give their full time?

    39. _________________________________________________________________________

  39. What would be the difference between taxes and revenue?

    40. _________________________________________________________________________

  40. What are the two things we should give besides taxes and revenue?

    41. _________________________________________________________________________

  41. Do we have a debt to continue to love one another?

    42. _________________________________________________________________________

  42. Are we expected to be able to pay this debt completely?

    43. _________________________________________________________________________

  43. Are all the Ten Commandments fulfilled in "Love your neighbor as yourself"?

    44. _________________________________________________________________________

  44. What does love not do to its neighbor?

    45. _________________________________________________________________________

  45. What is fulfilled by love?

    46. _________________________________________________________________________

    Romans 13
    11 And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

  46. What are we supposed to be understanding? Why?

    47. _________________________________________________________________________

  47. What is meant by "slumber"?

    48. _________________________________________________________________________

  48. What is meant by "salvation" here?

    49. _________________________________________________________________________

  49. What is meant by "night"?

    50. _________________________________________________________________________

  50. What day is almost here?

    51. _________________________________________________________________________

  51. What are the deeds we should put aside?

    52. _________________________________________________________________________

  52. What are we supposed to put on? What is this?

    53. _________________________________________________________________________

  53. What things are we not supposed to do if we are going to behave decently?

    54. _________________________________________________________________________

  54. Is there any comparison between dissension and jealousy on one hand and orgies and drunkenness?

    55. _________________________________________________________________________

  55. What are we supposed to clothe ourselves with?

    56. _________________________________________________________________________

  56. What is it that we are not even to think about?

_________________________________________________________________________