Romans 12:14-13:7 – December 9, 2007

THE BELIEVER’S SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY (verses 14-21) and THE BELIEVER’S SUBMISSION TO THE STATE (verses 1-7)

Each study will have an error in one of the questions. It is our duty as believers to test everything that we read or hear with the Bible. So this will be a mini exercise in testing what is being said in class.

I handed out the following study for the questions for this lesson. We know that Jesus came in the spirit of humility. Read this study and see if you agree with it.

HOW HUMILITY UNDERLIES THE BEATITUDES

MATTHEW 5:3-12

• You cannot mourn (5:4) without appreciating how insufficient you are to handle life in your own strength. That is humility.
• You cannot be meek (5:5) unless you have needed gentleness yourself. Knowing that need is humility.
• You cannot hunger and thirst for righteousness (5:6) if you proudly think of yourself as already righteous. Longing to fill that spiritual appetite demands humility. In a parable that Luke recorded, a humble tax collector prayed, “God, be merciful to me a sinner!” He went away justified, unlike a proud Pharisee who boasted of his righteousness (Luke 18:13).
• You cannot be merciful (5:7) without recognizing your own need for mercy. Jesus said that it’s the person who is forgiven much that loves much (Luke 7:47). To confess your sin and ask God and others for forgiveness takes humility.
• You cannot be pure in heart (5:8) if your heart is filled with pride. God promises to exalt the humble, not the proud (James 4:10).
• You cannot be a peacemaker (5:9) if you believe that you are always right. To admit your own fallibility takes humility. Peace results when both warring parties move toward each other.
• Finally, identifying with Christ no matter what the reaction of others (5:10-12) demands a certain death to yourself and a renunciation of your own rights. Standing up under persecution demands Christlike humility.

Q1) Read II Corinthians 8:21 and Romans 14:17-18. According to verse 17, what does it mean to respect what is right in the sight of all men? How does one live this way?

Discussion)    This means to respect what is good, decent, pure, etc.  Not to respect or embrace that which is contrary to God and His word.  This means that we are to stand up for what is right, not that we are something, but instead in the humility in which Jesus stood up against the Pharisees or when He stood up against the money changers disgracing the temple.

Q2) According to verse 19, it is our God given right to seek out those that have wronged us, to set them straight, put them in their place and get back at them! When does the Lord say we are allowed to do this?

Clues)   This is the trick question.

Discussion)    We are not to stand up for our rights, we are to stand up for God.  When someone “wrongs” us we are to turn the other cheek.  We are not to be cowering about it, but show love to others.  We are not saying that if someone comes in to rob you in the middle of the night that you do not protect your family, instead if someone cuts you off in traffic and then curses at you or does a rude gesture, we are to not retaliate.

Q3) Beginning in chapter 13, verse 1, Paul begins to instruct believers how to behave and relate government or governing bodies (bosses, pastors, policemen, the President, etc.) people in authority over us. Why must we obey or submit to anyone? (This is very difficult for strong, domineering, controlling personalities)!

Discussion)  This shows the Gospel of Jesus Christ in action by what we do and not what we say.  It is mentioned that our responses to authority tell others much about the sincerity of our commitment to Jesus Christ.  If we cannot submit to authority over us by humans, how can we submit to authority and lordship over us by Jesus Christ?

Q4) In verse 3, Paul explains how we might escape being afraid of eternal or temporal consequences. How do we do this? How does this work if the leader of your country is someone like Stalin or Hitler?

Discussion)    Much discussion on this point if a leader like Hitler is actually ordained by God.  Whether or not this leader is ordained by God, we need to pray for this leader and obey them, UNLESS they try to have us do something that is contrary to God and His word.  It was talked about that here in America we have the right to protest and picket things we do not like that we see is happening.  This is a very good thing to do but we want to make sure that we have the underlying attitude of humility and not of that of dominance.  Another thing we talked about is that if Hitler never came to power and killed the 6 million or so Jews, then the United Nations would have never given the right for Israel to be a nation again.  In doing this, a prophecy was fulfilled that through the Gentile nations the nation of Israel would come to be.  God has a way of bringing good out of disasters.

Q5) In verse 6, yes, people, God tells us to pay our taxes. Who is Paul talking about here (that we are to pay our tribute taxes to) and why does this please God?

Discussion)    Paul is talking about the government and this pleases God because even Jesus said to render unto Ceaser what is Ceaser’s and God what is God’s.  When paying taxes it shows that you are willing to be submissive to the government that God has put in place.

Q6) Further research is needed for this question. Given all of the tithes and offerings the Old Testament Jews were required to do, what percentage was it of their income? Compare to how America tithes or offers to the Lord’s work today.

Discussion)    The Jews had to pay 50-55% of their monies into tithes and offerings.  Add to this what Rome required and it ended up being around 60-65% of their income.  Compare that to the 20-30% that Americans pay and we have no room for complaining.

LIFE APPLICATION: Read Matthew 5:3-10. How does humility fit in with each beatitude, the believer’s service to the community and submission to the state in this lesson?

Discussion)    We went over the sheet handed out and saw how humility underlies the beatitudes and everything that Jesus did on earth.  We talked about how Generals in the armed services, due to the mantle that they wear can go anywhere, same with the mantle of humility.  This mantle allows access into different parts of heaven that no other mantle can get into.  Why is this said?  For two reasons, that the very first sin ever committed was by Lucifer and that was pride (opposite of humility) and that the very essence of who Jesus is when He was on earth and what He taught was about complete humility (which is truly strength under control).