Romans 13: Tolle Lege

​Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

Fulfilling the Law Through Love
8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. 12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Meditation
The word of God transforms. In 386 Augustine was seeking freedom from the bondage of sexual pleasures when he asked God in prayer, “How long!?!” Augustine heard a voice say, “Tolle Lege” (“Take up and read”). Understanding this to be direction from God, Augustine took up and read verses from this chapter (13-14).  In faith, Augustine put on Jesus Christ, made no provision for the flesh, and eventually become one of the most influential people in history.
 
Faith responds to God’s grace by taking up God’s word in obedience. Christians will, therefore, love enemies and overcome evil with good, honor governing authorities, and sacrificially love the world as Jesus loved us. 
 
Christians are citizens of Heaven (Philippians 3:20) and our lives are marked with honor of authority and love for neighbor. Love is the fulfillment of God’s law, both positive and prohibitive. Positively believers “put on the Lord Jesus” and the “amor of light.” Prohibitively we “cast off the works of darkness” and “make no provision for the flesh.” The obligation of love for neighbor is opportunity to embody God’s authority by fulfilling God’s law with love.
 
Tolle Lege: “Take up and read” is God’s gracious invitation. God’s Spirit uses God’s word to transform God’s people more into God’s image that we may live more fruitfully for God’s glory. Obedience is the mark of a person transformed by God’s grace, someone who embraces our true citizenship in Heaven. Free from deeds of darkness and sexual depravity, obedience will flood lives with the love and light of Jesus.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially the direction to live lives of worship through honoring authority and loving our neighbor?
 
-Where do you see the beauty in this direction? Where do you struggle to uphold the burden of the teaching?
 
-How does the finished work of Jesus empower you to (positively) “put on Christ” and (prohibitively) “cast off works of darkness” in your life and love? Be specific, knowing the Spirit of God uses the word of God so the power of God is available to/ for you!
 
Key Verse
13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.