Romans 13: Tolle Lege

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.
 
Meditation
The word of God transforms. 
 
In 386, Augustine longed for freedom from the bondage of sinful desire when he cried out, “How long, God!?!” In that moment, Augustine heard a voice say, “Tolle Lege” (“Take up and read”). Receiving this as God’s invitation, Augustine opened Scripture to Romans 13:13-14. By faith, he put on Jesus Christ and made no provision for the flesh, and his life was changed forever.
 
God’s grace still works this way. Faith responds to grace by taking up God’s word in obedience. As the gospel takes root, lives are transformed in parallel with today’s passage: enemies are loved, evil is overcome with good, authorities are honored, and neighbors are served with sacrificial love.
 
Christians are citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20), and our heavenly identity reshapes our earthly lives. Love becomes the fulfillment of God’s law, both in what we pursue and what we put away. Positively, we “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” and walk in the “armor of light.” Negatively, we “cast off the works of darkness” and “make no provision for the flesh.” The call to love is not a burden, but a joyful opportunity to reflect God’s authority by embodying His character.
 
Tolle Lege. God’s invitation still stands: take up and read. By His Spirit, God uses His word to transform His people into the image of His Son, empowering us to live for His glory. Obedience is not the means of earning grace, but the evidence of being changed by it, lives marked by the light and love of Jesus, shining in a dark world.
 
Today’s Reading
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.
 
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 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.