Romans 13:7-10 New Living Translation (NLT)
7 Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.

8 Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. 9 For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.

I. Government reinforces the debt of love (v. 7)
• Every freedom is expressed at the expense of another’s

.
• Christians should be compliant to have a right

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.
• Rebels and conspiracy theorists mistrust God’s

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.
• We owe

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and

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to government leaders.
• Beware of confusing freedom with

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.

II. Government reinforces the law of love (v. 8)
• Love

with others.
• Authentic love pursues unity in

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.
• Beware of people of “faith” who lead in

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.
• Love without law becomes misguided with

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.
• Law without love becomes

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and controlling.

III. Government reinforces the supremacy of God’s laws (vv. 9-10)
• God’s laws protect the

of people to be loved.
• Civil disobedience becomes a Christian

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when government contradicts God’s laws.
• We are authorized by God to change

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.
• We are not authorized to

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God’s institutions.
• Love is

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and so restricts selfishness.

1. As you listened to the message, what points stood out?
2. Read Romans 13:7. Why does the apostle Paul mandate that respect and honor be given to all government authorities? Should you still give respect and honor to an official who is not acting in an honorable or respectful manner? Why or why not? What if a government official is not abiding by his or her job description?
3. Read Romans 13:8. What is the only debt that Christians can never repay? How does this and the knowledge that “those in position of authority have been placed there by God” influence your thoughts about honoring government authority?
4. Who are our “neighbors” in terms of government? How can we demonstrate “love” towards government authority? What gives us the power to submit to laws and ordinances (refer to Romans 8:3-4)?
5. Why is it incorrect to conclude in verse eight that the apostle is stating it is wrong to go into debt? Review biblical passages that discuss proper ways to lend money and to borrow from others (refer to Psalm 37:21; Proverbs 22:7; Matthew 5:42; & Luke 6:35).
6. Read Romans 13:9-10. How does showing respect, honor, and love towards government and those in authority demonstrate loving our neighbors as ourselves? How is the belief that one political party is better than another a violation of the second commandment? What things can we do to help guard against thoughts like these?