Devotions

miracle behind the myth

Posted on January 21, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Romans 16:1-16

¹ I am commending to you now our sister Phoebe, who is a deacon of the church in Cenchrea,² so that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and provide her with whatever support she may need from you, because she has served as a patron of many, including me.³ Greet Prisca and Aquila, my coworkers in Christ Jesus,⁴ who risked their own necks for my soul. It is not just me, but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.⁵ Also greet the assembly who gathers in their house. Greet my beloved Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia.⁶ Greet Mary, who has worked very hard for you.⁷ Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives and my fellow prisoners. They are well known among the apostles, and they were in Christ before me.⁸ Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord.⁹ Greet Urbanus, our coworker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys.¹⁰ Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.¹¹ Greet Herodion, my relative. Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.¹² Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, laborers in the Lord. Greet my beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord.¹³ Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother who was also a mother to me.¹⁴ Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers with them.¹⁵ Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the believers who are with them.¹⁶ Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.

miracle behind the myth

The closing chapter of Romans dismantles the heroic myth that Paul singlehandedly evangelized the Gentile world. The truth is far richer and far more beautiful. Paul never portrays himself as a lone pioneer conquering spiritual wilderness. Instead, he reveals a vast network of coworkers, friends, patrons, relatives, and fellow missionaries—many of whom are now living in Rome—who shared in the labor of spreading the gospel. The miracle is not that one man reached the nations, but that God raised up an entire movement of ordinary and extraordinary believers who carried the message forward together.

Paul names apostles—missionaries like himself—who had also ventured into unreached regions. He names church leaders, including Phoebe, whom he calls a diakonos of the church at Cenchreae. The word is the same one used elsewhere for deacons, and Paul applies it to a woman without hesitation. He names relatives whose exact connection is unknown but whose faithfulness is clear. He names households, couples, slaves, freedmen, wealthy patrons, and ordinary believers. Some risked their lives for him. Some hosted churches in their homes. Some labored hard in the Lord. Some were the first converts in entire regions. All of them, in one way or another, had been part of the same mission that Paul is now famous for.

This is the true miracle: the gospel advanced through a multitude of unnamed or little‑known believers whose faithfulness made Paul’s ministry possible. The Roman church itself was a living testimony to this reality. It was not founded by Paul, yet it was filled with people shaped by the same missionary movement that shaped him. The Spirit had woven their stories together long before Paul ever hoped to visit them.

That same miracle continues today. The kingdom grows not primarily through celebrated leaders or well‑known ministries, but through countless believers whose names will never appear in history books. They pray, they give, they serve, they speak, they love, they witness, and the Spirit uses their quiet obedience to draw souls into the coming kingdom. The pattern of Romans 16 is still unfolding: God works through networks of ordinary saints who make Christ known in ordinary places.

LORD, make us part of your miracle—the multitude of unknowns through whom Jesus Christ is made known to the lost.

Posted in evangelism, ministry, missions, teamwork | Tagged Romans 16 | 1 Comment

Pushy Paul

Posted on January 20, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Romans 15:22-33

²² This is why I was often kept from coming to you.²³ But now there is nothing more to keep me in these regions, and I have for many years desired to come to you²⁴ on my way to Spain. Because I hope to visit you when I pass through and that you will support me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while.²⁵ But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints.²⁶ For the believers in Macedonia and Achaia are pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.²⁷ Because they were pleased to do this, and indeed they are indebted to the Jerusalem saints. Because if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are obligated also to minister to them in material things.²⁸ Consequently, after I have completed this and have safely delivered this gift to them, I will set out for Spain by way of you,²⁹ and I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of Christ’s blessing.³⁰ Now I urge you, brothers, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to join fervently with me in prayer to God on my behalf.³¹ Pray that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea and that my ministry in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,³² so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company.³³ Now may the God of peace be with all of you. Amen.

Pushy Paul

Paul’s closing appeal in Romans 15 offers a striking window into the life of a missionary. He speaks with a candor that might make modern readers uncomfortable, because he refuses to hide the reality that gospel work depends on the generosity and partnership of others. He tells the Roman believers plainly that he intends to visit them on his way to Spain, and he expects that his time among them will bring refreshment, strength, and renewed joy. He also expects that they will help supply what he needs for the next stage of his mission. He reminds them of the remarkable generosity shown by the churches in Macedonia and Achaia, almost as if to stir the Romans to match that same spirit of support.

But Paul does not stop with financial needs. He goes further and asks for something even more demanding: their time, their attention, and their intercession. He urges them to strive with him in prayer, to join his labor by lifting his name before the Lord. He asks them to pray for his immediate mission to Judea, where he anticipates danger and resistance, and also for his long‑term vision of carrying the gospel into Spain. Paul is not shy about asking for help because he understands that ministry is never a solitary endeavor. Even an apostle cannot carry out the work of God alone.

What might seem pushy is actually deeply theological. Paul knows that the church is one body, and that every part of the body participates in the mission of God. His calling is to preach where Christ has not been named. Their calling is to uphold him through prayer, encouragement, and material support. His ministry becomes their ministry, and their partnership becomes part of the story God is writing among the nations. Paul’s boldness in asking reflects his confidence that the Spirit binds believers together in shared labor, shared sacrifice, and shared joy.

This mutual ministry remains essential today. When churches wonder why growth seems slow or why mission feels stagnant, they often overlook the simple truth that gospel work flourishes where believers support one another with open hands and open hearts. Prayer, encouragement, and financial generosity are not optional extras; they are the lifeblood of mission. Paul models a humility that asks boldly and a faith that trusts God to move through His people.

LORD, show us how to share in each other’s ministry through prayer, encouragement, and generous support.

Posted in missions, money, Paul, prayer | Tagged Romans 15 | 1 Comment

not to build on a stranger’s foundation

Posted on January 19, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Romans 15:14-21

¹⁴ But I myself am fully persuaded about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another.¹⁵ But I have written with more intensity to you on some points so as to remind you, because of the grace given to me by God¹⁶ to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. I serve the gospel of God like a priest, so that the Gentiles may become an acceptable offering, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.¹⁷ So I brag about Christ Jesus — about the things that pertain to God.¹⁸ Because I will not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in order to bring about the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed,¹⁹ by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem even as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.²⁰ And what I want to do is keep preaching where Christ has not been named, so as not to build on a stranger’s foundation,²¹ but as scripture puts it: “Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.”[1]

not to build on a stranger’s foundation

Paul has been urging the Roman believers to cultivate unity by learning to carry one another’s burdens, honor one another’s consciences, and lift up Christ together rather than allowing differences to fracture their fellowship. After addressing the strong and calling them to imitate Christ’s self‑giving patience, he now turns to the other side of the congregation. These believers—mostly Jews and God‑fearing Gentiles who first entered the faith through the synagogue—had deep habits of caution shaped by generations of reverence for the Law. Their instincts were protective, their consciences easily troubled, and their sense of identity tied closely to Israel’s story. Paul calls them “weak,” not to belittle them, but to describe how quickly their consciences could be wounded.

Yet they, too, must bear with their brothers and sisters. They must not assume that Gentile believers are spiritual outsiders or latecomers who must adopt Jewish customs to be fully included. What could persuade them that these Gentile Christians truly belonged to the people of God? Paul knows the answer: Scripture itself. So he gathers a rapid series of quotations from the Law, the Psalms, and the Prophets—texts his Jewish‑leaning readers would know by heart. Each passage proclaims that the Lord intends to pour out mercy on the nations, to draw them into His praise, and to make them full participants in His covenant blessings.

These texts do not merely tolerate Gentile inclusion; they celebrate it. They envision the nations rejoicing in the Lord, joining Israel in worship, and receiving the same steadfast love. By stacking these Scriptures together, Paul shows that the Gentile believers in Rome are not an afterthought. They are the fulfillment of promises spoken long before. The God who chose Israel also promised to bless all peoples through Israel’s Messiah. The church in Rome—made up of Jews, Greeks, Romans, and others—is evidence that God is keeping His word.

Paul’s pastoral wisdom shines here. The strong must learn Christlike patience. The weak must embrace the wideness of God’s mercy. Both groups must recognize that the gospel gathers them into one redeemed family. Only when each side welcomes the other as God has welcomed them can the church become a living testimony to the reconciling power of Christ.

LORD, thank you for including all peoples in your gracious plan to save sinners.

[1] Isaiah 52:15.

Posted in church, missions, unity | Tagged Romans 15 | 1 Comment

salvation for the Goyim

Posted on January 18, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Romans 15:7-13

⁷ Welcome one another, then, just as Christ also welcomed you, so that God may be appropriately praised.⁸ Because I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth in order to confirm the promises made to the fathers,⁹ and this is why the Gentiles can now praise God for his mercy. As scripture puts it, “Because of this I will confess you among the Gentiles, and I will sing praises to your name.”[1] ¹⁰ And again it says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”[2] ¹¹ And again, “Praise the Lord all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him.”[3] ¹² And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, and the one who rises to rule over the Gentiles, in him will the Gentiles hope.”[4]¹³ Now may the God of hope fill all of you with every kind of joy and peace as you believe in him, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

salvation for the Goyim

Paul had just finished urging the confident, liberty‑leaning believers in Rome to imitate Christ by bearing with the hesitations and sensitivities of their more cautious brothers and sisters. But he refuses to let the other side imagine that the burden of love rests only on the strong. He now turns deliberately toward the believers who came from Jewish backgrounds or from Gentile circles that first passed through the synagogue. These were the ones who carried deep habits of reverence, long‑formed scruples, and a strong instinct to guard themselves from anything that might defile. Paul calls them “weak,” not because their devotion is small, but because their consciences are easily wounded. Yet they, too, must learn to carry the weight of unity.

What would persuade these believers that the Gentile Christians—who did not share their dietary rules, festival rhythms, or ancestral heritage—were truly part of God’s saving purpose? Paul knows that argument alone will not do it. What will speak most powerfully to them is the voice of Scripture. So he gathers a chain of texts from the Law, the Psalms, and the Prophets, each one declaring that the nations—the “Goyim”—were always included in the divine plan. These passages do not merely hint at Gentile blessing; they celebrate it. They envision the nations rejoicing in the Lord, praising His name, and receiving His mercy alongside Israel.

By piling these quotations together, Paul does more than make a theological point. He invites the Jewish‑leaning believers to see the Gentile Christians not as intruders but as long‑promised heirs. The Scriptures they cherish have been pointing toward this moment all along. The God of Abraham never intended His grace to remain confined within ethnic boundaries. The covenant was always aimed outward, toward a world in need of mercy. If the Lord Himself rejoices to welcome the nations, then His people must learn to rejoice as well.

Paul’s strategy is pastoral and unifying. The strong must imitate Christ’s self‑giving love. The weak must embrace the wideness of God’s mercy. Both groups must recognize that the gospel gathers them into one family, not by erasing their histories but by fulfilling them in Christ. Only then can the church become what God intends: a community where diverse believers stand together in shared praise.

LORD, thank you for including all peoples in the gracious plan to save sinners.

[1] 2 Samuel 22:50; Psalm 18:49.

[2] Deuteronomy 32:43.

[3] Psalm 117:1.

[4] Isaiah 11:10.

Posted in deliverance, Gentiles, unity | Tagged Romans 15 | 1 Comment

with one voice

Posted on January 17, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Romans 15:1-6

¹ But we –the strong ones– ought to put up with the failings of the weak, and not just accommodate ourselves.² Each of us accommodate his neighbor for his good to build him up.³ For even Christ did not accommodate himself, but as scripture puts it, “The abuses of those who abused you have fallen on me.”[1] ⁴ Because everything that was written in former times was written to teach us, so that as we endure and stay encouraged by the scriptures we may keep our hope.⁵ Now may the God of endurance and encouragement give you unity with one another appropriate to Christ Jesus,⁶ so that together you may with one voice bring praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

with one voice

A church that divides iA congregation that fractures into competing groups and spends its energy highlighting the faults of the others abandons the very identity God has given it. Paul exposes this failure with remarkable clarity. He does not treat disunity as a minor irritation or a matter of personality differences. He treats it as a fundamental contradiction of the gospel itself. The church exists as one redeemed people, drawn together by the mercy of God in Christ. When that people turns inward and begins to measure one another by differing scruples, traditions, or theological instincts, it forgets the pattern set by the Lord.

Paul’s first reminder reaches back to Psalm 69:9, a text early Christians recognized as fulfilled in Jesus. The psalmist speaks of zeal for God’s house consuming him and of reproaches aimed at God falling instead upon the faithful servant. Paul sees in this the heart of Christ’s mission. The Messiah so fully embraced the Father’s purpose that he willingly absorbed the hostility directed toward God. He stood in the place of those who could not bear the weight of divine holiness, taking upon himself the scorn and rage that humanity hurled toward heaven. Paul’s point is not merely doctrinal; it is pastoral. If Christ bore the reproach meant for God, then believers must be willing to bear with one another’s weaknesses, differences, and immaturities. The strong and the fragile alike are called to identify with one another in a way that reflects the self-giving love of the Savior.

Paul’s second emphasis is prayerful. He knows that such unity cannot be manufactured by human effort or enforced by rules. It must be granted by the Lord who gives endurance and encouragement. Only divine grace can shape a diverse community into a single worshiping body. Without that gift, the church cannot lift its praise “with one voice.” Disunity does not merely strain relationships among believers; it distorts the church’s relationship with God. A fractured body cannot offer a unified song. A congregation at odds with itself cannot fully glorify the God who reconciles all things in Christ.

LORD, give your church one corporate life, so that we can praise you with one corporate voice.

[1] Psalm 69:9.

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awareness of the other way

Posted on January 16, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Romans 14:13-23

¹³ For that reason, we must no longer criticize one another, but instead determine never to impede or trap a brother.¹⁴ I know and have been persuaded in the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean in itself; still, it is unclean to the one who considers it unclean.¹⁵ Because if your brother or sister is distressed by what you are eating, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy by your choice of food someone for whom Christ died.¹⁶ So do not let your good deed be blasphemed.¹⁷ Because the kingdom of God does not consist of food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.¹⁸ Because the one who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by people.¹⁹ So then, let us chase what makes for peace and for building up one another.²⁰ Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. Because although all things are clean, it is wrong to cause anyone to stumble by what you eat.²¹ It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything that causes your brother to stumble.²² The confident faith you have, keep to yourself before God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.²³ But the one who is doubting is condemned if he eats, because he does not do so from faith, and whatever is not done from faith is sin.

awareness of the other way

Paul had drawn lines of distinction between two groups of Christian believers. Both groups contain brothers in Christ. Paul encourages those who consider themselves strong in their faith not to take advantage of their confidence by doing something in open fellowship that people in the other group would consider sinful.

This generation of evangelicals seems to be pushing the envelope in its daring to break free from old traditions. Anyone who does things the old fashioned way or holds to old taboos is seen as outdated and prudish. The pendulum has swung back toward libertarianism in our ranks, especially in the newer mega-churches.

Paul has a word of warning for us. Not all of our members are as strong as we think they are. By our insistence on breaking free from all self-imposed chains, we are leading some of our saints to do things they recognize as sin.

Paul teaches his readers to maintain an awareness of the other way of thinking about our actions. That will keep them from doing things that perpetuate the mutual criticisms of the two groups, and foster disunity.

LORD, before we act, show us how our actions will be conceived by those who disagree with us. Help us to stay true to our mutual master, and each other.

Posted in church, consideration of others, criticism | Tagged Romans 14 | 1 Comment

fragile in the faith

Posted on January 15, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Romans 14:1-12

¹ Accept the one who is fragile in the faith; do not criticize and argue.² You believe in eating anything, but the fragile believer eats only vegetables.³ You who eat anything must not look down on the one who does not, and the one who abstains must not criticize the one who eats anything, because God has accepted him.⁴ Who are you to criticize another’s servant? To his own lord he stands or falls. And he will stand, because the Lord is able to make him stand.⁵ One person regards one day holier than other days, and another regards them all alike. Each must be fully convinced in his own mind.⁶ The one who observes the day does it for the Lord. The one who eats, eats for the Lord because he gives thanks to God, and the one who abstains from eating abstains for the Lord, and he gives thanks to God.⁷ Because none of us lives for himself and none dies for himself.⁸ If we live, we live for the Lord; if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.⁹ This is the reason Christ died and returned to life, so that he may be the Lord of both the dead and the living.¹⁰ But you who eat vegetables only–why do you criticize your brother or sister? And you who eat anything–why do you look down on your brother or sister? Because we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.¹¹ Scripture puts it this way, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God.”[1] ¹² So, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

fragile in the faith

Paul’s pastoral concern in Romans 14 is not to referee a fight between two factions but to call the church to a deeper, more generous way of life. Throughout the letter he has been speaking to two kinds of believers. One group, confident in the grace of God, resists anything that feels like religious restriction. They see themselves as strong in faith. The other group, shaped by a past filled with moral or spiritual danger, builds protective boundaries to keep from falling back into old patterns. Paul calls them fragile in faith—not because their devotion is weak, but because their consciences are easily wounded.

As these two groups read Paul’s letter, it is easy to imagine the reactions. The strong cheer when Paul celebrates freedom from the law. The fragile cheer when he warns against sin and urges holy living. Each group hears what it wants to hear, and each imagines Paul is siding with them. But Paul is not swinging a pendulum between two extremes. He is arguing for something entirely different—a tertium quid, a third way. He envisions a church spacious enough to welcome both kinds of believers without forcing uniformity or demanding that one group dominate the other.

To make his point, Paul highlights two controversies troubling the Roman church. Some fragile‑faithed believers were insisting on sabbatarian practices, treating certain days as sacred. Some strong‑faithed believers were insisting on their freedom to eat meat that may have been associated with idolatrous sources. Each group was pushing its agenda, and each was tempted to judge the other. Paul’s response is simple and disarming: stop pushing. Stop criticizing. Stop trying to win.

For Paul, the unity of the church is more precious than the victory of either side. A believer is never to destroy the work of God in a brother or sister for the sake of a preference, a scruple, or a liberty. Winning an argument is not worth losing a relationship. The kingdom of God is not about food or days or personal freedoms—it is about righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Those virtues cannot flourish where believers are busy scoring points against each other.

Paul’s vision calls for humility, patience, and a willingness to see other Christians through the lens of God’s love rather than through the lens of our own convictions. It is a call to protect the weak, restrain the strong, and honor Christ by honoring one another.

LORD, make us sensitive to your love for Christians who see things different than we do.

[1] Isaiah 45:23.

Posted in church, consideration of others, cooperation | Tagged Romans 14 | 1 Comment

light weapons

Posted on January 14, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Romans 13:11-14

¹¹ And do this because we know the time, that it is already the hour for us to wake up from sleep, because our deliverance is now nearer than when we became believers.¹² The night has advanced toward dawn; the day is near. Consequently, we must put aside the works of darkness, and put on the weapons of light.¹³ Let us live decently as in the daytime, not in partying and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in discord and jealousy.¹⁴ Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about arousing the lusts of the flesh.

light weapons

Paul’s imagery in Romans 13 is stark and urgent. Believers belong to a kingdom of light, yet they live in territory still marked by the shadows of a kingdom of darkness. The works of that present age—partying and drunkenness, sexual immorality and sensuality, discord and jealousy—remain all around, tugging at the mind and tempting the heart. These behaviors are not merely moral failures; they are the habits of a world that is passing away. They belong to the night, not to the dawn.

But Paul insists that citizens of the coming kingdom must renounce those dark works and take up the weapons of light. This is not a call to retreat from the world but to live within it as people already shaped by the future. The night is far gone, he says, and the day is at hand. That means the old desires must lose their grip. The mind must stop feeding on the cravings of the flesh. The imagination must stop rehearsing the sins that once defined life. Instead, believers are to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ”—to clothe themselves in His character, His purity, His compassion, His obedience, His righteousness.

This is not a passive act. It is a daily, intentional turning away from the darkness and a daily, intentional turning toward the light. The weapons of light—truth, holiness, love, self-control, patience, and hope—are not ornamental. They are the means by which the kingdom of God advances in the life of each believer. They are the armor that protects the heart and the tools that shape a life worthy of the coming day.

Paul’s vision is not merely moral improvement. It is eschatological transformation. The future kingdom is already breaking into the present, and those who belong to Christ are called to live now as they will live then. The world around them may still be dark, but the light within them is real, and it is meant to shine.

LORD, we want your kingdom of light to prevail in our lives. Keep us from thinking about the works of darkness. Help us to concentrate on the light weapons we have in you.

Posted in kingdom of God, love, righteousness | Tagged Romans 13 | 1 Comment

paying the bills

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Romans 13:6-10

⁶ For this reason you also pay taxes, because the authorities are God’s servants devoted to governing.⁷ Pay everyone what you owe them: taxes to the ones you owe taxes, revenue to the ones you owe revenue, respect to the ones you owe respect, honor to the ones you owe honor.⁸ Owe no one nothing, except to love one another, because the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.⁹ For the commandments, “Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet,” (and if there is any other commandment) are summed up in this, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”¹⁰ Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fullness of the law.

paying the bills

Paul’s counsel about debts becomes wonderfully concrete when viewed through the lens of ordinary life. The image of taking a stack of bills and turning them into a stack of paid obligations captures something deeply human: the satisfaction of clearing what is owed. Many can remember seasons when paying bills felt like a burden because the debts exceeded the resources. When that pressure lifts, the act of paying what is due becomes almost joyful. It reflects order, responsibility, and gratitude for God’s provision.

Paul urges the Roman believers to take that same posture toward every kind of obligation. They were not to run from their debts, even when those debts involved paying taxes to authorities who were corrupt, oppressive, or morally compromised. Rome was no model of justice, yet Paul still instructs believers to meet their civic obligations. Doing so was part of the basic goodness expected of citizens who belonged to a higher kingdom. It was a way of demonstrating integrity in a world that often lacked it.

But then Paul makes a striking shift. There is one debt, he says, that is never fully paid off—the ongoing obligation to love one’s neighbor. This is not a burden but a calling. Love is the bill that comes due every day, and every day believers are to pay it again. Unlike financial debts, this one is never meant to disappear. It is the continual expression of the life of Christ within His people.

Paul’s point is profound: if believers faithfully “pay” this debt of love, they will fulfill the entire law without even trying to keep track of commandments. Love does what the law requires. Love protects, honors, respects, forgives, and serves. Love refuses to harm a neighbor. Love seeks the good of others even when it costs something. When love is paid daily, the law is satisfied naturally, because love is the essence of God’s righteousness lived out in human relationships.

This transforms the Christian life from a checklist of duties into a rhythm of grace. Every day brings new opportunities to settle the debt of love—through kindness, patience, generosity, forgiveness, and compassion. It is a debt that never crushes, because it is sustained by the One who first loved us.

LORD, help us to pay our love bill every day.

Posted in love, taxes, witness | Tagged Romans 13 | 1 Comment

basic goodness

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Jefferson Vann

Romans 13:1-5

¹Each soul is subject to the higher authorities. Because there is no authority except by God’s appointment, and the authorities that exist have been put in place by God.² So the opponent of such authority opposes the direction of God, and those who resist will invite judgment³ (because rulers cause no fear for good conduct but for bad). Do you want not to fear authority? Do good and you will receive its approval,⁴ because it is God’s servant for your good. But if you are doing wrong, fear, because it does not bear the sword in vain. It is God’s servant to administer retribution on the wrongdoer.⁵ Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of the punishment the authorities can mete out, but also because of your conscience.

basic goodness

Paul’s instruction about overcoming evil with good rests on something very basic: goodness must actually be present in the life of the believer. The call to resist evil is not a call to dramatic acts of defiance but to the steady, ordinary, faithful goodness that marks a transformed life. Paul knew full well that there are moments when obedience to God must take precedence over obedience to human authorities. His own life ended under a government that opposed Christ. But here, in Romans 13, he is addressing something far more foundational: Christians cannot claim to be spiritually good while refusing the basic goodness expected of responsible citizens.

Citizens of the kingdom that is coming from heaven are still citizens of the kingdoms and nations of this world. Their heavenly allegiance does not cancel their earthly responsibilities. In fact, Paul argues that the way believers demonstrate the goodness of their King is by living lives that reflect order, honesty, respect, and peace within their societies. Most of the time, the commands of Christ do not conflict with the laws of the land. In those ordinary seasons, obedience to civil authority becomes one of the ways believers display the goodness of God.

This is why Paul ties together the ideas of submission, love, and goodness. The Christian does not overcome evil by mirroring the rebellion, chaos, or hostility of the world. Evil is overcome by a life shaped by the Spirit—by doing what is right, honorable, and beneficial. When believers refuse basic goodness, they undermine their own witness. When they practice it, they reveal the character of the One they serve.

This remains a needed word. Modern Christians often imagine that spiritual heroism lies in dramatic acts of resistance, but Paul roots spiritual heroism in the daily practice of goodness. Paying what is owed, showing respect, honoring authorities, loving neighbors—these are not small things. They are the soil in which the larger victories of the kingdom grow. A life of basic goodness prepares the way for the deeper obedience required when the commands of God and the demands of the world finally diverge.

LORD, teach us how to reflect the basic goodness our human authorities expect, as well as the divine goodness you expect.

Posted in goodness, obedience, submission, witness | Tagged Romans 13 | 1 Comment