In Romans 13, Paul exhort the Christians in Rome to be subject to the civil authorities, ‘the powers that be’. Civil power is of God, so where there is power, it must be of God; I own God and the authorities. Resisting them is resisting God’s ordinance. They are God’s ministers to maintain order. So we pay our bills and taxes, thus fulfilling the law..
Paul reminds us of the Lord’s coming: ‘It is high time to awake out of sleep; for our salvation is nearer than when we believed’ (v.11). In the busy and pleasure-seeking course of this world, it is still night – the world is asleep (The night is far spent, the day is at hand – v.12). But for us, the day has dawned; the Morning Star has risen in our hearts. As godly persons, we have done with works of darkness – we walk honestly in the light. We still have to face conflict, but our armour is the light we walk in. Hence we detect and foil the weapons and snares of darkness. Our ways bear the character of Him who is the true light, the Lord Jesus Christ. Having the hope of being like Him, we purify ourselves as He is pure, and we walk as He walked. (See 1 John 3:3, 2:6). The Christian is looking for Christ’s coming to bring the light and day of God to this dark and benighted world.
A simplified summary of part of the introduction to John Nelson Darby’s Exposition of the Epistle to the Romans
