The Father's Order in Governing Authority
Governing authority is placed under our Father, so taxes and respect get paid, not resented. Then the only debt left open is love, which by definition does no harm to a neighbor and so fulfills the commandments. The hour is late; dress for daylight.
13 1Everyone must submit to ruling authorities, since no authority exists except from our Father, and those that exist are placed there by our Father. 2So whoever opposes authority opposes what our Father has established, and opposers bring judgment on themselves. 3Rulers aren't a threat to good actions, only bad ones. Want to not fear authority? Do good, and you'll earn its approval. 4He is our Father's servant, for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid—he doesn't carry the sword for nothing. He is our Father's servant, an avenger who brings wrath on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore you must submit, not only to avoid punishment but also for the sake of conscience. 6That's also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are our Father's ministers, devoted to this very thing. 7Pay all what's owed: tax to whom tax, tolls to whom tolls, respect to whom respect, honor to whom honor.
Love Fulfills the Law
8Owe no one anything except to love one another, for loving another fulfills the law.
9For the commandments—"Don't commit adultery, don't murder, don't steal, don't covet"—and any other commandment, are summed up in one word: "Love your neighbor as yourself."
10Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
11Do this, knowing the time: the hour has already come for you to wake from sleep—salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12Night is nearly gone, day is near. So let's shed the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13Let us live decently, as in daylight: not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual sin and indecency, not in conflict and envy. 14Instead, dress yourselves in the Lord Jesus Christ; make no plan to satisfy the sinful nature's desires.
