ROMANS: The Purest Gospel Chapters 12 & 13

REVIEW

What we have read in Romans is summarized by Luther:

-Chapters 1-8 deal with the “struggle against sin”

-In Chapter 8 you come “under the shadow of the cross and suffering”

-Afterwards Chapters 9-11 teach the “providence” and “comfort” of the cross.

WHAT DOES LUTHER SAY

Chapter 12:

In chapter 12, St. Paul teaches the true liturgy and makes all Christians priests, so that they may offer,
not money or cattle, as priests do in the Law, but their own bodies, by putting their desires to death.
Next he describes the outward conduct of Christians whose lives are governed by the Spirit; he tells how
they teach, preach, rule, serve, give, suffer, love, live and act toward friend, foe and everyone. These are
the works that a Christian does, for, as I have said, faith is not idle.

Chapter 13:

In chapter 13, St. Paul teaches that one should honor and obey the secular authorities. He includes this,
not because it makes people virtuous in the sight of God, but because it does insure that the virtuous
have outward peace and protection and that the wicked cannot do evil without fear and in undisturbed
peace. Therefore it is the duty of virtuous people to honor secular authority, even though they do not,
strictly speaking, need it. Finally, St. Paul sums up everything in love and gathers it all into the example
of Christ: what he has done for us, we must also do and follow after him.
CHAPTER 12

What do words like “worship,” “liturgy,” and “priesthood” mean to you? What is St. Paul referring to as
“your spiritual worship?” (Hint: Luther’s comment on Chapter 12 & v.2).

It seems like St. Paul is giving us commands on how we should live as Christians. How is this different
than the “works righteousness” that Paul criticized in earlier chapters?

Can you think of a time in your life as a Christian where you have seen “evil overcome with good?”
When has it been most difficult for you to “bless those who persecute you?

CHAPTER 13

Read Luther’s comments on chapter 13, there is an important insight in regards to how we as Christians
should read the final chapters of this epistle.

Paul encourages Christians to be “subject to governing authorities.” Does this apply to unjust
governments? What about governments that actively persecute the Church? Why do we need to subject
ourselves to the government in the first place?

What is the struggle that we find with St. Paul’s exhortation for us to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ?”
Why is it such a struggle for us to leave no “provision for the flesh?” How do Luther’s comments on this
chapter help us understand St. Paul’s call for us to “put on Christ?”