Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of Romans Chapter 13
Metaphysically Interpreting Romans 13:1-7
13:1Let every soul be in subjection to the higher powers: for there is no power but of God; and the powers that be are ordained of God. 13:2Therefore he that resisteth the power, withstandeth the ordinance of God: and they that withstand shall receive to themselves judgment. 13:3For rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. And wouldest thou have no fear of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise from the same: 13:4for he is a minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is a minister of God, an avenger for wrath to him that doeth evil. 13:5Wherefore ye must needs be in subjection, not only because of the wrath, but also for conscience' sake. 13:6For this cause ye pay tribute also; for they are ministers of God's service, attending continually upon this very thing. 13:7Render to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.
October 30, 1932: Romans 13:1-7
Paul recommends that we become subject to superior authorities. What authority should we recommend above all others? We should make ourselves subject to the authority of the indwelling Spirit of God. Jesus said: I do nothing of myself, but as the Father taught me; I speak these things."
When we make ourselves obedient to God, what follows? God is love, and the law of love overcomes the world. Obedience to God therefore gives us overcoming power.
Are all the temporal rulers of the world ordained of God? Temporal rulers represent the ruling principle of divine law, and in the degree that we become obedient to that law their authority to us is divine.
How shall we obtain the cooperation of those with whom we work? By thinking loving thoughts toward all and by cultivating a spirit of patience and forgiveness, we bring all persons under the law of love, through which real cooperation is brought about.
Paul says that we should give every man his due. What is the highest honor we can pay our fellow man? The spiritual recognition of the Christ mind in every one is the highest and best tribute we can give him. "Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
How can we all so cooperate as to bring into existence the universal brotherhood? By following the command of Jesus, “A new commandment I give unto that ye love one another.”
November 12, 1944: Romans 13:1-7
What is our responsibility to life? Individually each of us is responsible for making our life full, rich, and satisfying, a life under law. Individually and collectively we are responsible for raising the level of the race consciousness until it reaches there permanently.
How can the aspirants after Truth and righteousness become a dominant factor in the ushering in of universal peace on earth and permanent well-being? By holding in mind persistently a vision of universal understanding, universal harmony, and universal peace by declaring it to be now realized, and by working faithfully toward the realization of it.
What are the "higher powers" to which we should be in subjection? These include all the agencies that make for good in the individual as well as the common life.
Metaphysically Interpreting Romans 13:8-10
13:8Owe no man anything, save to love one another: for he that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law. 13:9For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not covet, and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. 13:10Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: love therefore is the fulfilment of the law.
SUNDAY, November 4, 1928: Rom. 13:1-10
When one earnestly desires to do the will of God, what revelation follows? When one earnestly desires to do the will of God he discerns that the very foundation of divine law is justice and righteousness. Every true demonstration of divine law has as its foundation the recognition of the higher powers." Man in personal thought is a weakling in both understanding and power, but let him invoke the higher powers of Spirit and he at once becomes more than man. Jesus said, "I do nothing of myself, but as the Father taught me, I speak these things."
Should man observe the law of the land? If man is obedient to divine law, he will not find it diflicult to observe the natural law and the law of the land, because if these latter are in right relation they will be found to be the outgrowth of divine law.
What duty does every one owe to his fellow men? Every person should render to each man his due, “tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom” is due; “honor to whom honor” is due.
In what one word is the whole law summed up? The whole law is summed up in the word "love." "Love worketh no ill to his neighbor; love therefore is the fulfillment of the law. Love is the most obedient thing in the universe; it is the greatest worker also, and it will accomplish more for man's happiness than all other agencies combined. If you want, a servant that will work for you night and day, get in touch with divine love.
What is adultery? Adultery is mixing truth and error. The lust in thought for the sensations of sense fills full the measure of this sin.
"Thou shalt not kill.” Explain. That you have not murdered some human being is not proof of your innocence. Have you taken life or caused it to be destroyed in any of its manifestations? Have you hated some one? John tells us that "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer."
Thou shalt not covet." Explain. God is your inexhaustible supply. This supply cannot be manifest to you so long as you covet things, yet think that they are beyond your reach. Hold that what you desire is yours now and that God is the source; there is plenty for you and for your neighbor.
“Love worketh no ill to his neighbor.” Explain. Never allow yourself to think that ill may come to another, no matter how much he may seem to merit it. Divine love moves us to a thought of helpfulness, a thought that would aid the erring brother to draw good from the lesson of his wrongdoing.
November 19, 1944: Rom. 13:8-10
Under divine law, what is the second “thing” that we are to render to God? Love our fellow men. “He that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the (divine) law.”
What is included in love of our neighbor? All that adds to his well-being in any respect. “Love worketh no ill to his neighbor.” Whatever is for the present or ultimate good of another is within the scope of divine love, and qualifies the doer for life in the kingdom of Truth.
July 22, 1951: Rom. 13:8-10
What Bible passage sums up all the duties that we owe to others? “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: love therefore is the fulfillment of the law.” If we perfectly obey this commandment, we shall live a blameless life with regard to others.
Metaphysically Interpreting Romans 13:11-14
13:11And this, knowing the season, that already it is time for you to awake out of sleep: for now is salvation nearer to us than when we first believed. 13:12The night is far spent, and the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13:13Let us walk becomingly, as in the day; not in revelling and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and jealousy. 13:14But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Sunday, February 22, 1925: Rom. 13:1-10, 13, 14
What law, above all others, should man recognize and follow? Man should recognize that creative Mind must and does establish a law that governs its creation. That law is ordained of God; therefore, man must observe and follow it before he truly can be successful in observing manmade laws.
When man resists the divine law and sets up an independent government that gives no allegiance to the divine government, what follows? Man, exercising his own judgment and ignoring the divine law, forms an adverse state of mind. Through its activity he sets up an independent kingdom which sooner or later comes to an end, with the result that he calls down upon himself what in the Old Testament is termed the vengeance of Jehovah.
How shall we avoid the vengeance of divine law? We shall avoid the vengeance of divine law upon us and our affairs by striving always to do good, to think good, and in all ways to uphold the good, the true, and the beautiful.
Does God mete out punishment to evildoers? God does not punish evildoers directly. Evildoers punish themselves by breaking the divine law of good. Whoever thinks and acts selfishly sets up thought currents that react selfishly, and that person suffers in the reaction.
Should one who understands divine law become subject to manmade law in respect to taxation for the support of temporal things? One established in spiritual understanding adjusts himself to all laws, whether natural or divine. “Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s.”
When one is in doubt as to the right thing to do under certain circumstances, what should be his guide? In all cases one should be established in the love of Jesus Christ, because love is the fulfilling of the law. Jesus formed a spiritual standard of justice and righteousness through love. When man, in spiritual consciousness, unifies himself with Jesus Christ he connects with the spiritual standard and it works in conjunction with him and makes easy every problem.
Should we need the ten commandments far a guide if we fulfilled the law of love in our relation with our neighbors? Paul names four of the commandments, and ends with “and if there be any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” So we see that the law of love really fulfills all the commandments.
How do we put on the Lord Jesus Christ? The Lord Jesus Christ is more than man, because Jesus Christ includes the spiritual nature through which the prefect man is demonstrated. We put on the Lord Jesus Christ by identifying ourselves with the Son of God consciousness within us.
November 1, 1936: Romans 13:1-14
Since the one power is the All Good, how can the appearance of evil be explained? Through affirmation and effort man realizes power that he uses according to his own free will. Power used to further selfish ends manifests itself as evil. As the son of God , man appropriates power and directs it into whatever channel of expression he chooses.
What is the law of life for the body? Temperance is the law of man’s physical well-being.
What power do we use when we practice temperance? Self-control is the high power that makes temperance possible.
Does temperance extend beyond the domain of the physical nature? Unless the thought life is temperate, the physical expression cannot well be so. In the gaining of self-dominion, temperance is the law of both mind and body.
Name the highest power than man can exercise. Love is supreme among man’s powers.
What is the first effect of love on the heart? Good will is the immediate result of love, whether expressed actively or silently.
Explain how the other commandments are fulfilled through loving one’s neighbors as oneself. Love works good to our neighbor, and makes the sins of murder, adultery, theft, and covetousness against him imporrible. He who loves what is honest, true, just, pure, and good is fortified against gross social sins.
What are some of the other higher powers that we should work to develop? Humility, courage, faith, alertness, and the power of the creative word are all high phases of the one power, and through developing them we realize freedom in Christ.
What is meant by the command that we “put on the armor of light”? This means that we should strengthen ourselves with the true understanding, as when we put away erroneous thought habits, and look to Divine Mind for wisdom to direct our life along the lines of the Christ principle.
SUNDAY, JULY 1, 1917: Romans 13:7-14
Subject: Temperance Lesson
7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. “Like attracts like” is an infallible law. So long as man wants, he will seek to satisfy that want in one way or another. The result is changed only through changing the impelling motive.
8. Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. Through love, the energies of Being are stirred up, both in the lover and the Universal, and as equilibrium of forces is thus established. “He that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”
9. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There can be no inharmony in a consciousness thoroughly established in Love.
10. Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. There can be no inharmony in a consciousness thoroughly established in Love.
11. Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. As man unfolds spiritually, he enters into the more abundant life proclaimed by Jesus Christ.
12. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. The “night” represents the unillumined state of mind, which must eventually come into the light of “day” (illumination of Spirit).
13. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, inot in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. A strong desire in the consciousness for a fuller realization of energy leads to intemperance in some form, unless real soul satisfaction is experienced.
14. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. Let all the desires be fulfilled in God-like ways. Make no provision for the flesh, for “it is the Spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing.”
October 31, 1937: Rom. 13:12-14
Explain the expression “the armor of light.” These words symbolize the protective influence of a true understanding in man’s mind of his own well-being, including all that promotes it.
What is it to “walk becomingly, as in the day”? This means that our habitual behavior is to be intelligent instead of being merely a dim out-picturing of sense desires. When we realize that a certain course is right and good, we are to follow it faithfully.
How do we put on the Lord Jesus Christ? By realizing that through claiming our dominion and mastership, we rise to newness of life in our I AM selfhood. As we do this we put on the perfect idea/conception of Divine Mind.
For what are we to make provision? For faith in our divine nature. As children of God, we are to provide for suitable expression of our divine qualities and leave behind us all provision for externals.
December 8, 1946: Rom. 13:13-14
How did Jesus Christ attain to perfect oneness with Divine Mind? Through disciplining His will. The disciplining of the will is a real and urgent necessity.
How do we “put ... on the Lord Jesus Christ”? By adopting the ideal of discipline and faithfully carrying it out in life.
Transcribed by Lloyd Kinder on 10-18-2013
