A.C.T.S. Grid

A.C.T.S. reflection

Romans 13

1Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7Pay 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. 8Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9For 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.” 10Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. 11Besides 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. 12The 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. 13Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Adoration

Father, we praise You for Your sovereign rule over earthly authorities, whom You appoint as servants for our good and to restrain wrongdoing.

God rules over earthly authority: “there is no authority except from God”. Those authorities “have been instituted by God”, so their power is received rather than ultimate. The ruler is described as “God’s servant for your good”, showing God's concern for public good and judgment against wrongdoing.

Confession

Lord, we confess that we neglect our neighbors’ good to protect our own comfort instead of loving them as ourselves.

The central failure highlighted by the chapter's summary of the commandments is failing to love our neighbors as ourselves. Paul says the commandments “are summed up in this word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” Neglecting our neighbors' good to protect our own comfort withholds the love we owe them. This contradicts the declaration that “love is the fulfilling of the law.”

Thanksgiving

Jesus, thank You for perfectly loving Your neighbors as Yourself and for dying to bear the penalty for our neglect of our neighbors’ good.

The statement “love is the fulfilling of the law” exposes our need for a Savior whose love does not fail as ours does. Jesus perfectly loved His neighbors as Himself, never neglecting their good to protect His own comfort. At the cross, He bore the penalty for our failure to love our neighbors. Paul's command to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” directs us to this Savior, while “salvation is nearer to us now” points toward the completion of His saving work.

Supplication

Holy Spirit, change our hearts so that we love our neighbors as ourselves, putting on Christ rather than making provision for our own selfish desires.

The godly life includes conscientious submission to authorities and paying “all what is owed to them”. Its continuing obligation is “to love each other,” a love that “does no wrong to a neighbor”. Believers must also “wake from sleep” and live in readiness for the approaching day of salvation. The Spirit grows this life by making us like Christ, so that we “make no provision for the flesh” rather than protecting selfish desires.

Prayer prompt

Pray these four lines slowly, adding your own names, situations, or sins to each as appropriate.

Make this reflection your own

Reflect on Romans 13

Reflections on this page are generated with AI to guide your own prayer — always read the passage yourself first. Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.