As we continue our trek through the epistle to the Romans, today we encounter God’s command that perhaps exceeds all others as we proceed with the Apostle Paul’s revelation of our overall requirements associated with the governments and with each other as well. Listen in today as Pastor Teacher Landis Fisher delivers a message which he has titled: “Debtors of the Highest Law”
Old Testament Scripture Reading: Leviticus 19:28 – 37 (KJV)
Lev 19:28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.
Lev 19:29 Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness.
Lev 19:30 Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.
Lev 19:31 Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.
Lev 19:32 Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.
Lev 19:33 And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him.
Lev 19:34 But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
Lev 19:35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.
Lev 19:36 Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.
Lev 19:37 Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I am the LORD.
New Testament Scripture Reading: Romans 13:4 – 10 (KJV)
Rom 13:4 For he is the 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 the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
Rom 13:5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
Rom 13:6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.
Rom 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
Rom 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Rom 13:9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Rom 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Transforming Power Statements:
1) Whether in a “Theocracy” or “Democracy” (Or any other form of government) God has always desired that things be done in an “honest manner”, although mankind in his fallen state has always failed to be completely fair and rather to be “dog eat dog”.
2) Selfishness, disregard, superiority complexes, and all other forms of self-autonomy, have always been rejected by God, but all seem to be the central way man naturally chooses to walk.
3) True selfless pure love is of the sort that Jesus manifested by His willingness to allow the weight of the entire fault and debt of ALL our sin to be cast upon Him so that His Father could be pleased with such wretches as us and that we could learn and share the greatest news in all of time freely with everyone, which shows that we are all “Debtors of the Highest Law!”
