Service to the corporate body of Christ is not the only place Paul teaches the necessity of serving others. In chapter thirteen, the Apostle goes on to stipulate that those who are citizens of the kingdom of God are to serve the governmental authorities that have been divinely ordained in their lives. Paul says in verse one “Let 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.” Here again the Apostle uses participles to indicate the nature even of governments as they are ordained of God. As believers take on the nature of service, this service places them in a position of submission to the regulations of governments as they pertain to matters of civil life. Ultimately it is the Law of God upon which all civil government finds its basis and to fulfill the Law of God is to fulfill the law of civil governments. At the believer strives to serve others, let them not forget that so doing is not simply within the home or church but within civil structure of public society with includes civil authorities. As the Apostle Paul enumerates the core principles to the doctrine of service, he does not do so in a theoretical manner. It has already been demonstrated the very practical nature of what the Apostle has said; however, Paul highlights the immediateness of the matter. In verse eleven, Paul warns the believer that the time for inactivity is passing away and that the time to put into practice all the admonitions contained within his letter is quickly approaching. Accordingly, every believer is to “put on the armor of light.” Simply put, this means that Christian charity and service is to be the active foundation of all that the believer does or attempts to do. Paul speaks directly to this principle by admonishing the believer to not gratify the flesh but put on the Lord; that is, render service to the Lord as Paul has encouraged the believer to render service to the governing authorities. At this point, all that Paul has said about serving within public circles stands as an example of serving Christ. Taking one step further in the doctrine of service, Paul speaks to the strength or weakness of any believer to accomplish what he has taught. In chapter fourteen, verse one Paul says for the believer to welcome those who are weaker in faith but at the same time do not give opportunity for offense. As Paul speaks of those who are “weak” (ἀσθενοῦντα, present active participle) his intention seems to be a description of one who is not as mature as they ought to be. By implication, those who are stronger (see Chapter 15: 1) have an obligation to help those who are weak understand the teachings of Christ and grow into maturity. In the vast array of issues within corporate faith life that seem to constantly bring division, Paul declares that those who are more mature are not simply to give in to those who are not, but that in gentleness and longsuffering bear with the weakness of the less mature and guide them into a fuller understanding. This is to be done without undue judgment. What seems to be intended here is not the foregoing of discerning what is proper from what is not. Rather, it seems that Paul offers his body of teaching as the universal code offered for just such a purpose. It is the revealed word of God that the corporate body of Christ must use to instruct and confront error within the faith community. The kingdom of God is not made up of regulations on eating and such but on the revelation of what it means to have a transformed nature that results in liberty on such matters. However, continued growth is necessary when this principle is applied to everyday life. In this regard, Paul says, “…For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” The basis for daily instruction is the Scriptures; the teachings of the Old and New Testaments. Paul specifically states “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Accordingly, the only safe standard by which the believer may strive to do not only what is pleasing to his neighbor but also pleasing to God and thereby fulfill the mandate to love God and love one’s neighbor is to put into practical application the infallible word of God.
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