Most of you will recall that we are studying at the moment the first section of the 13th chapter of Paul's Epistle to the Romans.

I suggested that you can divide up the chapter into three sections.

The first section contains the first seven verses.

The second section, verse is 8, 9 and 10, and the last section from

verse 11 to the end of verse 14.

Now, I gave a hurried resumee of the argument of this first section, but I want to deal with it in detail tonight, so I better

read the first seven verses. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, for there is no

power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God,

and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works,

but to the evil. Will thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same.

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.

Wherefore, we must needs be subject not only for wrath, but also for conscience's sake.

For for this cause, pay ye tribute also, for they are God's ministers attending continually upon this very thing.

Render, therefore, to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom,

fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour.

Now this, as I was showing you in an introductory statement last Friday evening,

is the most important and vital section of scripture. And do you remember how I did two main

things last Friday evening? The first was we had to give a kind of justification or defense, if you like, of the Apostle

Paul for introducing this subject at this present point.

There are those who say that it's got nothing to do with the surrounding context, and we

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