A serious indictment is given here for the believers to repent of their sins. This is a call to self-examination and confession of sins. Let sin be rid of and let holiness be our portion. The Bible character Lot, the nephew of Abraham, was vexed by the immorality and sin-sickened of the inhabitants of Sodom. Yet, he tarried there hoping to make an earthly gain by his association with the men of Sodom. He suffered great loss. His wife was judged by God. She turned into a pillar of salt. His daughters were so plagued by the ill-moral standards of the city, they committed incest with their father.

The Apostle Paul warns the believers against spiritual slumber and tardiness. He exhorts the church to spiritual alertness and vigilance. Our Lord Jesus is returning soon to take the church to glory. When Jesus comes, He will reward His faithful servants. We are to make sure that when the trumpet call comes, we will be caught up to heaven just like the godly Enoch who was taken to heaven physically without seeing death.

18 Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. 19 And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity. 20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun. 21 For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. 22 For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? 23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.

The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us (Romans 5:5). God gives us the ability to love others by the empowering of the Holy Spirit indwelling the believer. It is a true test of conversion.

The believer has the indwelling Holy Spirit that enables to love:

(1) the being of God (2) the worship of God (3) the name of God (4) the day of God (5) the representative of God (6) the body of man (7) the morality of man (8) the property of man (9) the personality of man (10) the property of man.

Be ready to discharge any obligations you have toward all men because God has so filled your heart and endowed you with His love. This is the Christian experience. Begin with the family, extend it to your neighbours, friends and colleagues. The word “owe” is a command for continual action. In other words, make it a habit of life to discharge your God-given responsibility toward others. The obedient believer is blessed of God because he is at peace with others. God’s laws are ordained for our blessing. Careful maintenance of good human relationships by carrying out our responsibility.

Acts 4:23-37 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. 24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: 25 Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? 26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.

Thoughts on Prayer

Prayer is the worship of our Almighty God. Totally depraved men are given the privilege of access, not by their righteousness, but by the imputed righteousness of Christ.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 3:25, “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.”

It is a privilege given only to the redeemed of God, to those whom Christ has purchased by His once-for-all completed work on the cross at Calvary.

John 1:12 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”

Galatians 4:6 “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”

A significant part of a citizen’s responsibility is the paying of taxes wherein comes government revenue for the enforcement of law and order in society. A Christian living in any society, the Apostle Paul teaches, must not neglect or evade that God-given duty. He says, “pay ye tribute” and do so continually. Every civil government bears the responsibility vested by God to bring law and order in any society by rewarding good and punishing evil. Citizens are thus protected with peace in the land.

The Apostle Paul teaches the believers to submit to the rule of government in the city that they reside in. If they break the law, be willing to go through the due process of law. If found guilty, be willing to face the judgment of the law for whatever wrongdoing. The judgment of the law against committed crime serves as a deterrent for believers. They are to fear to transgress the law. It would be a setback to their Christian testimony in the sight of the world.