Audio commentary on this verse

Note 1 at Rom. 13:11: Paul had commanded submission to government and had used two reasons for compliance (see note 8 at Rom. 13:5, p. 835). The most important reason was not just to avoid being caught and punished by government, but to have a good conscience towards God. He is continuing that thought in this verse.

He is saying that the time left before the Lord's return is growing short and we must therefore be even more sensitive to God. This is the same reasoning that the Lord Jesus used in the parables of the ten virgins and of the stewards and their talents (Mt. 25).

The message of these four verses (vv. 11-14) can be summed up in the words of Jesus from Luke 21:34 (see Parallel Scripture for these verses, above). The issue of the Lord's imminent return adds even more importance to us walking in love.