Romans 13:13
In today’s passage, the apostle Paul warns the Christians of ancient Rome against several common sins, such as drunkenness and wantonness. We will be looking specifically at the last set of sins in this verse, which is strife and envy. Paul put the sins in this verse in couplets for a reason. First, rioting and drunkenness are put together. We all know the effect that drunkenness has on people. Drunk people are often violent, rowdy, and riotous. Second, there is chambering and wantonness. Chambering refers to immoral sexual acts, while wantonness refers to behavior that expresses sexual desire. Wanton acts in public often lead to sexual immorality inside someone’s chambers. Third, strife and envy are put together. These two sins are connected as well. The spirit of envy breeds discord in relationships, leading to strife, which may even become physical violence. Joyce Meyer said, “If you truly trust God, there’s no need for you to ever be envious of anybody. If you believe God loves you and has a plan for your life, and if you believe that His timing is always right, there is no need to envy a single person. People who are greedy—who are never satisfied with what they have and always want more—stir up strife. Your wants can cause strife, whether it’s for a promotion, a material thing, or even a ministry. When people are dissatisfied, they tend to cause trouble. Think about how easy it is to be resentful and stir up strife when you don’t get what you want. You can get critical of others real quick, but it’s not other people or circumstances that make you unsatisfied. It is a lack of trust that God will provide what is best for you.” Don’t succumb to the temptation to be envious of others, therefore leading to strife and conflict in your relationships with them. Instead, trust God. Reject the discontented spirit that arises when you see someone who is better off than you or has something you want. Instead, be content with what you do have and adopt a spirit that is happy for the good fortune of others.