Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
The call of God » Rejection of, leads to » Temporal judgments
Rejection » The reward for rejecting the lord
Self-will and stubbornness » Exhibited in » Refusing to walk in the ways of God
The goodness of the lord » The reward for doing good
"You have heard that they were told, 'You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for your persecutors, so that you may show yourselves true sons of your Father in heaven, for he makes his sun rise on bad and good alike, and makes the rain fall on the upright and the wrongdoers.
You who are slaves, obey your earthly masters, in reverence and awe, with sincerity of heart, as you would the Christ, not with mere external service, as though you had only men to please, but like slaves of Christ, carrying out the will of God. Do your duties heartily and willingly, as though it were for the Lord, not for men, read more.
for you know that everyone, slave or free, will be rewarded by the Lord for his good conduct.
for you know that everyone, slave or free, will be rewarded by the Lord for his good conduct.
And if you help only those who help you, what merit is there in that? Even godless people act in that way. And if you lend only to people from whom you expect to get something, what merit is there in that? Even godless people lend to godless people, meaning to get it back again in full. But love your enemies, and help them and lend to them, never despairing, and you will be richly rewarded, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind even to the ungrateful and the wicked.
Everyone must obey the authorities that are over him, for no authority can exist without the permission of God; the existing authorities have been established by him, so that anyone who resists the authorities sets himself in opposition to what God has ordained, and those who oppose him will bring down judgment upon themselves. The man who does right has nothing to fear from the magistrates, as the wrongdoer has. If you want to have no fear of the authorities, do right, and they will commend you for it,