<p>13:6 <i>For this cause you pay tribute also- </i>In the opening commentary on Romans 13:1 I gave evidence that in Rome there was widespread objection to paying taxes. Paul assumes their obedience- &quot;you pay tribute&quot;. This is a great feature of Paul- he had such a positive spirit about brethren whom he knew to be far less than himself spiritually. </p><p><i>For they are ministers of God's service, attending continually upon this very thing- </i>This kind of religious language led me to suggest in the opening commentary that the authorities in view may in fact be within the church. But if not, then we can say that the language of the sanctuary is being consciously used about the ministers of the state. Just as believing slaves were to see their masters as representing Christ, so the Roman believers were to see tax collectors as requiring obedience <i>as if</i> they were part of the Divine system of things. And this is one of the arts of spiritual life- to see all our human interactions in this world as being performed as unto the Lord we have in Heaven and within the context of His system.</p>