Page:The Net of Faith.pdf/627



Says Saint Paul about the servants:

(:The pagan ruler, says Paul, is the rod of God's anger, and therefore His servant.:) It would be little virtue, akin to pagan virtue, if the Christians were doing good only because of fearing the sword. Before thia (passage) Paul wrote them about fear saying:

He who does good because of the fear of the sword May Save his physical life, (from the threat of the sword). Therefore I have said that Saint Paul, considering the inclination of this people to do good works by the grace of God, spoke about the sword on account of an especial carefulness and goodwill toward the lords to whom they were sub- Rom. 13:4,.

Rom. 8: 15–17,.

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