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The best summary of this long section is supplied by Paul himself as he moves into a new phase of his argument: "For there is no distinction; since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (3:22b-23). When Paul says, "all," he means that Jews no less than Gentiles stand in need of God's gracious gift of justification. How, then, justification comes about – -- namely, "by faith" – -- and what justification means are important themes from Rom 3:21 through 8:39; and 1:18-3:20 provides an introduction to this whole discussion.

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In the second place, Paul's points in vss. 1-2 – -- that earthly rulers have no authority except what God has given them and that whoever resists them resists God's authority and is liable to judgment – -- are not in any way distinctively his, but are simply taken over from the traditions of Hellenistic Judaism. It is crucial to realize, however, that these same traditions hold the earthly ruler accountable to God and stress that the ruler, also, is liable to God's judgment.

As for vss. 3-4, the first thing to notice is that Paul describes the governing authorities as God's servants. Far from being divine, earthly rulers are here to serve the divine, and their authority is to be acknowledged and respected, not because it is theirs, but because it has been given them by God. The other important point in these verses is that Paul specifies the proper function of the governing authorities – -- namely, to support whatever is good and to execute wrath on the wrongdoer, thereby securing the good of the whole society.

When Paul, then, repeats (in vs. 5) the admonition to be subject, he says that this is to be done for conscience's sake, not just to avoid God's wrath. By this he means simply that if one reflects critically on the matter – -- "conscience" designating our capacity thus to reflect on moral matters – being subject to the governing authorities will commend itself as the good or right thing to do.

But the conclusion and the real point of the passage lies in the last two verses, toward which everything said in vss. 1-4 has been leading. Paul urges his readers – -- "for the same reason" – -- to pay all the taxes, direct or indirect, for which they were obligated. By doing so, they will not only avoid the punishment that the authorities, as God's servants, are authorized to administer, but also act according to conscience, doing the good or right thing and thereby signifying their respect for law and order.

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Implicit in the argument of these verses is Paul's conviction that Christians do not ultimately belong to this world. Although they are for the present in this world (see 5:10), they are not of it. The world is not to judge them; indeed, because they are God's people, the world is in a sense to be judged by them (6:2). Those who belong to the world are "unbelievers" (6:6) and "unrighteous persons" (6:9); Christians, on the contrary, are "saints," people set apart for the service of God (6:1, 2). The question, "Don't you know that unrighteous persons will not get into God's kingdom?" (6:9a), simply emphasizes the distinction implicit in the preceding discussion. On the one hand are the "saints" who belong to God's kingdom even while they are in this world; on the other hand are the "unbelievers" or "unrighteous persons" who are not only in this world but belong to it, insofar as they submit to its claims and not to God's. In 6:9b-10, then, to make this point more concrete, Paul offers a list of unrighteous types, examples of those who belong to this world instead of to God's kingdom. He uses similar lists in 1 Cor 5:10 f.; Gal 5:19 ff.; and Rom 1:29 ff. But none is offered as a definitive formulation of all, or even of the chief, evils that Christians are to avoid. They are intended to be exemplary only, illustrating the kind and range of vices that Paul deems incompatible with the ways in Christ that he teaches in all his churches.

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