The Roman government often exploited its citizens in cruel ways. Rather than instructing the church in Rome to rebel or leave, Paul tells them to give to this government what is owed (taxes, respect, honor). However, Paul warns them not to owe anything, a warning against voluntarily going into debt. While so commonly accepted in our culture, debt is still something Christians ought to view as counter to the freedom that God desires in our lives and should seek to get out from debt- with wisdom in borrowing and wisdom in repayment. Paul also reminds the church that because of Jesus’ costly act of purchasing the church with his blood, we have an unpayable debt to love one another.