Paul’s letter to the Romans is an orderly description of the progression of incorporating Spiritual discipline–or Spiritual practices–in your life. He builds toward the final section (Chapters 12-15) which is all about how to live your life. What is important after believing in Jesus as your path to God (or whatever words from your tradition you wish to use) is what you do from the time you get up in the morning until the time you go to bed at night.
He is quite comprehensive. About the only thing Western people (and maybe a lot of Easterners, too) would disagree with would be the first part of Chapter 13 where Paul describes the relationship to government. He asks why fear them. If you do good, then you have nothing to fear. On the other hand, he probably at that time had a benign attitude toward Rome. He no doubt thought, like almost everyone of his time, that Rome was never going anywhere.
In the time since (and I bet Paul reconsidered much of that thought 10-15 years later), we have seen governments come and go. We have seen how governments mistreat their citizens–for example when the various governments (federal, state and local) actively suppressed black people in the U.S. I grew up intellectually and morally in a time of witness against a government that practiced segregation. Against a government that practiced sending armies into small countries and killing tens of thousands. It’s common these days for people globally to stand as a witness against corrupt and tyrannical regimes.
Practicing life in the Spirit must go beyond your faith community and your inner life. It must go beyond celebration and worship and study, prayer and meditation. It must go out into the streets, into the workplace, into your relationships–and do right at all times. And that takes discipline!
Faith Venture 
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