13:1-2 Is this teaching that Christians have to obey every law of the state without question?

Yes, but only when laws of the state do not contravene God's law. Paul is not teaching here that Christians have to blindly obey civil authorities without regard to moral responsibility or God's law, but that ideal government poses no threat to those who obey the law. Peter teaches the same thing (cp Ro 13:1-7; 1Pe 2:13-17; 4:12-19). God determined the concept of human government in the first place. This is not to say that God personally appoints every member of the government individually, but that he ordained the existence of government for the benefit of mankind. Of course there will be bad governments and bad rulers - the New Testament church was birthed under a tyrannical governmental system - but generally, government's exist for the benefit of the people, and except where they conflict with god's law, their laws must be obeyed by God's children. But when they conflict with God's law Christians must not compromise God's word and obey them. There are numerous scriptures to support this teaching (cp Ex 1:15-17; Psa 75:6-7; Dan 3:12-18; 6:6-10; Mt 2:1-5, 7-9, 12, 15-16; Ac 4:13-20; 5:28-29, 40-42; He 11:23).

Many Christians in the contemporary church believe that civil authorities must be obeyed without question, regardless of whether or not their laws conflict with God's law, yet as those scriptures clearly teach, that is not correct. The believers subject of those scriptures all knew that it was more important to obey God rather than man (cp Mk 8:34-38 with Dan 3:19-30; 6:11-28; He 11:32-40). Ro 13:1-7 teaches simply that (in the ideal governmental system) civil authorities are not a terror to good people, but to those who do wrong, and therefore Christians must always uphold their laws, having regard to the fact that it was God who instituted human government in the first place for the benefit of all humans (cp V4).

We learn from this that God sanctions capital punishment. The sword is an instrument of death. It symbolized the right of (ideal) governments to inflict capital punishment - to execute wrath - upon wrongdoers, with God's approval. God himself commanded murderers to be executed in the Old Testament (cp Gen 9:6; Nu 35:31, 33; Ac 25:11; Rev 13:10). Ro 13:6-7 teaches that civil authorities, discharge a Divinely ordained service, and believers must therefore pay their taxes (cp V6-7).

13:8 Does this prohibit Christians buying anything on credit or borrowing money?

No, money as such is not in view here. What Paul is saying continues on from his injunction to Christians in Ro 13:1-7 to discharge all their obligations to civil authorities (cp Ro 13:1-7). Christians are to owe no man anything in the sense that they are to have no outstanding debts. All their debts must be kept up to date. The only outstanding debt Christians should owe is their debt of love to their fellow man. This is the only debt which they can never discharge (cp Ro 13:8-10 with 1Cor 13:1-7and Ga 5:13-14). Neighbour in Ro 13 and Ga 5 means any other member of the human race, not only fellow Christians, but unbelievers also; even those who hate us (cp Mt 5:43-44; Lk 6:27-35; Jn 13:34-35; Ro 12:9-10, 14, 20-21; Eph 5:1-2; Php 1:9; Col 3:14; 1Th 4:9; 1Ti 2:15; He 6:10; 1Pe 1:22; 4:8; 1Jn 2:9-10; 3:23; 4:7-12, 20-21). Christian love seeks the welfare of all and works no ill to any. It is self-sacrificial, not self-seeking. The Christian who loves his fellow man like this has fulfilled God's law in every respect. The commandments not to commit adultery, not to murder, not to steal, not to bear false witness, not to covet, and any other commandment, are all summed up in the commandment to love our neighbour as our self (cp Ex 20:13-17; Lev19:18;Deut 5:17-22). See also comments on Jn 13:34-35; 1Cor 12:31; Ga 5:1-8, 5:13; 1Th 3:12; 1Jn 3:7, 3:15, 3:16-18, 3:19-22, 4:7-21; Rev 3:7-13

13:11-14 How are we to understand what Paul says here?

In view of the imminence of Christ's return Paul is impressing upon Christians here the importance of loving our fellow man (cp Ro 13:8-10). Paul is not referring to Christ's second coming in Ro 13:11-14 as a great many Christians believe, but to the time when He comes again to take all the saints of God - both living and dead - back to heaven with Him at the first resurrection (cp Jn 5:25, 28-29; 14:1-3; 1Cor 15:51-58; Php 3:20-21; Col 3:1-4; 1Th 4:13-18; 5:23; 2Th 3:4-5; Tit 2:11-14; Jas 5:7-9;1Jn 2:28; Jude 24). Knowing the time in Ro13:12 is a figure of speech Paul used to remind Christians of how imminent Christ's return is. (If Paul considered it close in his day, how much closer is it today. See also comments on Ro 13:8 and author's study The Rapture in his book Foundational Truths of the Christian Faith). The word sleep in V11 is used metaphorically of a slumbering state of the soul; of its spiritual conformity to the world. (cp Mk 13:33-37; 1Cor 15:34; Eph 5:13-15; 1Th 5:6-8). Paul warns Christians to awaken out of this sleep, to stop sinning and live as children of the light (cp 1Pet 2:9; 2Pet 1: 5-11)

See also author's study Christians - Love Not the World in his book Advanced Studies in the Christian Faith (Volume 1). Armour in Ro 13:12 is used metaphorically of the spiritual weapons available to Christians to enable them to withstand the works of darkness (cp Ro 13:12 with 2Cor 10:3-5; Eph 6:11-18). In Ro 13:13 Paul names some sins Christians are to stop engaging in (cp V 13). Rioting and drunkenness refer to drunken orgies (cp 1Pe 4:3). Chambering is sexual immorality, and wantonness is unbridled lust, debauchery. Strife and envy mean dissension and jealousy. They go hand in hand (cp Ac 13:44-45;1Cor 3:3; Jas 3:14-16). To walk honestly means that Christians must not secretly plan to fulfil sinful desires while outwardly professing Christ (cp Ro 13:14 with Ro 6:11-13; Ga 5:16-24; Eph 4:20-32; Col 3:1-11; 1Pe 2:11). This is what it means to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. If we have put on Christ, we will never plan to fulfil sinful desires. See also comments on 2Cor 10:3-5 (A) and (B) and Eph 6:11-12 and author's study Christian - Beware of Failing God's Grace and Forfeiting your Salvation in his book Advanced Studies in the Christian Faith (Volume 2).

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