Romans,
Chapter 12
© Copyright 1998 Darroll Evans-all rights
reserved
Romans12:1 I beseech you therefore,
brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living
sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Paul urged the Romans to offer themselves as
a "living sacrifice."
Sacrifices to God must be pure.
They must be the best
of the first, not the worst of the last.
Is God getting your best?
If you are in Christ, "your best"
is based in Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new
creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (NIV)
Paul declares your living, holy sacrifice to
be "your reasonable (Gr. logikeen-logikhn/English-logical) service."
The Greek word used here comes from
"logos."
John says that Christ Jesus is the
"Logos" of God (John, first Chapter) Here,
Giving your life to God is a logical
progression in our worship of God.
Sacrifice is a logical progression of
Christian life.
Romans12:2 And be not conformed to this
world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove
what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Paul admonishes us not be conformed to this
world (Gr. aiooni-aiwni) or
age.
We are not to pattern our lives after the
examples of sin in this age.
We live in what has been called the age of
grace.
However, just because we are under grace does
not give us the right to attempt to change God's spiritual grace into immoral
license to sin at will relying on His forgiveness to protest us.
With grace also comes a responsibility to
live in harmony with God.
If Jesus is truly our Lord, we will live as
He lived by walking on the path God has set before us.
Isaiah 30:20-21
20 Although the Lord has given you bread of privation
and water of oppression, He, your Teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your
eyes will behold your Teacher.
21 And your ears will hear a word behind you, "This is the way, walk in
it," whenever you turn to the right or to the left. (NASB)
Instead of patterning our lives after the
sins of this age, we are to be transformed by the complete renovation of our
minds.
We do that in order to "prove"
(discern, test, scrutinize, prove as genuine) what is
the good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
No person may discern the will of God unless
that person has a regenerated mind.
We find the reason an unregenerate mind
cannot accept the things of God in Romans 8.
Romans 8:7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward
God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able
{to do so}; (NASB)
Romans12:3 For I say, through the grace
given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more
highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath
dealt to every man the measure of faith.
The key to understanding this verse is the
phrase “to every man that is among you”!
Paul tells us that through the grace a
message has been given for him to relate to every Christian.
The message here is that we are not to think
more highly of ourselves than we ought to.
We are to think and act according to the
faith God has placed within us, the imputed faith OF Christ Jesus!
God has given to all Christians a measure of
faith. Some use the faith wisely, others don't.
God has placed within each human a need to
believe in Christ Jesus. However that is not what this verse is telling us! The
last few words of this verse contains a hidden truth!
At least it is hidden from those of us who rely on the English of the KJV!
Look at these words, “God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” The reference is not
to each and every human being, but to each and every Christian! This is a
reference to Christ’s imputed faith! It is to all Christians, those who have
received the imputed faith OF Christ Jesus!
Christ alone can fulfill that need.
Christians are not enlightened.
We are light.
Jesus said, "You are the light of the
world." (Matthew 5:14a/NIV)
As such, we are to shine.
That is all light does.
Romans12:4-5
4 For as we have many members in one body, and all
members have not the same office:
5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of
another.
"We," Christians may seem diverse,
and we are taken singularly.
However, we are members of one body.
The reason we seem so diverse to those outside
the body is that, as in the case of any human body, all members do not have the
same function.
We are not clones.
Though we are many in number, we are united
in Christ.
We are not interchangeable, but we are
interdependent.
We need each other in order to carry out the
work God has set before us.
Romans12:6-8
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us,
whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth
mercy, with cheerfulness.
We have different gifts, but they all are
according to grace (Gr. charin-carin).
Many Christians think that 1Corinthians 12
contains the only list of spiritual gifts in the Bible.
WRONG!
We find another list here in Romans.
Now, I may make some angry, but here goes.
Prophecy is not the same as preaching.
While both, preaching and prophesying, are
based in faith, they are different in concept and practice.
Whether we preach or prophesy, we do it
according to our proportion (Gr. analogian-analogian) of faith.
The "proportion of faith" is
according to the Giver.
He gives, we do not appropriate!
All spiritual gifts work in the same way.
The pattern is consistent.
We hear from God (through the Holy Spirit)
and respond appropriately.
That is the only way the Gifts of the Spirit
work.
Romans12:9 Let love
be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is
good.
Our love for each other and even for those
not of the faith should not be insincere.
Our love reflects God's love for us.
We are to abhor (Gr. apostugountes-apostugounteV), turn from all things that are evil in the sight of
God.
We are to hold firmly to that which is good
in His sight.
Romans12:10-14
10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with
brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
We are to conduct our lives in a manner that
is indicates brotherly love to one another, showing a mutual love and respect
for those of the faith.
Paul says that we are to show courtesy to
others of the faith.
We are not to be slothful (Gr. okneeroi-oknhroi/lazy) in business, but we are to
be "fervent in spirit; serving the Lord."
How can Paul go from slothful in business to
fervent in spirit?
Paul is not discussing commerce.
The Greek text should have been literally
translated "the diligence" (Gr. tee spoudee-th spoudh).
Our "business," our “diligence” is
not commerce.
When Christ Jesus was 12 years old, Joseph
and Mary took Him to the
He "accidentally" got lost.
When they found Him, He told them that he
must be about His "Father's business." (Luke 2:49).
Christ Jesus was not speaking of Joseph's
carpentry shop, or hawking his latest teaching tape for a "gift" of
$25.00.
His "business" then was, as ours
should be now, preaching and teaching the Gospel.
As Christians, we are to rejoice in hope, be
patient in tribulation, and continue in prayer.
Our lives are to be devoted to helping to
meet the necessities of the saints.
I love Hebrews 13:5, although I must admit
that I hang out in the last half of that verse.
However, the first half is also enlightening.
Hebrews
13:5a Let your conversation be
without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have:
We should be living lives of loving
hospitality toward others, without covetousness, and content with what we have.
That does not mean that we are to sit around
and count the clouds as they go by.
Philippians
4:11b I have learned, in whatsoever
state I am, therewith to be content.
Travis
Ogletree, said it
best when he described Christianity as a “state of being.”
Learn to stand!
Learn to rest!
Find joy and contentment in Christ!
Learn “to be” in Christ.
Unlike some, we bless those that seek
persecute you, and not curse them.
How should you bless those that persecute
you?
Pray that Gods will open their eyes to the
Truth of Jesus Christ.
Romans12:15-16
15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but
condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
Paul sought to be sympathetic in Christ
toward all people.
We are to be united in our efforts, not
fragmented.
We are not to be egotistical.
Romans12:17 Recompense to no man evil for
evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
Christians do not respond to evil with evil.
To the best of our God-given insight, we deal
honestly with all men.
And our best in Christ is very, very good!
Romans12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
If we understood this one verse, many of our
problems with conflict would disappear.
This verse does not say roll over and play
dead in all conflict.
This verse begins with "If it be possible."
Christians cannot live social and spiritual
peace with all men, because "all" men do not want to live at peace
with Christians.
God does not “live peaceably” with sin!
Romans12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not
yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is
mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
We are not avenging angels.
I detest abortion, but it is not my job, or
yours to kill abortionists.
We may work to overturn laws that are
unacceptable.
But, we are not to be come
vigilantes.
God will take care of injustices in His
timing.
Romans12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink:
for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
"Therefore" (because of all that has
been said to this point), treat your enemies with respect.
It'll drive’em
nuts!
Romans12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but
overcome evil with good.
Paul closes this chapter with some very good
advice.
Overcome evil with good.
Overcome Satan by being Christ-like.