Romans Chapter 12
(Romans 12:1)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.
- There is a "therefore" in the beginning of chapters 2, in chapter 3, the first word of chapters 4, 5, 6, the first verse of chapter 8, once in chapter 9, once in chapters 11, 12, the beginning of chapter 13 (four times total), three times in chapter 14, twice in chapter 15, and once in chapter 16
- Twenty two times from Acts to Hebrews Paul uses the term "beseech"
- it means to entreat; to supplicate; to implore; to ask or pray with urgency; followed by a person; as, "I Paul beseech you by the meekness of Christ,", 2 Cor 10; or by a thing; as, I beseech your patience.
- Paul is begging them to do this self-sacrifice
- He is also saying that this is the only rational and sane thing to do.
THEREFORE
(Romans 12:20)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.
(Romans 13:2)
Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
(Romans 13:7)
Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
(Romans 13:10)
Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
(Romans 13:12)
The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
(Romans 14:8)
For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.
(Romans 14:13)
Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
(Romans 14:19)
Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
(Romans 15:17)
I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God.
(Romans 15:28)
When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain.
(Romans 16:19)
For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.
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(Romans 12:2)
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.
- Ultimately, this world, its things and cares, offers nothing good for us in this present state
- The spiritual battle for men's souls is primarily in the mind of mankind, for the minds of men, and in our thought life
- How to renew one's mind? Study the Word of God
(2 Timothy 2:15)
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
(1 John 2:15-16)
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
(Romans 12:3)
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.
- How we ought to think of ourselves is very lowly
- This is because we are dust, made from the elements, and nothing more, spiritually
- God Who is the Highest became man......that is lowly. This gives us reason to think of ourselves the same way
- Our value in the flesh is exactly 0. Our value to God spiritually is infinite, which is why He sent Jesus Christ to die and redeem us from our flesh
(Matthew 11:29)
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
(Genesis 3:19)
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
(Job 34:15)
All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.
(Romans 12:4-5)
For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
- While one part of the body may be ugly in and of itself alone, it may not be exalted as much as another, more visible and pretty
- However, its function and utility becomes apparent and it becomes very important or even vital when it is removed!
- How pretty is a lung to the human eye as compared to a pretty face? So, now, remove a lung and see how important that lung is. Suddenly the outward appearance of a lung is meaningless when it is hard to breathe every breath
(Romans 12:6)
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
- A spiritual gift is a gracious gift, given by the Holy Ghost according to His will
- The spiritual gift of teaching seems to be coveted for its fame, audience, fame, popularity, etc.
- The person who has a behind-the-scenes, "unseen" gift is not likely to receive accolades, applause, etc.
(Romans 12:7)
Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
- To minister: To give, to afford, to supply, to attend, to relieve, to afford supplies, to give things needful
- To teach is not to teach worldly things, but rather to teach the Word (by the context)
- Both are OK, as long as teaching the Word is always present, and what one teaches of the world is basic instruction for life, such as teaching to work, pay bills, fix a car, etc.
- However, anything involving right and wrong, such as relationships, how to decide on a spouse, wisdom-all have to come from God's Word
MIN'ISTER, v.t. [L. ministro.] To give; to afford; to supply.
He that ministereth seed to the sower--2 Cor 9.
That it may minister grace to the hearers. Eph 4.
MIN'ISTER, v.i. To attend and serve; to perform service in any office, sacred or secular.
I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest's office. Exo 29.
- To afford supplies; to give things needful; to supply the means of relief; to relieve.
When saw we thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Mat 25. - 2. To give medicines.
Canst thou not minister to a mind diseased?
In this sense, we commonly use administer.
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.
- Exhortation is a lost thing, as most Christians in the "mainstream" are taught to "be loving" which means to never exhort
- One should never confuse love with a lack of tough love and exhortation
- God exhorts and chastens us, because we need it, and it is loving, not hating
Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;
(Job 5:17)
Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:
(Hebrews 12:5-6)
And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
(Romans 12:9)
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
- Dissimulation: faking it, pretending to love only, phoniness, hypocrisy
- So the context here means exhortation is a loving thing, as loving without exhorting would be a phony love, as a person who says they love someone and lets them walk off of a cliff!
- To abhor is to have a deep hate for, to detest, loathe
- To cleave is to stick closely as skin to bone.
DISSIMULATION, n. [L., to make like; like.] The act of dissembling; a hiding under a false appearance; a feigning; false pretension; hypocrisy. Dissimulation may be simply concealment of the opinions, sentiments or purpose; but it includes also the assuming of a false or counterfeit appearance which conceals the real opinions or purpose. Dissimulation among statesmen is sometimes regarded as a necessary vice, or as no vice at all. Let love be without dissimulation. Rom 12.
(Romans 12:10)Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
- Affectioned means to have affection, or a passion for, a bent toward, a love for, an attachment to, a zeal for
- Honoring and placing oneself below or behind another is a sign of humility
AFFEC'TIONED, a.
- Disposed; having an affection of heart.
Be ye kindly affectioned one to another. Rom 12. - Affected; conceited. Obs.
- The state of being affected. [Little used.]
- Passion; but more generally,
- A bent of mind towards a particular object, holding a middle place between disposition, which is natural, and passion, which is excited by the presence of its exciting object. Affection is a permanent bent of the mind, formed by the presence of an object, or by some act of another person, and existing without the presence of its object.
- In a more particular sense, a settle good will, love or zealous attachment; as, the affection of a parent for his child. It was formerly followed by to or towards, but is now more generally followed by far.
- Desire; inclination; propensity, good or evil; as, virtuous or vile affections. Rom 1. Gal 5.
- In a general sense, an attribute, quality or property, which is inseparable from its object; as, love, fear and hope are affections of the mind; figure, weight, etc., are affections of bodies.
- Among physicians, a disease, or any particular morbid state of the body; as, a gouty affection; hysteric affection.
- In painting, a lively representation of passion.
Shakespeare uses the word for affectation; but this use is not legitimate.
Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
- The business here, either for money to live or the LORD'S business, is to be done ardently, passionately, never lazily
- It must be remembered that the world is watching and we are a spectacle to them, so it may be our only testimony
(Romans 12:12)
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
- This is the key to life for the Christian. All previous chapters have told us why we have hope and need to rejoice
- Now Paul is exhorting us to rejoice in hope precisely because we now know why we ought to
- This posture, attitude is despite the trials, tribulations of this life, which are many, and we need to remember that this life is brief, a vapor, adn that someone else always has it worse than we do
IN'STANT, a. [L. instans, insto.]
- Pressing; urgent; importunate; earnest.
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer. Rom 12. - Immediate; without intervening time; present.
Impending death is thine and instant doom. - Quick; making no delay.
Instant he flew with hospitable haste. - Present; current. On the tenth of July instant.
- A particular time.
Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
- The church is to first take care of its own, giving unselfishly to those in need, not those in want or those not in need
- Those in need are not always those who say they are in need, and this can be abused-which is where wisdom and discernment come from
- Paul said this very same thing in 1 Corinthians 4:12
And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:
(Matthew 5:11-12)
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
(Luke 6:22-23)
Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
(Romans 12:15)
Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
- In other words, be all things to all people, using wisdom to determine the situation
- This is because there is a time for both situations, as that is ;life itself-good times and bad
(Ecclesiastes 3:4)
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
(Romans 12:16)
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.
- The world says that the world is not a level playing field. We are not of the world and should not think like it
- All people are wicked sinners, us saved by grace being only different in that manner
- There is no hierarchy of mankind in God's eyes, only ours!
- Let God lift you up, not others, unless you are down and in need of encouragement, as we all do at times
- No person is immune from letting accolades, lauding and praise get to them to make thim think more highly than he ought
- NEVER be star struck. NEVER put any man or woman, Christian or not, on a pedestal because of fame or popularity!
- NEVER take wisdom or words or advice or even listen and entertain their ideas because they write books, make videos, have mega-churches, etc.!
- People become arrogant with education, which is wrong and unwise. Higher education literally makes on proud and puffs them up
- To "condescend" simply means to place oneself lower, to humble oneself, to yield, to cede, etc.
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.
(1 Corinthians 8:1)
Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
(1 Peter 5:5-6)
Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
CONDESCEND, v.i. [L. See Descend.]
- To descend from the privileges of superior rank or dignity, to do some act to an inferior, which strict justice or the ordinary rules of civility do not require. Hence, to submit or yield, as to an inferior, implying an occasional relinquishment of distinction.
Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Rom 7. - To recede from ones rights in negotiation, or common intercourse, to do some act, which strict justice does not require.
Spains mighty monarch, in gracious clemency does condescend, on these conditions, to become your friend. - To stoop or descend; to yield; to submit; implying a relinquishment of rank, or dignity of character, and sometimes a sinking into debasement. Can they think me so broken, so debased, with corporal servitude, that my mind ever will condescend to such absurd commands?
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
- This is perhaps the hardest thing to do for us, to let people get away with things, as we see injustice all around us, towards us, towards our loved ones
- Notice it says "evil" for evil, because recompensing and exacting revenge ourselves is what God considers evil
- Providing for honest things is also something Paul said in 1 Corinthians 8
(2 Corinthians 8:21)
Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
(Romans 12:18)
If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
- The huge, two letter word here is a massive "IF", which means it is not always easy, not even always possible-but when it is, God wants us to be
- We are the salt of the earth, called to be so, and salt preserves food; as us being salt preserves relationships
- This is especially true when a man has to be at peace with his wife, or vice versa and it is rough to do too often nowadays due to feminism
Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.
(Hebrews 12:14)
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
(Proverbs 21:19)
It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.
(Proverbs 21:9)
It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.
(Proverbs 25:24)
It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.
(Romans 12:19)
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.
(Matthew 5:39)
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
(Luke 6:29)
And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.
(Hebrews 10:30)
For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
(Leviticus 19:18)
Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
(Proverbs 24:29)
Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work.
(Romans 12:20)
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.
- The only way to show real love is by doing, not saying.
- Love is a verb and a noun, but if it is not an action verb, it is not a noun
- This does not say that it is like you will heap hot coals of fire on their head. It says you WILL
(James 2:16-17)
And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
(Romans 12:21)
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
- One cannot stop the evil of this world, only let it be and let God take care of it.
- Doing good silences the scoffers, and does not give place for the evil to spread in you and around you.
- It is making unfertile ground for evil to grow in.
- This is the charge, and it is the burden for all of us
