Romans 12

Romans 12:1

Romans 12:1 : I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. Instead of giving a command Paul put forth all his apostolic authority in this tender appeal–“I beseech you.” The riches of God’s mercy as manifested in his provisions for man’s salvation in and through the gospel should be a mighty appeal to man to give him all his powers. “Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own; for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Our bodies are to be presented as living sacrifices. This is not said, as so many suppose, “in contrast with dead sacrifices of the Old Testament”; for no Jew ever offered a dead animal as a sacrifice. Living animals were brought to the altar. Paul commands, “Present yourselves unto God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God” " . . . even so now present your members as servants to righteousness unto sanctification" (Romans 6:13; Romans 6:19).

So the meaning is, present your bodies alive to righteousness–alive to God. The body is dead to sin. “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall give life also to your mortal bodies through the Spirit that dwelleth in you” (Romans 8:11).

This does not refer to the resurrection of the body, but to its use in the serv-ice of God now. Our bodies, once dead in sin, are now, by the Holy Spirit that dwells in us, made alive in the service of God; they are to be presented to God as living, active instruments in his service. “Holy.” With the Greeks the word here translated “holy” meant, “devoted to the gods.” Any gift made to their gods was said to be devoted, holy. It is easy to see its application. Our bodies, as living sacrifices, are devoted to the worship and service of God. Anything taken out of common use and devoted to God is holy. Our bodies are therefore important; in fact, no command can be obeyed, and no kind of service to God can be rendered, without the use of the body.

And as the spirit of man thus uses his body, it is called a spiritual service. The common version has, “reasonable service.”

 

Some have concluded that Paul was urging the breth-ren to do what God said on the grounds that his de-mands were just and equitable, as if one should advise another to buy a piece of property because the price was reasonable, that is, just and right! That no in-spired writer would do. The word occurs one other time in the New Testament there King James has sincere, the American Standard has spiritual (1 Peter 2:2). There are no carnal ordinances in Christianity every acceptable service is a spiritual service. And to thus devote our bodies as instruments of service to him is acceptable to him, a spiritual service.

Romans 12:2

Romans 12:2 : And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Some Christians, like the children of Israel, want to copy the ways and practices of other people. This Paul forbids. His language al-so bans our drifting into the customs prevailing about us and Christians will drift into the customs of other religious people, if they do not study the Bible, and make it their guide in speech and action. The Chris-tian should make the Bible his guide, and give no thought as to whether it makes him like or unlike others. “. . . as children of obedience, not fashioning yourselves according to your former lusts in the time of your ignorance: but like as he who called you is holy, be ye yourselves also holy in all manner of living” (1 Peter 1:14-15). Fashion yourselves according to the life of Christ and the gospel, not the world. “But be ye transformed.” This demands a radical change in the thinking and the conduct of those who become Christians.

The Greek word here rendered transformed is rendered transfigured in Matthew 17:2 and Mark 9:2. The Christian is made responsible for this change the change is not brought about suddenly. “Though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). This transformation can be brought about only by renewing the mind, the inward man, day by day. No one can transform his character while holding to the same old stock of ideas and ideals. Study the Bible make God’s thoughts and ideals your thoughts and ideals, and a transformation naturally follows. The gospel in the heart works the change.

And because the will of God cherished in the heart works such a change in character, the thoughtful person therefore by actual experience proves to himself that the will of God is good, well-pleasing, and perfect.

Romans 12:3

Romans 12:3 : For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but so to think as to think soberly, according as God bath dealt to each man a measure of faith. Paul speaks of his being made an apostle as the grace that was given him. The same thought is expressed in Romans 15:15-16 1 Corinthians 3:10; 1 Corinthians 15:10 Galatians 2:7-9; Ephesians 3:7. He warns Christians against thinking too highly of them-selves. To think soberly is to think sensibly–to think of our proper relations with God and our fellowmen. No one should feel himself to be wise above what is written, nor feel so important as to be domineering.

Neither should he, like Moses, feel that he is too insignificant to do what God commands him to do. “A measure of faith.” It does not seem to me that “measure” here means portion. R. St. John Parry, in his notes in the Cambridge Greek Testament, says of the Greek term here translated “measure,” “In N. T. it always has its proper significance of ‘a measuring instrument.’ "

 

Faith is the measuring instrument, the instrument by which we are to measure our thinking. Whether faith in this place refers to the gospel, as it does in some places, or to our own faith in the gospel, makes no difference for our faith includes a whole-hearted belief in the gospel. It equals the idea that the gospel is the measuring instrument; for our faith cannot go beyond the gospel, and should not fall short of it. Our faith is the gospel written in our hearts.

Romans 12:4-5

Romans 12:4-5 : For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office: so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and severally members one of another. As all Christians are one body in Christ, and members one of another, no member should think himself to be above an-other. The word “office” in verse 4 refers to function. Each member of the body of Christ has an office, a function, just as does each member of our own body, and is an essential part of the body. It is a sobering thought. Paul dwells on this same illustration in greater length in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27.

Romans 12:6-8

Romans 12:6-8 : And having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith; or ministry, let us give ourselves to our ministry; or he that teacheth, to his teaching; or he that exhorteth, to his exhortation; he that giveth, let him do it with liberality; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness. The human body is a unit, though it has many members; and each member has an office, or function. So it is in the church, the body of Christ. People have certain natural gifts, but no natural gift will enable a man to prophesy. A prophet was one who spoke for God; that is, God spoke through him to the people. Foretelling future events was not his main work; God delivered through him whatever teaching the people needed.

He was an inspired teacher. Certain other activities in the early church required special endowments; these special endowments were called spiritual gifts. These are mentioned more specifically in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12:28-30. It seems that teachers did not reveal, but taught what had been revealed. As the New Testament had not been completed, these teachers would need a degree of inspiration to enable them to remember what they had been taught and to guard them against error. But ministry is service, and it seems that service could be rendered without inspiration and so with exhorting and giving.

The ruler needed diligence, but too many give very little time or attention to the responsibility placed upon them. And no one should attempt to show mercy in a half-hearted or indifferent way. Showing mercy in a helpful way is a fine art.

Romans 12:9-10

Romans 12:9-10 : Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another; in honor preferring one another. There should be no pretended love; pretended love is hypocrisy. The man who does not abhor that which is evil neither loves the good nor cleaves to it. “Hate the evil, and love the good” (Amos 5:15). Jehovah said concerning Christ, “Thou bast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity, therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows” (Hebrews 1:9).

Because Jesus loved man, he hated evil and so must the Chris-tian. If we love our fellowman, we hate that which is hurtful to him. When Christians are “tenderly affectioned one to another,” they will fight against every-thing that is hurtful to others. And in all social and business affairs Christians should prefer one another.

Romans 12:11-13

Romans 12:11-13 : “… in diligence not slothful; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing steadfastly in prayer; communicating to the necessities of the saints; given to hospitality. “Slothful implies excessive and sluggish indolence.” The Christian must be industrious in the Lord’s service; otherwise he can have no hope. Hope sustains people in all their undertakings; and to the Christian hope of future bliss brings joy and happiness even in his tribulations and difficulties. Patience is steadfastness–endurance. Hope helps the Christian to be patient, or steadfast, in tribulation; for without hope we would not endure trials and persecutions. Patience holds on; it does not quit. Realizing our continuous dependence on the Lord leads to steadfastness in prayer.

Indifference and a feeling of self-sufficiency causes a neglect of prayer. To communicate to the necessities of the saints is to help them in their needs. Hospitality is the receiving and entertaining of guests generously and kindly, or to be generous toward any who needs, and that includes strangers. If all these traits of character are manifested by all the members of a church, that church is a power for good.

Romans 12:14-15

Romans 12:14-15 : “Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep”. Persecutions are the common lot of Christians. “Yea, and all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). It is living godly as a Christian that brings persecution. It is not personal enmity; it is enmity against Christ. This should cause the Christian to pity the persecutor for his blind rage.

The greatest blessing we can confer upon the persecutor is to lead him to be a Christian. To curse does not mean to use ordinary profanity; it is a call for calamity to befall a person. If a fellow-Christian has a righteous cause for rejoicing, we should rejoice with him. Too often we envy the good fortune of others. And we should enter into full sympathy with others in their sorrows.

Romans 12:16

Romans 12:16 : Be of the same mind one toward another. Set not your mind on high things, but condescend to things that are lowly. Be not wise in your own conceits. The admonition to be of the same mind is directly connected with what is said in verse 15. It does not seem to refer to unity in gospel teaching, but rather of–sentiment, or disposition, of one toward another each one to enter into the rejoicings and sorrows of the other. Be not ambitious to appear to be greater or bet-ter than others.

In reading this verse the marginal reading in the American Standard Version should be carefully noted. The marginal reading informs us that the Greek word here translated condescend means, be carried away with. For things the marginal reading has them. This gives, “be carried away with them that are lowly.” Conybeare and Howson has, “suffer yourselves to be borne along with the lowly.” James Mac-knight: “associate with lowly men.” The Cambridge Greek Testament says the Greek word equals, “put yourselves on a level with, accommodate yourselves to.” Barnes says, “Literally, ‘being led away by, or being conducted by.’ It does not properly mean to condescend, but denotes a yielding, or being guided and led in the thoughts, feelings, plans, by humble objects.” In a note on synonyms under the definition of condescend Webster says, “Condescend implies a courteous or patronizing waiving of real or assumed superiority; as, his insolent condescension.” And so it seems that condescend is the wrong word, and that it expresses a wrong idea. The truth is, we Christians are all members of one family. One child of God does not condescend when he associates with another member of the family, and he should not feel that he does.

The egotist feels that he condescends when he associates with the lowly, but the genuine Christian does not so feel. “Be not wise in your own conceits.” Such a condition of mind makes a person feel superior to other children of God.

Romans 12:17

Romans 12:17 : Render to no man evil for evil. Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men. Returning evil for evil settles nothing, but usually makes bad matters worse. Besides, to return evil for evil puts one in the class of evil doers. Spite work is of the devil. Even men of the world look upon retaliation as beneath the dignity of a gentleman, and there-fore not honorable. “There is a common standard of honor which Christians must by no means ignore.” When a Christian so far forgets himself as to violate the world’s standard of honor, he loses his influence for good.

And this does not mean that we must be men-pleasers. The Greek word for “take thought” means to pre-think–to think before you adopt a certain course of action. The Christian lowers himself in the estimation of men when he engages in things that the world thinks beneath the Christian profession; he also disobeys Paul’s injunction.

Romans 12:18

Romans 12:18 : If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men. Christians should strive especially to be at peace among themselves. And we should do our best, without sacrificing truth and duty, to be at peace with all men. We should not be meddlers in other men’s affairs; but if we preach the truth, rebuke, and exhort, somebody will not like it. It is impossible therefore to be at peace with all men. Neither Jesus nor Paul could be at peace with the enemies of Christ. We must contend earnestly for the faith we must fight the good fight of faith. But the Chris-tian can afford to sacrifice his own personal rights and preferences rather than stir up trouble. The Christian should certainly not stir up trouble over things of no vital importance.

Romans 12:19-21

Romans 12:19-21 : Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath of God: for it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense saith the Lord. But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Paul’s addressing them as “beloved” would remind them that they should feel the same way toward one another. That feeling would promote peace and good fellowship among them, for people do not indulge in strife and harsh words with those they love. But there is inherent in man a sense of justice, a feeling that evil-doers should be punished.

Taking vengeance is the savage’s way of exacting justice, but not the Lord’s way. Neither is that sort of punishment tolerated by civilized governments. “Avenge not yourselves.” The individual should not with his own hands try to take satisfaction for injuries.

To punish evil doers is God’s prerogative let him do the punishing in his own appointed way. Paul quotes from Deuteronomy 32:35 : “Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will recompense, saith the Lord.” Paul’s quoting that statement did not change its meaning nor its application. It does not refer to the vengeance God will take on sinners at the final judgment. Under the law of Moses God took vengeance on evil-doers by the agency of chosen authorities. Paul’s quoting that part of the law did not change its application, and the vengeance here mentioned will be taken in the same way. A little later Paul will show how this is to be done.

Instead of taking personal vengeance on an enemy, give him food and drink as his needs may require. If there is any degree of manhood in him, this course will fill him with shame and remorse–figuratively it will heap coals of fire on his head, and may entirely melt down his enmity.

If it does not do this, it will make him feel uncomfortable, in that he has no evil thing he can say about you. By following the course outlined in Romans 12:19-20, the Christian overcomes evil with good; if he seeks with his own hands to inflict punishment on an enemy, he is overcome of evil–he himself becomes evil.