Romans 12

Romans 12:1I beseech you therefore, brethren,—The word “ therefore” connects the exhortation to consecration to God with the en­tire discussion of the foregoing chapters, culminating in the declaration of God’ s all-embracing mercy in 11:32.by the mercies of God,—The mercy so often spoken of in chapter 11, as embracing both Jews and Gentiles in a common salvation, is here described by a very strong word, expressing tenderest compassion.to present your bodies—They were to restrain and hold in abeyance all the sensual appetites and lusts, and consecrate all their faculties and ability to the service of God. [It means ceasing to hold. (Acts 20:24). Let God have full possession, not only of your spirit and soul, but of your physical body. Yield every member up to him. Again, it means ceasing to struggle, to cast all upon Him who is able to keep you from falling. This is, indeed, a life of self-denial. This gives a dim view of what it is to be not one’ s own— a heart-rending lesson, a long and bitter lesson.

But this is a hard thing to learn: that in everything, from this moment forever, we are not only not to get our own will, but we are to desire not to get it— to will and be controlled by another wholly and unceasingly. This is, indeed, dying to this world.]a living sacrifice,—[The sanctified body might be called a “ living sacrifice,” because its natural life is not consumed like an ordinary sacrifice, but is presented to God “ alive from the dead.” There is in every sacrifice a death, and in this sacrifice a death unto sin, out of which arises a new life of righteous­ ness unto God.

Thus the “ living sacrifice” is that in which, though the natural life is not lost, a new life of holiness is gained. (Romans 6:13).]holy,—Under the Mosaic law animals free from blemish were presented and devoted to God, under the new dispen­sation a nobler and more spiritual service is to be rendered: not the oblation of animals, but the consecration of ourselves. “ Ye were bought with a price; glorify God therefore in your body." (1 Corinthians 6:20).acceptable to God,—Those services will be acceptable to God, and those only, which he appoints. (See Colossians 2:20-23). When our bodies are full of life as a fact; when they are kept free from sin and actively employed in doing God’ s will, then as offerings they are acceptable to him. [To please him should be our highest aim; the fact that we do please him is our highest reward.]which is your spiritual service.—The marginal reading is, “ belonging to the reason”— that is, since they had been re­deemed from death by the blood of Jesus Christ, it was reason­able that they should give their lives to rendering such service.Romans 12:2 And be not fashioned according to this world:—To be conformed to the world is to seek worldly good, to follow worldly ends, guided by the wisdom of the world. [By “ this world” is meant the whole world of the ungodly as contrasted with the followers of Christ; the temporary order of things in which sin predominates. It is false, impure, and turbulent, mighty heaving confusion of fallen spirits, wrestling with each other and with God. As such, this world is in eternal opposition to him. Besides the grosser kinds of sensual and spiritual evil, this world has a multitude of refined and subtle powers of enmity against the divine will. There is, besides the lusts of the flesh, also the lusts of the eyes, the vainglory of life, pomp, ease, luxury, and self-pleasing; and there is, moreover, the stately self-worship, the fastidious self-contemplation of intellectual or secular men.

And with this comes also a throng of less elevated sins— levity, love of pleasure, a thirst for money, a hunger for popularity and its debasing successes. These things steal away the heart and make men false to the Master.

To be fashioned to the world is to be like unrenewed men in temper and in life.]but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,—To be “ transformed” is to be changed from the pursuit of worldly ends by renewing the mind, directing it by gospel motives into new channels for spiritual ends. [In other words, the mind, instead of being fashioned after this world, is to be so changed in belief, desire, and purpose as to lead to a life unlike the world in the particulars meant. The old, unrenewed mind fashions the life after the world; the renewed mind refuses because of the antagonism between it and the world. The renewed mind induces a new life.]that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and per­fect will of God.—Test by experience what the good and ac­ceptable and perfect will of God will do toward making happy and bringing good. Before they obeyed the gospel they had in their daily life sought enjoyment in gratifying their las­civious appetites and passions. The entreaty now is that they should no longer practice these licentious habits, but prove the good of the will of God by practicing its precepts. [The mind must be renewed in order to judge correctly of God’ s will. The things that enter into and make the Christian life are the things to be judged, and not of his will at large.

It is his will respecting what, in Christian conduct, is in itself good, what is well-pleasing because right, what is perfect, or without flaw or defect. In regard to these things God has an expressed will, and to judge of it correctly the mind must be renewed.]Romans 12:3or I say, through the grace that was given me,—The grace given to Paul of which he speaks is the knowledge be­stowed upon him by the Spirit, which enabled him to do the work of an apostle.to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think;—By the knowledge and wisdom bestowed on him he warned that no one should place too high an estimate upon the spiritual gift bestowed upon him or his own natural ability.

By so doing he would injure himself, the cause of Christ, and the world. Christ warned against the same thing when he cautioned his disciples not to take the chief seats when bidden to a feast, but the lowest, and declared that “ every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” (Luke 14:11). If a man is modest and humble in his de­portment, others will honor him. The humblest members of society are more needful to the comfort and well-being of society than the most wealthy and learned. The welfare and well-being of a community are more dependent upon the cook, butcher, and day laborer than upon the most learned and eloquent man or the most fashionable and refined woman in society.but so to think as to think soberly,—[To “ think soberly” is to form and manifest a right estimate of ourselves and of our gifts and the reality of the gifts of others. A right esti­mate can never be other than a very humble one, since what­ever there is of good in us is not of ourselves, but of God.]according as God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith.—This cannot mean the faith produced by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17), in the exercise of which one becomes a son of God (Galatians 3:26-27); but it means the faith in each one qualifying him for receiving and using aright the gifts which God gave for the instruction, the rule, the confirmation, the direction, and the extension of the church in the apostolic age.

This faith was given in different measures or proportions, according to the wise determination of God. This is the faith to which Jesus alluded when he said: “ If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Re­move hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” (Matthew 17:20).

And Paul alludes to it when he said: “ If I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:2). [But what Paul here calls attention to is not the nature and strength of this faith, but that, in all its degrees, it is a gift of God; and being a divine gift, no one can boast of it, as if it were one of the faculties of his own mind.]Romans 12:4 For even as we have many members in one body,—The church is here compared to the human body, with its different members all united in one spiritual body. Those in the spir­itual body of Christ should have the same care for the others that the earthly members of our bodies have for each other. We are members one of another, as we are members of the one body of Christ our Lord. So as we realize our spiritual relationship in Christ, we will see the good of each other. To those who have grown slowly and are immature in character Paul wrote: “ I fed you with milk, not with meat; for ye were not yet able to bear it: nay, not even now are ye able; for ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you jealousy and strife, are ye not carnal, and do ye not walk after the manner of men?” (1 Corinthians 3:2-3).and all the members have not the same office:—Each mem­ber performs a different work and fills a different office from the others. Paul says: “ Nay, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary: and those parts of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncome­ly parts have more abundant comeliness.” (1 Corinthians 12:22-23).Romans 12:5so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and sev­erally members one of another.—[The members of the human body, and the function of each member is peculiar to itself; and as all are essential, no one can claim superiority over the others.] So the church, composed of many members, consti­tutes the spiritual body in Christ.

In this each member has its appropriate office and work to do, and by virtue of all being members of the one body they are members one of another, each dependent upon the life and fidelity of the others for his own spiritual activity and life. Hence, each should constantly look to the good of all the others.Romans 12:6 And having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us,—Natural abilities and opportunities are gifts from God bestowed upon and possessed by each person.

Nat­urally, men differ in their capacities and opportunities. One by capacity and taste is fitted for one kind of work, another for a different kind. When God bestowed a spiritual gift, it was never to implant a new faculty or taste, but to guide and enlighten and use those he already had. So the same natural tastes and abilities are found in inspired men that they pos­sessed by nature, guided and enlightened by the Holy Spirit. God bestowed these gifts according to his grace. They were distributed by the same Spirit-working gifts in each, “ divid­ing to each one severally even as he will.” (1 Corinthians 12:11).

But each gift was given to each person for the good of all. According to the strength of his faith he was to work, using his gift as his faith furnished him ability.whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the propor­tion of our faith;—The gift of prophecy is usually understood to be a miraculous ability to foretell the future.

As these were teachers of the word, it came to apply in the New Testament to the teachers. Even among the inspired the knowledge given by the Spirit was in proportion to the faith. So also among the uninspired the strength of the faith is the measure of the ability to teach and to serve. Paul admonishes them not to go beyond the gift bestowed upon them— not to seek to tell more than was revealed. This applies equally to uninspired teachers, and warns them not to go beyond what is taught in the Scriptures and teach what their own wisdom may suggest as true. In teaching they must confine themselves to what is revealed in the word of God.

Of this, Macknight says: “The apostle’ s meaning, therefore, is that such as enjoyed the prophetic inspiration were not to imagine that because some things were revealed to them they might speak of every­thing, but that, in prophesying, they were to confine them­selves to what was revealed to them. The same rule we have laid down in Ephesians 4:7.” To this agree the instructions and admonitions here given by the apostle.

Each was to confine himself to the line of work which the gifts enabled him to do.Romans 12:7or ministry, let us give ourselves to our ministry;—The “ ministry” here was the work of the deacons, or he who serves in distributing the fellowship of the saints to the poor. This is an admonition that each must be faithful and diligent in the business for which he is fitted. It does not mean that a man in helping the needy is not to use his opportunities for teach­ing the gospel or speaking a word of comfort and encourage­ment. Paul says: “ For they that have served well as deacons gain to themselves a good standing, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 3:13). That is, the work of the deacon faithfully performed develops a high de­gree of spiritual power and great boldness in the faith. They are not to be dissatisfied with the work to which they are adapted and seek one they consider more honorable or efficient.or he that teacheth, to his teaching;—There were specially gifted teachers in the church.

They were a lower order than the apostles, prophets, or evangelists, and they are admonished to diligently work according to their gift. They were to teach the gospel revealed by the apostles to the unconverted, and the lessons of truth to members of the body of Christ.

One might be gifted in one special line, yet need instruction in others. (See 1 Corinthians 14:29-31). One who served faithfully in a lower gift might be entrusted with a higher. Paul, chosen to be an apostle from the beginning, served a time as a teacher (Acts 13:1), and afterwards had bestowed upon him a full apostolic measure of the Holy Spirit. By using faithfully the lower gifts he fitted himself to use the higher.omans 12:8or he that exhorteth, to his exhorting:—Exhortation was a power of persuading and encouraging others to work, and of counseling, comforting, and consoling them when in dis­tress. This is a peculiar and useful talent. It is natural to some.

Barnabas was a “ son of exhortation,” or one gifted with this talent. (Acts 4:36). He had a talent of that kind and a gift corresponding to the talent.

It was not so high a talent as some others, but those gifted were to use it for the honor of God and the good of man.he that giveth, let him do it with liberality;—[The word here translated “ liberajity” is elsewhere rendered “ singleness of heart.” (Ephesians 6:5; Colossians 3:22). The meaning here evi­dently is: openness of heart, manifesting itself by liberality and benefactions, free from pretense and self-seeking.] It must not be done in an ostentatious, pretentious manner, to be seen of men. Jesus says: “ When therefore you doest alms, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men,” (Matthew 6:2).he that ruleth, with diligence;—He that rules (directs in the affairs of the church) should do it with diligence, prompt­ness, and earnestness. [In a still more general sense the word is applied to ruling one’ s own house and children. (1 Timothy 3:3-5; 1 Timothy 3:12).]he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.—He that showeth mercy, let him do it not complainingly or grudgingly, but with gladness and cheerfulness, showing that the service is will­ingly and gladly rendered. [Cheerfulness in dispensing mer­ciful assistance seems to double its value, and certainly tends to a far more ready reception of spiritual counsel and advice on the part of the succored one.]Romans 12:9 Let love be without hypocrisy.—Let all demonstrations and professions of love be sincere and without pretense or hypocrisy. Feigned love is hate disguised. Love was so prevalent and so strongly characterized the early church that he who had it not was tempted to simulate it.Abhor that which is evil;—View with horror and dread and shrink from every evil deed as from a deadly poison, Wrong­doing is the poison of the soul. It unfits for heaven and edu­cates for eternal ruin.

A man cannot love and honor the good from the heart without detesting the evil. He must come to abhor it in himself as in others.

If it is wrong that he must abhor, he will abhor it in himself more than in others. David says: “ Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.” (Psalms 119:104). To abhor the wrong does not carry with it the hating of the wrongdoer. He will try to deliver him from the wrongdoing. So a man who loves himself and hates wrong will seek to deliver him­self from wrongdoing. A Christian has no right to be neutral between right and wrong.

He is under the same obligation to oppose the wrong that he is to maintain the right. But he must do it in the proper manner.cleave to that which is good.—Follow that which is good, for it is health for the soul and fits for enjoying eternal bless­ings and glories.Romans 12:10 In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another;—Christians must cultivate the feelings of kindly affection one to another in a true spirit of brotherly love.

The admonition to brotherly love is frequently repeated by the apostles. “ Let love of the brethren continue.” (Hebrews 13:1). “ Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one an­other from the heart fervently.” (1 Peter 1:22). [The duty is one which the Savior intended should be regarded as the badge of discipleship. He said: “ By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:35). Such is the love that the disciples are com­manded to cultivate one for another. This love embraces the universal brotherhood of the redeemed.]in honor preferring one another;—Seek not the highest honor for yourself, but in matters small and great seek to confer honor on your brother rather than take it to yourself. [Instead of waiting for others to honor us, we should lead them in the manifestation of esteem and respect.]Romans 12:11in diligence not slothful;—In all business the Christian should be diligent in performing it well and quickly. Indo­lence, slothfulness, laziness, and idleness are condemned both in the Old and New Testaments. Solomon says: “ Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.” (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

All should work that they may have lack of nothing, live honestly, pay what they owe to others, and have to give to those who are in need. Idleness is a disorderly walk. (2 Thessalonians 3:7).fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;—Throw your soul into your work so that it will be done both quickly and well.

Diligence is especially needed in the service of the Lord. [This clause is opposed to mere excitement in our diligence; the spirit itself must be stirred. In whatever we find to do, we are not only to be active, but to have a spiritual en­thusiasm, which is prompted by the knowledge that all our doing, however humble, is to be consecrated to God, to be made subservient to the cause of Christ.]Romans 12:12rejoicing in hope;—To the Christian is given a high and exalted hope of eternal glory with God. This so transcends in importance all earthly trials, troubles, disappointments, and afflictions that in the darkest hours he may find ground for rejoicing. “ Whom not having seen ye love; on whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” (1 Peter 1:8). We are ex­horted to look beyond the present trials and afflictions and, despite them all, “ rejoice in the Lord always.” (Philippians 4:4). A despondent, complaining, disheartened spirit that always sees evil is not in accord with the divine will.patient in tribulation;—When trials and afflictions come on us, we must learn to patiently bear them, for the inspired teacher says: “ Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations; knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience. And let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-3).

A complaining, fault-finding spirit is not in harmony with the spirit of Christ. The Christian can afford to be patient under such trials, knowing that by patiently bearing them the character is completed, perfected, and fitted to dwell with God.continuing steadfastly in prayer;—In our sufferings and trials, as well as in the hours of peace and prosperity, nothing so pleases God as constant, earnest, trusting, and faithful prayer.

The following are given under various forms and frequently repeated in the Scriptures: “ Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). “ I desire therefore that the men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and disputing.” (1 Timothy 2:8).Romans 12:13communicating to the necessities of the saints;—The Christian must be ready and glad to render assistance to his needy brother. As God has blessed him, he must use his blessing to help his needy brother. He is God’ s steward; and if he does not use the blessings bestowed on him, it will be changed into a curse to him. He is to make their needs his needs to the full extent of his ability to relieve them. We are told that “ he that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto Jeho­vah” (Proverbs 19:17); and, “ Inasmuch as ye did it not unto one of these least, ye did it not unto me” ; and those who refuse to do this shall hear the sentence: “ Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41; Matthew 25:45).given to hospitality.—Be careful to entertain strangers, for some in so doing have unawares entertained angels. (Hebrews 13:2). Paul, giving the qualifications that entitled a widow to be taken into the number to be supported by the church, says: “ If she hath used hospitality to strangers.” (1 Timothy 5:10).

To entertain the lowliest disciple of Jesus is to enter­tain Jesus. (Matthew 25:40). [The Christians of the apostolic day considered one principal part of their duty to consist in showing hospitality to strangers. They were, in fact, so ready in discharging this duty that the very heathen admired them for it.]Romans 12:14 Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not.— The spirit of Christ is to return good for evil. “ Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you; that ye may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:44-45).

The Christian must do good for evil— render blessing for cursing. To do him good is to do what will benefit him— help him become a better man. It is not always what will please or gratify him, but what will help him. The Christian should always seek to do good to all. It means that we should deal with man in love and with justice. Tell him in a kind but firm spirit his wrongs, and seek to lead him into the right.

This is not difficult to do when we bring ourselves under the true spirit of Christ. God and Jesus, in dealing with men, are our perfect models in these things. [It is the duty of the Christian so to teach and so to live as to commend himself to every man’ s conscience in the sight of God (2 Corinthians 4:2), and thus compel the inward respect of even the wicked for his sincerity and consistency; but a decided, earnest, Christian spirit and life will always evoke some form of opposition from the ungodly world.

The radical antagonism of the world to Christ is as real and deep now as when men cried, “ Crucify him; crucify him!” although it may not always and every­where find the same form of expression.]Romans 12:15 Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep.—A kindly, brotherly sympathy with others, both in their joys and sorrows, a desire for their good, to deliver them from sin and evil, should rule in our hearts. If so, we will rejoice in the well-being and happiness of others. Sometimes we envy those who succeed and prosper, and we despise those who fail and are in want; sometimes we sympathize with the needy, but envy the prosperous. All this is wrong. A spirit of brotherly kindness to all that will make us rejoice with the successful and sorrow with the unfortunate is the spirit of Christ. This is what Paul meant by becoming all things to all men.

He would place himself in such full and complete sympathy with them that he felt their difficulties and rejoiced when they had occasions for joy. He could feel a brother’ s sigh and with him bear a part.

Christ felt for and pitied man in his lost, helpless, sinful state, and felt for his woes.Romans 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another.—Be of the same kind, sympathizing spirit toward all, rich and poor, is the true spirit of Christ. [Be united in feeling, interests, and object; let there be no discord or disagreement.]Set not your mind on high things,—Do not seek after ex­alted stations in life. [The human regard worth having is given for what one is rather than where he is.]but condescend to things that are lowly.—Condescend to regard with favor and associate with men of low estate.Be not wise in your own conceits.—Do not be puffed up with a sense of your own wisdom. Let every man think soberly of his own abilities. It is good to distrust self. Over­confidence in self leads to presumption, which is offensive to God and man. When men conceive the idea that they are wise, then they are unwilling to look to God for wisdom. They follow their own conceits.

Hence, the Spirit said: “ For behold your calling, brethren, that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.” (1 Corinthians 1:26). These classes all feel their earthly wisdom and greatness, and hence do not feel and realize the necessity of looking to and leaning upon the wisdom of God for guidance and help.

This feeling not only hinders man from becoming a Christian, but if he should become one, it would hinder his trusting God after becoming one. The failure to trust God leads one to rely on the provisions of his own wisdom. Most of the failures in religion and in business come from too high an estimate of one’ s self. [This forbids that which would destroy unanimity and love. Selfish ambition in the church is fatal to perfect mutual consideration, especially if one acts as if he ought to be at the head of every business, and that nothing could be done if he was not consulted or employed about it.]Romans 12:17 Render to no man evil for evil.—Jesus Christ, both by example and precept, taught that none should recompense evil for evil to his neighbor. If one has wronged you, bear it patiently and return good for evil. Jesus prayed his Father to forgive those who crucified him.Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men.—Consider to do things in a way that shall be regarded honor­able by all men.

This is to let not your good be evil spoken of. [Here is a precept of loyal jealousy from the heavenly Master’ s honor. His servant is to be nobly indifferent to the world’ s thought and word where he is sure that God and the world antagonize.

But he is to be sensitively atten­tive to the world’ s observation where the world, acquainted with the word of the Lord and conscious of its truth and right, is watching, maliciously, or it may be wistfully, to see if it governs the practice of his professed followers. In view of this, the Christian will never be content even with the sat­isfaction of his own conscience. He will set himself not only to do right, but to be seen to do it. He will not only be true to a momentary trust, for example; he will take care that the proofs of his fidelity shall be open. He will not only mean well toward others; he will take care that his manner and bearing, his dealings and intercourse, shall unmistakably breathe the Christian air.]Romans 12:18 If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men.—Use all means in your power to live peaceably with all men; for the sake of peace, sacrifice everything, save truth and right. [That this is sometimes impossible Paul’ s life shows (Acts 13:45; Acts 14:19; Acts 16:19; Acts 17:5; Acts 17:13; Acts 18:6; Acts 18:12; Acts 19:23), for his whole life was an active and ardent contention against sin and error. But our responsibility extends as far as our ability to keep the peace.]Romans 12:19 Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath of God:—-They were enduring much suffering from their enemies, and he very tenderly exhorts them to suffer with patience the wrath thus inflicted upon them.for it is written, Vengeance belongeth unto me; I will rec­ompense, saith the Lord.—God, in his overruling here, will use the wicked to avenge the wrongs heaped upon his children; but especially at the judgment day will he requite the evil­doers for all the wrongs inflicted on them.

Leave it in the hands of God to punish the wrongdoers. Paul thus prac­ticed.

He, on several occasions, claimed the rights of a Roman citizen to shield him from unlawful punishment; but he never prosecuted his persecutors for wrongs they inflicted on him.Romans 12:20 But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him to drink:—If your enemy suffers or is in need, do him a kindness; relieve his wants in a kind, unostentatious manner.for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head.—In so doing you will make him feel and regret in his own heart the wrong he has done you, will melt his enmity and change him into a friend. The most excruciating punishment to a man is to make him feel that he has done wrong to one who loves him, and leave it to his own conscience and to God to punish for the wrong.Romans 12:21 Be not overcome of evil,—Do not let evil done you so overcome you as to lead you to do evil in return. If you suf­fer yourself to be provoked to revenge, you will be yielding to the enemy— overcome by that which is evil.but overcome evil with good.—[When you meet evil with good, you have at least overcome evil in yourself, if not in your enemy.]

“THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS”

Chapter Twelve IN THIS CHAPTER

1. To see the difference between conformation and transformation, understanding the process involved in being transformed

2. To appreciate the diversity of service in the Body of Christ

SUMMARY Having concluded his discourses concerning the gospel (chs. 1-8) and God’s dealings with the nation of Israel (chs. 9-11), Paul now exhorts his readers to full service in the kingdom of God.

He begins with a plea to present their bodies as living sacrifices and to be transformed by the renewing of their minds, so that they can demonstrate in themselves that the will of God is good, acceptable, and perfect (Romans 12:1-2). He then encourages them to fulfill their proper place in the Body of Christ with proper humility and zeal (Romans 12:3-8).

Finally, there are a list of commands which are to govern the Christian’s life and attitude towards love, good and evil, brethren in the Lord, service to God, and response to persecution (Romans 12:9-21).

OUTLINE I. AN APPEAL TO (Romans 12:1-2) A. PRESENT YOUR BODIES AS LIVING (Romans 12:1)1. In view of the mercies of God (Romans 12:1a) 2. Which is your reasonable (spiritual, NAS) service (Romans 12:1b)

B. BE , NOT TO THE WORLD (Romans 12:2)1. By the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2a) 2. To prove the good, acceptable, and perfect will God (Romans 12:2b)

II. SERVE GOD AS MEMBERS OF ONE BODY (Romans 12:3-8) A. WITH (Romans 12:3)1. In all seriousness (Romans 12:3a) 2. For what we are comes from God (Romans 12:3b)

B. WITH FOR (Romans 12:4-5)1. Members do not have the same function (Romans 12:4) 2. But we are one, members of one another (Romans 12:5)

C. WITH ZEAL, NO MATTER WHAT OUR GIFTS (Romans 12:6-8) III. (Romans 12:9-21) A. AS (Romans 12:9-16)1. Concerning love, good and evil (Romans 12:9) 2. Loving and honoring brethren (Romans 12:10) 3. Fervent in our service (Romans 12:11) 4. Rejoicing, patient, prayerful (Romans 12:12) 5. Caring for saints (Romans 12:13) 6. Blessing our enemies (Romans 12:14) 7. Sharing joys and sorrows (Romans 12:15) 8. Humble in our relations together (Romans 12:16)

B. TO EVIL (Romans 12:17-21)1. Do not repay with evil, be mindful of what is good (Romans 12:17) 2. If possible, be at peace (Romans 12:18) 3. Give place to the wrath of God (Romans 12:19) 4. Overcome evil by responding with good (Romans 12:20-21)

WORDS TO PONDER the mercies of God - the many blessings alluded to in the first eleven chapters

a living sacrifice - an offering that is living, not dead

conform - “to fashion or shape one thing like another… this verb has more special reference to that which is transitory, changeable, unstable” (VINE) - this word is different than that found in Romans 8:29 transform - “to change into another form; [as used in Romans 12:2] to undergo a complete change, which under the power of God, will find expression in character and conduct” (VINE)

overcome evil with good - the goal of the Christian’s response to evil

REVIEW FOR THE CHAPTER

1. List the main points of this chapter- An Appeal To Consecration (Romans 12:1-2)

• Serve God As Members Of One Body (Romans 12:3-8)
• Miscellaneous Exhortations (Romans 12:9-21)

2. Upon what does Paul make his plea? (Romans 12:1)- The mercies of God; their reasonable service

3. How is a Christian to present himself before God? (Romans 12:1)- As a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God

4. How is one transformed? (Romans 12:2)- By the renewing of their minds

5. What is the purpose of such transformation? (Romans 12:2)- To prove (demonstrate) what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God

6. What illustration shows our dependence upon each other in the church? (Romans 12:4-5)- Members of a body

7. How are Christians to respond to evil? (Romans 12:19-21)- In a positive way, with good

Verse 1 The doctrinal section of Romans concluded with the great doxology of the last chapter; and, following the style of other Pauline letters, as in Ephesians, Colossians, Galatians, etc., Paul next presented for his readers various practical applications of the holy gospel to their daily lives. Concerning this twelfth chapter, it may be doubted if there is a more influential chapter in the New Testament for determining what is acceptable Christian conduct, this being due not to the superiority of these inspired words over others, but due to the fact of their having been read so frequently in public Christian assemblies. Many a rural congregation throughout the world has had for its chief Sunday enlightenment the reading of this remarkable chapter by some member of the congregation, especially in those situations where the services of a full-time minister were not available. This writer yet remembers with joy the frequency with which this chapter appeared upon the weekly agenda of the Lord’s Day services in the country church he attended as a boy, there having been no capable reader in the congregation who, at one time or another, was not called upon to read it. The sacred memory of that little church where friends and neighbors gathered in the vale of Dudley has blessed him half a hundred years. 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. (Romans 12:1) How magnanimous is that authority which, having the power to command, stoops to plead for mortal compliance with God’s will! “I beseech you …” means “I beg of you, please …"[1] This admonition still lies under the spell of that heavenly love radiating from the great doxology just concluded inRomans 11, and relies strongly upon God’s great love as the basic motivation of all human obedience. Present your bodies … The body here is from the Greek word [soma], meaning the physical body; and, despite that Batey and others refer it to “the whole man,"[2] the contrast with “mind” in the next verse focuses the thought on the physical body here. Vincent, as quoted by Wuest, stated that: The body here is the physical body; and the word for “present” is the technical term for presenting the Levitical offerings and victims.[3]A living sacrifice … Contrasts the slain offerings of the old institution with the living sacrifices of the new. The typical nature of the Old Testament regime, and the prophetic intent of its sacrifices and ceremonials, required, absolutely, that antitypes of the new covenant should be changed to accommodate the new information brought by the actual appearance of the Messiah upon the earth. For example, the sacrificial lamb, slain upon countless pre-Christian altars, was an eloquent and instructive type of the Lord Jesus Christ; but, when Christ came and died for man’s sins as the type indicated he would, there followed the resurrection of Christ from the dead, a fact incapable of being prefigured by the slaughter of a lamb. In lieu of the old sacrifice, therefore, God ordained that the Christian himself be presented as a living sacrifice, dying to sin, buried with Christ in baptism, and rising up to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:1-4), and thus providing a continual witness of the primary facts of the gospel (the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4), and pointing back to those blessed events similarly to the manner in which the sacrificial lamb pointed forward to them, but with the significant difference that the new sacrifice referred far more emphatically to Christ than did the ancient type. Thus, it is evident that, in the Father’s wise design, the Lord Jesus Christ is the focus of all true religion, in both the Old Testament and the New Testament alike. Every true Christian is himself a presented sacrifice witnessing to the great facts of the Christian gospel. Batey was correct in the view that: This living sacrifice can best be understood in terms of dying and rising with Christ (Romans 6:1-11).[4]Even more than this, however, is certainly included. The believer indeed presents his body for baptism, this being an important element in the new birth itself, and thus accomplishes a sacrifice which requires the volition and assent of the whole person; but the presenting does not end at the baptistery. There is also the formal and faithful presentation of the body in public corporate worship, regularly throughout the Christian’s probation. Now, as in Job’s day, “when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord” (Job 1:6), the sons of God still present themselves before the Lord in the Lord’s Day assemblies of the church (and other times also), a duty which Christians are categorically commanded not to neglect (Hebrews 10:25). Nor can it end there. The body is the chief instrument of the person and is to be presented to God through service to humanity, by preaching, teaching, ministering, and helping people, and not merely for some space of time, but throughout life. Holy … modifies sacrifice; and, since the sacrifice in view is the body ([Greek: soma]), this amounts to an affirmation that the body, as such, is not evil. Paul noted in another place that the same body capable of being joined to a harlot, in the case of the Corinthians, was actually the “temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:12-20). Such teaching prohibits the view that the body is in itself sinful or evil. Acceptable to God … is the pledge of inspiration that believers presenting themselves in the manner indicated shall indeed be accepted by God and blessed in so doing. The condition of acceptance, stated here, is holiness; and, as Sanday observed: The Christian sacrifice must be holy and pure in God’s sight; otherwise, it cannot be acceptable to him.[5]Which is your reasonable service … (as in the KJV) appears to be a better rendition than the English Revised Version (1885), the commentators being all in agreement that “pertaining to the mind” is an essential element of the meaning here. Thayer said that this “reasonable service” is “worship which is rendered by the reason, or the soul."[6] The concept of what is the intended meaning, as viewed in this commentary, is that which sees that nothing could possibly be more reasonable, nor more in keeping with the conclusions of the highest intelligence, than the fact that mortal man, doomed to descend so shortly into the tomb, should rally all of his soul’s energies to seek the Lord and trust the Creator alone who has the power to redeem him from the rottenness of the grave and endow him with everlasting life, the agonizing desire of which is the great passion of mankind. Further, the most skillful exercise of intelligence, even of the greatest minds ever to appear on earth, reveals that such a seeking after God is fully consonant and harmonious with all that really blesses man, even in this life, and with all that in any way contributes to his peace and happiness now. Let a man employ his mind, his reason and intelligence, in the contemplation of one fact alone, namely, that God created man; and then let him ask if it is reasonable, or not, that such a being as God could have created man with such a nature as to make him happier in the service of the devil than in the service of God! In this single instance, and in a million others, the most ardent application of discerning intelligence will always reveal the reasonableness of serving God. It is believed that this is what Paul affirmed here. [1] Kenneth S. Wuest, Romans in the Greek New Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1955), p. 204. [2] Richard A. Batey, The Letter of Paul to the Romans (Austin, Texas: R. B. Sweet Company, 1969), p. 151. [3] Kenneth Wuest, op. cit., p. 205. [4] Richard A. Batey, loc. cit. [5] W. Sanday, Ellicott’s Commentary on the Holy Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959), p. 251. [6] Kenneth Wuest, op. cit., p. 206. Verse 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.The world is very much with Christians, who, though not of the world, are nevertheless still in it and subject to its fashions and allurements, unless these shall be rejected; and that rejection is the thing commanded here. The world … is not a reference to the physical geography of the planet, but is spoken of the natural habits, desires, and value judgments of the natural man, the natural man being man apart from the loving guidance of his Maker. The things of God’s Spirit are “foolishness” to the unregenerated (1 Corinthians 2:14); but the Christian must adopt an utterly different set of value-judgments, based upon an utterly new and higher concept of life, and thus encompassing a view of the eternal things, rather than merely those of earth and time. Significantly, both the mind and the physical body, in these first two verses, are seen as consciously controlled and directed. Therefore, even the mind, which is often thought of as that portion of the person which does the controlling, must itself be brought into subjection to God. And what is the instrument by which that can be accomplished? It is the ego, the “I,” the essence of the person itself that must do this; and, therefore, specific attention to that should be given. That the inner monitor of life does indeed have control over both mind and body is seen in the Old Testament statement: He that ruleth his own spirit is greater than he that taketh a city (Proverbs 16:32). Whatever it is that rules man’s spirit, that essential center of human control, is the seat of all authority over human thought and behavior. Man is so created that the inner throne of life may not be occupied by himself, because it was made for God’s occupancy, God being Spirit in nature; but, alas, due to the fall in Eden, Satan, also spiritual, has been allowed by man to occupy the place intended for God. Invariably, this throne, this inner monitor of the total life, must be occupied either by God or by Satan. Man may fancy that he may take the throne himself; but if he does, his very act of dethroning God has brought him under the sway of evil and elevated Satan to the seat of authority in his life. There are, thus, not three potential occupants of the soul-center, but only two. That is why God’s classification of human kind is always dual, and never otherwise. Thus, such metaphors as the sheep and the goats, the wheat and the chaff, the wise and the foolish, those on the left and on the right, God and Mammon, etc., are so prominent in scripture. Through heredity and environment both, man has a natural bent toward evil, thus giving Satan an advantage in seizing control of the person, which always happens shortly after man reaches an accountable age; but every soul ever born yet retains enough of the image of God within to enable the soul to dethrone the evil one and enthrone the rightful Occupant. This is done by believing and obeying the gospel of Jesus Christ. This change of masters within is the enabling charter, the validating act, which enables the renewing of the mind which Paul here commanded; but it cannot be accomplished in an instant. That is why the command is here given to Christians who were already baptized and risen with Christ to newness of life (Romans 6:1-10). After justification, which took place in the new birth, there is a growth process by which the mind is truly in a state of being renewed throughout life. Through the disciplines of prayer, study, worship, and meditation the inward man is gloriously renewed, as long as the true Occupant is maintained upon the proper eminence within. It was of this that Paul wrote: Though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16). This understanding that the mind itself is but one of the instruments of the true person explains the atheism and perversity which sometimes mark human intelligence. When Satan is on the throne, the mind itself is not free, but subservient to evil, all of the highest gifts of intelligence being absolutely denied by Satan. It was of such persons that Paul wrote: The God of this world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them (2 Corinthians 4:4). The renewing of the mind is not possible except through the maintenance of God upon that inner throne which monitors all human activity, physical and mental. Under many different expressions in the Holy Scriptures, the description of this divine inner Control is presented. Here are some of them: Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5). Ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38 f). Which is Christ in you the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). The Spirit that dwelleth in us (James 4:5). Even as God said I will dwell in them (2 Corinthians 6:16). Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly (Colossians 3:16), etc. Manifestly, all of the above scriptures have reference to exactly the same thing, the presence of God upon the inner throne of life. Of all the above, said to dwell in the child of God, none dwells without all the others. That ye may prove … indicates that the soul which does indeed allow God to take over in his mind will enjoy the most overwhelming proof imaginable that such a state is the highest destiny of man, being in perfect harmony with the good and acceptable will of God. God’s way is the good way; his will is the perfect way for people; and the soul that tries it shall know it is true. His own experience will demonstrate it. Verse 3 For I say, through the grace that was given to 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 hath dealt to each man a measure of faith.Even after Christ is enthroned in the heart, the old mental habits and value-judgments of the natural man are prone to reassert themselves, these being the most persistent and pernicious of human sins. The body is relatively easy to bring under control; but the pride, ambition, conceit, vainglory and self-love of the mind can only be driven out by the filling of the personality with the “mind of Christ” who “made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant” (Philippians 2:5 f), thus sacrificing the very thing to which the natural human mind clings most tenaciously. In this verse, Paul was still dealing with the problem of getting a new mind into Christians. Paradoxically, even the great spiritual emoluments of Christian service, the achievement of a degree of human righteousness, as viewed by human eyes, the gaining of respectability and reputation among fellow mortals, all of the rewards and honors of godly living, even such things as these, quite easily, and often do, lead to pride, conceit, arrogance, and self-righteousness, which are totally abhorrent to God. It cannot be doubted that this very fact led to the fantastic emphasis in this epistle to the effect that nobody, but nobody, ever deserved salvation. Even the fulfillment of conditions upon which God gives salvation cannot merit the gift. Salvation is the gift of God, and only that, even though no one may receive it while spurning the conditions upon which it is freely given. More highly than he ought to think … It was the primary sin of Israel that they fell into the thinking prohibited here, a lapse which led at last to their tragic hardening. In chapter 11, Paul strongly warned against the same violation in the Gentiles, and that warning is in view here. (See under Romans 11:18-20.) In this recurrence of the warning, he plainly forbade that conceit which so naturally rises in the minds of people who, through God’s mercy, are permitted to enjoy some little distinction of faith and piety. Despite the warning, Paul’s admonition was not directed to the utter negation of self, nor the sinful depreciation of the noble endowments God has granted mortal man; but it strikes a perfect balance, admitting that it is right and proper for one to think highly of himself, but not more highly than becomes a sinner without merit of salvation, and certainly not so highly as to produce any conceit that might arise from a comparison of his own gifts with those of his fellow Christians. Verse 4 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.These verses touch upon the same view of the body of Christ that Paul outlined in 1 Corinthians 12 th chapter, where it is declared that there “is but one body.” All Christians are part of the same entity. (See article “Christ Incorporated” under Romans 3:24.) Since Christians are all members of one body and therefore intimately joined in one communion and fellowship with each other, the savage competition for honors and preferments should give place to loving concern on the part of every member for every one of the others. The various gifts, abilities, and “offices,” or functions, as distributed among the members of Christ’s body should not become the occasion of jealousy, envy, and deprecation on the park of the “have not’s,” nor should arrogance, pride, conceit, and self-importance mar the attitude of the “have’s.” To use the analogy that Paul used in 1Corinthians, it would be as logical for the foot to be jealous of the ear, as for Christians to corrupt their love of one another through pride, envy or jealousy. In Christ … is a key phrase, as often noted here, in the book of Romans. Those alone who have been “baptized into Christ” are truly in him; and this does not overlook the absolute necessity of faith and repentance also. Can it really be said of any man who will not be baptized, as Christ commanded all people to be - can it truly be said of such a man that he (!) in Christ? Let every man answer that one for himself. Verse 6 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 exhorting: he that giveth, let him do it with liberality; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.In these verses, Paul enumerated, with appropriate admonitions, some of the various gifts of Christians, the overriding sentiment being that one does in Christ’s service, it should .be discharged with true faith in God who provided the ability to do it, and with the intention of doing it as perfectly as possible, and especially without reference to odious comparisons, rankings, and preferments which appear so generally in the patterns of human behavior. Prophecy … Although there were prophets, in the usual present-day sense of the word, in New Testament times, as, for example, Agabus (Acts 21:10), the meaning of the word here has a wider application. Exodus 4:16; Exodus 7:1, shows that Aaron was Moses’ prophet, or spokesman; and, in that view, every preacher and teacher of God’s word is a prophet. This view is consistent with 1 Corinthians 14:3 : He that prophesieth speaking unto men unto edification, and exhortation, and consolation. Just what shade of meaning Paul had in mind, however, is not the important consideration, because the admonition attached is applicable to every kind of prophesying, being this, that it should be done in proportion to the faith of them doing it. Thus any preaching, or teaching, that does not flow out of the vibrant, living faith of the teacher or preacher himself is hollow, hypocritical, and ineffectual. Ministry … technically means the service of a deacon in the church; but the word is used more generally to include even the work of the apostles themselves, as indicated by Paul’s word “our” in this verse. It refers to any kind of service undertaken for God’s glory in the church; and the instruction is that whatever is done should be done enthusiastically and faithfully. He that teacheth … refers to teachers as distinguished from prophets, some of the latter, at least, being inspired, whereas teachers, in the sense here, are not; although they must be understood as being faithful students and expositors of the sacred word. 1 Corinthians 12:28 gives the proper ranking of “apostles, prophets, teachers, gifts of healings, miracles, helps, governments, and divers kinds of tongues.” It is of surpassing interest that “governments” which receive such inordinate rankings among people are actually near the bottom. And as for “various kinds of tongues,” that was the lowest thing in the church! That Paul intended in that passage to rank these things consciously, is proved by the repeated use of such words as first, second, third, etc. The Christian teacher is third in this echelon, being outranked only by the inspired apostles and prophets. Exhortation, liberality, showing mercy … are reference to various Christian duties of a private and personal nature, the exhortation being that grace, humility, faith, simplicity, and consideration for others should always mark the services of them that have in mind to please the Lord. The suggestion of “cheerfulness” as an accompaniment of showing mercy is most appropriate, since many a merciful or charitable deed has been nullified by the grudging and censorious manner that accompanied it. Verse 9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.Hodge noted that: The love intended by this verse is probably love to all men, and not to Christians exclusively; as, in Romans 12:10; is particularly specified.[7]Hypocrisy is, of all vices, one of the worst to which Christians may be addicted. The most vehement denunciations of the Master himself were directed against it (Matthew 23). The last clauses here are two sides of the same virtue. Hating evil and loving good are not separate and distinct virtues, but part and parcel of each other. No man ever hated evil without loving good, or vice versa. Again from Hodge: The words rendered to ABHOR and to CLEAVE to are particularly forcible, and express the highest degree of hatred on the one hand, and of persevering devotion on the other.[8][7] Charles Hodge, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1968), p. 395. [8] Ibid., p. 396. Verse 10 In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another; in honor preferring one another.The Greek word for “love” in both this and the preceding verses is [agape], that great New Testament word which has captured the loving admiration of people in all generations, meaning love in its most comprehensive and selfless qualities. There are two qualifying words which are added here as specifically applicable to members of the Christian family and the kind of love they should bear each other. It is all that the other is, and more. These qualifying words are [@filostorgio], meaning the kind of affection that exists in a family, and [@filadelfia], literally meaning brotherly love. McGarvey described it as: (Like that) of an animal for its offspring, a parent for his child, a near relative for his close kin. Its use here indicates that the church tie should rival that of the family.[9]In honor preferring one another … carries the connotation of setting an example and taking the lead in the honoring of others. Instead of coveting and trying to grasp honors for one’s self, the Christian should rather desire to exalt his fellow Christians, even taking the lead in the conveyance of such honors to them; and, as David Lipscomb stated it, Instead of waiting for others to honor us, we should lead them in the manifestation of esteem and respect.[10][9] J. W. McGarvey and Phillip Y. Pendleton, The Standard Bible Commentary (Cincinnati, Ohio: Standard Publishing Company, 1916), p. 498. [10] David Lipscomb, A Commentary on the New Testament Epistles (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Company, 1969), p. 226. Verse 11 In diligence not slothful; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.A lazy Christian is a contradiction of terms. Having been saved from the guilt and ravages of sin, the Christian is man at the zenith of his best powers. Strength, zeal, enthusiasm, vigor, and the full thrust of his total energy should distinguish the Christian’s performance in business, trade, profession, study, artistic creation, or in anything else that he pursues as a vocation; and, above everything, such qualities should characterize his devotion and service in the church. The opposite of what Paul commanded here is lukewarmness, a negative condition represented as disgusting to God himself (Revelation 3:16). Verse 12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing stedfastly in prayer.As the deeply spiritual R. C. Bell expressed it, Our difficulty lies not in comprehending but in obeying.[11]The glorious hope of the Christian is more than enough to flood the soul with rejoicing, even in the midst of abounding disappointments, provided it is kept in focus by the mind. This hope is the anchor of the soul (Hebrews 6:19) which enables the child of God to endure whatever storms may come, but not, however, without prayer. Prayer is the breathing of the redeemed soul, and the cessation or neglect of it will smother and destroy spiritual life. ENDNOTE: [11] R. C. Bell, Studies in Romans (Austin, Texas: Firm Foundation Publishing House, 1957), p. 138. Verse 13 Communicating to the necessities of the saints; given to hospitality.Communicating … refers to the giving of money or supplies and is the constant duty of every Christian, the first priority in such sharing of God’s gracious gifts going to Christians, rather than to the world generally; and even the Christian’s claim upon the generosity of his fellows being resident in his “necessities,” and not merely in his desires and wants. Many of the commentators translate “distributing” for communicating; but, upon the assumption that the English Revised Version (1885) is founded upon a necessary implication of the word, it appears that the “sending of funds” is part of the meaning of this word. At least, many New Testament examples did involve the sending of contributions from one part of the world to another. In this light, therefore, there is indicated here the need for special concern for such needs as those of missionaries and of communities visited by calamity or disaster. Saints … Regarding this, Thomas wrote: Its simple meaning is “belonging to God,” and refers invariably to our position, not our condition, to our standing in Christ, and not to our actual state. It is most unfortunate that the word has been so frequently associated with exceptional holiness, when it means nothing of the kind, but only the actual fact that from the first moment of conversion every Christian soul is consecrated and devoted to God. The needs of God’s people were great when these words were written; and we know how keen Paul was in encouraging the Gentiles to help their poorer brethren in Jerusalem. In the same way, he appeals to all the Christians in Rome to communicate to their fellow believers whatever might be necessary.[12]In an affluent society like that in current U.S.A., the desires of the so-called poor are frequently substituted for necessities in the benevolent programs of both the church and the secular society and government, and, in this, failing to retain the Biblical concept of “need” as the basis of all true benevolence; but, despite this, there are always examples of Christian need in every community. It is the plain duty of the more able to supply such needs, and the widespread neglect of the Christian obligation of charity and hospitality must be deplored. Lard went so far as to say: I have never seen it practiced except upon a scale so parsimonious as to render it a virtual nullity. The scanty manner in which the rich disciples of the present day share the wants (and one supposes Lard meant the needs of the poor) of the poor is a sham. From their thousands, they dole out dimes; and from their storehouses full, mete out handfuls. This is no compliance with the precept; and it were better for a Christian that he were without a coat to his name, than, having two, not to give to his brother who has none. Such precepts as the present will, in the day of eternity, prove the fatal reef on which many a saintly bark is stranded.[13]Given to hospitality … in the Greek is “pursuing hospitality” (margin); and, as Godet thought: We are not to confine ourselves to according it when it is asked, but we should ever seek opportunities of exercising it.[14][12] Griffith Thomas, St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1970), p. 341. [13] Moses E. Lard, Commentary on Paul’s Letter to Romans (Cincinnati, Ohio: Christian Board of Publication, 1914), p. 391. [14] F. Godet, Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1970), p. 436. Verse 14 Bless them that persecute you; bless, and curse not.In this extended enumeration of Christian obligations, most of what Paul enjoined thus far was to have been expected as the natural duties arising from the close and affectionate relationship existing in God’s family of Christians; but the great and active principle of that great love which is the hallmark of true discipleship goes beyond what we might have expected. This principle begins to emerge in the preceding verse, where the “communicating” to the saints’ necessities is not confined to alleviation of distress before one’s very eyes, but extends to meeting those needs of which he has merely heard; and that principle emerges further in the admonition that hospitality is not merely for our friends and acquaintances, but is for strangers also. Now, in this verse, the principle is extended to encompass doing good to wicked and malevolent enemies of the child of God. Love is thus revealed as the Christian weapon against evil itself, the heavenly device by which evil itself may be overcome by good, that being the great thought with which the chapter concludes. Verse 15 Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep.This teaches the community of mankind. The Christian does not exist in a state of isolation and indifference to the fate of others, but, like his holy Master, has compassion, being involved in and moved by the emotions of others, whether of joy or sorrow. Only the wicked or the thoughtless are callused against the joys and sorrows of humanity; and, if one permits himself to become hardened against concern for fellow mortals, he thereby forfeits the likeness he might have had for him who wept at the grave of Lazarus, had compassion on the multitude, and replenished the wine at the wedding in Cana. Verse 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.Godet observed that this verse is commonly understood as a reference to good feeling among members of the church, a meaning which he rejected as being contrary to all sound exegesis, saying: The only possible meaning is: “aiming at the same object for one another as for yourselves”; that is to say, having each the same solicitude for the temporal and spiritual well-being of his brethren as for his own.[15]This verse is a prohibition of partiality and respect of persons within communities of Christians. The development within congregations of small coteries of the allegedly elite, the formation of inner circles of preference, the stratification of churches along social, economic, or other lines of demarcation these and all similar separations are evil. Regardless of how naturally and conveniently such divisions (yes, that is what they are) tend to appear, that magnanimous and outreaching love of the true Christian will resist and countermand them. Every member of the body of Christ is a sacred person, every Christian the brother of every other Christian; and God knows no aristocracy in his holy church except that of loving service. Set not your mind on high things … does not contradict the Scripture which says, Set your mind on the things which are above (Colossians 3:2). The high things mentioned here are the so-called high things which constitute the difference between the preferred and neglected Christians, things like wealth, privilege, education, social grace, power, office, and position in the world. Not setting the mind on such things means not being influenced by them and not allowing them to be the basis of one’s attitude toward his brothers in Christ. The certainty of this meaning derives from the second clause in which Paul commanded the Christian to associate with the lowly. Instead of being carried away with admiration of the rich and powerful, Paul said, “Be carried away (this the exact meaning in Greek, see margin) with the lowly.” This writer is personally indebted to the late philanthropist and devout student of the word of God, Andrew Mizell Burton, Nashville, Tennessee, for a focus upon the meaning of this verse. He often spoke of it as his favorite verse and attributed many of the greatest blessings of his remarkable life to an observance of its teaching. Be not wise in your own conceit … This admonition was implied in Romans 11:25, being there a reflection of the sternest warnings against this vice earlier in that chapter, and here it is stated imperatively, having its immediate application to that form of conceit which allows petty little human arrangements of a “pecking order” among the sacred fellowship of the redeemed as the basis upon which some associations are cultivated, and others neglected. ENDNOTE: [15] Ibid., p. 437. Verse 17 Render to no man evil for evil. Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men.Evil for evil … The child of God may not set himself to “get even” with another, nor retaliate in kind against any who might slight or wrong him. The one who receives the Lord upon the inner throne of his life and yields to the Divine Will will return good for evil, bless them that curse, and do good to them that despitefully use him. Such reaction to evil is the grand strategy of God who will overcome evil with good; and the announcement of that strategy, to be made at the end of the chapter, had been in Paul’s mind throughout the enumeration of the admonitions listed here. This has no reference at all to the duty of a magistrate commissioned under the law to render the required penalty against an evil doer as the just recompense of a crime. Murray stated that Misunderstanding of these admonitions arises from a failure to see that they are concerned with our private, individual, personal relations lo one another and not with magisterial and judicial administration. It is noteworthy that the apostle proceeds immediately after these admonitions to deal with the prerogatives and functions of the magistrate and therefore with the judicial, and penal institution. To the magistrate is given the power of the sword to avenge the evil-doer (Romans 13:4). If he avenges wrongdoing he inflicts the evil of penalty.[16]Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men … is a restriction of Christian conduct to exclude anything held to be disreputable, dishonorable, reprehensible, or detestable by human opinion in society as a whole, or as officially expressed through the regulations imposed by government. All illegal activity is forbidden, being here condemned and proscribed, whether or not the law may be based upon absolute truth, the mere fact of a thing’s being illegal under the laws of the state being sufficient disqualification to deny it as permissible for a Christian. Gambling, for example, will never be permissible for any Christian, as long as it is illegal in fifty states.

It is not honorable in the sight of all the police establishments in North America. Further, churches which stoop to finance their activities by gambling, even if legally permitted, fall under the judgment of this apostolic ban, because, despite the legal exemption sometimes grafted churches, vast numbers of enlightened people still consider it evil. Things that are tainted in the popular view of society as a whole are not for Christians, regardless of the specious logic which would deny this. Murray is correct in underscoring this verse as an additional principle of Christian behavior, thus: For the first time in this chapter, this type of consideration appears, namely, the need for maintaining a deportment that approves itself to men. The close parallel, “We take thought for things honorable not only in the sight of the Lord but also in the sight of men” (2 Corinthians 8:21), points up this consideration.[17]Such a decent respect to the opinions of mankind was frequently noted by Paul, who commended himself to “every conscience of men” (2 Corinthians 4:2), and who required that a Christian elder “must have a good report of those who are without” (1 Timothy 3:7). [16] John Murray, The Epistle to the Romans (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1968), Vol. II, p. 137. [17] Ibid., p. 138. Verse 18 If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men.This instruction to be at peace with all people is conditioned upon the objective possibility of being so. The subjective impossibility of the Christian’s being unable to restrain himself, or some such thing, is not in view here at all. The impossibility allowed by Paul as a negation of this precept would lie only in the kind of a situation where truth and sacred duty would require resistance. Peace with some people under some circumstances, impossible without the sacrifice of sacred honor and duty, is not here enjoined. An apostle said: The wisdom which is from above is first pure, then peaceable (James 3:17). But, while allowing theoretical situations where peace could not honorably be maintained, we should strictly heed the principle of avoiding discord. Christ taught that people should give the cloak also, go the second mile, turn the other cheek, and avoid conflict by any honorable means whatsoever. What a shameful contrast is the conduct of some persons, allegedly Christian, who are ever spoiling for strife, and who, far from avoiding it, actually seek and enjoy all kinds of confrontations that lead to bitterness and contention. Verse 19 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.The child of God may not collect a blood debt, to borrow the euphemism of the North Vietnamese who murdered 9,000 civilians in one of their Tet offensives. Vengeance is not a Christian prerogative, this being true for a number of reasons, such as: (1) God has forbidden it; (2) it is illegal in any civilized state; and (3) it is contrary to the Christian principle of overcoming evil with good, the latter being the master strategy against evil. The punishment of evil-doers is a prerogative of God and may not be usurped by his children. The quotation here is from Deuteronomy 32:35, where the text has, To me belongeth vengeance and recompense; 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. Significantly, Paul did not use the exact words of Deuteronomy, but stated the thought in a form found nowhere else in scripture except in Hebrews 10:30, where the appearance of exactly the same words strongly suggests Pauline authorship of Hebrews. Who but Paul, of all the people of that generation, could have paraphrased a portion of Deuteronomy in exactly the same words? There also seems to be a different meaning from that of Moses, as similarly in other passages of Romans (Romans 10:6-8), thus still further tying the peculiar arrangement of these words to Paul alone. In Deuteronomy, the emphasis is upon the occurrence of some disaster, accident, or calamity to check the evil-doer, with the implication that God’s agency might cause such to occur; but here Paul’s thought pointed to the function of the magistrate and the legal system as the agency through which God will execute vengeance upon wrongdoing, which is exactly the subject Paul was about to take up (Romans 13). Whiteside especially understood this to be the case. He said: To punish evil-doers is God’s prerogative; let him do the punishing in his own appointed way. Paul’s quoting that statement (Deuteronomy 32:35) 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 upon 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.[18]Whatever is the full meaning of the question of God’s taking vengeance upon wicked men, the use of constituted authorities is surely one way it is accomplished (see under Romans 13:4); but this writer believes that God may, for sufficient reason, bring disaster upon a sinner, as surely implied in the Deuteronomic passage cited.

Also, the final judgment is another theater of God’s vengeance upon the wicked. The fact of God’s taking vengeance is here revealed, as in the Old Testament; and at least three manifestations of that vengeance are visible: (1) in the matter of direct providence (the case of Herod in Acts 12); (2) through legal authorities; and (3) at the final judgment. There are also possibly other ways in which God executes vengeance which lie totally beyond our human knowledge or understanding. The fact that vengeance will truly be taken is a truth to be held in humility and awe. ENDNOTE: [18] R. L. Whiteside, A New Commentary on the Epistle of Paul to Saints in Rome (Denton, Texas: Miss Inys Whiteside, 1945), p. 256. Verse 20 But if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head.This is an amazing scripture. The writer once heard of a woman involved in bitter quarrels with her husband. Seeking counsel, she was asked, “Have you tried heaping coals of fire on his head?” She replied, “No, but I tried a skillet of hot grease!” She, like many others, failed to realize that Paul here used a figure of speech, a style of rhetoric often found in the sacred scriptures. As Batey noted: The original meaning of this figure of speech has been lost, but Paul suggests that the enemy will burn with shame for his abuse of one who loves him.[19]Paul, throughout this chapter, has consistently elaborated the strategy of overcoming evil with good, the same being the ancient strategy of the Lord, announced centuries earlier in the book of Proverbs, thus: If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee (Proverbs 25:21-22). Rather than delving into the strange and even bizarre interpretations people have suggested for this passage, it seems that it would be better to accept the explanation offered by Batey, to the effect that the actual meaning of the figure is lost. Whatever might have been the meaning, the motive of providing food and drink for an enemy cannot be that of increasing his punishment, nor of aggravating his guilt, the true purpose, or motive, being the effective discipline of the Christian’s own spirit and likewise the subduing of enmity within the adversary. This alone would fit the strategy announced in the next verse. ENDNOTE: [19] Richard A. Batey, op. cit., p. 157. Verse 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.Here appears the real reason for extending kindness to enemies. If the child of God should retaliate in kind for all acts of enmity against himself, he would shortly find himself engaging in all kinds of shameful and wicked conduct. To prevent such an unwholesome development, the servant of the Lord must launch a counter-attack, returning good for evil, and deploying good actions against the evil actions of the enemy. Here in Romans 12:21 is the grand strategy of God with regard to human evil. The natural man finds himself living and operating in a world where one rotten apple can make a barrel of good apples rotten; but the spiritual man, having the mind of the Spirit, proceeds upon the premise that one good apple might make a barrel of rotten apples sound! The divine nature of this priceless precept has elicited the most extravagant praise, as well it should. Macknight wrote: Blackwell, after praising the language in which this precept is delivered, adds, “This is a noble strain of Christian courage, prudence, and goodness, that nothing in Epictetus, Plutarch, or Antonine can vie with. The moralists and heroes of paganism could not write and act to the height of this."[20]Greathouse has this: Dodd considers the last sentence of this chapter “an admirable summary of the teaching of the Sermon on the Mount, about what is called non-resistance”; and it expresses, he thinks, “the most creative element in Christian ethics."[21]Thus, in view of the foregoing consideration, the spiritual instinct of the humble Christian, as represented by such congregations as the one mentioned at the head of this chapter, is demonstrated to be correct by focusing upon this magnificent chapter of practical Christian living. [20] James Macknight, Apostolic Epistles (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Company, 1960), p. 121. [21] William M. Greathouse, Beacon Bible Commentary (Kansas City, Missouri: Beacon Hill Press, 1968), p. 248.

Questions by E.M. Zerr For Romans 121. By what does Paul beseech the brethren ? 2. To what mercies does he have reference here ? 3. What must they present ? 4. What kind of a sacrifice? 5. State the quality required of a sacrifice. 6. To whom must it be acceptable? 7. Is this service one of the body literally? 8. What word is your key to the answer? 9. To what be not conformed? 10. Would this require going out of the world? 11. Instead of conforming what must they be? 12. By the renewing of what? 13. In so doing what would they put to the test? 14. Through what favor does he speak to them? 15. To what portion of them does he speak? 16. They must not think in what manner ? 17. How must they think? 18. According to what dealing? 19. Is there just one member in the body? 20. Do the members have the same office? 21. What do you understand by the word “office” ? 22. To what is the body compared? 23. How many bodies? 24. Do the members have like gifts? 25. How is each one commanded to use the gifts ? 26. How should the prophet prophesy? 27. State the meaning of ministry. 28. In what manner must one give ? 29. State the kind of ruling to be done. 30. What about grudging and mercy? 31. Let love be without what? 32. Define this word. 33. What must be the attitude toward evil ? 34. And what toward that which is good ? 35. How should we feel toward each other? 36. What kind of love should we have ? 37. In what show the other the preference ? 38. What about our activities? 39. In what be fervent? 40. Doing what for the Lord ? 41. State the ground of rejoicing. 42. What our attitude in tribulations? 43. To what extent be prayerful ? 44. How consider the needs of saints ? 45. How about hospitality? 46. What our treatment of our persecutors r 47. In what way can we bless them? 48. How show our interest in the fortunate? 49. May we be indifferent toward the sorrowful ? 50. State the frame of mind required among us. 51. What must we not mind? 52. With what must we be contented ? 53. Repeat the law against self conceit. 54. What about “ getting even” ? 55. Is it enough to be only technically honest? 56. On what condition must we be at peace with all 57. May we practice vengeance? 58. To whose wrath must we give place ? 59. Will wrong doers be met with vengeance ? 60. How should we treat our enemy when hungry? 61. Does any other scripture modify this? 62. What effect may be expected from this kindness ? 63. With what weapon may we overcome evil?

Romans 12:1

2:1 Rom 12:1. Beseech or earnestly exhort, by the mercies of God, in view of the mercy shown in chapter 11:32. Present means to offer willingly something to another, not to have it taken from us by force. Living sacrifice in contrast with the dead creatures that were offered on the brazen altar. Holy, acceptable to God. The Jews could offer only such animals as were not defective. Christians must have their bodies “washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22), and also have the carnal thoughts and practices “mortified” (put to death, Colossians 3:5). Reasonable is explained by Thayer to mean, “the worship which is rendered by the reason or soul.” It is a contrast. to the literal or fleshly sacrifices offered under the Mosaic system.

Romans 12:2

2:2 Rom 12:2. Be not conformed or be not like the things of this world. Be transformed means to be changed to a different form of living. Renewing of your mind denotes a “complete change for the better” in the desires and motives of the mind. Prove or demonstrate by living it out that the will of God is a good and acceptable way of living.

Romans 12:3

2:3 Rom 12:3. -The grace given unto Paul was the favor of inspiration. That authorized him to make the following statements. To think more highly means esteeming oneself overmuch; being “vain and arrogant.” Think soberly or moderately concerning one’s talents or natural gifts. We know the apostle means such gifts for chapter 1:11 shows this church did not then possess any miraculous or spiritual gifts. Measure of faith means that God-given natural capacity to absorb the instruction in the word of God (the source of faith, chapter 10:17), thus becoming able to try out in practice the particular talent or talents that one has.

Romans 12:4-5

4-5 Romans 12:4-5. The human body is used as an illustration of the body of Christ, because the members of the fleshly body each have a separate office or use. The various members of the body of Christ have individual parts to perform in the spiritual life.

Romans 12:6

2:6 Romans 12:6. Gifts is from the same Greek word as “gift” in 1 Corinthians 7:7, where the context shows it means a gift of nature and not a miraculous one. According to the grace is explained at verse 3. According to Thay-er’s lexicon, to prophesy means, “To break forth under sudden impulse in lofty discourse or in praise of the divine counsels.” In 1 Corinthians 14:3-4, Paul shows that one form of prophesying is to speak “to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.” Prophesying, then, does not necessarily mean to speak with a spiritual gift.

Romans 12:7

2:7 Romans 12:7. Ministry means that service to others that their condition requires. If a man has the ability to teach, let him attend to that as his personal work

Romans 12:8

2:8 Romans 12:8. To exhort means to insist on the performance of known duties. Giveth is from , and Thay-er’s first definition is, “To share a thing with any one.” Simplicity is from , and it has been rendered in the King James Version by, bountifulness, liberality, singleness. He that ruleth applies to the elders since they are the only rulers in the church. They are to be diligent and “watch” the conduct of the members to see that it is not such as to endanger their souls. (See Hebrews 13:17.) When administering to the distress of another let it be done cheerfully, and not in the spirit of one who does it merely because it is a duty he has to perform.

Romans 12:9

2:9 Romans 12:9. Dissimulation means hypocrisy; do not merely pretend to love another. Abhor is from which Strong defines, “to detest utterly,” and cleave is from KALLAO, which the same author defines, “to glue, i.e., to stick.” The thought is that Christians should not be halfhearted in their opposition to evil or support of the good.

Romans 12:10

:10 Romans 12:10. Kindly affectioned is defined in the lexicon, “loving affection, prone to love, loving tenderly.” Brotherly love is from , and Thayer’s definition is, “in the New Testament the love which Christians cherish for each other as ‘brethren.’ " Honor means respect or esteem, and preferring is defined, “To go before and show the way.” The thought is to be a leader and set an example in showing respect for others.

Romans 12:11

:11 Rom 12:11. Business is from SPOUDE, which Thayer defines, “Haste, with haste; earnestness, diligence,” and the original for slothful is defined, “sluggish, slothful, backward.” The thought is that Christians should not be indifferent about the activities of the service for Christ. The remainder of the verse means virtually the same thing.

Romans 12:12

:12 Rom 12:12. Rejoicing in hope. A Christian does not have to be in possession of the crown of life to rejoice, but he can rejoice over the hope of receiving it; that will cause him to be patient in tribuation, and continue to be a prayerful disciple.

Romans 12:13

:13 Rom 12:13. Necessity is from a word that means a state of destitution that the Christian is here told to relieve. Thayer defines the original for given, “to seek after eagerly,” and that for hospitality, “love to strangers” (Hebrews 13:2).

Romans 12:14

:14 Romans 12:14. Bless is from EULOGEO and means “to invoke [wish for] blessings,” while curse means to wish that some ill fortune will come upon our persecutors.

Romans 12:15

:15 Romans 12:15. This verse means to share in the feelings of others over their condition, whether it be favorable or otherwise. This is taught also in 1 Corinthians 12:26.

Romans 12:16

:16 Romans 12:16. Be of the same mind. Be interested in the same things that concern our brother. (See preceding verse.) Men is not in the original; the sentence denotes an interest in common or lowly things rather than craving that which is lofty. Own conceits is from the original terms that mean “yourselves.” The sentence means not to be conceited over one’s individual wisdom, being like Job’s friends to whom he said in irony, “Wisdom shall die with you” (Job 12:2).

Romans 12:17

:17 Romans 12:17. The first sentence means not to retaliate or do an enemy a wrong because he has done to us that way. Provide things honest. Live so that no one can reproach you.

Romans 12:18

:18 Romans 12:18. James 3:17 teaches that divine wisdom requires peace that is in harmony with the truth “from above.” Our present verse requires peace on the same terms.

Romans 12:19

:19 Romans 12:19. An evildoer deserves to be treated with revenge, but Christians are not the ones to inflict it. The Lord says vengeance is mine, therefore the passage means to give place unto [divine] wrath.

Romans 12:20

:20 Romans 12:20. The first part of this verse is the same in thought as that in verse 14. Coals of fire is figurative, meaning that an act of kindness will bring a tortured conscience upon an enemy that will be like fire on top of his head:

Romans 12:21

:21 Rom 12:21. In the conflict between evil and good, let the disciple of Christ so conduct himself that he will be the conqueror and win the battle for the good. This is virtually the same thought as that in the preceding verse.