Study of Romans
Chapter 12
Chapters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
| Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies
of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable
unto God, which is your reasonable service. Living holy is just our reasonable service. It is actually the least we can do. Because of God's mercy, we have been make free from sin. How much more then should be desire to live and walk in the paths He shines before us. To say we are saved by grace and believe that it doesn't matter what we do, we are covered by His grace, is a gross misrepresentation of all the things Paul taught. We are saved by grace to do works of righteousness because we have a new spirit, a new master and a new life. It is a better covenant and a better way. There is provision for failures and mistakes but we are not to purposely desire to return to our old ways and expect to be accepted by God. He gave us His best. The life of His Son. How much more should we give Him our best in return because we love Him and are grateful for the redeeming blood that was shed to cover our sins and make us partakers of His holiness? Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. The closer we get to God the less we are going to identify with this world. The world will think differently, act differently and be different. Our minds have to be renewed to think like God. We must by searching the word and seeking His face constantly prove what is good, acceptable and the perfect will of God. How can we say we love Him and never seek His will? How can we say we are born again Christians and do not His words? God did not save us and fill us with the Holy Spirit for us to be only concerned about this life, getting a good job, buying a house and car, or picking the right college. God did not save us and fill us with the Holy Spirit just for us to figure out the latest video game. I'm not saying all these things are necessarily wrong but He didn't save us to have us be wrapped up in material possessions. He called us out of the world for a reason. We need to seek Him and find out what it is we are called to do. Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Not one of us is superior or higher than the other. What God can give to Benny, He can give to Sarah. If God is healing at the church on 55th Street, He can heal at the church on 44th street. There is no difference except He wants willing vessels to use, not people consumed with with present world. When He begins to use us, we must stay humble and not think we are more spiritual or better than someone who has not yet learned to allow God to use them. God may use someone else in a different calling that is unseen and unheard and they may be faithfully doing His will even though we may not see it. We cannot assume we are greater than they. Obedience is the key. We must not be conformed to this world but seek to obey our own particular calling so the work of God is not hindered. Rom 12:4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: No one is higher or lower. A good way to see this is to start to pray for one another in the spirit never assuming we are more spiritual than the one we are praying for but praying nevertheless. We all have a place and we are all called in some capacity or another in the body. Rom 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Rom 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Prophecy is a word from the Lord given to the church to edify, comfort, correct and admonish. It may not necessarily be about the future although it might be on occasion as necessary. It could come in the form of a short message similar to interpretation of tongues or it could be a long message similar to preaching. Some preaching may be prophesying but not all preaching is prophesying. It could also come in the form of a testimony. Rom 12:7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Ministry is some task or duty that is necessary for the work of God to continue. This could involve many different things. Feeding the hungry, tending the sick, praying with someone that is troubled. I could go on and on for the list probably is never ending. Teaching is a very important responsibility and it is a responsibility and is badly needed. There is nothing I would rather do than sit and listen to an anointed godly teacher who trusts in the Holy Spirit for His understanding and will labor, study, pray and seek to teach God's word. What a blessing a good teacher is to any church. Rom 12:8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness. I've been around many people who are used to exhort fellow believers. This is someone who by the Holy Spirit sees the need to encourage a troubled individual or even the whole church body. Sometimes just one or two words of comfort is exhortation. Giving is actually a gift also. I've met people who just love to give. It is a joy to them and a blessing to any group. They never seem to run out of any supply. Good rulers are mandatory. Even in the secular world, a weak, spineless ruler will cause chaos, disorder and confusion. We need godly called of God rulers in the church, not to Lord over by constraint but to lead and guard the door against the wolves or those who would fleece the flock of God or teach false doctrine. Here is another need often overlooked. We can sit and speak of a wayward saint who is in serious error and desire that they be soundly corrected and then comes the one with mercy that speaks up and shows compassion toward the person that is in trouble spiritually. Remembering how God shows mercy to each one of us, and that we also should show mercy is a gift. This is not to excuse and allow sin for we see in the warnings to the seven churches how much we need that, but all must be done in mercy, humility and meekness always remembering that we too could be tempted. Rom 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. It is much easier to love those that love us and to love some above others but we must allow the Holy Spirit to shed love in our hearts toward those that is hard to love. This has to come from the Holy Spirit because it is impossible to have on our own. We should hate evil because we see the destruction it has upon mankind as a while. Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy the work of God. We must hold onto that good things of God with all our strength. Rom 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another; Be so full of the pure love of God that we actually prefer someone else is praised and honored above ourselves. Rom 12:11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; The fruits and gifts of the spirit must radiate from us even outside the church in business and in the world around us. We are not just "Christian" on Sundays. Fervent in spirit means to never give up or quit. Keep going, praying without ceasing, determined and on fire for God. Rom 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Not losing hope at the first sign of trouble, having patience with bad happens and continue in prayer night and day. We can't pray enough but the devil will come to you and say that you are becoming so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good. That is opposite the word of God. We must remember that we cannot go it alone. Even Jesus prayed until his sweat became tears of blood. We must not stop praying. Rom 12:13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. The words, "Be ye warmed and filled" when we have the means to help someone who struggles should never be once among us as children of God. Hospitality is being friendly and waiting on one another. Being a servant. None of us are too high to serve another when needed. Rom 12:14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. This is when we will be blessed by the Lord when we refuse to speak evil or curse those that persecute us. Lawsuits???? This should never be among us who are brethren or sisters in the Lord. Rom 12:15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. One thing that bothers me and I have been guilty of it myself is seeing someone in need of prayer or going through a hard time and we knowing that, are carelessly laughing and fellowshipping with one another and we are not praying with or comforting that person. Its one thing to do this in ignorance but it is quite another to know someone is suffering and we ignore them. If someone is happy because the Lord has spiritually blessed them, we should rejoice with them and be exceedingly glad. Do we rejoice with the angels in heaven when we hear of a sinner who has found God or do we have envy because they were saved some place else other than our own fellowship? Rom 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. This whole chapter seems to admonish us wisely to stay humble and not become conceited, self seeking or think ourselves above another. Be kind to the poor as well as the rich. Be kind to the stranger as well as our special friends when we attend church meetings. Avoid clicks and favoritism. This is hard, we love our friends but lets try. I've visited churches before where I have witnessed people coming in talking to their friends, hugging and being glad to see one another but they ignored the stranger in their midst. Rom 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. Getting back at someone, getting the best of someone or getting even is not to ever be our "thing". Better to be honest and above reproach and suffer loss than to render evil to someone who has done evil to you. Wars and fighting never cease if one does not decide to stop. Rom 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. We must strive for this following peace with all men and holiness without which we will not see the Lord. This cannot be forced on everyone and sometimes people get rebellious and contrary so that peace is impossible and we must go our own way, yet in love. Rom 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Rom 12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Rom 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Set our face like a flint to totally follow the Lord and when someone hates us, we do not hate back. When someone robs us, we do not rob them. Do good to them that use us and pray for them. It is not easy to do all these things but the joy, peace and fellowship we will have with the Lord will be greater than anything we could possibly have with the praise and approval of men. God has got something better than the world has. The things are deep, holy and spiritual and cannot possibly be compared to the things this world offers. The world cannot satisfy. God can satisfy the innermost longings in our soul. All we have to do is look to Him and ask Him to fill us with the Holy Spirit and keep pouring the spirit into us daily as we choose to seek Him instead of being wrapped up in things that are going to pass away.
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