Romans 12:1-2
“Persuaded by His Mercies”
Vs. 1-2 Persuaded by His Mercies
Intro
This chapter starts off with an interesting four words: “I beseech you therefore”! The word “beseech” means to plead or to beg. But it is the word “therefore” that catches my attention. This word has an arrow attached to it and the arrow is always pointing backwards. Paul is about to plead for his readers to do something but not before reminding them that his motivation has to do with what he has been writing about for the last 11 chapters. As such he is holding to a pattern you will see him do continually in his letters and that is to place the believers “position” before their “practice”, thereby emphasizing “doctrine” before “duty”.
For those 11 chapters Paul has been emphasizing what God has done through grace in sending His son Jesus to die in our stead “therefore” he is pleading with believers to respond. It is as if Paul is saying: “Because God is rich and wise, great and glorious, a God of love and mercy; while we are ignorant of the future, forgetful of the past and unable to control the present,” present your bodies as living sacrifices. Based upon the vast number of books and the questions I’ve gotten over the years, one of the most asked questions in the Christian life is: “How can I know God’s will for my life”. The question is based upon a presupposition that God’s will is hidden, lost or hard to determine. But nothing could be further from the truth. God’s will doesn’t have to be found because it’s not lost. Today we will look at specifically what God’s will is for each of us.
Vs. 1-2 Persuaded by His Mercies
Vs. 1 God does not condemn or command us for our past failure, instead He pleads with us that His mercies towards us might move us! Greater is God’s persuasive mercies in bending our hearts than any other power. There is always greater power to turn a life in love than hate. Many folks misunderstand grace: As recipients of God unmerited favor we don’t “do to get,” we “do because they have gotten”! We followers of Christ have the opportunity to lay down our life because Jesus has laid down His life for us! Revival happens at any point in time when we willing yield areas of our life over to God because we have become so convinced that what He has for us is so much better than what we have been holding on to!
Paul says, “Take your body, all the tasks you have to do each and every day and offer all of it as an act of worship to God.” When Paul uses the word present your bodies he does so in a tense that means “once for all” rather than a continuous action. Do it once then live the rest of your life on that basis, Paul says. I would think that it is impossible to give God a gift but here we are told that the gift He would have us to give Him is our bodies. Now that just seems a bit weird, this old carcass that snores and smells has a bad heart and dirty mind and causes us so much trouble all the time and God wants us to give that to Him as a gift? Even more amazing is the words that follow this as we are told that by presenting our bodies to Him as a living sacrifice He will turn around and make them Holy and acceptable to Him.
In this verse I see five things about offering ourselves:
It is voluntary: As Paul asks us to present a term that was used in the temple to bring in gifts. Paul’s words make such an offer a gift not a command.
It is complete: The phrase suggests that we are to offer all of us.
It is sacrificial: In the temple there were two classes of sacrifices: Those associated with reconciliation (sin and peace offerings) and those associated with consecration (burnt and meal offerings). It is the 2nd class of offering that Paul is describing here. We are redeemed so that we may be consecrated or set apart for a Holy work. That is why our offering is living not dead!
It is practical: It is our service and as such it has to do with our work. We aren’t just saved to sit; we are saved to serve all the days of our lives.
It is rational: It is our “reasonable” service, it’s logical and makes sense since we have been given our position in Christ that we should now exercise that position for Christ.
The first step to finding God’s will for our lives: Is to present our bodies as a “living sacrifice” to Him. This means that we come to Him and say, “Lord, I’m yours, I love you more than anything or anyone else, and I’m going after You.” Now I’ve found a problem in my life being a “living sacrifice,” and not a “dead sacrifice,” and that is I have a tendency to climb off the altar. Worship is allowing God to use all of you each and every moment to be the dynamic instrument through which He can be glorified.
Vs. 2 Sounds intriguing but just how do you give your body to God? Based upon this verse it is a two-step process that we will need to keep repeating:
Do not be conformed to this world: We will need to stop forcing our lives into the pattern of this world. And by pattern we are talking about the philosophy of life that surrounds us. To sum up the philosophy of this world is relatively easy: “It’s all about ME!” In this philosophy I’m the center of my universe, all that matters is ME, and what is pleasing to me is what matters. Have you noticed that we are born with this philosophy engrained upon us? We are totally into the advancement of SELF, “What’s in this for ME” is our question. The whole world and most folks are into this philosophy but the problems arise when I’m living as if “It’s all about ME!” and you’re living as if “It’s all about YOU!” And they can’t both be true. Friends, don’t let the world pressure you into thinking that this is the way to live any longer.
Be transformed by the renewing of your mind: With almost everyone else thinking and acting as if “It’s all about them,” it’s very difficult to live as if it’s all about the LORD! So Paul takes up the 2nd step and it has to do with the way we think. We can’t go on thinking the world revolves around ME, we can’t let our lives be continually shoved into the mold of SELF. Notice it is the “renewing” of the mind which suggests that this is a continual process, one that comes day by day. This renewing allows us to see what life is really all about isn’t us but God, then others and finally self. In fact we were designed that way that SELF only is really satisfied when it is last!
Based on this we see every person has two categories in their lives:
Conformers: The word for conform has as its root a word that means “outward form” which changes. So Paul is saying don’t try to fashion your life around the outward form of the world which is constantly changing. When we are like this we are “thermometers”, adjusting to the climate of the culture, conforming to its temperature. J.B. Phillips translates this verse, “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold”. I was reading the introduction to a new book by Daniel Fusco called “Ahead of the Curve,” in it he stated that in 1997 the University of Chicago held a conference titled “After Post Modernism”, and it wasn’t until 2006 that any in the church held a conference on “Post Modernism” (Above All Earthly Powers: The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World.) That is one of the many glaring problems with Christians being “conformers” . We are at least 10 years behind the curve.
Transformers: Or we can be “thermostats” instead of adjusting to the temperature of the culture we are changing the climate of the culture. That doesn’t mean that we aren’t in-tune to the culture around us nor does it mean that we are evangelizing the culture to become our culture. Paul explained it this way in 1 Cor. 9:19-22 where he wrote: “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men that I might by all means save some.”
The second step of finding the will of God for our lives: Involves this transformation and we do this once we have chosen to be a living sacrifice by keeping our mind on the Lord. Then as the psalmist reminds us in Psalm 37:4 we will have “Delighted ourselves in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” But just what is “delighting ourselves in the Lord?” Well it is devotion and in the first two verses of Romans 12 Paul reveals to us that devotion involves three things:
Present your bodies: According to 1 Cor. 6:19-20 our bodies are our houses of worship and the question we need to ask ourselves is what are we worshipping? Paul gives us two reasons that we are to do this once for all act:
Right response: Paul says that we are to do so because we have been the recipients of the mercy of God.
Reasonable service: It is a daily way we can demonstrate our worship to God.
Give Him your mind: The world wants your mind, wants to control what you think but God wants to transform your thinking. The word transform means a change from within. The world wants to control what you think so it exerts pressure and stimulus from the outside. Ah but God wants our mind to be transformed and He does this from the inside by releasing pressure and stress.
Give Him your will: Your mind controls your body but your will controls your mind. You don’t control your will by “willpower,” you control your will when you yield it to the will of God and it’s His power that gives us “willpower” and “won’t power”.
Romans 12:3-8
“A Change of Mind”
Vs. 3 Who we are
Vs. 4-8 What we have
Intro
In the 2nd verse Paul told his readers to be “transformed by the renewing of their minds” the rest of the chapter will explain specifically what it means to have a change of mind!
After 22 years of pastoring, I’ve realized that for the most part when people come into my office with relational difficulties their quest is to get the other person to change. Friends, the best place to start when you notice that someone needs to change is always yourself!
There are two very good reasons for this:
You are the only one by the working of the Spirit of God through the Word of God that has the power to change.
Often it is our transformation that motivates the other person to be open to the same transformation.
Vs. 3 Who we are
Vs. 3 It is interesting to note that it is not wrong to think about yourself, it is wrong to think more highly than you ought about yourself. We need to do a regular inventory of how we see ourselves in Christ. In fact Paul exhorts believers under his apostolic authority to do just that.
Next Paul tells you to do a self check in two areas:
“Not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think”: Paul says we need to avoid overrating ourselves! You may think you think too highly of yourself but there is a sure fire way to determine that you do and that is when others treat you not very well. When people are saying that we aren’t all that, we get real upset and say, “Well how dare they treat me this way!” Some folks are easy to tell that they think more highly of themselves because they are always talking about themselves. They are their favorite subject. But with others we have learned that this isn’t very becoming to boast about ourselves, so we adopt a more subtle way of thinking more highly of ourselves and that is to get folks to do it for us. We go around and put ourselves down so that people will respond by saying, “Oh no you’re not that way why you are the smartest, most kind person I know!” And inwardly we think to ourselves, “Yeah, they’re right, I am!” Now you can tell if you are doing this really quick because when we bait the hook that way and the person instead of responding the way we had hoped says, “You know, I’m glad you said that about yourself because I’ve been noticing that about you for years!” “But to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith”: If we are to avoid “overrating ourselves” just how are we to see ourselves?
Paul identifies two ways we are to see ourselves:
Soberly: The word here in the Greek means “to be in one’s right mind,” and as such conceit is considered to be “out of your mind”. To be sober minded about oneself is to realize that you are sinner, that you have the flesh that will constantly try to get you to be enslaved to lusts and passions. We need to realize that we can never trust ourselves; we’ve always got to be on the lookout for the “old man” with his thoughts and attitudes.
Measure of faith: The second thing we are to do is to look back over all the truth in spite of what God has to say about you. You used to be dead in trespasses and sins, you used to walk according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, conducting ourselves in the lust of the flesh, fulfilling the desire of the flesh, children of wrath. But now He has made us alive! All of this is because of His great love with which He has loved us and now He has raised us up together making us to sit in heavenly places that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in kindness towards us. WOW!!!
Ray Stedman said that when he would first get up as he was starting his day he would remind himself of three truths:
I’m made in the image of God: I’m not an animal; therefore, I don’t have to behave like one. I have the ability in Christ to respond and relate to the living God and behave in a way that God created me to behave not like a beast! I’m filled with the Holy Spirit: I have the power of God working in me; all of the strains and stresses of today need not affect me and mold me into that beast that I used to be. Instead the Holy Spirit will be using those very things that used to shove me into acting like an animal into acting more like Jesus.
I’m a part of God’s plan: There are no coincidences or accidents; everything I’m going through today is part of His design and plan. God will not only be working out His plan in me, He will be working out His plan through me today for others. So I can just enjoy the journey, can’t wait to see what new adventure God is going to be doing today!!!
Vs. 4-8 What we have:
Vs. 4-5 The second thing that changes minds is the Holy Spirit working through other believers on our behalf. The Church is an organism not an organization as Paul refers to it as a human body. There ought to be one in “unity” yet individually different thus without “uniformity”. The body of Christ isn’t about becoming a member so that we can get something out of it. It is about being a member so that we can make certain that someone else gets something out of it.
Vs. 6-8 The word “gifts” here is a word where we get the word “graces” from which speaks a lot about the “gifts”. They should be “graceful”, which speaks about being natural and beautiful to see and operate. There are four places in the New Testament that you can go to find teaching on the gifts of the Holy Spirit, here and in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 and chapter 14 as well as Ephesians chapter 4. But a careful examination of these passages reveals that in 1 Corinthians passage the word for gifts is italicized which means that it is not in the original and in the Ephesian 4 passage the word is not mentioned. So in reality this is the only place that the gifts are specifically mentioned. The gifts here in Romans 12:6-8 are to be the motivations behind the manifestation of the gifts listed in 1 Corinthians and the ministries or offices of the gifts listed in Ephesians chapter 4. I like the fact that the work of the Holy Spirit is first concerned with the motivation before the manifestation and the ministry position. This truth is further illustrated by what Paul has already written in verse 3-5 where we are told to think soberly of ourselves.
Paul divides these gifts into two groups; one of four gifts the other of three gifts:
Vs. 6b-8a Those that expound the word
Vs. 8b Those that expand the work
Those that expound the word
Prophecy “Declares the Word”: There are two types of prophecy mentioned in scripture and the one we most associate with this word is predictive in nature as it is engaged in “fore-telling”. But the primary meaning and usage in scripture of prophecy is not predictive but is simply declaring truth as it is engaged in “forth-telling”. Paul’s word of motivation in the exercise of this gift is that it needs to be always kept within “proportion” of our faith. The word “proportion” in Greek is a mathematical term that deals with the right ratio or proper proportions. So Paul is saying that in declaring the word we should do so always in the proper proportion of our faith within the limits already established in the tenets of our faith as well as the faith God has established in us. There is a limit, a set guide to our declaring God’s truth, it will always be consistent to what God has already made known in His word and it should always point people to God not to the prophet.
Ministry “Demonstrates the Word”: The word used for ministry here is the same word where we get our word deacon and therefore refers to the person serving and not in what they are doing. As you read through the New Testament you will always see Jesus “Touching” and “Teaching” folks. In Acts chapter 9 the church was mourning the loss of Dorcas as many folks gathered to Peter displaying the clothes she made. Peter was called to declare the Word that warmed people’s hearts but Dorcas was called to sew cloth that warmed their bodies. Paul’s word in exercising this demonstration of the Word is that the person should do so in the realm in which God has placed them. In other words they need to bloom where they are planted instead of looking to find a better gig, a more visible platform they should just go for it right where they are.
Teaching “Defines the Word”: A prophet will share occasionally but a teacher shares expositionally. And like ministry it ought to be aimed at understanding.
Exhortation “Develops the Word”: Those taught but not exhorted become “fat sheep” that only take in truth but never live it. Those who are exhorted but not taught become “excited and active”, but have no depth or understanding of what they do and will burn out quickly or work in wrong ways. Again in each of these cases we note that they are to exercise the gift right where they are and in the abilities God has given them.
Those that expand the work:
Giving “Expands the work”: The word for “gives” means to “impart” one’s earthly possessions and Paul’s encouragement is to do so with no strings attached with generosity. We can see how as Paul proclaimed already that we don’t all have the “same function” but how vital each and every function is to each other and to the furtherance of God’s work. You can have someone who is called and gifted in declaring the Word or defining the Word but without someone called to “expand the work” it will not go anywhere.
Leading “Engineers the work”: The word here means a “person who is placed in front”. And they are to do so with care doing their best for others, for the benefit of God and others before self. During a private fishing trip in the Alaskan wilderness, a charter pilot and fishermen left a cooler with bait in the plane. A bear smelled it and destroyed the Piper PA-18A 150 airplane. The pilot used his radio and had another pilot bring him 2 new tires, 3 cases of duct tape, and a supply of sheet plastic. He patched the plane together, and FLEW IT HOME! That’s what those that lead know how to do “patch things up so that others can fly home”.
Mercy “Encourages the work”: There are those that “expand the work” by giving, then there are those that “engineer the work” by leading but you still need those that “encourage the work” by constantly displaying mercy towards all that are doing the work. And Paul says they are to do so with cheerfulness and that word is where we get our word hilarious from. God has placed in the body those that encourage others by their sense of humor and joy filled life.
Romans 12:9-21
“Need a Hug”
Vs. 9-13 Hugging people in Church
Vs. 14-21 Hugging people in the world
Intro
A man was walking by a used bookstore and saw a book that intrigued him by what he thought was its title, “How to Hug”. When he went in to purchase the book, he was disappointed because instead of a book on hugging it was an encyclopedia that covered “words from How to Hug”. I think many times this describes people’s church experience as they come to Church to get a hug and instead of a demonstration they get clobbered by an encyclopedia. On June 30th, 2004, a movement was started by a lonely man named Juan Mann who had been transformed by a random hug from a stranger. He started a campaign at a local Mall in Sydney Australia by holding a sign that simply read “Free Hugs”. To date well over 69 million people have watched the video but what he didn’t realize is that Jesus started that campaign 2000 years ago; it’s just that the Church has failed to keep it going! Now here, in verses 9-21 we are going to learn “How to Hug” and I promise no encyclopedia!
There are two main areas that Paul says we need to be hugging people:
Vs. 9-13 In the Church
Vs. 14-21 In the world
Vs. 9-13 Hugging people in Church
Vs. 9a Previously we saw Paul’s focus was humility and now his focus is love. There is a natural progression in the spiritual life from humility to love and Paul follows that flow! The first thing we see if we are going to “hug” properly is sincere love! The word “sincere” in Latin literally means “without wax” and was used by people when buying a marble sculpture when they would ask the artist if it was “without wax”. Many of the artists would use bee’s wax mixed with marble dust to hide the flaws in their work. Clearly if we are going to hug people we need to do so in love without any wax covering hidden motives or attitudes.
Paul mentions six ways to hug folks within the church:
Vs. 9b “Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good”: The word “abhor” is a word from which we get our word for “horror”. We are to hate sin as we hate that hell to which it leads. Oh that we would view all the “evil” that so tempts us as the things that we avoid at any cost as they horrify us. But that is only part of the picture as we can treat sin and temptation as a horror flick but we will also need to cling to that which is good. We will continue a losing battle if all we do is become horrified at our temptations. A recent article in “Science Daily” was investigating human behavior and people’s motivation to generally pursue pleasure and avoid pain. But how can this be reconciled with the decision to engage in experiences known to elicit negative feelings, such as horror movies. For years people believed that generally one of two theories explained why people like horror movies.
The first is that the person is not actually afraid, but excited by the movie. The second explanation is that they are willing to endure the terror in order to enjoy a euphoric sense of relief at the end. But a new study argues that neither of these theories is correct. Instead, the theory that people cannot both “experience negative and positive emotions simultaneously” is incorrect. In other words, “horror movie viewers are happy to be unhappy”. As the authors put it, “the most pleasant moments of a particular event may also be the most fearful.” There you have it friends we have to do more than be horrified of sin we need to glue ourselves to that which is good! We need to realize that hugging involves the person, not what they do or don’t do. We aren’t called to love what a person does; we are called to love the person! We ought to hate what is evil in people without hating people when they do sinful things.
Vs. 10a “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love”: Secondly, love remembers that action is based upon relationship not mutual friendship. Paul says we are to be “kindly affectionate to one another”, with brotherly love. Our concern isn’t based upon how well we know someone or how much we enjoy their company. The question is whether or not through Christ we are related to them.
Vs. 10b “in honor giving preference to one another”: Third, if we are going to hug properly, we are going to have to view people as more deserving than we are. It has been said that, “There is no limit to the good a person can do if they don’t care who gets the credit!” That is the way to hug someone, do so and tell them that it is from someone else!
Vs. 11 “not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord”: Fourth, a good hug must remain enthusiastic despite the setbacks. We are told how to make sure our love doesn’t become one of lackluster hugs.
It must have two ingredients if it’s not going to lack diligence:
Fervent in the Spirit: First it has to be empowered by the holy Spirit
Serving the Lord: second its aim must be through the person to Jesus
Vs. 12 “rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer”: Fifth, church hugs need to possess the trifecta of joy:
Praise: It has to rejoice in hope, believing that God is going to make something good come from the mountain we have made out of a mole hill.
Patience: It has to be patient when everything and everyone is rocking our boat, knowing that the rocking of the boat always leads to the stilling of the storm.
Prayer: It has to maintain constant communication throughout to God, the only One that can transform our biggest obstacle, ourselves.
Vs. 13 “distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality”: Finally, if we are going to hug folks properly in church then we are going to need to do it practically and consistently! We are going to have to hug folks where they need to be hugged if you know what I mean? Hospitality and hospital came from the same Greek word and the best way to make people whole and well is to treat them as if they are an invited guest! “Given to hospitality” is literally pursuing “stranger loving”. There are far too many folks pursuing “strange loves” but not near enough of Christians pursuing “stranger loving”.
Vs. 14-21 Hugging people in the world
Having seen how to hug people in the Church Paul switches his focus to those outside our doors and gives us six ways to hug people in the world:
Vs. 14 “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse”: First, Paul says that you are going to have to hug folks who would rather kick you then hug you. For the most part when someone is kind to us and goes out of their way to bless us we say nice things about them to others. To hug folks that don’t like you, find something about them that you can say good about and tell others.
Vs. 15 “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep”: Second, if we are going to be effective in hugging people in the world then we are going to have to remain flexible and adjustable to their ever-changing moods. Sometimes they need a hug of consolation other times they need a hug of a “high five chest bump”! And to give someone a “high five chest bump” when what they needed was a shoulder to cry on is not going to be well received. It is comparatively easy to weep with those who weep but much more difficult to rejoice with those that rejoice. To give our condolences and not our congratulations only means that someone has lost not that someone has won!
Vs. 16 “Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion”: Third, if you are going to hug folks in the world you are going to have to consider yourself on the same level as the one you are going to love. The biggest obstacle we Christians face in loving the world is in forgetting our own sinful past as we believe that we are just a little bit better than those sinful folks out there.
Vs. 17 “Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men”: Fourth, if you are going to hug folks in the world you are going to have to drop the knife that you planned to plunge in their back when they aren’t looking. Now this is especially difficult when you realize that they may have one ready to plunge into your back as you hug them.
Vs. 18 “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men”: Fifth, you are going to have to be committed to hugging people even though they are equally committed to kicking you. You’ve heard it said that it takes two to “tango” well I’ve never “tangoed” but I can tell you it takes two to “Tangle” and if you aren’t into that dance they will have to be going solo.
Vs. 19 “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath”; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord”: Finally, to hug folks in the world you will need to keep a clean slate as folks can be pretty messy. You will need to keep handing them off to the Lord to deal with. When we try to get even all we will do is escalate the conflict.
Paul gives two reasons why we should not avenge ourselves:
Because He is already at work taking care of the other person, albeit maybe not the way or in the timing you would like it.
Second, God alone has the right to avenge, and He can do so without collateral damage. He often does so in a redemptive way that touches the life that we would want to have destroyed.
Vs. 20-21 Paul moves on in anticipation of what he knows we would be thinking: “So I’m supposed to just sit here and let that person let that person put the knife in me as I hug them?” Well of course not, Paul quotes Prov. 25:21-22, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” “The coal thing on their heads sounds right but I’m not sure how feeding them when they are hungry or giving them something to drink when they are thirsty is part of that?”
By doing this God’s way two things will happen:
You will turn their negative into God’s positive: Putting coal on someone’s head was an ancient custom of lighting fires as they would use coals from one fire to start another fire for someone else. They would come over and say, “You got a light?” And you would take some embers from your fire and place it in an earthen vessel that they would carry on top of their heads. This became a metaphor of being neighborly and providing warmth and light to someone who would have been cold and in the dark without your generosity.
Vs. 21 Secondly you automatically win because you are overcoming evil by doing good: Three times in verses 14-17 Paul tell us not to return evil for evil thus we can see that the point is that we aren’t to react like the world. We aren’t to combat evil with evil, we are to combat it with good.