Showing the righteousness of Christ in todays’ world.
Romans…
In the Church 12:1-8
12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
In society 12:9-21
9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 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.
17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 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. 20 Therefore
“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.”
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Toward government 13:1–14
13 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Toward other believers 14:1–15:13
14 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. 2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written:
“As I live, says the Lord,
Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to God.”
12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.
14 I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.
19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. 21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. 22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.
15 We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. 3 For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” 4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. 5 Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, 6 that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Glorify God Together
7 Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God. 8 Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, 9 and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written:
“For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles,
And sing to Your name.”
10 And again he says:
“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!”
11 And again:
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles!
Laud Him, all you peoples!”
12 And again, Isaiah says:
“There shall be a root of Jesse;
And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles,
In Him the Gentiles shall hope.”
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Based on God’s mercy, Paul entreats believers to present their bodies as a living sacrifice, meaning they should use their bodies to serve and obey God. Such giving of the body to God is more than a contrast with a dead animal sacrifice, it is “newness of life”. Holy means set apart for the Lord’s use; acceptable means pleasing to Him; and reasonable indicates that such a gift is the only rational reaction to all the good gifts God has showered on us. Instead of being molded by the values of this world, the believer should be transformed, that is, changed by the renewing of the mind. Spiritual transformation starts in the mind and heart. A mind dedicated to the world and its concerns will produce a life tossed back and forth by the currents of culture. But a mind dedicated to God’s truth will produce a life that can stand the test of time. We can resist the temptations of our culture by meditating on God’s truth and letting the Holy Spirit guide and shape our thoughts and behaviors. A renewed mind begins with thinking soberly about oneself. The first step in changing behavior is self-observation. God has given everyone one or more gifts that can be used in His service. A measure of faith refers to God’s sovereignly given gifts. These gifts are not the result of intense prayer or spirituality. Instead, God simply gives everyone certain gifts so each person can strengthen the church.
As the human body is a unity with many members, each having its own function, so is the body of Christ. The church is a unified body under the headship of Christ, but the members have different functions. The Greek word (charismata) refers to God-given abilities that should be used to build up other members in the church. Although they are “irrevocable” and, thus do not change, they are to be pursued and developed. In its narrower sense, prophecy means the revealing of God’s will in a particular situation. Ministry means “service” and is in contrast to the speaking gifts. The Scriptures list five speaking gifts: prophecy, teaching, encouragement, the word of wisdom, and the word of knowledge. In addition, seven serving gifts are named: helps, mercy, faith, discernment of spirits, leadership, managing, and giving.
(1) The highest form of love is agape. This is a self-sacrificial love. It involves an act of the will whereby one seeks the best for another. The Greek word philos means “affectionate regard,” and the derived form philadelphia is translated brotherly love in this verse. (3) Philostorgos means “family affection” and is translated kindly affectionate in this verse. The greatest proof of the truth of the gospel message and of the reality of Jesus’ love is the love believers show to each other. Christ is the model for such self-sacrificial love. Christians should not offer their service half-heartedly or in a lazy manner. Instead, Paul encourages the Romans to serve eagerly and in earnest. Hospitality means “love of strangers.” The primary reference is to housing travelers, though all forms of hospitality are included. The progression in this verse is significant. As we dedicate ourselves to meeting the needs of our fellow believers, we will have opportunities to serve strangers and thus witness to them about the love of Christ. Because believers are a body, when one part hurts, everyone feels the pain; when one is joyful, everyone can rejoice. Christians cannot be indifferent to the suffering or joy of their fellow believers. The word good in this verse means “morally good,” “noble,” or “praiseworthy.” This is the positive side of the negative command not to return evil for evil. A Christian should not concentrate on the evil in others, but instead should focus on what is good. By doing so, we encourage others around us to aspire to the good.
The believer’s aim should be to live peaceably. Believers are not to seek personal revenge, but rather to let God punish. Freed from vengeance, believers can give themselves to mercy, even toward their enemies. By acts of kindness, the believers will heap coals of fire on the head of their enemies, perhaps bringing shame and repentance to them. It is possible for an enemy to become a friend. This is the phenomenal power of God’s love that believers are connected to through Christ.
God, the supreme Sovereign, has ordained that there should be governing authorities. Every believer is to be subject to these various authorities, even if these authorities are as evil as Nero (a.d. 54–68), the emperor of Rome who cruelly persecuted Christians. When Paul wrote this letter, Nero was in power. Yet Paul exhorted the Roman believers to submit to Nero’s authority, because that authority was ordained by God Himself. Judgment does not necessarily include eternal punishment. God may judge people through the human authorities He appoints. Believers must obey government not only because it is their civic duty, but because it is their spiritual duty before God. In the present context, owe no one anything primarily means respect and honor. No doubt money is also included, but this passage does not prohibit borrowing. Love is a debt that is never paid in full. To love ourselves is a recognition that we do love ourselves, and commands us to love others just as genuinely and sincerely as we love ourselves. Love excludes murder, adultery, stealing, and lying. Therefore when we love, we automatically fulfill the prohibitions of the law. Salvation here refers to the future, when believers will be saved from the presence of sin. Thus salvation here speaks of the imminent return of Christ. Night is the present age during which we live in Satan’s domain. Day is the beginning of a new life with Christ in His glorious reign. At hand means “is imminent”; the Lord could return at any moment.
Note that Paul puts strife and envy on the same level as drunkenness and lust.
Believers should clothe themselves with Christlike characteristics such as truth and righteousness.
Those who were weak in the faith did have faith; they had trusted in Christ. Some of the Roman believers might not have accepted the apostle’s teaching concerning certain practices, such as accepting that all food was clean if received with thanksgiving. Instead, they ate only vegetables. The strong in the faith are told to receive the weak and not to dispute over doubtful things, which literally means “reasonings” or “opinions.” The mature believers were not to pass judgment or to enter into dispute with those who were less mature. The strong are not to despise the weak, that is, to treat them with contempt. The weak are not to judge the strong by attempting to place excessive prohibitions on them. This verse probably relates to the many holy days of the OT ceremonial law. fully convinced: The exhortation does not mean it is wrong to have strong convictions, but that all people have a right to their own convictions. This principle is basic in dealing with disputes. Days and diets are not the issue, but whether what is being done is committed to the Lord.
Believers belong to the Lord. They live and die in relation to Him. Therefore Christians should aim to please Him. The weak are not to judge, and the strong are not to show contempt, the same word that is rendered “despise”. All believers are accountable to their Master, Jesus Christ, for they will appear before Him. At the judgment seat of Christ, every believer’s life will be evaluated to determine his or her reward. One day everyone will submit to God’s authority. He will judge all people before His great throne. Unclean means “common” and refers to things prohibited by the Jewish ceremonial law. If anyone considers some activity to be unlawful, then it is wrong for that person to engage in that activity. Paul here builds on the principle of conviction with the principle of consideration for the brother who is weak. This is a step in maturity. If eating meat destroys a weak believer, then the strong believer should not eat it.
Christ is the ultimate model for the strong believer. He renounced self-gratification so that He could clearly represent God and His cause. Through patience (endurance) and the comfort (or encouragement) of Scripture, believers learn that they have hope. In this case, if strong believers are patient with the scruples of the weak, they have hope of being rewarded. Attributing to God the same virtues just ascribed to the Scriptures, Paul prays for the unity of all believers. Thus the command to receive one another is addressed not just to the strong believers, but to all believers.
Jesus Christ became a servant to the Jews for two purposes: (1) to confirm God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and (2) to demonstrate God’s mercy to the Gentiles so that they might glorify Him. Paul cites four passages from the OT to prove that God intended the Gentiles as well as the Jews to glorify Him. Paul quotes from all three divisions of the OT (the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms or Writings), and from three great Jewish leaders (Moses, David, and Isaiah), to demonstrate that God’s purpose was always to bless the Gentiles through Israel. Although the nation of Israel has been set aside for the present, both Jews and Gentiles are being brought together in the church. Jesse was the father of David, and the Son of David was the promised Messiah. NKJ Bible.
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