Pride is a sin in us by nature; we need to be cautioned and armed against it. When someone who is called and gifted to be a giver stops giving Iiberally, they will often see their resources dry up – having forgotten why God has blessed them. But as we must not be proud of our talents, so we must take heed lest, under a pretence of humility and self-denial, we are slothful in laying out ourselves for the good of others. By focus on God’s word and fellowship with Him (be transformed by the renewing of your mind). Do not pretend to a love that you have not got. Cling to what is good. Click to enable/disable _gid - Google Analytics Cookie. We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. God help us to carry it out. The word “tribulation” signifies threshing as with a flail. Monday Night Bible Study Lesson 18 – Romans Chapter 12 Romans 12 By: Charles Stanley From: On the Epistle to the Romans We come now to practical righteousness, the state and walk of those who have been made the recipients of the grace of God, who have been taken up in sovereign, free favor, justified All the saints make up one body in Christ, who is the Head of the body, and the common Centre of their unity. Romans 12:8-9. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. God must be served with the spirit, under the influences of the Holy Spirit. Let this flesh and blood in which your body dwells be presented unto God, not to be killed and to be a dead sacrifice, but to live and still to be a sacrifice, a living sacrifice unto God, holy and acceptable to him. Pride is drunken thinking. For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”. The great enemy to this renewal is, conformity to this world. This is reasonable. It is but your reasonable service. Click on the different category headings to find out more. Let love be without hypocrisy. "Commentary on Romans 12:4". For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. You may know what the good and acceptable and perfect will of God is, but you can’t prove it in your life apart from the transforming work of the Holy Spirit. We are to present our bodies a living sacrifice.Sacrificing has been transferred from the physical slaughtering of animals to the sacrifice of the self, from the slaying of a dumb and uncomprehending beast to the intelligent and deliberate choice of an understanding human, made in the image of God. The professed love of Christians to each other should be sincere, free from deceit, and unmeaning and deceitful compliments. Let love be without dissimulation. The apostle having closed the part of his epistle wherein he argues and proves various doctrines which are practically applied, here urges important duties from gospel principles. ii. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. e. Rejoicing in hope: The call to hope usually has in mind our ultimate reward with Jesus. Finding the new version too difficult to understand? Romans 12:12-13. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth on exhortation: Keep to your own work; stand in your own niche. c. Repay no one evil for evil recalls Jesus’ command in Matthew 5:38-45. Serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; When you have not anything else to rejoice in, rejoice in hope. These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. 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. Commentary on Romans 12:3-8 (Read Romans 12:3-8) Pride is a sin in us by nature; we need to be cautioned and armed against it. Do we need to be entreated to be reasonable? a. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep: This is how we can fulfill the command to be of the same mind toward one another. Abhor that which is evil. Bless, and curse not. The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page. i. Let love be without hypocrisy: Of course, love with hypocrisy isn’t real love at all; but much of what masquerades as “love” in the Christian community is laced with hypocrisy, and must be demonstrated against. “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love.”. iii. ii. 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. We must not say, I am nothing, therefore I will sit still, and do nothing; but, I am nothing in myself, and therefore I will lay out myself to the utmost, in the strength of the grace of Christ. Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. If the hand were made exactly like the foot, it would not be a tenth part as useful; and if the eye only had the same faculty as the ear, it would not be able to see, and the whole body would be a loser thereby. d. Teaching: This has in mind instruction, while exhortation encourages people to practice what they have been taught; both are necessary for a healthy Christian life. 1 Corinthians 12:11 says, But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. The last verse suggests what is not easily understood by the world; that in all strife and contention, those that revenge are conquered, and those that forgive are conquerors. Romans 12:9. Those who are taught but not exhorted become “fat sheep” that only take in and never live the Christian life. Notice that the days of sacrifice are not over. J.B. Phillips has an outstanding and memorable translation of Romans 12:1-2: With eyes wide open to the mercies of God, I beg you, my brothers, as an act of intelligent worship, to give Him your bodies, as a living sacrifice, consecrated to Him and acceptable by Him. a. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. It means thorough good will; not, bless them when at prayer, and curse them at other times; but bless them always, and curse not at all. Whatever our gifts or situations may be, let us try to employ ourselves humbly, diligently, cheerfully, and in simplicity; not seeking our own credit or profit, but the good of many, for this world and that which is to come. Take heed of forming plans for happiness, as though it lay in the things of this world, which soon pass away. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. Since men became enemies to God, they have been very ready to be enemies one to another. Go to, To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use our convenient, Spurgeon's Verse Expositions of the Bible, Commentary Critical and Explanatory - Unabridged, Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible, Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures. Do not go an inch beyond it. Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. with the accent of entreaty, he says, “I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, by God’s great mercy to you, his many mercies, his continued mercies.” What stronger plea could the Apostle have? Sympathize with mourners. i. Romans 12:4-5. Therefore, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; Do not follow the customs, the fashions, the principles of the world. Just because a person has substantial spiritual gifts does not mean they are necessarily spiritually mature or a worthy example. He that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. This idea is related in the ancient Greek word for “spiritual gifts”: charismata, which means a gift of grace. If you are only an exhorter, do not pretend to teach. He that thinks more of himself than he should is so far intoxicated with conceit; but he that judges aright and is, therefore, humble, thinks soberly. i. Romans 12:9-18 Sundry practical duties recommended, Romans 12:19-21 Revenge is specially forbidden, and to do good for evil enjoined. Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. It most likely refers to a “burning conviction” that our kindness places on our enemy. God may give us something to say to an individual or church body that stretches our faith. Trials do not excuse a lack of love in the body of Christ or a lack of willingness to do His work. We should remember that spiritual giftedness does not equal spiritual maturity. Be reconciled to the place God in his providence puts you in, whatever it be. No. Be of the same mind toward one another. a. Bless those who persecute you: We are not to have a hateful attitude towards anyone, not even towards those who persecute us. i. d. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men is a way to live out the idea of praising what is good. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. The ancient Greek word for hospitality is literally translated “love for strangers.” In addition, “given” is a strong word, sometimes translated “persecute” (as in Romans 12:14). e. He who gives: This refers to someone who is a channel through whom God provides resources for His body. Romans 12:15. We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. We receive from the Lord every day the fruits of his mercy. Given to hospitality. b. The godly person knows how to practice both. Romans 12:10. Spiritual gifts are not given on the basis of merit, but because God chooses to give them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. In proportion to our faith: The ancient Greek text actually has “the” before faith. Do not be always arguing and discussing. f. Do not avenge yourselves: The one who trusts in God will not think it necessary to avenge themselves. “Rejoice with them that do rejoice. You can check these in your browser security settings. "Spurgeon's Verse Expositions of the Bible". Some take the proportion of faith to be the proportion of the faith of the audience of the prophecy; this has truth also. Is the heaping coals of fire on his head something good in the eyes of our enemy or is it something bad? Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refuseing them will have impact how our site functions. And not only do, but study and take care to do, that which is amiable and creditable, and recommends religion to all with whom you converse.