Home	Our Hope
Bible Study		September 22, 2012
Practical Christianity

Lesson (Romans 12:9-21)

The NIV translation for these verses, as it sometimes does, goes after nicely flowing prose and long words people don't commonly use. But sometimes the message gets lost behind the prose and I think this is one of those times. So instead the verses used in this lesson are coming from a more direct translation. But direct translations also can have the problem that they are harder to read. We'll deal with those spots when we get to them.

Just prior to the verses for this lesson, Paul has been describing how the community of God has many members with different functions and with different gifts. He describes some of these gifts and then he moves on to a description of how each member should interact with others in the community and with those outside the community. In doing so he provides very practical examples.

⁹ And be not deceitful in your love, but hate evil and cleave to the good.¹

How can a person be deceitful in love? Do we tell people we love them when we really don't? In 1 John 3 we read "¹⁸ Children, let us not love one another with words and with speech, but in deeds and in truth." The point that both John and Paul are making is not that you shouldn't tell someone you love them when you don't. But instead their point is that you should love them, and if you love them you will not just say it but show it.

At first glance the second part of that verse seems unrelated to the first part. But in fact it supports the first part. In this sentence Paul isn't talking about evil people that we hate but say we love. He is talking about us and what should be in us. So when Paul says "hate evil" he is not saying we should hate evil people or even hate the evil that is in them. He is saying we should hate all evil things including the deceitful love he has just spoken of. Instead of having this evil deceitful love in us we should have and be practicing true love.

This idea of dealing with evil people is going to come up again in these verses and Paul will again address the real problem, which is the evil in us.

¹⁰ Be affectionate to your brethren and love one another; be preferring and honoring one another.

Paul now talks about our relationships with fellow believers. These should be the easiest of our relationships. How can you not love someone who loves you? But sometimes things happen. Here again as we saw above we need to clear out that evil of deceitful love and make it into real love. To do this he says we should prefer to be with fellow believers and we should honor one another.

Again Paul is talking about a change in our attitude. We should prefer to be with other believers even if one of the believers is a person we would prefer not to be with. Instead we should make a point of being with them.

And we should honor other believers. Honor is an active word. You cannot honor someone by being silent and doing nothing. Honor is shown by word and deed.

¹¹ Be diligent and do not be lazy; be enthusiastic in spirit; be working for your Lord.

Now Paul talks about the work environment. I'm certain he is referring to the work we do to put bread on the table as well as the work we do for the church. A diligent person is one who works hard and gets the job done; the opposite of laziness.

Be excited and eager to do your work. Every job has some tasks that are less enjoyable than others. And there are days when we are only eager enough to survive the day. Paul knows this; he had many days like that himself. Paul is saying we need to push ourselves into that mind frame, that way of thinking, and in doing so we will become that way. Even on the days we don't feel like it we need to push ourselves to bring the "A" game. It is amazing how changing your attitude also changes your perspective and that of those around you and soon everyone's attitude is changed.

Paul's third point in this verse is that we should do our work as though we are doing it for our Lord. We see this idea echoed in Colossians 3 "²³ And do all that you do with all your soul, as for Our Lord, and not as for the children of men."

¹² Be rejoicing in your hope. Bear your afflictions bravely. Be persistent in prayer.

Now for our life in the Messiah. Here is my paraphrasing of this verse. Be happy in the hope of an everlasting life with God. This is where your true life lies. This viewpoint leads to an understanding that the problems and trials we face now are only temporary. And when those distresses come upon us, whether events distress us or people have come against us by word or deed, by carelessness or intent, face them with courage and without being overcome by fear. Despite these problems continue in prayer.

¹³ Be partakers with the needs of the holy; befriend strangers.

The expression "partaking in their need" is somewhat idiomatic (an expression that has a meaning beyond the words). It would be a little clearer as "participate in their need" which takes us to "do your part in their need" which takes us to "share with the needy".

Paul specifically mentions the holy people here which we take to mean brothers but it seems clear from other writings that his thinking is a preference for brothers and sisters in the faith and not an exclusion of the needy who are not of the faith.

¹⁴ Bless your persecutors; bless and do not curse.

Again we see Paul encouraging us to adopt an attitude that is out of line with the thinking of the world. The words bless and curse here are opposites in a way that we don't use them commonly. We commonly use the word curse today in the sense of saying nasty words, curse words, to someone. But where a blessing is a wish for good things such as "May you have a safe trip and be well" a curse would be a wish for evil things, perhaps something like grotesque sores and painful wounds.

¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.

Paraphrased as: Be happy with those who are happy; suffer along with those who are suffering. Paul's intent here is that we should be whatever is necessary for the benefit of others.

¹⁶ And whatever you esteem about yourselves do also about your brethren. Do not esteem high opinions, but go out to those who are humble, and do not be wise in your opinions of yourselves.

In this highly idiomatic verse Paul addresses our relationship with ourselves. The phrase "esteeming yourself" means to think highly of yourself. If you think highly of yourself you should think highly of others. Never value yourself over others. Then he continues by saying do not highly value good opinions of yourself. In other words don't be proud. Instead be one of the humble people. Don't have an opinion of yourself that you are wise or special – don't be conceited.

The next few verses are all about a special problem that Christians had at that time and so additional time is spent on it. Both Romans and Jews would do evil things to Christians. These actions went beyond normal persecution into beatings, time in jail, and murder, all for spreading the gospel message.

¹⁷ Repay no person evil for evil, but be concerned with doing good before all people.

Paul's intent here is that we should be seen to always do good, even when evil is done to us. This sends out a strong message that we are different from the world. An example from our current time is the multiple attempts by the communist government of the USSR to get rid of Christianity, which it saw as a weakness. After killing thousands of Christians for nothing more than worshiping God the people became intolerant of the injustice.

¹⁸ And if it is possible, according to what is within you, make peace with every person.

Paul knows that all these things he has said are difficult, but here he specifically indicates that it may not be possible for all people to make peace with every person. And yet, to the best of our abilities, that is what we are to do. If someone beats up your son very badly, it is very difficult to have a coherent conversation with that person let alone make peace.

¹⁹ Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to rage, for it is written: "If you will not execute judgment for yourself, I shall execute your judgment, says God."²

This verse goes with the first part of verse 17 above, which said we are not to repay evil with evil. Here it says in essence, do not even the score yourself. Instead put away or set aside your rage. Let God even the score. His justice is greater and his punishments fairer.

²⁰ "And if your enemy hungers, feed him, and if he thirsts, give him a drink, and if you do these things to him you will heap coals of fire on his skull."³

This verse goes with the second part of verse 17 above, which said be seen by all to be doing good. If you return good for evil and allow God to be the judge, his punishment can be more severe and worse, everlasting.

²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil by good.

Paul now summarizes these verses on handling people who do evil to you. His point is to be careful that the evil done to you does not make you evil. It's easy to let rage and hate build up and then to act on them. This is why, in verse 19, he tells us to put away our rage.

Nothing could be harder, but nothing could be better for us. This course of action breaks the cycle of violence and leaves us with a clear conscience. It also leaves us with a testimony to the evil person that may help to bring him to Christianity.

Question

1. I've heard it asked, "What if someone becomes a Christian after doing something evil to you? Doesn't that mean he gets away with it?" What do you think?

2. If we decide to leave an evil act to God for him to deal with, should we say to that person, "God is going to get you for that?"

Conclusion

In these verses Paul deals with our many kinds of relationships and in every case he prescribes a change in attitude for us. Never does he specify beating them up, knocking them down, cussing them out, slapping them around, or giving them a look that would kill.

¹ Aramaic New Testament in Plain English

² Paul is quoting from some text that is founded in Deuteronomy 32:35

³ Paul is quoting from Proverbs 25:21