*Romans 12:1-21
Paul calls on Christians to live selflessly, using their gifts in humility to build up the church and overcome evil with good.
- Living Sacrifices to God:
- Paul urges believers to offer their bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which he describes as their true and proper worship.
- He advises against conforming to the pattern of this world and encourages being transformed by the renewing of the mind, enabling believers to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.
- Diverse Gifts and Functions:
- Emphasizing unity and diversity within the body of Christ, Paul compares the church to a body with many parts, each having different functions.
- Believers are encouraged to use their varying gifts according to the grace given to them, whether prophecy, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leading, or showing mercy.
- Guidelines for Christian Behavior:
- Paul lays out a code of conduct aimed at fostering sincere love and devotion among believers: hating what is evil, clinging to what is good.
- He calls for mutual affection and honor, zeal, spiritual fervor, and perseverance in service to the Lord.
- Believers are encouraged to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer, and to share with those in need.
- Hospitality is highlighted as a key virtue.
- Harmony and Peace:
- The apostle stresses the importance of living in harmony with one another and not being proud, but willing to associate with people of low position.
- He advises against being conceited and encourages doing everything possible to live at peace with everyone.
- Dealing with Persecution:
- Paul instructs believers on how to respond to persecution by blessing those who persecute them—bless and do not curse.
- He calls for empathy, sharing in the joys and sorrows of others, and for a peaceful demeanor, urging followers not to repay evil for evil.
- Overcoming Evil with Good:
- The final verses focus on overcoming evil with good. Believers are instructed not to take revenge but to leave room for God’s wrath. Instead, if an enemy is hungry or thirsty, they should be fed and given something to drink.
- By doing so, they will heap burning coals on the enemy’s head, a metaphor for prompting an enemy to shame and repentance through kindness.
- Paul concludes by summarizing the principle that should guide all actions: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
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.
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.
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.
12:4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
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; 12:7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 12:8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 12:11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; 12:13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
12:14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
12:15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
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.
12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
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.
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.
12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.