Romans chapter twelve starts the conclusion of the previous chapters.  Paul has spent eleven chapters exhorting the Romans on sin, the law of God, righteousness, judgment, election and faith.  He has made his point and now instructs the believers in Rome.

Be Transformed by the Renewing of your Mind: (Romans 12:1-3)

          The word "therefore" transitions the epistle in the direction of instruction.  Paul is now going to give the application of the first eleven chapters.  "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" (Rom. 12:1).  They are to present themselves as a living sacrifice.  This is in opposition to the typical dead sacrifices normally offered on the altar.  Our life is the sacrifice.  How is this done?  They are to not be, "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" (Rom. 12:2).  God's will is the opposite to this world.  We need to be transformed into something else.  The question to ask is, how do we renew our mind?  Paul gave the Ephesians the answer when instructing them on how the Messiah cleanses the church.  The Messiah sanctifies and cleanses the church, "with the washing of water by the word" (Eph. 5:26).  It is the word of God that cleanses the church and it is the word of God that transforms us by the renewing of our minds.  Why else would Paul spend eleven chapters exhorting the Romans in the scriptures?  For us to renew our minds we need to, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15).  What is the will of God for us?  Paul answered this in chapter two when he said, "For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified" (Rom. 2:13).  The law of God defines God's will for us.  We are to study it, to learn it, and apply it.  Of course, their is always grace and has always been grace to learn God's law.  For no one has ever practiced it perfectly, but this grace should not be used as an excuse to break God's law.

          Paul continues, "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" (Rom. 12:3).  The Romans are instructed in pride.  They are to humble themselves and think of others as higher than themselves.  Why?  For, "God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."  The Greek word for, "measure" is metron which means, "a limited portion (degree): - measure" (Strong's Concordance - G3358).  This is just before Paul lists several "gifts" given to the church body.  This "limited portion" of faith is a reference to the spiritual gifts given to the church.  Though each member of the church might have a different gift, it does not mean that anyone has the right to look upon someone with a different gift as inferior to them.  We need to, "not think of [ourselves] more highly than [we] ought to think,"  but instead to recognize the differences between the members of the church and the need each member fills.  This all leads to the next section where Paul explains the various roles in the church body.

Members of the Body of Messiah: (Romans 12:4-16)

          The church is explained in terms of the body of the Messiah.  "For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another" (Rom. 12:4-5).  Each member of the church has a purpose and is needed for the church to function.   Each member of the church has a gift that God has given them (Rom. 12:6).  These gifts are according to the grace that God has given each member.  We are to use these gifts for the purposes of the "saints" (Rom. 12:13).  Whatever your gift is it should be used for the benefit of the body of Messiah (Rom. 12:6-8).  If we have the gift of prophecy, we should prophesize for the benefit of the church.  If we have the gift of ministry, we should minister to the needs of the church.  The gifts God gives us are not for ourselves only, but for the whole body.

          We are to, "Let love be without dissimulation.  Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good" (Rom. 12:9).  We are to love each other sincerely.  It is important to remember what love is.  As the Apostle John explains, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments" (1 John 5:3).  To love our brother is to keep the commandments in reference to him.  This is not the same love we speak of today, which is why this same verse says, "Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good."  When we love our brother, we will abhor evil and cleave to good.  This is the correct understanding of agapē love.  It is similar to what we might call today tough love.  When our brother does evil we will abhor it and do what is necessary to avoid and stop it.  This might include confronting them as the Messiah stated (Matt. 18:15-17).  The Messiah is here teaching us how to love our brother.  We confront them when they do evil in an effort to win them back, but we cleave to them when they do good.  The next verse speaks of the modern type of love.  "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another" (Rom. 12:10).  The word for love here is philadelphia which means, "brotherly love, kindness" (Strong's Concordance - G5360).  This is a reference to our modern version of love.  When we deal with our brethren in a positive or negative manner, we always need to do so with kindness.  For more on love please read my article, The Love of God.

          The next verse is a continuation of the same thought.  The right kind of love will not be, "slothful in business," but will be, "fervent in spirit; serving the Lord" (Rom. 12:11).  We are not to be lazy in our dealings with others, but to be fervent (earnest).  When we say we are going to do something we are to do it in a timely manner, otherwise we are not showing love to our brother.  We are to, "rejoice in hope; [be] patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.  Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality" (Rom. 12:12-13).  All these instructions are to be done with, hope, patience, and prayer for the benefit of our brethren.  We are to, "Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.  Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep" (Rom. 12:14-15).  When someone persecutes us we are to bless them.  When someone is rejoicing we are to rejoice with them.  When someone is weeping we are to weep with them.  "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" (Rom. 12:16).  This "mind" that Paul is teaching is for all to follow, which is not on, "high things," but of, "men of low estate."  God's mindset is not like the rich and powerful of the earth, but more like the humble and poor, which is why the Messiah lived this way (Matt. 8:20).

How to Affect a Remedy: (Romans 12:17-21)

          We are to, "Recompense to no man evil for evil.  Provide things honest in the sight of all men.  If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men" (Rom. 12:17-18).  We are to keep peace as long as is possible, even when men are evil towards us.  Why?  God said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay" (Rom. 12:19), which is why we seek not our own vengeance, "but rather give place unto wrath" (Rom. 12:19).  It is the responsibility of all men to do good, including ourselves.  If someone does evil to us, it does not negate our responsibility to do good.  We still need to do good, but we can approach God through the Holy of Holies in heaven, where the Messiah is our High Priest.  God will now seek our vengeance for us.  "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" (Rom. 12:20).  When we treat our brethren with goodness, even though they treat us with evil, our goodness will turn to, "coals of fire on his head."  This is a reference to the wrath of God.  Paul is telling us how to affect a remedy using the Mosaic Covenant.  In the Mosaic Covenant, when someone broke the law (did evil towards another), the remedy was to go to trial in the Temple.  Of course, you started at lower courts (Ex. 18:21-25).  On the Day of Atonement, if you did not receive justice, you could bring this trial to the Holy of Holies before God Himself.  God would provide justice.  Today, the Holy of Holies has been transferred to heaven (Heb. 7:12).  The Messiah is in this Holy of Holies making intercession for us (Heb. 7:25).  We can now approach God directly through the Messiah to affect a remedy of the Mosaic law.  This will bring the justice of God.  The Messiah and Apostles even spoke of this as well. (Matt. 7:7, Matt. 18:18-20, Matt. 21:22, 1 John 3:22).  Whatever we ask in prayer, believing and keeping His Commandments, we shall receive.  The end result is that evil will be overcome by good (Rom. 12:21).  For more on this please read my article on the book of Hebrews and watch my video, The Sacrificial System.

          The importance of following God's commandments despite what others are doing is vital.  As Solomon said, "Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man" (Ecc. 13:12).  It is our duty to keep God's commandments, even if others do not.  When we are harmed (receive a damage) according to God's commandments we can turn directly to God to receive a judgment.  To continue this study in Romans chapter thirteen click here.

By Steve Siefken

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Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth

not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV