Title: The Believer in the World
Text: Rom 12:14-21
Date: 4-20-08.am
Passage:
Introduction:
We have spent a lot of time in chapter 12. So far we have talked about what it means to be living sacrifices, through total commitment. We saw how that commitment changes the way we think about ourselves, others in the church and about spiritual gifts. Last we looked at how we were called to put love into action within the body of Christ. Paul makes things a bit harder on us in these last verses by giving us instructions on what being a living sacrifice means in relationship to those who are not believers. It would seem obvious we are to demonstrate noble character with fellow believers, but we are also to give strong testimony of the love of God and the transformation in our lives by our personal conduct in the world in which we live, whether at work, at school, at play and even in the home, anywhere we encounter non-believers.
We looked at ten ways love is to be manifest within the body of Christ. The local church and the universal church. This morning we are going to look at six ways we demonstrate God’s love in the world. As we look at these you’ll see they overlap each another and you can see they can also apply be applied in the church as well as out of the church.
1. Bless those who persecute you! Ro 12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and curse not. NASB Paul uses repetition here for emphasis. He doesn’t lighten up on how Christian character is to be manifest in the world. He doesn’t make it easy for us. He sets the standard for Christian character very high.
Let’s start with some definitions. The word bless means to speak well of, the word persecute means to cause to suffer, generally it refers to a period of prolonged or ongoing suffering whether it be physical, mental, or emotional.
The word curse is a word that means to denounce to speak evil of someone also it can also refer to calling upon God to inflict some type of vengeance or wrath on someone for something they have done to you or against you. Here it means more than just the use of bad language although the idea behind what Paul is saying would include that kind of response.
Interestingly enough in English it is translated to execrate; which is a synonym for the word abhor used in 12:10 which means hate.
What we have then is Paul echoing the words of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount Mt 5:44 where Jesus said: "But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you. NASB IN Luke Lk 6:27-28 Jesus words are "But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. NASB
Paul may have witnessed Jesus demonstrate this truth from the cross when He said Father forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing (Ll 23:34). We can’t say that with certainty, however, based on his persecution of the church we can it seems likely he would have been part of the crowd at the cross. We do know for a fact he was a witness at the stoning of Stephen recorded by Luke in Acts 7:59-60 when Stephen cried out, 59. . . "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" And falling on his knees, Luke wrote, “he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them!’ And having said this, he fell asleep.” NASB
That’s the type of character we are to exhibit towards those who persecute us and if you’re like me that something that can only come about by the presence of the Spirit of God within your life. That kind of a reaction is not natural, it can only be supernatural.
2. Demonstrate a genuine interest in the experiences of others Ro 12:15
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. NASB
Since I just took the Disaster Relief Chaplains course last week. I see this as a basic concept in Disaster Relief Chaplaincy or for that matter any chaplaincy type ministry. But, Paul says it should be a part of the ministry of all Christians.
We are not to condone the sinful actions of non-believers, but when they see we care about them it opens the door to share the good news that God cares about them as well. We rejoice in the birth of a child or a wedding or a promotion, we mourn with them over the loss of a home or job or the death of family member or even a pet. There are lots of things we can do that show we care that plant seeds or open doors.
3. Control pride and conceit Ro 12:16 Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. NASB
We talked about this last week in relationship to fellow believers. Here Paul extends it to those who are not a part of the body of Christ. We are talking about pride in a negative way that results in conceit. In looking at this verse we understand we are not to use any kind of external characteristics to keep ourselves aloof or unapproachable.
Ro 12:16 . . .do not be haughty (snobbish, high-minded, exclusive), but readily adjust yourself to [people, things] and give yourselves to humble tasks. Never overestimate yourself or be wise in your own conceits. AMP
Paul says don’t think you are better than others so that you can’t be bothered with those less fortunate or ordinary tasks. Don’t use your faith as a barrier. Again think back to the parable Jesus taught about the Pharisee and the tax-collector LK 18 and the Good Samaritan in Lk 10.
Paul closes the verse telling us not to be wise in our own site. Dr Leon Morris says those who are wise in their own eyes very seldom are in the eyes of others. The entire thrust of the verse is not to let pride, conceit, and attitudes of superiority get in the way of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. Don’t let being in the church keep you from ministering to the world.
4. Live above reproach Ro 12:17b
Respect what is right in the sight of all men. NASB TLB says: do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honest clear through. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. NKJV
As we have already seen much of what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount is reflected in Paul's words in chapter 12. Jesus said in Mt 5:16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. NASB
Paul gives it as requirement for pastors or those who have oversight in the church in 1 Tim 3:7. In verse 17 we see living above reproach is a requirement for all believers. We are to be salt and light in our world. We are to live in such a way in the world that men will be drawn to the light not repelled by it any more than they already are.
Jesus said in Jn 3:19-21 "And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil. 20 "For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 "But he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God." Jn 3:19-21NASB
Again we are all sinners saved by God’s grace and the transformation in our lives to live in this way can only come by the supernatural power of God through the Holy Spirit within us.
5. Seek to live in peace (as much as it depends on you) with others Ro 12:18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. NASB
Jesus called us to be peacemakers in regards to other people (Matt 5:9). He commanded us to turn the other cheek (matt 5:39) and go the second mile (matt 5:41). We are not called to bully others into believing like we do. We are to persuade them by a life style that draws them to the gospel. No one wants to hear the good news of the God of peace from someone who is always combative. As an example, we believe the Bible clearly teaches homosexuality is a sin. We believe Christ loves the sinner but hates the sin and the Christ died for that sin as well as all other sins. But how many who are involved in the homosexual life style do you think would be willing to hear that God loves them from Fred Phelps?
God is the God of peace because through Jesus Christ He brought reconciliation between mankind and God. We are to seek to bring that message of peace and reconciliation through Christ to all men. You can see a distinctive here between Christianity and other religions in the world today. There are no “Christian” countries at least that I’m aware of where Muslims or Buddhists or Hindu’s or any other religion fear for their lives if they practice. And I acknowledge the Inquisition happened and that witch burnings took place, and even within the church men and women were martyred for their beliefs but those things weren’t taught in the Bible.
It is important to keep in mind that Paul modifies this statement with the phrase as much as it depends on you so we understand that seeking to live in peace with others is not about moral compromise. We are to be in the world but not like the world. You can see how Jesus modeled this in His life in being a physician to those who needed a physician ministering to sinners while not engaging in their sin. He sought to live in peace but didn’t shy away from confronting sin. We are to seek to live in peace with others as much as possible without compromising the things of God. When it comes down to it and conflict arises as the apostles responded in Acts 5:29, "We must obey God rather than men.” NASB
6. Give no place for revenge
The last characteristic is that we are not to take justice into our own hands. Jesus elevates the character of the Law found in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament we find what is known as the Law of Retribution. It’s found in Ex 21:22-27 and Lev 24:19-20. The Exodus passage is in reference to men fighting and accidentally hitting a woman and causing her to miscarry a child. There is a penalty for that, but it goes further to say in verses 23-25: But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. NASB
In the Levitical law it says in Lev 24:19-20 it says, 'And if a man injures his neighbor, just as he has done, so it shall be done to him: 20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; just as he has injured a man, so it shall be inflicted on him. NASB
Paul in following the teaching of Jesus raises Christian ethics above personal revenge and retaliation. This Old Testament type of justice is what we see today in the most Middle Eastern and many third world cultures. We see it in our society most often in gang culture and in organized crime. If you have ever watched the Godfather movies you see it over and over. Here we see Paul says believers are to be above that.
Ro 12:17-20
17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. 20 "But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head."
Instead of personal vengeance or retaliation we are to leave room for God’s wrath in verse 19. Paul explains that vengeance belongs to the Lord’s. When we get into chapter 13, however, Paul is going to tell us God uses government to be the avenger or more correctly in the Greek the revenger on behalf of individuals to being about justice.
Paul ends the chapter with this final instruction that is an umbrella to cover all of what he said to us. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. NASB As we saw last week we can substitute unrighteousness for evil. Paul tells us do not to be overcome by the unrighteousness of the world, don’t let it drag you down, but instead overcome the unrighteousness of the world with godly character.
Are you exhibiting that kind of character in the world. It begins with a surrendered life starting with a saving relationship with Jesus Christ and continuing with a living relationship with Him. Have you surrendered all to Him?