Transcript
Author, pastor, and onetime atheist Lee Strobel said in one sermon: How can I tell you the difference God has made in my life? My daughter Allison was 5 years old when I became a follower of Jesus, and all she had known in those five years was a dad who was profane and angry.
I remember I came home one night and kicked a hole in the living room wall just out of anger with life. I am ashamed to think of the times Allison hid in her room to get away from me.
Five months after I gave my life to Jesus Christ, that little girl went to my wife and said, “Mommy, I want God to do for me what he’s done for Daddy.”
At age 5! What was she saying? She’d never studied the archeological evidence [regarding the truth of the Bible].
All she knew was her dad used to be this way: hard to live with. But more and more her dad is becoming this way. And if that is what God does to people, then sign her up. And at age 5 she gave her life to Christ. You see, God changed my family. He changed my world. He changed my eternity. He changed me.
Having trusted Christ as Savior, God can work a wonderful change in us, transforming our hearts and lives as well as our relationships with those close to us in life: our spouses, children, friends, our employers, and so on.
What we find in the verses before us are practical exhortations that flow out of an inward spiritual transformation of our mind and will.
The life that God commends us to in these verses is the result of presenting ourselves to be a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God as verse 1 beseeches us to do.
And as we are not conformed to this world as v. 2 instructs us, but instead are transformed by the renewing of our mind by the Word of God, our thinking will change, and our lives will change.
Romans 12:9 reads, “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.”
A police officer pulled a driver aside and asked for his license and registration. And the driver asked: “What’s wrong, officer? I didn’t go through any red lights, and I certainly wasn’t speeding.”
“No, you weren’t,” said the officer, “but I saw you waving your fist as you swerved around the lady driving a little slow in the left lane.
“And then I observed your flushed and angry face as you shouted at the driver of the Hummer who cut you off, and after that how you pounded your steering wheel when the traffic came to a stop near the bridge.”
The driver asked, “Well, is all that a crime, officer?” And the officer replied: “No, but when I saw the ‘Jesus loves you and so do I’ bumper sticker on your car, I figured this car had to be stolen.”
Paul says in verse 9: “Let love be without dissimulation,” and the term “dissimulation” means “hypocrisy.” “Let your love be real, without hypocrisy,” is the instruction for us here.
God desires that we have a sincere, real love for all people, because God loves all people, and Christ died for all. An unhypocritical, genuine love is God’s love.
Out of God’s genuine love for us, He “spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all,” for Him to be crucified and to face His wrath against our sins, and to pay our sin debt in full by His shed blood, that we might have eternal hope in Christ.
That is real love. And as a member of the Church, the Body of Christ, God’s love has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, and now we are to be the channel of His sincere, genuine love to this world.
We demonstrate this real love as we allow God to work through us, and we serve and help others in our homes, our church, and in life. And we demonstrate this genuine love when we reach out and share the gospel of grace with the lost and unbelieving.
This caution about love is really the theme of the rest of the chapter as Paul shows what “love without dissumulation,” is, elaborating on what genuine love does, and how it affects our attitude and actions, and our relationships with others.
Paul states, “Abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good.” Living by a transformed and renewed mind by the Word, we should hate sin and evil, just as God hates sin and evil, and we should cleave to that which is good, because God is good.
Psalm 97:10 says, “Ye that love the Lord, hate evil.” Proverbs 8:13 states, “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil.” We hate sin and evil because of its consequences and what it does to people in destroying their lives.
And then Paul says “cleave” or cling, grip, hold on tightly to what is good and right. And God’s Word teaches us what is truly good and we should cling to it. And God’s Word teaches us that God is good, and we should cling to Him tightly by faith.
And by cleaving to God and His Word, we will be kept from sin and evil, and our love will be without dissimulation.
Romans 12:10: “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.”
The term “kindly affectioned” speaks of a natural, tender, family-type affection.
Having trusted Christ as Savior, that He died for your sins personally, and rose again, we are born again into the family of God, and in the Church we are brothers and sisters in Christ. Thus we should have family-type bond and warm affection for one another.
As one commentator put it: “Love the brethren in the faith, as though they were brothers in blood.” In Christ, we are brothers and sisters by the blood, Christ’s shed blood, and we are to love each other with a strong, brotherly, family-type love.
And as in a family where you watch out for each other, care for each other, help each other, encourage each other, and are always there for each other, we should do the same with our family in Christ.
Then Paul says how we should also be, “in honor preferring one another.” This reminds us of Philippians 2:3 where Paul says, “in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves.”
Manifesting a love without dissumulation, out of humility, we should be treating each other as more important than ourselves. Saying this is one thing, doing it is another altogether.
Because our old nature and natural impulse is to think of self first, and to judge, look for faults in others, not to prefer them, or esteem them better than ourselves.
But when we obey this and carry it out by the power of the Spirit, it demonstrates a transformed, renewed mind and the humble mind of Christ in our lives.
God says “prefer your brother,” respect him, treat him as more important than self. Paul is showing how we ought to have a devalued view of self, a greater realization of the value of others in God’s sight and to the Body of Christ, and to appreciate them and their life, their gifts and service to the Church. This instruction works great in marriage too!
Romans 12:11: “Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.”
The phrase “not slothful in business” is speaking of the business of spiritual matters, the work and duties that need to be done by the Body of Christ in service to others. And we are not to be “slothful,” in these things.
We are not to be shrinking away, lazy, sluggish, hesitating, when it comes to the work that needs to be done for the Lord. Paul shows how we should NOT be when it comes to the Lord’s work, then he shows how we SHOULD be.
The labor that needs to be done by the Body should be done with spiritual fervor; we should be “fervent in spirit.” The phrase speaks of a burning desire, a fire in the belly, an ardent and aflame zeal, an enthusiastic desire to get after the Lord’s work.
We do so with the motivation of love and grace, in light of the love of Christ in dying for us and rising again, and amazing grace that has set us free from sin and made us righteous forever in the sight of God.
We are fervent in spirit because there are so many to reach, and that there are so many who need the love and care of the Lord in ministry.
And we are to labor fervently knowing that we are “serving the Lord.” We are His servant, He is our Lord. Our labor is not for self, or for self-glory.
We labor hard to bring glory to our blessed Savior, who has bought us and rescued us, we gratefully serve Him to please Him, and so others may know Him as their Savior.
Romans 12:12-13 says, “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.”
As we are serving the Lord, we’re rejoicing in our hope in Christ. We serve with joy, rejoicing in the Lord always, knowing that the Lord might come today at the Rapture of the Church, knowing that we’re heaven-bound on our journey through life, knowing we have the hope of eternal life in Christ.
And because of our hope, we can patiently and quietly endure through trials and challenges in life or ministry, knowing by faith that the Spirit helpeth our infirmities and that God works all things together for good, Romans 8:26 and 28 says.
Because we are justified by faith, Paul wrote earlier in Romans: “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” (Rom. 5:3-5).
And as we serve the Lord, Paul says we should constantly pray to the Lord, and be instant in prayer.
Prayer is part of our fervent service and labor, and what we do as we labor for Him. When needs are seen in ministry we’re to be “instant,” in prayer; i.e., we bring that need to Him now. When we need guidance, we pray, now, and take it to the Lord.
When there’s a problem, we pray immediately about that problem. When we hear of someone needing salvation or physical healing, we are to be instant in prayer. It’s a good idea, because often we forget if we don’t pray right away.
It’s to be a frame of mind and habit of life, to take needs to the Lord in prayer instantly. He’s always there, and always wanting us to turn to Him in faith by prayer.
In our service, in living the transformed life, we should be “distributing to the necessity of the saints.” God, who is generous, desires a generous heart from us.
Having been bought by the blood of Christ, we belong to God, and all we have belongs to Him. And at times in our service to the Lord, He desires us to help “saints” in need, from His means, that He has entrusted us with.
While there is much need in the world today, in the sufferings of humanity, God shows us here that beside our physical family, our first responsibility is to our spiritual family in Christ, as we are to be “distributing to the necessity of the saints.”
We are to help meet the needs of the saints with material aid, and Paul says also we are to be “given to hospitality,” which speaks of “readily pursuing love to strangers.”
Hebrews 13:2 says, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers.” Titus 1:8 speaks of how the elders of the church need to be “a lover of hospitality.”
Believers are to be watchful, alert to the needs of strangers, ready to reach out, willing to open their home, or give, and show love to people in need.
Romans 12:14-15: “Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.”
Paul moves on in these verses to speak of the believer’s reactions to the actions and emotions of others. In I Cor. 4:12, Paul stated, “being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it.” Our Lord said also: “Bless them that curse you” (Lk. 6:28).
This is God’s desire for us, that by grace we not react in pride and anger to those who would persecute us or tear us down, but instead to respond in kindness. And this is not just speaking of outwardly refraining from reacting in anger, but inwardly as well.
Paul stated in verse 5 of this chapter that we are “members one of another,” and showing how close knit God desires His Body members to be, how involved we should be in each other’s lives, He says we should rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.
Warren Wiersbe stated: “Christian fellowship is much more than a pat on the back and a handshake [on Sunday morning]. It means sharing the burdens and the blessings of others so that we all grow together and glorify the Lord.”
Being Body members and as a close knit family, we should naturally feel each other’s joys and sorrows. 1 Corinthians 12:26 says, “And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.”
As we are kindly affectioned one to another and let our love be without dissimulation, we’ll naturally rejoice with others when they rejoice, and we’ll feel each other’s pain and weep with them that weep. As our Lord is, we’ll be sympathetic and compassionate.
Romans 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.”
Being of the same mind one toward another means that all should have this same attitude toward one another, that there should be this mutual sincere love, care, desire to serve the Lord and pray, sympathy, among each other that Paul has been explaining here.
Then Paul shows us how we should not be setting our “mind” or aspiring after “high things,” in the Church, meaning only befriending or serving a certain class in the Church, or aspiring after so-called “high” positions in the Church.
Instead Paul reminds us that we should be ministering to all people, be cultivating relationships with all believers, not just with certain in the Church.
And especially we are to make sure that we are ministering to people of low estate, low regard, the cast down and down-trodden, in the Church.
And Paul says “Be not wise in your own conceits,” or we should not have too high an estimate of ourselves, causing us to not minister to the neglected and people of low estate in the Church. God loves all men; so should we. Love should be without hypocrisy.
Thom Rainer tells the following true story: Gloria was ready to take her life. Years of drug abuse, failed relationships, and multiple rejections had taken their toll.
Prepared with countless prescription drugs she saved for the purpose, Gloria turned on the television to keep her neighbors from hearing.
The channel was tuned in to a Billy Graham crusade. At the bottom of the screen was a telephone number for anyone needing help. Gloria called the number before she took the pills.
The counselor recognized the seriousness of Gloria’s situation. She directed Gloria to a nearby church where someone would be able to help her.
Gloria decided to put off her suicide and attend the church the next day, Sunday. Just before the worship service began, Gloria met the pastor. “Billy Graham sent me,” she told him. Sometime later, Gloria gave this testimony.
“Billy Graham saved me from killing myself, but my church showed me how to be saved from my sins through Christ.
“The love of the people was incredible. I never knew someone as dirty as me could ever receive love again. The people accepted me just as I was. I have seen Christ. He is in the faces of all these people who love me.”
Because this group of believers was willing to “condescend to men of low estate,” this woman’s life was forever changed and was touched by the love of Christ.
Romans 12:17-18: “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.”
The word “recompense” speaks of repaying, giving in return, rendering back. Paul’s teaching here is simply that when believers are treated wrongly, they are not to react by returning evil. We are not to seek revenge.
And notice that we are to seek revenge to “no man,” whether believers or unbelievers. We are to put away any and all thoughts of “getting even.”
A mother ran into a bedroom when she heard her seven-year-old son scream. She found his two-year-old sister pulling his hair. She gently released the little girl’s tight grip and said comfortingly to the boy, “There, there. She didn’t mean it. She doesn’t know that hurts.”
He nodded his acknowledgment, and she left the room. As she started down the hall the little girl screamed. And she rushed back in the room and asked, “What happened?” The little boy replied, “She knows now.”
Unlike this story, we are not to seek revenge, but rather we should “Provide things honest in the sight of all men.” The word “honest” means good, honorable, right.
What Paul is saying is, by grace, make it a matter of principle to do what is right; take care to do what’s honorable.
The believer must take care to live on a higher level and not return evil for evil, as is usually done. And this provides a strong testimony of Christ’ love and grace, and that we are not conformed to this world but transformed by the renewing of our mind.
Paul’s further instruction is that if it is at all possible, giving every effort, we should live in peace, dwell in harmony with all people.
Galatians 5:22 says that the fruit of the Spirit is “love, joy, peace.” As the Spirit produces this fruit in our life, we can live this verse out.
Paul implies that if it is impossible for there to be peace and harmony, we should be sure that the difficulty does not lie with us. God desires His own to be peace-lovers, peace-livers, and peace-makers. He desires His peace to touch all our relationships.
Romans 12:19-21: “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
“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. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Self-vengeance and revenge have no place in the believer’s life, rather Paul tells us to make room for divine retribution, we are to give way unto God’s wrath.
Quoting Deuteronomy 32:35 in verse 19, Paul shows us how only God has the right to avenge. Vengeance is divine ground.
And it is divine ground, because as William R. Newell insightfully puts it: “God’s vengeance must require that infinite knowledge of conditions, of motives, of results upon others, which God, the just Judge, alone possesses.”
We are not to seek revenge on those who have wronged us, which is divine ground and which may drive or keep an unbeliever from God.
Rather our duty is to treat our enemy in love and kindness, as Paul shows quoting Proverbs 25:22: give him something to eat or drink, when he’s hungry or thirsty.
By an act of love to our enemy, demonstrating a love without dissumulation, God’s love, this may lead to “coals of fire” being heaped on our enemy’s head.
Coals of fire on our head would hurt, and so does an act of kindness to one who has done us wrong, producing the pain of remorse, shame, a convicted conscience, and the reflection caused by this pain can lead to a change of heart and their salvation.
And that’s the aim, because God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, He desires all men to be saved; He is not willing that any should perish.
And so we should “be not overcome of evil,” by giving in to the temptation to seek retaliation or by pursuing revenge, which can consume our lives and thinking.
Rather we should overcome evil, with good, with acts of kindness, with forgiveness, with the love of the Savior, seeking to win that person to Him.
Greg Asimakoupoulos tells the following true account: Many of us can think about loving our enemy in esoteric terms. Unknown enemies on the other side of the world are easier to love than those we meet face-to-face.
During the war in Iraq in 2005, one American soldier found out how proximity changes things. Stephen Tschiderer, an army medic, met his enemy’s bullet before he met his enemy.
While patrolling the dangerous streets of Baghdad, Tschiderer was shot in the chest by an enemy sniper. Although he was knocked to the ground by the impact, Tschiderer was saved by his bulletproof vest.
In company with the combat team that tracked down the sniper, the soldier discovered his assailant had been wounded. At this point, loving one’s enemy was no longer a theoretical concept. The enemy was directly in front Tschiderer, wounded and in need of prompt medical attention.
Only moments earlier, the sniper had put Stephen Tschiderer’s heart between the crosshairs on the scope of his rifle and pulled the trigger, fully intending to end Tschiderer’s life. Tschiderer could have roughed him up.
He could have simply walked away and justified his actions. Instead, Tschiderer treated and dressed the wounds of the man who had tried to take his life.
Along with showing us the quality of soldiers we have defending our freedoms, this soldier shows us the Christian discipline of being not overcome with evil, not giving in to feelings of vengeance, but overcoming that evil with good and kindness.
God showed love and kindness to His enemies, by sending His own Son to die for us, which is the supreme act of kindness and love. We should follow God’s example in this. Rom. 5:10 says: “when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son.”
These instructions obeyed by faith will all reveal a transformed life by grace: a love without hypocrisy, abhorring what is evil, cleaving to that which is good, preferring one other, serving the Lord fervently, rejoicing in our hope, being instant in prayer, helping those in need, blessing them who persecute us, rejoicing with those who rejoice, weeping with those who weep, being not overcome with evil, but overcoming evil with good.