Romans 12:14-16: "Our Duty to All"
In recent sections Paul has talked about our attitudes, actions and behaviors in our hearts, to the family of God, and he has now moved into all people including our enemies. He begins this section by commanding us as believers to, "Bless those who persecute you; bless and curse not". It is sometimes hard to be kind, sacrificial and loving to those who we care about, but overall it is our desire to be those things to them. However, it is much more difficult for us to be kind, sacrificial and loving to those who hate us. As Christians, it should be our desire to love others despite what they feel toward us. Our desire towards them should be to win them to Christ through example we set before them. The testimony we have towards them in reaction to their persecution of us should be more important than the desire to reciprocate evil for evil. Luke 6:27-28 says, "I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you". Paul is merely reiterating to us what Jesus had said previously. As an example to us we need to look no further than the very example set by Christ. MacArthur writes, "As the sinless Son of God hung in great sin-bearing on the cross, He prayed with unimaginable mercy, 'Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing'".
Paul now moves to our reaction to other's success. He exclaims, "rejoice with those who rejoice". Looking on the flip side of the previous command, Pal now looks at our positive reaction to others doing good. Although this may seem like a pretty easy command, we must look into our hearts and see what our true reaction is to those who have succeeded. MacAthur writes, "At first thought, that principle would seem easy to follow. But when another person's blessing and happiness is at our expense, or when their favored circumstances or notable accomplishments make ours seem barren and dull, the flesh does not lead us to rejoice but tempts us to resent". Our desire, especially for those in the body of Christ should be, should be for the success of the body of Christ, even at the expense of our shortcomings leading to another man's praise. We need to seek God's glory and not our own. I Cor. 12:26 says, "if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it". May this be our response.
Not only are we to rejoice when those around you are rejoicing, but we are called to, "weep with those who weep". As Christians we are to be compassionate and empathize with those who are suffering. We learned, in an earlier section of this chapter, that some will have this gift, however, all Christians are called to be selfless, and this involves us being sensitive to the condition of others around you. II Cor. 1:3-4 says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God". Just as God is our comforter, we need to be encouragers and comforters to those who are going through trials. MacArthur writes, "In addition to weeping for those who do weep, we should, like Jeremiah grieving for sinful Israel (Jer. 9:1-3) and Jesus looking out over unbelieving Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-44), also weep for those who should weep but do not". May our desire to glorify God be shown when we look to comfort those and take on their pain in trials, and also be shown as we would weep for the spiritual condition of those who do not believe.
Paul continues to convict us with our attitudes and actions towards others as he calls us to "be of the same mind toward one another". Being of the same mind is to recognize our position before our Holy and perfect God and understanding we are not superior to anyone. James 2:1-4,9 says, "My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with a n attitude of personal favoritism. For if a man comes in your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say 'you sit here in a good place,' and you say to the poor man, 'You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,' have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? . . . But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors". We must understand the severity of partiality and favoritism and how it can tear apart the body of Christ. Do we seek others out because of what we can get from them whether in material things or status, or do we treat all the same? If God showed no partiality in choosing us, shouldn't we desire to live the same?
Closely associated with not showing partiality, Paul also confronts us with our humility, "do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly". MacArthur writes, "The idea is not that we should avoid associating with those in high positions of wealth or influence. But as far as our service to them is concerned, we typically have more obligation to associate with the lowly, not because they are more important but because they are more needy". As we have been told previously we are to be sensitive to the needs and trials of others and respond to them with encouragement regardless of their social standing. There is nothing more hypocritical than a "Christian" that would discriminate against other Christians merely based on their social standing. Do we not remember what Christ has done for us?
Paul continues his charge, "do not be wise in your own estimation". Closing on the heals of a haughty mind, Paul makes us aware of our foolishness if we are holding ourselves up in a regard higher than other. We are not fooling anyone but ourselves. MacArthur writes, "A conceited, self-promoting Christian is a serious contradiction. Every believer should humbly submissive to the will of God found in the Word of God, having no confidence in himself or in his own wisdom and talent".
This little section is just a reminder to us of all that Christ has done for us. If we keep in the forefront of our hearts and minds the tremendous sacrifice of Christ, we should humbly put others before us in all things.
Paul now moves to our reaction to other's success. He exclaims, "rejoice with those who rejoice". Looking on the flip side of the previous command, Pal now looks at our positive reaction to others doing good. Although this may seem like a pretty easy command, we must look into our hearts and see what our true reaction is to those who have succeeded. MacAthur writes, "At first thought, that principle would seem easy to follow. But when another person's blessing and happiness is at our expense, or when their favored circumstances or notable accomplishments make ours seem barren and dull, the flesh does not lead us to rejoice but tempts us to resent". Our desire, especially for those in the body of Christ should be, should be for the success of the body of Christ, even at the expense of our shortcomings leading to another man's praise. We need to seek God's glory and not our own. I Cor. 12:26 says, "if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it". May this be our response.
Not only are we to rejoice when those around you are rejoicing, but we are called to, "weep with those who weep". As Christians we are to be compassionate and empathize with those who are suffering. We learned, in an earlier section of this chapter, that some will have this gift, however, all Christians are called to be selfless, and this involves us being sensitive to the condition of others around you. II Cor. 1:3-4 says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God". Just as God is our comforter, we need to be encouragers and comforters to those who are going through trials. MacArthur writes, "In addition to weeping for those who do weep, we should, like Jeremiah grieving for sinful Israel (Jer. 9:1-3) and Jesus looking out over unbelieving Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-44), also weep for those who should weep but do not". May our desire to glorify God be shown when we look to comfort those and take on their pain in trials, and also be shown as we would weep for the spiritual condition of those who do not believe.
Paul continues to convict us with our attitudes and actions towards others as he calls us to "be of the same mind toward one another". Being of the same mind is to recognize our position before our Holy and perfect God and understanding we are not superior to anyone. James 2:1-4,9 says, "My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with a n attitude of personal favoritism. For if a man comes in your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say 'you sit here in a good place,' and you say to the poor man, 'You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,' have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? . . . But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors". We must understand the severity of partiality and favoritism and how it can tear apart the body of Christ. Do we seek others out because of what we can get from them whether in material things or status, or do we treat all the same? If God showed no partiality in choosing us, shouldn't we desire to live the same?
Closely associated with not showing partiality, Paul also confronts us with our humility, "do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly". MacArthur writes, "The idea is not that we should avoid associating with those in high positions of wealth or influence. But as far as our service to them is concerned, we typically have more obligation to associate with the lowly, not because they are more important but because they are more needy". As we have been told previously we are to be sensitive to the needs and trials of others and respond to them with encouragement regardless of their social standing. There is nothing more hypocritical than a "Christian" that would discriminate against other Christians merely based on their social standing. Do we not remember what Christ has done for us?
Paul continues his charge, "do not be wise in your own estimation". Closing on the heals of a haughty mind, Paul makes us aware of our foolishness if we are holding ourselves up in a regard higher than other. We are not fooling anyone but ourselves. MacArthur writes, "A conceited, self-promoting Christian is a serious contradiction. Every believer should humbly submissive to the will of God found in the Word of God, having no confidence in himself or in his own wisdom and talent".
This little section is just a reminder to us of all that Christ has done for us. If we keep in the forefront of our hearts and minds the tremendous sacrifice of Christ, we should humbly put others before us in all things.
posted by amesfam | 9:03 AM
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