CHAPTER 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.

Whether Jew or Gentile, ALL must come to Christ to be saved.
That argument has been presented in good fashion.

Now, Paul approaches a conclusion of sorts, which lays out a charge to live according to God's will.

"I beseech you," pleading, asking earnestly.
"By the mercies of God," by the kindness and underserved favor which God has bestowed on the saved.
"Present your bodies," present them TO God and live them FOR God.
"A living sacrifice," not a dead one, or partially live one, but a LIVING daily sacrifice.
"Holy," CONSECRATED!
"Acceptable," PLEASING to God, living in a consecrated manner, and serving according to His will.
"Reasonable service," the only REASONABLE service is continued worship and adoration of God through our daily living.

Christian, you have been "washed, sanctified, and justified" through Christ Jesus. (1Cor. 6:11)
It is reasonable that you should LIVE daily for Him in that manner!

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.

It's very interesting to note here that the word for "world" in the Greek is aion which means
age, or course.
It is NOT the Greek kosmos which means the orderly arrangement of the whole earth, including the inhabitants.

Thus, Christians are not to be conformed to the age of selfishishness and pride.
Instead, we are to be "transformed by the renewing" of our minds.
(It should be obvious from the context here that the word "minds" refers to our attitude, not simply the intellect.)

The manner in which we renew our attitudes is to pray daily and study the Bible daily.
This is how we find what God wants from us, and how we learn to apply ourselves accordingly.

If we live daily learning, growing, and doing God's will, THEN
we will "prove" (exemplify through tempering) to the world what is
"that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

Nothing demonstrates the life of a Christian better than his/her actions while living through difficulty.

God has given every individual free will.
The way we worship and adore Him is by giving our free will back to Him!

Since God has saved us from what we have done to ourselves,
It is proper that we yield ourselves back to Him, and
Allow Him to transform us into what He wants from us.

THIS is our REASONABLE SERVICE!

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.
4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

On the other hand, it is NOT reasonable for a person to live in selfishness and pride.

No member of Jesus' church is better than any other!
We are ALL saved "by grace" and "through faith!" (See Ephesians 2:8-9)

We are all made from dirt, and we return to dirt (unless the Lord returns first).
And we all live dirty!
The only way we are acceptable before God is when He looks upon us through the blood of Christ!

Every member may not serve in the same capacity, but ALL are simply members.
And, we must realize that being a member incurs responsibility to be "members one of another" ---
brothers and sisters in Christ!

In another place (Eph. 4:2-3) Paul says we should live daily
"With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

And in Phil 2:3, Paul says,
"...in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves."

Considering these things, gossip has NO PLACE in God's church!
It is ABHORABLE to God! (See Proverbs 6:16-19)

Just as our body parts work TOGETHER, so should the members of the church!

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;
7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
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.

Each member has a "gift" from God for service!
Some have the same gifts.
But ALL have a gift, and are to utilize that gift for serving in the Body of Christ.

No ONE gift is greater than any OTHER gift!
It takes ALL to make one body! (See 1Peter 4:10-11 and 1Corinthians 12:12-19)

9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

That word "dissimulation" is translated from the Greek anupokritos, and means
without hypocrisy and unfeigned.

We are to love one another, in Christ, without giving preferential treatment.
And, our love is to be unfeigned, or coming natural out of the love we have for Christ.

It is our responsibility to other members
to despise that which is evil,
and to cling to that which is right in God's sight.

10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

"Kindly affectioned" comes from the Greek word philostorgos.
That word applies to having genuine affection toward one's family.

Christians are FAMILY!
We are brothers and sisters in Christ.

We are to prefer one another, or be willing to lead by setting a good example!

As Christians we should be:
*diligent in our business and not "slothful";
*"fervent in spirit" - or earnest and genuinely warm in our person;
*"serving the Lord" - doing His will in our lives;
*"rejoicing in hope" - joyfully proclaiming eternal life with Christ;
*"patient in tribulation" - when trials come, we should be patient knowing our testing will prove God's will is right; (See verse 2 above)
*"continuing instant in prayer" - always in an attitude of prayerfulness, and ready to pray with any person;
*"distributing to the necessity of the saints; given to hospitality." -- ready to give and help; having an attitude of hospitality toward others.

Reading these as attributes, one can see that the Christian life requires EFFORT!
Without daily Bible study, we cannot learn these characteristics and apply them in our lives.
Without daily prayer we cannot be sustained for living the lives Christ desires.

14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

Whoohoo! THAT's some TUFF stuff right there!

These two verses go together very well!
Verse 14 teaches us how to act when confronted.
Verse 15 teaches us to have compassion toward others.

When people "persecute" you, they talk about you and against you.
That raises our adrenalin, and brings tenacious feelings of anger!
It's really difficult then to "bless them!"
Remember anger is only one letter away from danger.

But this is what Jesus says we are to do!
In Matthew 5:44-45 Jesus says it this way:
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

See also 1Peter 3:8-9.

Be compassionate and EXHIBIT that compassion (verse 15).
When others are rejoicing, rejoice WITH them.
When others are having a difficult time, weep WITH them!

This shows people that you CARE!
People identify with you NOT because of how much you KNOW,
but because of how much you CARE!

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.

"Be of the same mind one toward another."
I take this in the context with the following part of the verse.
Look upon others as if it were YOU!
What would you need or desire if you were in their position?

Don't be aloof from other people's problems.
The Greek word from which "condescend" is translated is sunapago.
It means to carry, or to lead away.
That indicates linking arms with them and helping them.

Don't consider your own opinions as THE only wise ones!
LISTEN to others.
Remember Isa 5:21 says, "Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!"

People do not care how much you know, until they know how much you care.

17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

"Recompense to no man evil for evil."
This must be taken in context with the whole chapter.
Paul is talking here about interaction with others through oratory.
He is not speaking of life or death situations, where you are threatened.

When David killed Goliath it was sanctioned by God to protect david's family and fellow countrymen.
And, David said, "Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked."(Ps. 82:4)

Yet, shedding blood always has consequences!
Later, David was not able to build the temple for God because God said,
"Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood."
(1Chronicles 28:3)

When someone gossips about you - don't return gossip for gossip.
This is what Paul is saying.
When someone accosts you with angry tone, do not return an angry tone.

"Provide things hones in the sight of all men."
The word "Provide" is translated from the Greek pronoeo, which means to contemplate BEFOREHAND!
We should consider how to act upon confrontation BEFORE it happens.
And, in that consideration, determine prayerfully how we shall react according to God's will.

"If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."
It is not always possible.
But it is MORE possible when we TRY!
That's the intonation of the verse: BE TRYING!
Work hard, put EFFORT into it!

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.
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.
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Vs 19 -- Sometimes it's best to remain quiet, and let God take care of the situation.
Vs 20 -- As for Christians, we should always be ready to offer kindness.
When someone treats you in a bad manner, kindness toward them brings shame.
Vs 21 -- THIS is the point!
Do good always, for this puts evil on the back burner!

Let's go back to that first verse in the chapter.
When one yields the fullness of self to Christ, he/she will exhibit kindness and benevolence in all areas of his/her life.
NO OTHER religion in this world presents this mighty principle of loving kindness!

THIS action is what deters evil!

Christians: seek to LIVE it!

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.
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