C1 Chapter 12
D1 Romans 12 begins with an appeal for us to give our life in
thoughts, desires, words, and deeds under Jesus’s rules and
lifestyle for us. Most of this chapter and the following give us
these rules.
E1 Romans 12:1 PickNT Now then, brothers, I exhort you, in view of
God's compassions, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice,
holy, satisfying to God—your intelligent duty.
E2 Pickering comments on this verse: Any animal in the Old
Testament had to die in order to become a sacrifice, so what does
Paul mean by a 'living' one? In 1Co 15:31 he said that he died every
day. Paul could not have been referring to actual physical death,
obviously, since Heb 9:27 affirms that it is appointed to men to die
only once (no re-incarnation). He may well have faced possible death
often enough, but I suppose he is referring to dying to himself. I
suppose this is also the meaning of our Lord's words in Luke
9:23-24—"If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whoever
desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for
my sake will save it." In that day a cross was an instrument of
death. We must die to our own will in order to embrace God's. To
present the body is presumably a metonym for presenting one's whole
self.
D2 Romans 12:3-8
E1 This deals with the gifts of grace for believers to serve God in
ministering to others especially to the brothers and sisters.
E2 These gifts are prophecy,
ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, leadership, and
compassion. As
others
have pointed out this is the division of labor in the body of
believers. These
are broad areas covering primarily the needs of the congregation and
also for preaching the Gospel.
F1
Prophecy for foretelling (rarely)
and giving
a message to believers, which is effective and motivating messages.
The
message
is blessed by God for service.
Prophecy
is for 1 Corinthians
14:3
WEL But
he who prophesies speaks to people for edification, exhortation, and
comfort.
G1
Edification to build up the knowledge, wisdom, and actions of
believers.
G2
Exhortation to encourage and help in knowledge, wisdom, and actions
of believers.
G3
Comfort to lessen anxiety and unrest in believers.
F2
There
is time to speak of the other gifts
but they are more easily understood by most people.
D3
Romans
12:9-21 are a list of some of the rules all Christians are to live
by. Let us take heed. We can obey with the strength God gives us.
C2
Chapter 13
D1
Romans
13:1-7 deals with our relation and obligations to the government. We
need to respect leaders and to pray For them. That God would give
them wisdom, so that the country may live in peace and safety and
that the believers may be allowed to live as Christians. 1 Timothy
2:1-4 NRSV First
of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and
thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all who are
in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in
all godliness and dignity. 3 This is right and is acceptable in
the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires everyone to be
saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
D2
Romans 13:8-10 deals with our relation and obligations to our
neighbor.
E1
Our neighbor, as far as Scripture is concerned, refers to anyone we
meet. Luke 10:29, 37 NIV But
he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my
neighbor?" ... 37 The expert in the law replied, "The one
who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise.
E2
Romans 13:10 NIV Love
does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the
law.
F1
The word harm
is the Greek word
for bad
in many applications.
F2
Bad
is based on God’s standard not mine, not yours, not the neighbor.
D3
Romans 13:11-14 is urging us to be ready for the return of Jesus
Christ.
C3
Chapter 14
D1
The
chapter gives
rules regarding
our responsibilities to our Christian brothers and sisters.
D2
Romans 14:1-4 deals with what we eat. We are not to eat something
that might cause our fellow believer to fall from faith.
D3
Romans 14:5-9
deals with observation of days for worship or something special. It
is not important
what particular day we worship but that we worship. We don’t need
to argue and fight about this. One
worships God on Sunday? Amen Another worships on Saturday. Maybe
someone worships on Wednesday or every day. It makes no difference.
D4
Romans 14:10-12
reminds us that each of us will face judgment at Jesus’s
throne. This judgment
is
not regarding salvation but for rewards. 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 NLT
Anyone
who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials--gold,
silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire
will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will
show if a person's work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that
builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the
builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like
someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.
D5
Romans 14:13-23 teaches us the
rationale and motive for these rules which
are
our love for God and our love for our brother and sister as shown by
what we say and what we do. We are not to insist on our own way in
many things but accept the other person. Many marital arguments could
be avoided by not insisting on our own personal habit or opinion.
C4
Chapter 15
D1
Romans 15:1-6
continues with rules for the church (the people). It is in helping
our weaker brother or sister. We might understand weaker as more
sensitive personality. The goal is not to insist and demand our way
but to build up the faith of each other.
E1
It is the attitude of Jesus Christ: John 5:30 NKJV I
can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is
righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the
Father who sent Me.
E2
We
must have the same attitude: Matthew 16:24 NKJV Then
Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after
Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
E3
Philippians 2:4 NIV not
looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the
others.
E4
Galatians 6:2 NASB Bear
one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
D2
Romans 15:7-13
teach us that Gentiles
and Jews believes
are one. We
are of one family. We have been adopted by God as sons and daughters.
We are co-heirs with the Lord Jesus.
Romans 8:17 NIV Now
if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with
Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may
also share in his glory.
D3
Romans 15:14-22
teaches us that Paul
was their apostle.
D4
Romans 15:23-33 is Paul’s plans for visiting these believers.
C5
Chapter 16 is a list of personal greetings to many brothers and
sisters and the finishing of the letter.
Romans
16:27 CSB to
the only wise God, through Jesus Christ—to
him be the glory forever! Amen.
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