Romans Part 35

Romans 12:11–21 continues the practical instruction for Christian living that began earlier in the chapter. Paul has just explained that each person has a unique role and gift within the Body of Christ, and now he turns to the attitude and conduct that every Christian should have. We should not approach our calling passively or halfheartedly. We should be excited about serving God and His people and should put our time, energy, and effort into doing the work God has given us.

Verse 12 begins a group of forward-looking instructions that keep our minds focused on the future God has promised. We are to be 

“rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer . . . ” 

Other translations communicate the same idea with phrases such as being faithful, persistent, or continual in prayer. The NLT says simply, “Keep on praying!” The strength of the instruction is important because our personal connection with God must remain central to everything we do. When life becomes difficult, we must keep the vision of the Kingdom of God in front of us rather than allowing present circumstances to consume our thinking. Prayer keeps us connected to God and helps us maintain that forward-looking perspective.

Verse 13 brings that relationship with God into our relationship with the Body of Christ. We might call this “sharing and caring.” Paul says to be “distributing to the needs of the saints” and to pursue hospitality. The word translated “distributing” carries the idea of sharing, while the idea of being “given to” hospitality can also carry the sense of pursuing it. In other words, fellowship and generosity are not supposed to be passive qualities. We should look for opportunities to share what we have and to care for the people God has placed around us. Our connection to God should naturally produce a connection to His people.

Verse 14 gives an instruction that comes directly from Jesus Christ: 

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” 

This echoes Jesus’ teaching in Luke 6:28 and the principles He gave throughout the Sermon on the Mount. Christianity is not simply about how we treat people who treat us well. We are specifically instructed to respond differently when people mistreat us. Instead of returning hostility with hostility, we are to bless those who persecute us. That is a radically different way of thinking from the natural human response.

Verse 15 continues with the idea of sharing life together: 

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” 

Christians are supposed to have genuine affection and concern for one another. We should be able to celebrate another person's blessings without jealousy and feel another person's suffering without remaining distant. This requires us to truly know one another and to live in meaningful fellowship with the Body of Christ. Christian fellowship is not merely occupying the same room once a week; it involves sharing one another's lives.

Verse 16 emphasizes peace and humility: 

“Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble.” 

This echoes the Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes, where Jesus repeatedly emphasized humility and peacemaking. Living this way often requires an extra dose of humility. We naturally want to defend ourselves, elevate ourselves, or insist on having things our way. God's way calls us to seek peace and to value other people rather than constantly trying to establish our own importance.

Verse 17 adds an important warning. 

“Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.” 

We should think carefully about how we respond rather than acting rashly or becoming overly reactive. This connects with James 1:19, where we are reminded to be “swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” A Christian response should be intentional rather than emotional. Before responding to someone who has wronged us, we should stop and consider what response would properly reflect God's way of life.

Verse 18 provides an important qualification: 

“If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” 

Paul recognizes that peace is not always possible. Some people simply will not allow peace to exist between themselves and others. Jesus Christ Himself is the ultimate example. He was the greatest Peacemaker who ever lived, yet people repeatedly rejected Him, drove Him out of towns, persecuted Him, and ultimately crucified Him. Therefore, “as much as depends on you” is significant. Our responsibility is to make sure that we are doing our part. We should examine our own actions, attitudes, and motives and make sure that we are approaching the situation in a godly way. The response of the other person is often outside our control.

We see in verse 19 why we do not need to take vengeance into our own hands:

“Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.” 

This principle flows directly from the instruction to bless those who persecute us. God is the one who fights our battles. His people have been told for generations not to seek vengeance for themselves. Deuteronomy 32:35 says, “Vengeance is Mine, and recompense.” We can see this principle all the way back in the story of Cain and Abel, when God placed a mark on Cain so that others would not take vengeance against him. Vengeance ultimately belongs to God, not to us. We can trust Him to judge rightly and fairly.

Verse 20 takes the command even further: 

“Therefore ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him drink.’” 

Our enemies are not to be treated merely with restraint; we are to actively do good to them. This is exactly what God did for us. Romans 5:6 says that Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5:8 says that He died for us while we were still sinners, and Romans 5:10 says that we were reconciled to God “when we were enemies.” God did not wait for us to become worthy before extending love toward us. He demonstrated His love while we were still opposed to Him. Therefore, when we respond to our enemies with kindness, generosity, and goodness, we are reflecting the very character of God that we have received.

Finally, verse 21 summarizes the entire section: 

“Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.” 

This is the opposite of the natural human response. Evil wants to reproduce itself. Someone hurts us, we hurt them back, they respond again, and the cycle continues. But Jesus Christ overcame evil differently. He overcame evil by doing good. He overcame our sin through His sacrifice, our hostility through His love, and our rebellion through His willingness to give Himself for us. We are instructed to walk as He walked.

This brings us back to the instruction in verse 9 to let our love be “without hypocrisy.” Christian love cannot simply be words or a feeling we have toward people who are easy to love. It must be selfless, active, and giving. We are called to love in the same way that God the Father and Jesus Christ have loved us, not merely when it benefits us, but even when it costs us something. That is how evil is overcome: not by becoming better at fighting evil on its own terms, but by responding to evil with the goodness, humility, patience, mercy, and love of God.

Epistles of Paul is a course taught at ABC by Mr. Steve Myers. Recordings from the 2023–2024 class year are available on the ABC website.

UYA Team | uya@ucg.org  

United Young Adults (UYA) primarily serves the 18–32-year age group for the United Church of God. There are three main areas of contribution to the lives of young adults: Promoting Spiritual Growth, Developing Meaningful Relationships and Making the Most of Your Talents. The Know Your Sword series is a daily expository message introducing God’s Word from a trusted perspective.