We are now studying the part of the letter to the Romans that corresponds to the heading, “What a Difference! Peace is closer than you think” (Romans 12-16).
Paul is beginning to unfold for us what a new, different life we now lead that we are in Christ. “By the mercies of God” reminds us that everything in life now flows and blossoms from our daily understanding of how much God loves us. Out of our response to that mercy, we now offer ourselves back to God. But we don’t offer ourselves as a normal sacrifice (which was, in ancient times, a dead animal). We offer ourselves as a living sacrifice. In our everyday walk, as we live and move and speak and act, we are now a living offering to God, and we should not let the world press us into its mold by conforming to the way the world clamors for us to be. Instead, we should let Jesus renew our minds and let Jesus transform us to be more and more like him.
Then Paul moves to the transformed life we now have. How should we think about ourselves? Paul urges us not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to. (In many of his letters, Paul reflects on the struggle he has with pride and boasting. I believe it used to be a major part of his life before his conversion, and he still struggled with it!) Then he begins to describe the interconnected body of Christ that his fellow Christians live in, each with its many members who have different God-given gifts. This is one of three places in the New Testament letters that the spiritual gifts are listed; all the lists are different, and all are valuable. Here Paul highlights seven gifts—three that are verbal: prophecy, teaching, and exhortation; and four that are quieter: service, contribution of gifts, leadership, and mercy. (Other locations that describe spiritual gifts are 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4:11.) All the lists tell us that these gifts are gifts of a gracious God, that they are given to build up the body of Christ, and all the lists show a great variety of gifts, none of which are better or more valuable that the others.
Then Paul shares with us all the ways love should rule our actions and thoughts as we live in the body of Christ. John Stott, in his commentary on Romans, writes that many other theologians see only “a ragbag of miscellaneous instructions that have no connection to one another.” Stott sees in these verses a recipe for love with many ingredients. Sincere, brotherly, sisterly love is the starting point. Showing honor to others and serving God with energy are part of our life together. No matter what ups and downs we are living with, we are to rejoice in hope, be patient in times of trouble, and be constant in prayer. We are to contribute to the needs of the other members of the church (the saints—those called apart from the world for a holy purpose) and to pursue hospitality. If persecuted, we are to bless the persecutors. We are to rejoice with the joyful and weep with those who are suffering, living in harmony with others. Not being haughty, we associate with the lowly. We should not think we ourselves are wise. (This is one of Paul’s issues, remember?) If someone does wrong to us, we don’t repay evil for evil, but try to treat the offender honorably. If we possibly can, as far as it depends on us, we should live at peace with all. We should not seek revenge, but leave any vengeance up to God. Here Paul quotes a Scripture from Proverbs 25:21-22 about treating your enemies well so that your kindness heaps burning coals on their heads. This jumps out in a very startling way, given the loving tone of everything that came before. Paul ends with this: Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.