Theme: Jesus introduced a life which runs opposite our feelings and impulses. We respond differently to enemies, sensitively to others, humbly with believers, and peaceably with all.

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Study Notes / Romans 12:14-21 / Gospel Application: Living Peaceably

Theme: Jesus introduced a life which runs opposite our feelings and impulses. We respond differently to enemies, sensitively to others, humbly with believers, and peaceably with all.

Remember: My body for God’s glory (Romans 12:1).

• The power and aid of the Holy Spirit.
• The Cross: This really is the gospel applied.
• Last week: Love inside the church.
• This week: Peace outside the church.

Differently With Enemies / Part 1 (Romans 12:14)

Romans 12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.

This different and peaceable life is made obvious right away. The early church treasured the Sermon on the Mount.

• Matthew 5:10 (ESV)—10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
• We don’t retaliate, but we might move.

Do not curse them: Calling down curses (supernatural or otherwise).

• This is the first great difficulty. It is easy to curse.
• But what help comes from cursing them? It actually makes things worse. In a sense, the natural path is the more difficult life. Bless: Prayer, favor, well-wishing.
• The curse won’t stop anything, but their blessing might.
• There is brokenness in them (curse), so more cursing won’t help the issue. But blessing, the healing of that curse, might do the trick!

How to bless them:

1. Speak well of them — “They are…”
2. Speak respectfully to them — “You are…”
3. Speak kindly over them — “I hope…”
4. Speak prayerfully about them — “Father, please…”

This is very Christlike:

• Luke 23:34 (ESV)—34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
• Copied by Stephen — Acts 7:60 (ESV)—60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Sensitively To Others (15)

Romans 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.

With those: The point is sensitivity to others’ feelings.

This requires empathy.

• Almost vicariously experiencing another’s experiences.
• This is human work.
• This is incarnational like Jesus.

This requires engagement.

• Because you have to know they are rejoicing or weeping.
• As technology increases, empathy decreases.
• As information expands, attention spans diminish.
• As life speeds, patience slows.

This is unnatural — it sets aside my natural mood for yours.

• Body Life: 1 Corinthians 12:26 (ESV)—26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

Rejoice: Sometimes harder. Weep: Getting inside them.

Humbly With Believers (16)

Romans 12:16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.

Harmony: The goal — flowing together.

Do not be haughty / Associate with the lowly:

• A high view of myself breaks harmony.

Lowly what?

• People, places, work.
• Jesus’ whole life was spent associating with the lowly.
• Jesus was Paul’s proposed motivation for this exhortation — Philippians 2:3 (ESV)—3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
• Remember: John 13:14 (ESV)—14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
• He saw people’s worth through appearances.

Never be wise in your own sight: From Proverbs 3:7.

• A high view of my perspective breaks harmony.
  • As you grow in your sanctification, you might begin to think the wisdom came from you!

Peaceably With All (17-18)

Romans 12:17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

Repay / Honorable: Repay with something honorable (other translations: good, meaningful, right, praiseworthy).

Live peaceably with all:

• The early church needed to adopt this strategy.
• They were aliens — 1 Peter 2:11 (NASB95)—11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.
• Imagine a foreigner living under the suspicion of others. How would they win their acceptance? Certainly not with entitlement, but cautious humility and carefulness.

So far as it depends on you:

• The pursuit of peace is sometimes one sided.
• The pursuit of peace does not come at the price of truth. Many have made this error; wanting peace so badly they sacrifice the truth.

Differently With Enemies / Part 2 (19-21)

Romans 12:19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Never avenge yourselves:

• We are called to resist not the one who is evil and turn the other cheek (Matthew 5:39).
  • Not civil — as in no police or self-defense.
  • Not national — has nothing to do with state-based relationships.
  • Not ridiculous — we can protect children, fight for justice, close a bank account, say no to a drunk who asks for more money, etc.
  • Not impossible — we must defend our families or loved ones.
  • Not contradictory — James 4:7 (ESV) — 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
    • Note: even Jesus (at being hit during trial) and Paul (at being beaten in Philippi) objected, but they were concerned with the law being ignored.

So, ignoring a purely mechanical and unthinking support of the evil, how do we live this out?

Vengeance is mine: From Deuteronomy 32. We are called to do our thing, and let God do His thing.

• Example: David (1 Samuel 24) — Didn’t attack / Risked it for reconciliation / Saw Saul as God’s anointed / Stayed innocent

To the contrary / feed / drink: From Proverbs 25.

Burning coals on his head:

• What does this mean?
  1. Fire of God’s wrath and judgement.
  2. Fire of shame or embarassment.
  3. Fire of blessing (like coals given to a neighbor in need of fire).
  4. Egyptian ritual where penitent would carry coals on their head as a sign.

Clear: Bless your enemy.

Overcome: The cross gets inside us.

Close

Jesus’ cross is the ultimate stopper of evil.

• His action broke the cycle.

Theme: Jesus introduced a life which runs opposite our feelings and impulses. We respond differently to enemies, sensitively to others, humbly with believers, and peaceably with all.