Learning from Romans 12-16
12:1-13:10 - Here, we have practical Christian living, living the life of love. What can our ‘sacrifice’ be in the light of Christ’s greater Sacrifice of Himself for us? It can only be ‘our reasonable service’, our ‘spiritual worship’. His love calls for our response, the response of love: ‘Love so amazing, so divine, demands (and shall have) my soul, my life, my all’ (12:1; Church Hymnary, 254). Our love for Him can never begin to compare with His love for us. ‘Love is a many splendoured thing’ (12:9-21). Let love direct our thinking, speaking and living – His love, love for God, love for people (13:8-10). Let your prayer be, ‘More love, more power, more of You in my life. And I will worship You with all my heart,… mind,… strength’ (Songs of Fellowship, 392). Worship the Lord – and be changed by His love!
13:11-14:23 - ‘Walk in love’ – We must not fall out over matters in which difference of opinion is allowed (14:5,15). There can be a lot of bitterness over ‘the Sabbath’. There can be so much pride. For some, this is the ‘be-all and end-all’ of Christian faith. They say, ‘We are the Sabbath keepers. They are not!’. Others react, ‘We rejoice in our Christian liberty. They are legalists’. ‘Pharisees’ are preoccupied with ‘the Sabbath’. We must remember that Jesus is ‘the Lord of the Sabbath’. We must let His love flow (Matthew 12:2,10,8,11-12). Let faith be real – not just keeping on the right side of narrow-minded people (23; Colossians 2:16; 1 Corinthians 2:15). Let there be ‘peace and joy in the Holy Spirit’. Don’t think too highly of yourself. ‘Count others better than yourself’ (17; 12:3; Philippians 2:3).
15:1-33 - With Christ’s example, ‘the encouragement of the Scriptures’ and the enabling power of God, let us love one another,‘with one heart and one voice’ (1-6). This is the way of glorifying God. Trusting in Christ, ‘the root of Jesse’, we are blessed by ‘the God of hope’, filled with ‘the power of the Holy Spirit’ – so that we may ‘abound in hope’. This hope comes to us through ‘the Scriptures’ (12-13,4). God’s saving purpose was not only for the ‘dyed in the wool’ Jew. He saved both Jews and Gentiles (9-12). Thank God that Paul was not as narrow-minded as many people are today! God’s blessing is not only for our type of people! Let us learn from Paul. ‘A minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles’, he was always reaching out to more and more people ‘in the fulness of the blessing of Christ’ (16,29).
16:1-27 - Paul was writing to a Church with big problems (17-18). Deeply influenced by the wrong kind of people, the Church gets bogged down in ‘dissensions and difficulties’. Critical, fault-finding people exert an extremely divisive influence. They look after their own interests. They only think about themselves. Nothing else matters to them. They manipulate other people – to get their own way. They go out of their way to get their own way! The problem may be great – but the power of God is greater (19-20)! Strengthened by ‘the God of peace’ and ‘the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ’, let us press on in ‘obedience’ to God, claiming His victory over ‘Satan’. Let ‘the preaching of Jesus Christ’ make you strong for God (25-27).