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Welcome to this period of Bible study. Thank you for this opportunity to share with you for just a little while, a consideration of God's Word. We've called this program Back to the Bible because we are making it our aim, we are making it our effort to go back to the Scriptures in order to find what God's will is for us. And it's our hope that that we do so in a faithful way and that we do so in a clear way. And of course, if at any time you see us being not faithful to what the Scriptures say, or not clear in how we're explaining that, we invite you to reach out to us and to help us see the places where we're falling short in either one of those areas. You can reach out to us@backtothebiblepodcast.com there you can find information about the program, previous episodes, other resources and means to contact us with questions or comments, encouragements or criticisms, and we would be happy to hear from you. Our study today will begin in the middle of Romans chapter 12. As we go through this study of the Book of Romans, we have moved into what we might think of as the practical application section of the letter. Remember chapters one through eleven. Paul is laying out an in depth consideration of the righteousness of God displayed in Jesus, responded to by our faithfulness, bringing salvation and hope, and all sorts of blessings that come for those who are in Christ. And In Romans chapter 12, Paul saying, By the mercies of God, in view of those mercies, I am pleading with you, I am begging you, that you would present yourselves as a sacrifice, living holy, pleasing to God, that you would not be conformed to this world, but that you would be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you might approve or you might discern what the will of God is good and acceptable and perfect. Last time we looked at verses three through eight as well, where Paul talks about the gifts that they had and he says that they need to be recognized as gifts that were given by God, a measure of faith given to each, and that those gifts were intended to be used for the benefit of others and that they needed to be used in the appropriate ways to the extent that they were to be used. But Paul doesn't stop there with practical applications. And we come to Romans 12 beginning at verse 9 and he talks about how they should interact with each other. I think focusing on those within the congregation. He says, let love be be without hypocrisy by abhorring what is evil, clinging to what is good, being devoted to one another in brotherly love, giving preference to one another in honor, not lagging behind in diligence, being fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, persevering in affliction, being devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, pursuing hospitality. So here in just a few verses is a description of what the life within a local congregation should look like. And perhaps we could expand it beyond a local congregation. But I would take it to be that in their normal operations, in their day to day considerations of life, that it would be within a local church where most of these opportunities would show up. Their love needed to be without hypocrisy, that is, it needed to be sincere, it needed to be real, it needed to be genuine. The idea of hypocrisy is wearing a mask. And I think we maybe have experienced times and unfortunately perhaps participated in occasions where we were doing something that was a demonstration of kindness or of generosity, or maybe it looked like love, but maybe we had an ulterior motive. Maybe we were trying to accomplish something through that that was secretive and maybe even dark. And what we want to do is we want to love with genuineness. We want to love for the sake of the Lord and for the sake of our brother or sister, and not with some hidden agenda behind our generosity. Now, in order to let our love be without hypocrisy, which is a call throughout the New Testament, Paul gives several instructions here. One, they needed to abhor what was evil and cling to what is good. They did not need to have this approach where they tried to gain illicit or unjust or wicked agendas by using good means. It was not as if they were able to justify bad actions because they were doing nice things along the way in order to achieve them. Rather, what they needed to focus on was clinging, holding to, loving and cherishing what was good and hating what was evil. And that would keep them from greed or lust or pride or power struggle or whatever it might have been so that their love could be genuine. He talks about in verse 10, that they would be devoted to one another in brotherly love, giving preference to one another. That is, they were to approach each other like family, like brothers. That would lead to their devotion to one another. They would be committed to each other and they would even prefer one another. Now, there's a couple of ways of taking that. One might be that they would prefer them over other people in the world if there's an opportunity to care and to provide and to help and to assist and to work together, then you would give preference to them. And that may very well be true. And I think we would see that. But one thing I think is it's giving preference over yourself. It's giving preference to one another. You're devoted to one another in brotherly love, giving preference, preferring to consider them and in honor over yourself. I think this is similar to what Paul will say in Philippians chapter two, where he will say that consider one another more highly than yourselves. Having the mind of Christ in you, who lowered himself, he would be exalted, but he did that for the sake of others. And so we have that mind in us. In order to let our love be without hypocrisy, then. So we love what is good and hate what is evil. We are devoted to one another, and we are diligent. We are fervent in our service to the Lord. We make that our aim. We make that our purpose. We make that our desire. So we don't lag in diligence. We are fervent in spirit. We serve the Lord, and then we rejoice in hope. That is, even when we face the difficulties that he will mention. We persevere in affliction, even in those sufferings and challenges and persecutions. We are able to rejoice because we are anticipating what's coming next. And I think in reference to that, we could look at the foundation of that in Romans chapter five, or we could look at that in Romans chapter eight, where Paul is encouraging them to see their present afflictions as not worthy to be compared with the hope that is going to be revealed. So in order to carry this out, that would mean being devoted to prayer in those trials and recognizing that there were other saints, other Christians, other disciples who were in need and being ready to contribute to that, and then to give refuge to strangers, even those among the brethren. Now, perhaps, as we move into chapter 12, verse 14 and following, perhaps we're talking about how to interact with those in the world. There is a particular way to focus on those within a local congregation. But perhaps we could read the words from 14 through 21 as how to deal with those in the wider, broader world. In verse 14, notice he says there, bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep by being of the same mind toward one another, not being haughty in mind, but associating with the humble. Do not be wise in your own mind, never paying back evil for evil to anyone, respecting what is Good in the sight of all men if possible. So far as it depends on you being at peace with all men. Never taking room for your own vengeance, beloved. Instead leave room for the wrath of God. For it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in doing so you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Even when they were cursed, they needed to respond with blessing. Those who were rejoicing, they should rejoice with them. Those who were sorrowing, they needed to sorrow with them. That is, disciples could look for ways to connect with those around them. Now I believe that Paul is calling them to be harmonious with their worldly neighbors, to find ways to get along with them, to try to be a good influence to them. That is, they didn't need to be puffed up with pride, but willing to reach out and reach down to those who were even in low positions within society. And they certainly didn't need to respond to evil with evil. They always needed to do what was right and be aware that other people were watching. They needed to act respecting what is good in the side of the all men. And they needed to do all that they could to be at peace. You know, sometimes that's not possible. That's what he says here. If it's possible so far as depends on you being at peace with all men. Sometimes it wouldn't be possible. But it shouldn't be the disciples fault because of their antics or because of their hatred or because of their viciousness. They that peace isn't possible now. Revenge isn't allowed. No retaliation, no vengeance, no getting even. But that didn't mean that their cause was lost. Rather, he says, leave room for the wrath of God. God says, vengeance is mine, I will repay. The Lord would bring vengeance. And he would do so in a way that far outpaced our ability to to do so. But they should do good. And by doing so it leaves room for God's wrath. Perhaps that is the idea there of heaping coals of fire on their head. That this is simply us doing our part and recognizing that this would be an indicator or a warning of things to come if they could not respond to good with goodness. Now one way I think that we're going to see this is in chapter 13. One way that God would begin to heap those coals of fire on their head would be through the government. And we'll see that in chapter 13, verses 1 through 7. But notice the very last verse of chapter 12. They did not need to overcome. They did not need to be overcome by evil, but they needed to overcome evil with good. The right response to the evil that they were going to face in the world was to respond with goodness and not to be overwhelmed or overcome. Maybe we could see a parallel at the beginning of chapter 12 where he says, not being conformed to this world, but being transformed by the renewing of your mind. In the interactions that we have with the world, it would be easy to be conformed, it would be easy to be overcome by that. But rather we are looking for transformation and we are looking to overcome that evil with good rather than being shaped by it. Now he continues into chapter 13. Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God. And those which exist have been appointed by God. Therefore, whoever resists that authority has opposed the ordinance of God. And they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of that authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same. For it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid, for it does not bear the sword in vain. For it is a minister of God, an avenger, who brings the wrath on the one who practices evil. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection not only because of that wrath, but also because of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes. For rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Render to all what is due them. Tax to whom tax is due. Custom to whom custom fear, to whom fear. Honor, to whom honor. Now, I want you to think about this here. Paul is giving quite a major role to government. But he's saying that the Roman Emperor. Remember these people are in the city of Rome and maybe they're concerned about bad interactions they've had and are going to have with the government officials. The Roman Emperor Paul says serves as God's servant, that he does not have authority except for that what has been given from God. Now, I don't think the Roman Emperor would have admitted that the Lord was the one who had given him his authority. But what Paul is doing here is he is both strengthening these disciples commitment to obedience to the governing authorities, while at the same time showing that their faithfulness to Rome or whatever governing authority one might find themselves under was not out of devotion to at the top, the emperor or to the governing authority. But that came from their devotion to the Lord. Now when Paul is giving instructions regarding obedience and service to the government, he is rooting it in the authority of God over governments. Jesus is king, perhaps right at the heart of the empire. Having given loyalty to Jesus, these disciples needed a reminder and maybe this is a preventative dose to remember that we are citizens of heaven and being citizens of heaven demands a peaceful and service minded approach to earthly governments. Now with that in view, Paul explains that the Roman disciples of Jesus should be obedient and should pay their taxes. Now Roman disciples of Jesus also needed to be aware that if they would live good lives in general, they would not have to expect the wrath that would come down from the government. Now keep in mind at the end of chapter 12, they were not to take their own vengeance. That power belonged to God. Now in the future obviously that will belong to God in the judgment and in eternity. But in the present the government would be the tool for God's vengeance. And let me say this, that if they failed to do that, they would be the recipient of God's vengeance if they mistreated God's people. I don't think Paul is writing this saying that no government had ever made any mistake in carrying out justice or that it had never oppressed God's people unjustly. I want you to think about this for an example of this line of thinking. In Isaiah chapter 10, God was going to use Assyria, did use Assyria to be God's tool of judgment. But it went too far. So God describes it as his tool, as his axe. And basically he says that the axe has said to the lumberjack, you don't get to control me. And God says all right, you want to act like that? He would bring in the Babylonians and the Babylonians, they would bring the judgment that they were intended to bring. And then they would go so far as God would say all right, we're going to bring in the Persians and then he would bring in the Greeks and then he would bring in the Romans. God will use those earthly powers for his purposes. Now our role within that is to be faithful to Jesus with prayer for our rulers, with a desire to live quiet and peaceful lives. That's what Paul will say at the beginning of 1 Timothy chapter 2. Now I want you to see the government's role and the disciples responsibility to it. The government's role was to be a terror to evil work, verses three and four. To be a servant of God for the sake of the disciples. Verse 4, to bear the sword as it avenges God's wrath on evildoers. Verse 4 and the disciples responsibility. Verses 1 and 5 is to be in subjection. Verse 3 was to do that which is good. Verses 6 and 7 show to pay taxes and other fees that were levied. And verse seven to maintain proper respect and honor for government officials. And so Paul will continue there. In verse 8 he will say, owe nothing to anyone except to love one another. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet. And if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does not work evil against a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. So he's saying that we need to pay what we owe with regards to the government. That is, we need to meet our responsibilities for taxes or duties or honor or fear. And the only debt that we don't want to stop paying is our obligation to love. That idea of owing nothing to anyone, I don't think that's the idea of not being able to take out a loan. I think it's the idea of never being indebted and not being in paying that, not paying what we owe. And so we owe nothing to anyone except we never fulfill our obligation to love. Now, in doing that, and perhaps we could think of this as a picture of Jesus chapters I think 5 through 8 especially somebody might talk about the kind of life that somebody who is out from under the old law, how are they going to live a holy and righteous life? And I want you to notice what Paul is doing here. He is calling them to love his neighbor as himself. And when you do that, you have fulfilled, you have brought to fulfillment the law. That is, you are accomplishing what the law was always pointing to. A Gentile who thought that they had to subject themselves to circumcision or something like that to be a part of the covenant would have fallen short. But where the law was always pointing was that they would love one another. And in following Jesus example and observing that commandment, we would be where the law always wanted us to be. And so keep chapter two in mind. Those who are devoted to God, even out from under the Torah, are considered Torah keepers. They've never had the law, but they are justified as law keepers. How? Because they have done what the law was always pointing to. They love their neighbor as themselves. And that is the fulfillment of the law. In and of itself. And so this echoes Jesus words in Matthew, chapter 22, verses 36 through 40, where he was asked what the great commandment is. And the commandments answer is, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law is summarized by loving God and loving our neighbor. And for the Gentile, this so far surpassed trying to take on a Jewish identity. What it did was. Was it brought upon them a Christlike identity, and they were fulfilling the law. Now, I want you to Notice in verses 11 through 14 he says, do this knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep. For now salvation is nearer to us than when we believe the night is almost gone and the day is at hand. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. So Paul says, you need to act like this. And perhaps he's talking about the immediate context there, verses 8 through 10, about loving one another, which would lead to no adultery and no murder and no stealing and no coveting. Because if we love our neighbor as ourself, those things are taken away. Those things are excluded. But maybe we think of the larger context here. We need to do all of this. We need to give ourselves as a sacrifice. We need to make sure we're being transformed, not conformed. We need to view our gifts as gifts from God and as means of service. We need to recognize the priority that we should be giving our brethren. We should try to maintain peace with the world. We should be subject to the government we should love our neighbor with. We should do all of those things. Why? Because it's already time for you to wake up from the sleep that you were in. It is not as if there should be a consideration of, well, we need more time to be worried about that. It is not as if there is some delay that we need to put on that. No, now's the time. There's no snooze on this. The alarm is going off. It is time for you to get up from your sleep. Because now salvation is nearer than when we believed. Whether that is the extent of our own life or whether it's the coming of our Lord, it doesn't matter. Every moment that passes is another moment closer to our salvation than when we first believed. As we're drawing closer to that, it's all the more important for us to make these commitments and to become stronger in them. We don't want to be weaker. We don't want to become stagnant. As we approach salvation, as it gets even closer, the night is almost gone, whatever it is that we're going through. And I would say in the totality of our lives, and maybe we would even say in the whole scheme of things, the night is almost gone. The day is at hand. Now, I don't think this is an indication that Paul thinks everything's going to happen very quickly. Maybe he does anticipate that personally. But whatever we would say in light of eternity, whatever we're enduring the day, the length of eternity will make this seem like a very brief time. And so he says, in view of that, in view of the time is already here, in view of the fact that we're getting closer to salvation, the view of the fact that the day is at hand, then we need to put off the deeds of darkness. We don't be acting like people who are going to live in darkness. And if what we are anticipating is the daytime, we don't want to be darkness living people. We want to be light living people. And if the night is almost gone, if it's already time for us to wake up, if salvation is already near, then we need to be living like people who are characterized by light, not by darkness. He talks about putting on the armor of light there. And he goes further. He says, we are going to walk properly as in the day, right? In contrast to how people would walk at night. And think about this, the carousing, the drunkenness, the sexual promiscuous, those are deeds of darkness. Not only do they often happen in the dark, but they are just characterized by people who are living in darkness. Those are the characteristics of them. But in opposition and notice, he also includes strife and jealousy. I think we would look at some of these things and we'd say, oh, yes, that's very bad. But then we would be jealous and we would say, well, that's not that bad. These are wicked things. And what he does is he says, put on Christ. You're not freed from this stuff by the Torah, by going under the law of Moses. You are freed from this by putting on the Lord Jesus Christ. And he calls them to make no provision for the flesh with regards to its lust. I think that's a very helpful principle. You know, sometimes we talk about avoiding drunkenness, but we participate in activities that lead to drunkenness. And sometimes we talk about avoiding sexual promiscuity, but we engage in activities going to lead to sexual promiscuity and sensuality. And maybe we would say we want to avoid strife and jealousy, but the way that we view other people is going to lead to strife and jealousy. And what Paul is saying is, don't make provision. Don't put the things in place to allow for those things to occur. Maybe the old adage of don't hit your horse outside the saloon is probably a good instruction here, but it would not just apply to drunkenness or to sexual immorality, but even to our overall manner of living. In order to cut out strife and jealousy, what is it that we can do to stop making provision for the flesh and its lusts? Well, our time is used. We've made it through the end of chapter 13. Next time, Lord willing, we will consider chapter 14 as we make our way to the end of the letter to the Romans. Thank you for your kind consideration. Until next time, we bid you a pleasant good day.