Day 34: Romans 12-13 - The Bible Dept.

Summary

The Bible Dept. Podcast – Day 34: Romans 12-13

Host: Dr. Manny Arango
Release Date: February 3, 2025
Podcast Series: The Bible Dept. by ARMA Courses

Introduction to Romans 12-13

In Day 34 of The Bible Dept. podcast, host Dr. Manny Arango delves into Romans chapters 12 and 13, providing listeners with a comprehensive and insightful exploration of these pivotal passages. Dr. Arango emphasizes Paul’s structured approach in the Book of Romans, transitioning from theological foundations to practical applications for believers.

Paul’s Structural Approach in Romans

Dr. Arango begins by highlighting Paul's methodical structure in his epistle to the Romans. He notes,

"A lot of the times you can even see this, like, real clean in books like Ephesians, where the first three chapters are all about who you are, identity. And then once, like, we get the identity straight, then Paul gets into action. How are we actually going to put this into practice?"
(00:45)

Similarly, in Romans, Paul spends the first eleven chapters addressing complex theological issues, including the relationship between Jews and Gentiles, before transitioning into practical instructions in chapter 12.

Romans 12: Living as a Unified Body

Corporate Sacrifice and Unity

Dr. Arango emphasizes the collective nature of the sacrifice Paul urges:

"Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing... we're offering God one sacrifice. Remember, this is corporate."
(02:10)

This passage underscores the importance of unity within the Christian community, presenting the idea that believers must work together harmoniously to present a unified front to God.

Transformation Through Renewal

Paul's call to transformation is another focal point:

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
(03:30)

Dr. Arango interprets this as a directive for believers to embrace a mindset aligned with Christian values, fostering personal and communal growth.

Humility and Use of Gifts

Paul encourages humility and the effective use of diverse gifts within the body of Christ:

"If your gift is prophesied, then prophesy in accordance with your faith... If it is to encourage, then give encouragement."
(05:15)

Dr. Arango explains that recognizing and utilizing individual gifts strengthens the entire community, ensuring that each member contributes meaningfully.

Practical Instructions: Love and Ethics

Sincere Love and Goodness

A significant portion of Romans 12 focuses on ethical living and genuine love:

"Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil, cling to what is good, be devoted to one another in love, honor one another above yourselves."
(06:45)

Dr. Arango underscores the importance of authentic relationships and moral integrity as foundational elements of Christian life.

Romans 13: Authority and Responsibility

Submission to Governing Authorities

Romans 13 introduces the theme of obedience to earthly authorities:

"Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established."
(08:00)

Dr. Arango provides historical context, noting that Paul addressed both Jewish and Gentile believers facing persecution. He explains that Paul’s directive to respect authorities was particularly relevant for a community grappling with anti-Semitism and displacement.

Paying Taxes and Respecting Officials

Expanding on the practical implications, Paul advises:

"For the authorities are God's servants who give their full time to governing."
(09:20)

This highlights the necessity of fulfilling civic duties, such as paying taxes, as part of living a responsible and God-honoring life.

The Concept of "Burning Coals"

A notable metaphor used by Paul is the idea of heaping burning coals on an enemy’s head:

"If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink... you will heap burning coals on his head."
(05:55)

Dr. Arango clarifies that this imagery signifies bringing the presence of God into one’s adversary’s life, rather than causing harm. The act of kindness is intended to inspire repentance and transformation.

Holding Tension: Balancing Theological Extremes

Dr. Arango reflects on Paul's ability to maintain theological balance:

"Wisdom is always found in tension. Truth is found in tension. Wisdom is rarely found in extremes."
(12:30)

He discusses how Paul navigates complex issues such as predestination and free will, advocating for a middle ground that avoids extreme positions. This approach fosters a more nuanced and resilient faith community.

Timeless Truth: Wisdom in Tension

The timeless takeaway from this episode centers on the value of embracing tension as a source of wisdom:

"Wisdom is always found in tension. Truth is found in tension. Wisdom is rarely found in extremes."
(11:00)

Dr. Arango encourages listeners to adopt this perspective in their theological studies and daily lives, promoting a balanced and thoughtful approach to faith.

Conclusion and Looking Ahead

Dr. Arango concludes the episode by expressing his appreciation for the study of Romans and previews the upcoming exploration of the remaining chapters (14-16). He reinforces the supportive community aspect of The Bible Dept., inviting listeners to engage further through ARMA’s resources.

Final Thoughts

Day 34 of The Bible Dept. offers a deep and thoughtful examination of Romans 12-13, blending theological insight with practical application. Dr. Manny Arango effectively guides listeners through Paul’s teachings on unity, ethical living, respect for authority, and the importance of maintaining theological balance. The episode serves as a valuable resource for anyone seeking to immerse themselves in Scripture and apply its lessons to everyday life.

Notable Quotes:

Paul’s Structured Approach:

"A lot of the times you can even see this, like, real clean in books like Ephesians... And then we finally get the same exact thing in Romans chapter 12."
(00:45)
Corporate Sacrifice:

"We're offering God one sacrifice. Remember, this is corporate."
(02:10)
Transformation Directive:

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
(03:30)
Burning Coals Explanation:

"Burning coals on someone's head is not to hurt them... It's actually a form of ushering the presence of God into that person's life."
(06:00)
Wisdom in Tension:

"Wisdom is always found in tension. Truth is found in tension. Wisdom is rarely found in extremes."
(12:30)

For more in-depth study and to join the Bible Dept. community, visit thebibledept.com.

Transcript

Dr. Manny Arango (0:00)

Hey, Bible nerds. This is Dr. Manny Arango, and I'm your host for the Bible department podcast powered by Arma. This podcast follows a Bible reading plan we created to help you read the entire Bible in a year. You can head to the show notes or thebibledepartment.com to download our reading plan and join the journey. All right, we're finally at Romans chapter 12 and 13. I love the way that Paul structures all of his books. Really. A lot of the times you can even see this, like, real clean in books like Ephesians, where the first three chapters are all about who you are, identity. And then once, like, we get the identity straight, then Paul gets into action. How are we actually going to put this into practice? And we finally get the same exact thing in Romans chapter 12. Okay, so for 11 chapters, Paul has addressed Gentiles, he's addressed Jews, he's addressed rebuttals that Jews would have to what he's saying to Gentiles and rebuttals that Gentiles would have for what he's saying about the Jews. He has put the Gentiles in their place. He has put the Jews in their place. He has humbled everybody. And finally, he can say, therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing. Now, this is one sacrifice. So offer your bodies collectively as a living sacrifice. Which means this passage of Scripture is not possible unless we walk in unity with one another. We're not offering God individual sacrifices, we're offering God one sacrifice. Remember, this is corporate. He's writing to a group that's struggling with division and strife. And he goes on to say, do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. For by the grace given me, I say to every one of you, do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment and according with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of you has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ, we though many, we got Gentiles, we got Greeks, we got Romans, we got Jews. Though many form one body, and each member belongs to each other, we have different gifts according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesied, then prophesy in accordance with your faith. If it is serving, then serve. If it is teaching, then teach. If it is to encourage, then give encouragement. If it is giving Then give generously. If it's lead, do it diligently. If it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil, cling to what is good, be devoted to one another in love, honor one another above yourselves. You see how Paul doesn't give any of this practical teaching about loving each other, being patient with each other, bearing each other's burdens, praying for one another, not being conceited, not being proud with each other, serving one another, using all of your gifts for the body. He doesn't give any of this practical stuff until he deals with the big theological issues. In Romans chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, he first has to deal with the big why. Now he can get into how. Once you're convinced that you actually are one, now I can teach you how to be one. But I can't start with the practical until you are first, like in agreement that you are one. And then it says this, do not take revenge. Okay, I know there's issues in the church. Don't take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath. For it is written, it is mine to avenge, I'll repay, says the Lord. On the contrary. Okay, so on the contrary, to revenge in God's wrath. If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Okay, what's this? Burning coals on my enemy's head? Didn't we already get on the contrary? If this is contrary, this sounds a lot like the same. Okay, but no, it is on the contrary. So burning coals. Every time we get burning coals in the Bible, they're in the presence of God. So what Paul is saying is, if he's thirsty, give him something to drink. If he's hungry, feed him. In doing this, you usher the presence of the Lord into the presence of your enemy. Heaping burning coals on someone's head is not to hurt them. It's not a form of wreaking havoc or wreaking pain on them. It's actually a form of ushering the presence of God into that person's life. Do not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Paul now just moves into this is how to practically bear the burdens of the people that you're in church with. You are one with these people. It's so often, I think, that in our cultural climate, we just want a word from me, God, what do you want to say to me and God A lot of times says, I have a lot to say to y'all. I don't. I do have things to say to you, but really you aren't more important than y'all. And I have something to say to y'all. Do you fit in with the y'all? Have you found your place with the y'all? And then we get into a verse that gets co opted by Democrats, Republicans, and everybody in between. Chapter 13, verse 1 says this. Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted. And those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. Remember, he's talking to a group of Jews that have rebelled, literally just gone through like racial or ethnic persecution. Claudius expelled them from Rome just because they were Jews. He's talking to a group that's dealt with anti Semitism. And he says, obey the governing authorities. And he himself is also Jewish. He's also talking to Gentile believers who are experiencing persecution. And he's like, hey, verse six. This is also why you pay taxes. For the authorities are God's servants. So if you think that, hey, my home is in heaven, I don't have to pay my taxes, slow down with that, okay? No, you need to pay your taxes down here on the earth. For the authorities are God's servants who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them. If you owe taxes, pay taxes. If revenue, then revenue. If respect, then respect, if honor, then honor. And then more about love. Let no debt remain outstanding except the continuing debt to love one another. I want you to love these people that you are in covenant with. And then Paul gets into, hey, like the day of the Lord is near, okay? The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. That means, like Jesus coming back. The night is nearly over, the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension or jealousy. Rather, clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. Nerdy nugget, okay? This whole clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ, that was a whole person's job that granted access to kings in the Ancient world. Okay. The person who granted access to an audience with the king was in charge of like bait would. If you needed to see the king, they would bathe you, they would clothe you, they would make sure that you're presentable so that you can stand before the king. And so Jesus is that for us, we have the right to stand before God not on our own power or our own merit, but because we've placed faith and professed faith in the lordship of Jesus Christ. And what does he do? He bathes us and he clothes us so that we could stand before God. And what does he clothe us in our righteousness is a filthy rags. He clothes us in the righteousness of his blood. He clothes us in the righteousness of himself so that we can actually stand before God blameless.