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  1. Mon: Matthew 13-14
  2. Tue: Isaiah 11-13
  3. Wed: Joshua 21-24
Thursday · Week 5
The Epistles & Revelation

Romans 12-13

Week 5 · about 5 min
  1. Fri: Ezekiel 11-12
  2. Sat: Job 16-19
  3. Sun: Genesis 26-29

After eleven chapters explaining the gospel, Paul shows what it looks like in everyday life.

Where Doctrine Turns Into Daily Life

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 12:2 (KJV)

Chapter 12 begins with “therefore,” and everything Paul has said so far leads to it. Because of God’s mercy, offer yourself as a living sacrifice. Then it gets practical in a hurry. Don’t think too highly of yourself. Use the gift God gave you. “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.” Feed your enemy if he’s hungry. “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” In chapter 13 Paul tells believers to respect government and pay taxes, and he wrote that while Nero was emperor. He sums it up with one debt that never gets fully paid: love one another.

Reflect: Which line in Romans 12 would change your week if you actually did it?

Romans 12

1Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

2Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you.

4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and not all members have the same function,

5so in Christ we who are many are one body, and each member belongs to one another.

6We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith;

7if it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach;

8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is giving, let him give generously; if it is leading, let him lead with diligence; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

9Love must be sincere. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good.

10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.

11Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, persistent in prayer.

13Share with the saints who are in need. Practice hospitality.

14Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.

15Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.

16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but enjoy the company of the lowly. Do not be conceited.

17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Carefully consider what is right in the eyes of everybody.

18If it is possible on your part, live at peace with everyone.

19Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”

20On the contrary, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 13

1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God.

2Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

3For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Then do what is right, and you will have his approval.

4For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.

5Therefore it is necessary to submit to authority, not only to avoid punishment, but also as a matter of conscience.

6This is also why you pay taxes. For the authorities are God’s servants, who devote themselves to their work.

7Pay everyone what you owe him: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

8Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

9The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

10Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

11And do this, understanding the occasion. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

12The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near. So let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

13Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.

14Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.

Berean Standard Bible (BSB). The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible (BSB), public domain.