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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

1I call upon you, therefore, brethren, through the compassions of God, to present your bodies a sacrifice -- living, sanctified, acceptable to God -- your intelligent service;

2and be not conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, for your proving what is the will of God -- the good, and acceptable, and perfect.

3For I say, through the grace that was given to me, to every one who is among you, not to think above what it behoveth to think; but to think so as to think wisely, as to each God did deal a measure of faith,

4for as in one body we have many members, and all the members have not the same office,

5so we, the many, one body are in Christ, and members each one of one another.

6And having gifts, different according to the grace that was given to us; whether prophecy -- ‘According to the proportion of faith!'

7or ministration -- ‘In the ministration!' or he who is teaching -- ‘In the teaching!'

8or he who is exhorting -- ‘In the exhortation!' he who is sharing -- ‘In simplicity!' he who is leading -- ‘In diligence?' he who is doing kindness -- ‘In cheerfulness.'

9The love unfeigned: abhorring the evil; cleaving to the good;

10in the love of brethren, to one another kindly affectioned: in the honour going before one another;

11in the diligence not slothful; in the spirit fervent; the Lord serving;

12in the hope rejoicing; in the tribulation enduring; in the prayer persevering;

13to the necessities of the saints communicating; the hospitality pursuing.

14Bless those persecuting you; bless, and curse not;

15to rejoice with the rejoicing, and to weep with the weeping,

16of the same mind one toward another, not minding the high things, but with the lowly going along; become not wise in your own conceit;

17giving back to no one evil for evil; providing right things before all men.

18If possible -- so far as in you -- with all men being in peace;

19not avenging yourselves, beloved, but give place to the wrath, for it hath been written, ‘Vengeance is Mine,

20I will recompense again, saith the Lord;' if, then, thine enemy doth hunger, feed him; if he doth thirst, give him drink; for this doing, coals of fire thou shalt heap upon his head;

21Be not overcome by the evil, but overcome, in the good, the evil.

Romans 13

1Let every soul to the higher authorities be subject, for there is no authority except from God, and the authorities existing are appointed by God,

2so that he who is setting himself against the authority, against God's ordinance hath resisted; and those resisting, to themselves shall receive judgment.

3For those ruling are not a terror to the good works, but to the evil; and dost thou wish not to be afraid of the authority? that which is good be doing, and thou shalt have praise from it,

4for of God it is a ministrant to thee for good; and if that which is evil thou mayest do, be fearing, for not in vain doth it bear the sword; for of God it is a ministrant, an avenger for wrath to him who is doing that which is evil.

5Wherefore it is necessary to be subject, not only because of the wrath, but also because of the conscience,

6for because of this also pay ye tribute; for servants of God they are, on this very thing attending continually;

7render, therefore, to all their dues; to whom tribute, the tribute; to whom custom, the custom; to whom fear, the fear; to whom honour, the honour.

8To no one owe anything, except to love one another; for he who is loving the other -- law he hath fulfilled,

9for, ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false testimony, Thou shalt not covet;' and if there is any other command, in this word it is summed up, in this: ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself;'

10the love to the neighbor doth work no ill; the love, therefore, is the fulness of law.

11And this, knowing the time, that for us, the hour already is to be aroused out of sleep, for now nearer is our salvation than when we did believe;

12the night did advance, and the day came nigh; let us lay aside, therefore, the works of the darkness, and let us put on the armour of the light;

13as in day-time, let us walk becomingly; not in revellings and drunkennesses, not in chamberings and lasciviousnesses, not in strife and emulation;

14but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and for the flesh take no forethought -- for desires.

Young’s Literal Translation (YLT). Public domain.