Romans 12 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Rom 12:1-2

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.

A. Find Out:

1. To what does Paul urge them to respond? v.1a
2. How does he urge them to respond? v.1b
3. What does he say that will do? v.1c
4. What are they not to do? v.2a
5. What are they to do? v.2b
6. What will they then be able to do? v.2c

B. Think:

1. How do these two verses differ from practically everything that has gone before?
2. How is whole hearted commitment to God implied here?
3. What needs to happen to our thinking?

C. Comment:

 Paul’s letters mostly have two parts: first the doctrinal appreciation of who we are and what God has done for us, then the practical application for daily living. Today’s two verses are the turning point moving from the doctrinal part to the practical part.

Having seen the wonder of God’s mercy and all that follows, he says give God your very beings for His use, His pleasure. That means saying “Lord, here is my body available to you today” and that, says Paul, is what real worship is, giving your complete self to Him.

But, he goes on, if you are going to give yourselves completely to God and to His purposes, your thinking will have to be transformed, so don’t follow the world’s ideas, attitudes, or practices.

“World” in Scripture can mean a) the earth itself, which is good, or b) all the people on it, who God loves, or c) the attitudes of godless humanity which comes from sin in man. It is this latter meaning that is used here. Refuse godless, humanistic, self-centred thinking but instead let God teach you, bring you understanding and wisdom so that you may know and walk in His will daily.

D. Application?

Presenting my body means my hands (what do I use them for?), my feet (where do I let them take me?), my eyes (what do I let them see?), my mouth (what do I let it say?). [etc. etc.]

Passage: Rom 12:3-8

3 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, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

A. Find Out:    

1. How are we to consider ourselves? v.3b
2. What are we to use in our thinking? v.3c
3. What about the nature of the body does Paul mention? v.4
4. So how are we to see ourselves? v.5
5. What determines our gifting? v.6a
6. What are the seven gifts mentioned? v.6b-8

B. Think:

1. How are we to first go about assessing ourselves?
2. What are we to realise about ourselves in respect of the rest of the body?
3. What are we to realise about our own personal gifts?

C. Comment:

Having just spoken about having our minds conformed to God and not to the world, Paul now warns us not to think wrongly about OURSELVES. Don’t over-estimate yourself but instead look at yourself with the eyes of faith and assess yourself on the basis of what God has made you and done in you.

Also see yourself not as an individual but as a member of the body of Christ, the church (see also Ephesians 1:22,23) In that we are to recognise that our gifting is limited but it is complemented by the gifts of others in the body who are different from us. The emphasis is that we are what we are because God has so gifted us. We don’t have to strive to be like others but just rest in what God has made us to be.

Then Paul highlights just some gifts that God gives us and encourages us to use them to the extent of our faith. Each of the things should really spring out of faith and be done as a natural expression of our relationship with Jesus. Having said that, we have the ability to DECIDE how much we will prophesy, serve, teach, encourage, give, lead, help etc. etc. All these are particular expressions of Jesus in us but we can decide how much to express them.

D. Application?

1. Assess yourself coolly but with faith!
2. USE what God has given you!

Passage: Rom 12:9-21

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practise hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:

‘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.’

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

A. Find Out:

1. In verses 9-13 list at least 10 instructions.
2. List at least 5 instructions in verses 14 to 16.
3. List at least 6 instructions in verses 17 to 21.

B. Think:

1. What things are divine relationship things?
2. What things are church relationship things?
3. What things speak of difficulties with the world?
4. What things are positive instructions (i.e. “do”) and what are negative instructions (i.e. “do not”)?

C. Comment:

Distilled practicalities! Rather like those found in 1 Thessalonians 5:14-22, Paul shoots off a round of short, practical instructions.

Weaving through these are reminders of our relationship with the Lord, e.g. letting all be “serving the Lord” (v.11), leaving all opposition to the Lord to sort out (v.19), i.e. everything we are and do flows out of that relationship we have with Him.

Then comes relationships with others, which starts first with our attitudes towards them: love, honour others, be hospitable to them, feel for them, don’t be proud but honour all, whatever social standing.

Weaving its ways through this passage is also the reminder that not all will be friends with you. There will be those who will persecute you, those who wrong you. These people we are to respond to with Christ’s love, otherwise we’ll become like them. No, instead we are to bless them, do good to them and leave them for God to deal with.

At the beginning of this passage and at the end is the strong command about good and evil. Hate evil and hang on to good and overcome evil by good. Christians often flee evil (and rightly so) but Paul is more positive than we might be: overcome it! How? Do good!

D. Application?

1. Everything to be as unto the Lord!
2. Love and bless others, whether they be friend or foe!
3. To beat evil, do good!