MIZORAM BIBLE COLLEGE

ZOTLANG, AIZAWL

Subject – The book of Romans

Submitted to: ATS. Jerimiah Semester: 2nd 2012

Topic: The book of Romans 12: 10-20

Introduction
Paul wrote this letter to Romans to explain his understanding of the Christian faith and it practical show for the lives
of Christians. People are put right with God through faith in Jesus Christ. Next Paul describes the new life in union with
Christ that results from this new relationship with God. The believer has peace with God and is set free by God’s Spirit from
the power of sin and death. He concludes that Jewish rejection of Jesus is part of God’s plan for bringing the whole human
race within the reach of God’s grace in Christ, and he believes that the Jews will not always reject Jesus. Finally Paul writes
about how the Christian life should be lived, especially about the way of love in relations with others.

Rom. 12: 10 –
“Be kindly affectionate one to another with brotherly love” - “Kindly affection” has to do with a person’s
attitude. The believers should let his attitude toward another person be kind. Some people genuinely care about other, yet
when they deal with them, they are unkind. This may happen among parents many times. One would think some parents
hate their children by the way they treat them. But brotherly love is not base on esteem or preference; it is base on the fact
that someone is a brother. He may not be attractive, but he is your brother. When you say, “love” it does not mean that you
have warm feeling toward him: it means you help him.
In honor preferring one another - This is not “in judgment preferring one another.” The other person may not be
as wise as you. This does not mean, “In esteem preferring one another.” The other person may not be as estimable as you
are. But in honor, in paying attention to him, give him first place. 1
Brotherly affection – this word reminds us of how we should regard other members of Christ’s new family (Phil.
2:3 and Rom. 12: 3).2

Rom 12:11 –
Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord - This verse says, don’t be lazy. Don’t be lukewarm.
Get on fire for the things of the Lord. In this verse Paul spoke of what we do and not to be lazy but to give and work heart
fully for God.

Rom. 12: 12 –
Rejoice and hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer - Paul does not means we are to rejoice
about everything, but we as believers should rejoice about the things God promises because they will turn out wonderfully.
We should be patient in persevering. No matter how much trouble we meet, we should stay with it until it is finished. We
should always be ready to pray, “Distributing to the necessity of saints”. We need not assume responsibility for the whole
community; we may not have that much money. But we do have a special responsibility to other believers. 3

Rom. 12: 13 –
Given to hospitality – We should always be gracious in sharing what we have with those who are in need. “Bless
them which persecute you”. We should do this not because others persecute us but in spite of the fact that they persecute
us.4This is a very important duty in many parts of the world, including the areas where the apostles worked. Writers in the
New Testament wrote a good deal about hospitality for the sake of Christians and these remainders, because hospitality is
forgotten in many modern societies.5

1
Gutzke, Plain talk on Romans (Michigan: Zondervan, 1976), 143.
2
Roger Bowen, A guide to Romans (Delhi: ISPCK, 2007), 163.
3
Gutzke, Op. cit., 146.
4
Ibid., 143.
5
Roger Bowen, Op. cit., 163.
Rom. 12: 14 –
Bless them which persecute you; bless, and curse not – Paul, in this verse, is telling believers what to do,
applying the godly attitudes he discussed in earlier verse in this chapter. We believers should bless those who persecute us,
not because they persecute us but in spite of this. We have been blessed of God and we in turn should bless others. What if
others do not bless us? Men did not bless the Lord Jesus Christ. What if others do not treat us right? They did not treat him
right. What if people do not help us? They did not help Him; yet He came to help them. So believers bless those who
persecute them in spite of such behavior. Every action believers take is constructive, for the benefit of others, not destructive
to hurt anyone.

Rom. 12: 15 –
Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep – This is a simple way of saying, “be
sympathetic”. Do you realize why it is so hard for me to rejoice with people who are having great joy in their hearts? It is
because of me. If I could forget myself, I could rejoice with them. While I am selfish I will not be able to do it. 6

Rom. 12: 16 –
“Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not things but condescend to men of low estate. Be
not wise in your own conceits”
The believer should treat everyone alike He should pay attention not only to those who are winning, but also to
those who are losing. Being interested in and attracted to a brilliant person his place, regardless of who he is, would be the
spiritual way. Believers are being warned it is a good thing to be “foolish” in them but wise in the Lord.

Rom. 12: 17 –
“Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men”
These are simple admonitions. A believer should not seek retaliation. He should not try to get even with people.
Instead he should act honestly. He should be thoughtful of other people and act accordingly. He is led to be reverent toward
God. Thus, he will worship God and go to church. He wants to know the will of God so he reads the Bible.

Rom. 12: 18 –
“If it is possible, as far as depends on you, live at peace with everyone”
A person cannot control everything. Another person may not be peaceable, but the believer can be. He should not
take offense no matter what others do, and he should not give offense. The believer should seek peace with all men and
pursue it. Yet some responsibility lies in the other fellow, so the believer may not be able to be at peace with everyone.

Rom. 12: 19 –
“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance
is mine; I will repay, says the Lord”
The believer should never take up a weapon in self-defense nor try to give the other fellow his dues, even if the
other person has it coming to him. The believer should turn his case over to God and leave it in His hands. This is difficult
to do because believers are often afraid that God will be too easy on that person.

Rom. 12: 20 –
“Therefore if thing enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shall
heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good”
This is how the believer should live. The evil that people do may sometimes provoke him. When someone does
something unkind to him, he feels like doing something unkind back to that person, but instead he should do something
kind. This is not easy but it will be good for him, and God will bless him. 7

Conclusion
The whole verses is almost encourages words of Paul to the believers, all the believers should not be proud of
themselves but to humble. If the person (believer) is qualify to teach others, he/she should teach the word of God. This
Chapter’s encourages all the believers not to take revenge to those who persecute us, but to forgive them and pray for them
(12: 19-20). Paul also used illustration that as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all
have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others (12: 4-5).

6
Gutzke, Op. cit., 145.
7
Ibid., 146.
Bibliography

Gutzke. Plain talk on Romans. Michigan: Zondervan, 1976.