Additional Thoughts on Romans – Part 4
ROM 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
ROM 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
ROM 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
We are to strive to live peaceably with all men. It is not always possible. That is why it says if it be possible. It also says as much as lieth in you. It is not always possible but we are to give it our all. As much as lieth in you is quite a bit. Especially considering that The Holy Spirit indwells every believer. We have Him to help us, guide us, and empower us to live peaceably with all men.
Fighting with others is not of God. I am not talking about the exception when living peaceably is not possible and I am not talking about contending for the faith. You can and should stand strong for the faith. But there is a way to stand and yet live peaceably. Many don’t even try.
When someone does attack you, then we are not to avenge ourselves. “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
We are to leave it in the hands of the Lord and strive to live peaceably with all men.
ROM 12:11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
Christians should not be lazy. The Bible tells us to be not slothful in business. A Christian should be a good employee. Your employer should be happy that he hired a Christian. It brings shame upon our Lord when we tell people that we are a Christian but then we do not work hard on the job. Slothfulness is a disgrace to us and to the Lord’s name that we proclaim. Instead we are to be fervent in spirit. Have some energy about us on the job. Have a fervent spirit and let the people we work with see Christ in us. It is ok to be joyful while you work. Many do not realize this but you can serve the Lord no matter what job you have. Let your work performance show that Christ is real in your heart. Let how you work be a testimony unto your Lord.
Col 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do [it] heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
ROM 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
ROM 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
ROM 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
This is another great chapter on how a Christian is to live. We are not to be involved in strife. We are not to be envying our neighbor. We are not to be playing keep up with the Jones’, as the saying goes.
A Christian is to cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light. We are to put off the ways of this world and put on the Lord Jesus Christ.
And to sum it up Paul writes, “make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.” Whatever your flesh is lusting after, you are to make no provision for.
God gives us these instructions because He loves us. He knows that walking close to Him is what is best for us. God knows that all of Satan’s apples have worms, and so God warns us to say away from them.
Leave the world and walk close to Christ and you will be much better off.
ROM 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
God sets up rulers and He takes them down. In His wisdom and in His Justice He will sometimes give us a David and sometimes He will give a Saul. The nation of Israel was in rebellion to God’s way of governing them.
1Sa 8:6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
1Sa 8:7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
God was reigning over them and they rejected Him. They wanted a king like the heathen nations around them had.
1Sa 8:8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.
The nation had forsaken God and served other gods.
1Sa 8:9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.
And if you read the rest of that account, God was going to give them a horrible king for their rebellion. Because they did not want God to reign over them and they were serving false gods, God gave them a Saul for their ruler.
God still works this way today. If a nation rejects God and wants a wicked ruler, then that is what they will get.
And when we get a Saul, then we still need to be in subjection. More rebellion is not the answer. Getting more people to turn to God is what we need to be busy about. Then maybe the Saul will be replaced with a David.
ROM 13:9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
ROM 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Here is a New Testament mention of the last 5 of The Ten Commandments. These commandments are also for New Testament believers. We are not to follow them to get saved. They cannot save. The reason we are to follow them is because they are right, honorable, and just. When you break these commandments you hurt other people. Christians are not to hurt other people; we are to love other people. The Bible says, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Love is the main principal involved here. Adultery hurts your spouse, the other person involved and their spouse. Lying hurts the one you lied about and the one you lied to, and usually it comes back and hurts you and anyone close to you. Love on the other hand will work no ill to another. If you truly love people, then you will not find yourself breaking God’s laws that pertain to your neighbor. Instead of trying to keep the law out of a sense of duty or guilt, you will keep the law out of Love for others.
Love is the fulfilling of the law. Jesus wants us to love in this way, and He will empower us to do it.
ROM 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
ROM 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
ROM 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
Most people today will reject Christ. Not only do they refuse to confess Him as Lord and Savior, but they also use His name as a swear word.
They refuse to see Jesus for who He is. But one day that will change. They will see Him for who He is at the judgment, and they will bow.
However, it will be too late if they never accepted Jesus as their savior in this life.
If you have not yet accepted Jesus as your savior, you need to take care of that today.
Christians will also have to face a judgment. This judgment is not judging if you are saved or not. The judgment that Christians will face is for how they lived their life after they got saved. This judgment is called the judgment seat of Christ.
The other judgment is called the Great White Throne judgment. This judgment is for the lost. Everyone who rejected Christ and refused to bow before Him in this life will bow before Him then. But it will be too late. They will be thrown into the lake of fire.
All men must stand before an Almighty Holy Righteous God and give an account for himself.
Are you ready to stand before God?
ROM 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
ROM 14:20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
ROM 14:21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
At this time some were making a big deal out of what you ate. Some were concerned with the Jewish dietary laws. Others were concerned with the practice of meat being offered to idols first. They felt that it was an awful thing to eat that meat. Some people were causing trouble over these kinds of things.
Paul says we should concentrate on things that make peace and what will edify each other vs 19. Then he says in verse 20 that meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure. There really is nothing wrong with meat. Eating meat will not destroy the work of God even if it had been offered to an idol first. Then in verse 21 he says that we should not offend our brother. Basically if a brother in Christ refuses to eat meat offered to idols, then they were not to invite him over for dinner and serve meat that was offered to an idol.
The meat issue that they had was not something to contend for. It was not a matter of doctrine. It was not going to destroy the work of God. Therefore they were not to make an issue out of it, and they were not to use it to make a brother stumble.
There are things that we are to stand strong for and not compromise on. The virgin birth, how to be saved, what baptism is, who Jesus really was, eternal security, and so on. And then there are things that we are to give allowance for.
The context of the chapter is not to dispute of such things as eating meat that was first offered to idols. Weak brothers are to be received (verse 1).
ROM 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
Some disputes are very doubtful. By that I mean there is great doubt if it is something that should be fought for or is it something that should be allowed for. In this chapter we learn that eating meat that was offered to idols was something that should not be disputed. In this context are verses 16 and 17.
ROM 14:16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
ROM 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
When you go attacking another Christian over a doubtful disputation it becomes a bad testimony. It makes your good be evil spoken of. It gives Christianity a bad name. It brings shame upon our Lord. In verse 17 it tells us that the kingdom of God is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Instead of doubtful disputations we should concentrate on these things.
ROM 15:30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;
ROM 15:31 That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints;
Paul is beseeching the believers in Rome to pray for him. And notice what his prayer request is for. It is so that he may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea, and that his service will be accepted of the believers in Jerusalem. Paul’s prayer request is for his ministry. He is asking them to pray for God’s work.
Paul gives the reason that he asks this prayer request. He says that it is for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit. Paul did not ask this prayer request for himself.
And notice who Paul said to pray to. He said to pray to God. He did not say pray to Mary. In fact praying to Mary cannot be found in the Bible at all.
Paul also requests how they pray. He asks them to strive with him in their prayers.
To strive is to make efforts, to use exertions, to endeavor with earnestness, to labor hard. Paul was NOT asking for a quick mention while you are saying grace! He was not asking for a 2 minute prayer. He was asking for serious striving prayer. The kind of prayer that you work at and put some effort into. He was asking them to put their heart into it.
We need this kind of prayer for God’s work today. Christians spend too much time praying over hangnails and not enough time praying for God’s work.
ROM 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
For whatsoever things were written aforetime, is talking about everything that was written in the Old Testament. It is a reference to the Scriptures. He is not talking about ancient Greek writings about false gods.
And everything in the Old Testament was written for our learning. Everything means everything. All of it. That means that the creation account in the first chapters of Genesis is for our learning. If you want to know about creation, then that is where to go to learn. If you want to learn about character a good place to go is to proverbs. All of the Old Testament from the law to the prophets is for our learning. None of it should be ignored.
And this learning is to have an effect upon us. “through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” The Old Testament scriptures do give comfort and hope. One way (and there are many others) is it is comforting to see a God who is on the throne. It is comforting to see God make so many promises and then keep them. This brings comfort and hope to us. It builds faith that since He has never failed and has always kept His promises that He will not fail us and He will not break His promises to us.
He promises that if you will believe On Jesus that you will be saved. And you can count on Him keeping His Word.
Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
ROM 15:1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
ROM 15:2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.
Once again we have the command to love thy neighbor as thyself. You will find it all thru the Bible stated in different ways. From the old laws of God to the parables of Jesus to statements like this. Christians are to put others first. In verse 1 we are told to bear the infirmities of the weak. That takes some patience. It also says, “and not to please ourselves.” Sometimes what would please us is time alone. Let someone else deal with the weak and their infirmities. The mindset can develop that I have done my share. Let someone else take a turn. I don’t want to deal with it again. Can you not see the prideful selfishness in that? Bearing the infirmities of the weak is what we ought to do and to do that means that you will not always be able to please yourself. Love thy neighbor. Put them first. Verse 2 tells us that we should do this for our neighbor’s good. We are to do it for his edification. We are to be more concerned about building him up than about us getting our selfish time.
ROM 16:3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:
ROM 16:4 Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
ROM 16:5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.
ROM 16:6 Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us.
In this chapter of Romans Paul mentions many people who were a blessing to him and his work for God. Paul usually gets the credit, but Paul would never have accomplished what he did without Christians who rolled up their sleeves and got busy for the Lord.
These Christians risked their lives, worked hard, and sacrificed more than we will ever know for God’s work.
All preachers who ever accomplish anything much for God have many good hard working sacrificing Christians behind them. A preacher cannot do it by himself. He needs good loyal people who have a heart for God’s work behind him.
The question that I ask today is, are you that kind of person?
I hope so. And if not, will you consider becoming one?
ROM 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
ROM 16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
Paul gives a warning to mark those that cause divisions and offences, but notice it is in the area of doctrine. This is clearly a warning to mark false teachers and then to avoid them.
False teachers are nothing new. They were around before the New Testament was even finished. And they are around in abundance today. As New Testament believers we are to avoid them and not go sit in a stadium and listen to them.
We are told in verse 18 that people who teach contrary to the doctrine of the Bible do not serve Christ. They will say they do, but if they really did, then they would teach sound doctrine. It often then comes up how then can they have a bigger crowd. Many will use the size of the crowd to try to justify the false teaching. The size of the crowd in no way justifies the message. The Bible is what is to justify the message.
If the Bible is to be used to justify the teaching, and they are teaching contrary to the Bible, then how do they get a big crowd? The answer is in verse 18. and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
They talk a good talk and use good words. They use feel good messages and fair speeches. What they say sounds good on the surface and they say it well. They have personality and can give a message very professionally. This fair talk that is done well deceives the hearts of the simple and many are deceived by it.
The people who are deceived do not check out what is being said with the Bible. They do not study for themselves. This type of person is referred to as the simple.
Every believer should be a student of the Word for himself so we can recognize teaching that is contrary to sound doctrine, and then avoid those false teachers.
ROM 16:7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
ROM 16:8 Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord.
ROM 16:9 Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.
In the final chapter of the book of Romans Paul makes mention of many fellow Christians who were a blessing to him. Among many others Paul mentions Andronicus and Junia. They were fellow-prisoners with Paul at one time. We don’t know much else about them, but he adds, “who are of note among the apostles” These men where obviously noteworthy Christians. People who really served the Lord and ministered to others. They also loved the Lord more than their freedom and were imprisoned.
Paul mentions Amplias and says, “my beloved in the Lord.” And in verse 9 he mentions Urbane and says he was his helper in Christ.
All these people were a great blessing to other Christians. Can that be said of you? How many people will say things like this about you? Can it be said that you are a fellow helper in Christ. Do other Christians miss you and think of you, because you were such a blessing to them?
Even the salutations in the Bible can challenge us to live more for Jesus.