Romans 12: How-to Christianity (Part 3)

This is the second part of a three-part series on Romans 12: How-to Christianity. CLICK HERE to read Part 1. CLICK HERE to read Part 2.

Have you ever been in a disagreement with someone, and partway through, you realized that you were in the wrong? You probably guessed it… I have. It’s not easy to admit, especially in the throes of the bullet points building in my head. As time goes on and I put into practice the things we have gleaned from the first two sections of Romans 12 (find these here: Part 1 or Part 2), I find my heart repentant of my pride and self responding sooner than they used to. I find a deeper awareness of my offense at the moment. As I meditate through Romans 12, I come to this last section with a simple petition “Father, reveal your next right step for me today.”

Love Must Be Sincere. Paul’s words greet us with unanimous agreement. Of course, love must be sincere. While this seems logical and even feels right, it seems effortless to go through our day-to-day interactions with others and forget what this tangibly looks like. Verses nine through sixteen are worth reading through and meditating on:

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.”

— Romans 12:9-16

I have questions when I read through this passage:

  • What is the “good” I should cling to? Who has the right standard of “good?

  • I want to have zeal and fervor, but I am tired and burnt out. How am I supposed to carry the torch of spiritual fervor when I feel I can hardly breathe at times?

  • How am I supposed to bless those in need or practice hospitality when we are advised to stay away from others?

  • I can live in harmony…with those who agree with my opinions and judgments. But the other people are judging me, so how can I live in harmony with them?

  • I don’t think I am conceited or live entitled, but am I missing something about myself? When is the last time I put myself in an intentional relationship with someone I didn’t consider to be “up to my standards?

When I inquire of myself these questions, sincere love, or as the Message calls it, “Love from the center of who you are,” penetrates under the topsoil of my heart to uproot the germinating seeds of self. Only once these seeds are uprooted, tossed aside, and burned can there possibly be room for seeds from God to bear the Fruits of the Spirit, which can only come by becoming fully dependent on Christ for our life.

Overcome Evil With Good. Anyone who has seen any superhero or Disney movie knows that good always wins over evil. However, battling aliens with a roundhouse kick or breaking a magical spell over the land with a kiss has not yet come across my path of how to do this. Leave it to Paul to wrap up this chapter with a practical breakdown on how evil manifests in our day-to-day and some further challenges for us in verses seventeen through twenty-one:

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 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. 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.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

— Romans 12:17-21

Using the same practice as we did for the first segment on verses, asking myself questions aids in my processing and application of this passage:

  • If I try to do what is right in the eyes of everyone, isn’t this people-pleasing? How do I know when I’m people-pleasing versus operating out of a center of love?

  • There are just some people I can’t live in peace with! How do I change my heart?

  • God’s wrath? That sounds harsh. I thought God was loving?

  • What does it look like for me to serve my enemies? Is there someone I need to reach out to today?

  • It sounds like “good” is actionable. Who can I show actionable good to today, so evil does not win over in their life?

When I read through some of these words, it can feel like doing good is just another way to act superior, a massive downfall of the church as a whole for centuries and often what pushes away the unchurched. Is it because we have been acting like the Pharisees, looking for the attention of man to acknowledge our goodness? Revisiting verse nine, “Love must be sincere.” Anything else is shallow pride rooted in ungodliness, just some of the Respectable Sins we must wrestle through as Christ-followers.

Sometimes Christianity feels too far away like I’m not good enough to keep up or know enough. Paul’s practicality of explaining the nitty-gritty is refreshing, honest, and revealing of my own heart. I venture to say Paul could speak so well from these places because he experienced and wrestled through many of these topics as we have. I encourage you to press on Brother or Sister. We are in good company on this journey.

This is the second part of a three-part series on Romans 12: How-to Christianity. CLICK HERE to read Part 1. CLICK HERE to read Part 2.

How can you show sincere love today, for this is how we overcome evil.

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Lisa Garon

Living more like Jesus in our vocations, churches, and communities.

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Mindful Versus Intentional

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Romans 12: How-to Christianity (Part 2)