Romans Chapter 12

Romans Chapter 12

Paul beseeches you, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living, holy and acceptable sacrifice to God. Afterall, it’s a perfectly reason service to provide to your lord and savior.

Don’t conform to this world, instead transform by renewing your mind so that you can prove what the good, acceptable and perfect will of God is. Paul says through the grace given to him that every man among you shouldn’t think more highly of himself than he ought to (ummm, isn’t it self-evident that people should not do things other than what they ought to… whatever). All men should think soberly of himself because God has accordingly dealt to every man a measure of faith (maybe he missed me because I’m not a man, do you think?)

Just as we have many members in on body and not all members hold the same office, so we, the many are actually one body in Christ and every one is a member of the other. But everyone has different gifts according the grace bestowed upon us. These gifts could include prophesy according to the proportion of faith you possess. These could include ministry or ministering, or teaching, of exhortation, or giving simply, or ruling diligently, or showing mercy cheerfully. (All these things and more could by YOUR gift!)

Don’t let love be deceitful or disguised. Hate all things that are evil and cling to things that are good. Be affection to one another with brotherly love, prefer one another in honor (does that mean honor other Christians more than non-christians? Not totally sure.) Don’t be lazy in your business, be fervent in spirit as you serve god, rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, always pray and make sure you understand the necessity of saints (am I wrong or is that the first mention of saints in the new testament?), be hospitable.

Continuing…

Bless those who persecute you. In fact, only give blessings, don’t curse. Rejoice with others who are rejoicing, and weep with those who are crying. Treat everyone the same. Don’t mind status, but speak to men of low estate. Don’t be wise in your own conceits.

Don’t retaliate with evil against someone who has done evil to you. Be open and honest with everyone. As much as you possibly can manage, try to live peacefully with all men. (I think that needs to be a stronger mandate, but I’m finally starting to see where some of the nice morals come from in this book… why they’re not from JC at all, they’re just from Paul’s random ramblings! Hey, I’ll take it, telling people to be good is better than telling them that you’re not here to bring peace on earth, but rather to judge and destroy).

Dearly beloved (oh, Paul loves everyone! He’s in a happy mood today, I like that!!!!), don’t take vengeance yourself, but let wrath have its own place. It is written, “Vengeance [is] mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Uh, yeah, you be nice so God can be mean… I was hoping for a nicer sentiment, like evil is its own punishment so there’s no need for vengeance. I’m not too keen on a vengeful dude in the sky just waiting to take his revenge. That’s just scary and weird… just when I think I get a chapter I can kind of sort of get behind, they always ruin it with their fire and brimstone talk).

If your enemy hungers then feed him, if he is thirsty give him a drink, by doing this you will heap coals of fire on his head (uh… I was kind of thinking it might just make him see what a little kindness can do… I’m not into heaping fire onto people’s heads. That’s mean and gross).

Don’t be overcome with evil, instead overcome evil with good.