[0:00]If you'll take your Bibles and go to Romans chapter 12. If you didn't bring a Bible, it's all digital these days, so you can pull it up on your phones. Romans 12 is where we're going to be. The book of Romans contains both doctrinal and practical instruction. The first 11 chapters that we've already made our way through are primarily doctrinal. For those of you taking notes, chapters 1 through 3 spoke about the doctrine of sinful humanity, how we have all sinned and are guilty before God. This example is found in Romans 3:23, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. And then Paul writes in chapters 4 through 8, the doctrine of justification by faith, and how we can be reconciled with God through faith in Jesus Christ. This is Romans 5:1 and 2. He writes, therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we also have access by faith into this grace in which we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And then chapters 9 through 11, we we talked about the doctrine of Israel and how God is not done with the Jewish people and that the church, capital C, has not replaced Israel in terms of the promises God intended for her. Romans 11:1 and 2, Paul writes, I say then, has God cast away his people? Certainly not. For I also am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away his people whom he for knew. So that's the first 11 chapters, and those of you who have been with us through the study of the first 11 chapters, I wish I had certificates for all of you. Because the doctrinal part of Romans is a little tough. Justification, reconciliation, redemption, sanctification, glorification, a lot of doctrine in the first 11 chapters. Paul shifts now the last five chapters, 12 through 16, are all very practical. He's going to give practical instruction to us, and one of the main things that Paul stresses here in these last five chapters has to do with our personal responsibility in how we treat other people. Now, in its context, Paul is primarily addressing Christians. I mean, he's writing to Christians gathered there in Rome, and the church in Rome was comprised of both Jews and Gentile believers. So he's primarily writing to Christians about how Christians should treat other Christians within the body of Christ. But it is not limited to only our interaction with other believers. These principles that he gives us are also applicable and relative to all kinds of relationships, whether with other fellow believers or with non-believers. Even though, quite honestly, if you live out these principles that God gives us through the pen of Paul, related to unbelievers, don't expect them to necessarily return it in like kind because they're not reading out of the same handbook that we are. Our responsibility is to reflect Christ in the way that we treat other people and relate to other people. How we treat other people is a reflection of our relationship with Jesus. Does everybody get that? How we treat other people is a reflection of our relationship with Jesus. Jesus said as much. He was teaching a parable in Matthew chapter 25, and in the parable, he said this, For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you took me in. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me. And then the righteous will answer him saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and take you in or naked and clothe you? Or when did we see you sick or in prison and come to you? And he answered them, assuredly, I say to you, in as much as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it unto me. So how we treat other people is a reflection of our relationship with Jesus. And here are a couple of key verses that will kind of kick off our Bible study this morning. Romans 12:18. I'll put it on the screen for you. He he writes, if it is possible, as much as depends on you, because you're not responsible for other people. Just you, live peaceably with all men. And then Romans 14:19, he writes, therefore, let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. The NIV said that verse this way. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification. And so Paul is going to then, in a very practical way, say, here's how, here's how we can treat each other. And he's going to use phrases to help us see clearly the key points about here's, here's, here's what you need to do. He's going to use this phrase, it's only two words, one another. He's going to say, here's, here's the way you need to talk to one another, here's the way you need to treat one another, here's the way that you need to respond to one another. So he's going to use this one another phrase 10 times in the last five chapters. That is more times than any other book of the Bible. He speaks here about how to treat or interact or relate with one another. And seven out of those 10 times that he uses that phrase one another, we're going to look at today, in the interest of time, I'm not going to do all 10. But we're going to look at at least seven out of the 10, and three of those one another statements are right here in chapter 12. Between verses 9 and 16. So if you have your Bibles open out of Romans 12, look at verses 9 to 16, and you'll see three one another verses. And then we'll look at four more, but here we go. Verse 9, he says, Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. And here's the first one. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love. And then the second one, in honor giving preference to one another. Verse 11, not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer, distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse. That's not easy, is it? Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. Here's the third one another statement, verse 16. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. So we'll look at these three plus four more. Let's first have a word of prayer. Father, thank you for meeting us here. Where two or more are gathered, you were in our midst, so we thank you, Lord, for being here. We trust that the worship has been glorifying to you. And we trust now as we study your word and do what it says, that that also would glorify you. Help us to do these things, Lord. It's easy to read about it and to study together in church and then leave here and not not pay attention to any of this. But we pray that instead our hearts would be stirred and challenged by these things, as it relates to how we are to treat one another. So teach us today, Lord, by your spirit, we ask in Jesus' name, and everybody said, amen.
[8:14]You'll notice in those verses, I I read at the beginning of our study here, just Paul uses these short, pithy exhortations. Regarding how we are to relate and uh how to treat one another. And again, in the context, Paul is saying primarily Christian to Christian in the church, capital C. But even outside the church, these are applicable ways that we can understand how we properly reflect Christ in treating each other. Again, these are very practical. Here's the first out of seven we'll look at today. Be kind and loving toward one another. I mean, it's sad that we even have to say this, but it's a good reminder to us. Again, this is the first part of verse 10. He says, be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love. So I just summarized it as be kind and loving toward one another. Paul uses two forms of love in this statement here in verse 10. He says, be kindly affectionate. That's one word in the Greek. It is filostorgos. It is from two Greek words, Filos, meaning love and storge, meaning family. It's talking about like a familial kind of a love. And then he talks about with brotherly love, and that's the Greek word Philadelphia. The city of Philadelphia means the city of brotherly love. Although as my Philly friends like to say, the city of brotherly shove. Because they're kind of like that, you know? Uh, especially Philly fans, I don't know if you've ever been to a game. But, you know, one of my first games at FedEx Field when they played Philly, Philly actually won that night, and I'm walking to my car in the parking lot. And Philly fans are throwing those, what are those cocktail bombs, you know, they put like gasoline and and uh, you know, molotov. That that's very Hebrew. I was just very Hebrew right there. Yeah, so you know what I'm talking and like they're lobbing them in the parking lot, and I'm just like, what is going on? It's like World War III here, and they won. That's Philly fans for you. The City of Brotherly Love. But Philadelphia is from filós, meaning love, and adelphós, meaning brother. And Paul uses both of these phrase, filóstorgos, Philadelphia. He's saying, treat one another like you would your brother, your sister, your mother, your father, your children, your family. Now, of course, that is assuming that you like your family. Somebody laughed before I finished the sentence. If you don't really like your family, find a family you do like and treat other people like you like that family. You get the idea here. The truth is, though, like any family, every family has to work out things. Every family has its issues, every family has to work through some things, but you still love them. Siblings fight, parents and kids sometimes don't get along, even as adults, but you keep working on it and you keep loving them, even if they want nothing to do with you. Paul says, treat others like you would a family member, keep loving them and working things out as far as it depends on you. You're not responsible for how people react or respond. You're only responsible for yourself before the Lord. And you can only do so much, but make sure you do your part to work things out and love and treat other people like you would family. Number two, he says here also in the other part of verse 10, he says, in honor giving preference to one another. So I just summarized it as show honor to one another. I like the ESV. If you're reading from the ESV translation, it says, outdo one another in showing honor. Outdo one another in showing honor. Honor in the original Greek language of the New Testament is timao. It is spelled just like our English word time, T. I. M. E. It's pronounced timao, and timao in in Greek literally means to pay an an expensive price. In other words, something that is costly is valuable, and that uh designates honor. So it's the idea, listen, if you're willing to pay a high price for something materially because it's valuable to you, what about people in your own lives? How valued do they feel? You're willing to blow big cash on something you love. And that's a way that you show honor for something materially, because it's that valuable you're willing to spend a lot of money on it. But how valued do people feel in your life? How valued does your spouse feel? How valued do your children feel? How valued do your employees or co-workers or friends feel? How much are we outdoing each other in showing honor to one another? Now, how can honor be demonstrated? I think in two ways. One by action. In Galatians chapter 5, verse 13, it says, serve one another in love. Serve one another in love. When you serve people or help people, it shows that you honor them.
[15:08]Now, I'm going to let you into a little bit about kind of my, um, quirks. Um, despite the video you saw earlier, okay, I was dancing in my closet. I don't need music, by the way. That part was true. Um, I was just having a joyful time. I was just dancing. The door wasn't shut. The closet door wasn't shut. Anyway, all right, I digress. I like to do my own laundry. It's nothing against my wife. I just, I'm kind of quirky about I want my laundry done a certain way. I want it folded a certain way. It's me. Don't look at Terry and think she's not doing my laundry. I like to do it. I like to pitch in. I like to do my own laundry. So one one day this past week, I was doing my laundry, threw it in the wash, it was it was done, it was already thrown in the dryer. I open up the dryer and my wife's clothes were in there. Now, they were already dried, they were just in in the dryer, and I heard this voice.
[16:26]Fold her laundry. Well, I instantly knew that was the devil, and uh, so I'm, I'm like, that, I rebuke that. And, uh,
[16:50]um, but you know, sincerely, I, I knew the Lord was saying to me, like, folder laundry, and I I never fold laundry, I have to admit. Um, I just don't. And and I knew the Lord was telling me to do it. And by the way, not because I'm doing this sermon either. But just because in that moment, that's what the Lord wanted me to do, as a small way of just showing honor. And because I never do fold her laundry, when it was folded and stacked, she noticed, of course, because I never do it. Um, but the Lord, you know, just put it on my heart. Listen, you can honor people in the simplest ways of just showing respect and honor by doing everyday things. We can also show respect and honor with our words, not just our actions. Now, I'm kind of old school on this, but I I'm still of the opinion that if you're younger, you show respect to your elders, you say, sir, ma'am. You say, Mr. or Misses. Anybody else with me on that? You show them some respect.
[18:18]Um, you know, even at my age now, if there's an older person, I will address them as Mr. or sir or ma'am, if it's if it's a woman, I mean, I just want to be respectful. And someone who has earned degrees or titles or ranks, I'm the same way. It's doctor, it is Senator, it's Colonel, judge, it's whatever it is. Now, now listen, if you know people on a very personal level, of course, you can call them on a first name basis. Or if someone tells you, you know, don't refer to me by my title, please, call me whatever. Okay, that's one thing. But I think we should always lead with honor. You lead with honor. You let them tell you otherwise. A few months ago, I was invited onto a Zoom call with the Speaker of the House to pray for him. And, um, in praying for him, I just wanted to be more personable, but I asked permission. I said, because I don't know him. I said, Mr. Speaker, do you mind if I call you Mike as I pray for you and his wife was on the call, too. Pray for you and Kelly. And he said, yes, of course, by all means, call me, call me by my first name.
[19:54]But I asked permission. I don't feel it it was, uh, a normal thing to just call somebody by their first name. When they've earned some kind of a title, rank, or position. You show respect. You show honor. You ask permission. And by the way, I think that doesn't even translate publicly as much as it in the same way that it might privately. If somebody, you know, if he gave me, and in that particular situation, a an invitation in a private setting to call him by his first name. But in public, if I were to ever meet him, I would not say, Hey Mike, how's it going? I'd be like, Mr. Speaker, good to see you. I just, I'm just old school about that. I think it is important and I think we've lost this in our culture today. I think we're raising a generation of young people who who don't understand it and maybe no fault of the younger generation. Maybe it's a fault of ours. We've not handed this down. We've not instilled in them a measure of respect and honor. You show honor to someone when when you, when you meet them, when you speak to them, when you interact with them. You may not even you may not even like them. You may not even have even voted for them if it's a public official. You may not even agree with with them on certain levels, but if they have earned something, I think it's important to at least honor that and show that kind of respect. And and by the way, words go a long way. You can honor someone in the simplest of ways. Thank you. I appreciate you. Just showing respect and honor in simple ways. I had a young lady years ago, when I was in youth ministry and she was one of my, uh, youth students. And I'll never forget this. She she talked to me about how when she would bring a report card home, her dad would pay her on a sliding scale. The highest dollars for A's and then sliding, you know, B, C, D, and nothing for F's, and she was a good student. So she brought home really good grades, and she said to me, I made a lot of money. My dad doled out a lot of money over the years. And I said, well, that's wonderful. And she says, no. She says, what I wanted more than his money was just for him one time to say, I'm proud of you. She said, he never said that to me.
[23:09]See, words can show honor, and they can show respect in that way. And so the Bible tells us to show honor to one another. In Romans 13:7, it says, give honor to whomever honor is due. Proverbs 25:11, A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. It's like a beautiful picture of gold apples on a silver platter. Words can be enriching like that, and powerful in how we honor people as well as how we show it through our actions. Look also here in chapter 12, I got to keep running along here. Verse 16, verse 16, he says, be of the same mind toward one another. Be of the same mind toward one another. Now, what does that mean? Be of the same mind? No two people think alike. If you're married, say amen to that. You you don't think alike. There are times I argue with myself, right? It doesn't mean that you have to think alike. It means to think of others in the same considerate way you want them to think of you. And so number three on our list is to be considerate toward one another. It's what Jesus said in Luke 6:31, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. And and by the way, sometimes it's a good practice. Please, let's get in this habit of asking ourselves. Hopefully before a conversation, but if not before, midstream, and maybe even after the conversation is over. It's best if we can do this before, ask ourselves, would I like to be spoken to the way I'm speaking to this person? Would I like to be treated the way I'm treating this person? Now, hopefully we can answer those questions ahead of time, so we can have a respectful conversation. Sometimes it's midstream and we got to change our tone. And sometimes it's after the fact, and we realize I got to go back and clean up some things and say, I'm sorry.
[25:31]So we we have to be careful in being considerate towards others. Would I want to be spoken to that way? The way I'm speaking to this person? Would I want to be treated the way I'm treating this person?
[25:48]Now, hopefully we can answer those questions ahead of time, so we can have a respectful conversation. Sometimes it's midstream and we got to change our tone. And sometimes it's after the fact and we realize I got to go back and clean up some things and say, I'm sorry.
[26:10]So we we have to be careful in being considerate towards others. Would I want to be spoken to that way? The way I'm speaking to this person? Would I want to be treated the way I'm treating this person? Be of the same mind toward one another means that have mutual consideration. One for another. Number four, love one another. Of course, this has to make the list, but look into chapter 13. Chapter 13, verses 8 to 10. Paul says, owe no one anything except, here's the phrase, to love one another. For he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, now notice this, he's going to quote five commandments. Five of the 10 commandments. He says, for the commandments, you shall not commit adultery. You shall not murder. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. You shall not covet. And if there's any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law. Now, for you Bible students, you know that there are different words in the Greek language for our English word love. And the the word that the Bible uses to communicate the highest kind, the most supreme kind of love is agápe. The the verb form is agapaó, and you should know that every time the word love is mentioned here in Romans 13, it is agápe, agapaó. Love is a noun, agápe, to love is a verb, agapaó. And Christ is calling us to exercise the highest, most supreme kind of love because that's the love he's given us. And he's telling us, I want you to love other people the way I am loving you. And this is the charge to us. And the reason why Paul quotes five of the 10 commandments within this exhortation about loving one another, is for this reason. Because he's quoting the five of the 10 that are horizontal commandments. If you've ever noticed the 10 Commandments, half of them are vertical because it has to do with your relationship with the Lord, and the other half are horizontal, has to do with your relationship to one another. So that's why he talks here, he quotes about you shall not commit adultery, don't murder, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not covet. That has to all do with our relationships one to another. And Paul's point here is, if you really love people supremely, you won't break these commandments.
[29:26]Because if you love people supremely, you won't cheat on your spouse, you won't murder people. You won't steal from them. You won't bear false witness against them, and you won't covet what they have. So he says, if you're really loving people, you won't be guilty of violating these commandments. Because love is supreme. Jesus said in John 13:34 and 35, a new commandment I give to you. That you love one another. How? As I have loved you. He says, by this will all men know that you are my disciples if you love one another. Now, listen to this again, a new commandment I give you. This is not a new suggestion. This is a commandment. To love one another. And why is it a commandment? Because please hear me on this, love is a decision, not just an emotion. Love is not just an emotion. It is a decision. You love because he first loved you. And you love others. Even the object of your affection is not even necessarily, quote, deserving of your love. In the same way, you and I were not deserving of Christ's love, but we still love because we love as Christ has loved us. Love doesn't mean that we tolerate bad behavior or condone sinful behavior. But it does mean that we love when it's inconvenient, and we love when it's undeserved, and we and we love when they don't necessarily love back. Because that's the way Christ has treated us. Proverbs 17:17 says, a friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Number five, he says here, do not judge one another. This is over in chapter 14. If you glance ahead to chapter 14, look at verse 13. Paul writes in Romans 14:13, therefore, let us not judge one another anymore. But rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way. So a little context here. He's talking about disputable matters. He's talking about matters about which there's not a clear verse to tell us in the Bible. What not to do or what to do. Now, there are plenty of things in the Bible that are spelled out clearly. This is right and this is wrong. And then there are some other things that we will encounter in the course of our lives, trying to make decisions about that don't have a clear chapter or verse concerning. And it is in those moments that we are to rely on our sanctified conscience. What is it that the Holy Spirit is telling us in regards to this particular matter?
[32:51]Now, in Paul's day, here's what he was addressing. It's the first century Roman Empire. In the first century Roman Empire, they're worshiping multiple gods, pagan gods. And it was customary that before meat went to the meat market, it was first offered to one of these pagan Roman gods. And then it was brought to the meat market, people could buy it. So Christians in the first century were struggling with this. Should we actually get that filet mignon? It's been offered to Apollo, you know? I don't I don't feel good about this. I don't think I should be eating a steak that was offered to foreign gods that are false gods. Other Christians were coming along saying, well, wait a minute, these aren't real gods anyway. We know the true and living God. So who cares what the Romans are doing ahead of time? It's in the meat market, buy it. Have a good steak, enjoy your life. But they were in conflict about this. The same thing also in chapter 14, came up about alcohol. How much is too much? We we can agree as Christians, you shouldn't get drunk, but should you even drink at all? And some Christians were saying, you really shouldn't drink at all. Other Christians were saying, yeah, what's wrong with it as long as you don't get drunk. And Paul comes along and he says, listen, there's some things that are reserved for your sanctified conscience. So you're going to have to make a personal decision about it. But as you do, remember two things. Glorify God in whatever you decide by your own conscience. And number two, don't offend somebody else. As far as it depends on you, don't offend somebody else. So Christians have to solve this kind of thing even today. There are certain topics you have to decide for your life, is this really right or wrong? But if you have liberty, okay, let's use the object, let's use the topic of alcohol. If you have the liberty, like, I want to drink a little bit, no big deal. But you know somebody else has a problem with it. They don't. They're under a personal conviction not to drink at all. Okay? You have, you who have liberty to drink, don't look down on on your brother or sister, who doesn't have liberty to drink. That's what he's saying here. Vice versa, you who don't have liberty to drink, don't look down your nose at someone who has liberty. You can get into this kind of thing. The drinkers can be like, oh, you guys are a bunch of snobby legalists, you know, and you and you start to, like, get at each other, you know, you you center, you know, you can start to, like, stop it already. Like, just before the Lord, exercise your sanctified conscience. And Paul says, in that respect, don't judge one another. The end of chapter 14, let me just read verses 19 to 21. He says, therefore, let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. It is good, this is verse 21. It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.
[37:17]So, in other words, don't use your liberty if it if it potentially will stumble somebody else. You know, like, your liberty, you can be, you can enjoy within your home or within friends who have the same liberty. But it's not worth your rights if it's going to potentially stumble someone who doesn't have the same liberty. So it's just to be aware of one another and not judge one another based on whatever liberties you have or don't have. Number six, accept one another. This is an important one. This is out of chapter 15, verse 7. 15, verse 7 says, Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us to the glory of God. Now, I'm reading New King James. It says, receive one another. If you have an ESV, it says, welcome one another. If you have an NIV, it says, accept one another. So take your pick, receive one another, accept one another, welcome one another. I just put accept one another. But this is important.
[38:52]Aren't you glad? Don't you love the fact that when you came to Christ, you didn't have to present yourself in a certain way for him to accept you? You didn't have to dress a certain way. You didn't have to talk a certain way. You didn't have to appear a certain way. You didn't have to be a certain race. You didn't have to talk a certain language. God just accepted you. Just accepted you. In Revelation 7:9, listen to how rich and different the body of Christ will be in heaven. Revelation 7:9, And after these things, I looked and behold, a great multitude which no one could number of all nations, tribes, peoples and tongues, standing before the the throne and before the lamb. Isn't that a beautiful verse? All all the richness of our differences. So when it's when he speaks here about accepting one another, again, look, don't lower it to a sin level. Like, oh, we're just supposed to accept, you know, all all their sinful behavior. That's not that's not what Paul's talking about. When when he talks about accepting one another, receiving or welcoming, he's talking about as it relates to all of our rich differences. We need to accept each other for as different as we are, culturally, racially, linguistically, ethnically.
[41:17]The differences that we bring into the body of Christ, there's richness in that. He says, accept one another. And finally, number seven, we're going to end with admonish one another. This is out of chapter 15, verse 14. Paul writes this. Now, I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. The word admonish in the original Greek is nouthetéo. Nouthetéo means to caution or reprove gently. To caution or reprove gently. Please hear me on this before we close our Bible study because this is important.
[42:24]Good friends warn other friends. Either of danger approaching, or of their friends approaching the danger. Don't wait until someone falls. Warn them now. Don't wait until someone has lost their job, lost their marriage, lost their family. Warn them now. See, it's easy to say after someone has fallen in some way. Oh, I saw that coming. Didn't you see that coming? I saw that coming. It's easy to say that. But what did you do to help prevent it? By admonishing them or warning them in love. And nobody has to be superior and go up and warn them like, oh, the voice of the Lord. Let me tell you, brother or sister, what's going on in your life and what you're doing wrong. But in a spirit of humility and with gentleness, because you know the saying, there but by the grace of God go I. We should all look out for each other because anyone of us given the right circumstances, could do the same thing that another person could do. And so we need to admonish and warn each other out of love for each other, with humility and grace, knowing the same thing could befall me.
[44:26]But we need each other to look out for each other and care for each other enough to give a warning when we see something that is potentially damaging or dangerous. And please do it ahead of time. Don't wait until they fall and then say, told you so. No, you never told him so.
[44:56]And maybe if we had, they wouldn't have fallen, right? I mean, there's some responsibility that we bear in admonishing one another, to help us, to help us.
[45:17]Colossians 3:16 says, let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom. And may God help us to do these. Amen. Father, this is your word. We thank you. Thank you for the practical advice that Paul gives us in these closing chapters of Romans. Lord, help us. When we examine our own lives in light of just these seven, where do we need to grow, Lord? How would you stretch us and teach us? How would you help us, Lord, to be these things towards one another? We need your help, Lord, by your Holy Spirit to live out your word in a way that honors you and glorifies you. Help us to treat one another well, because it reflects our relationship with you. It's in Jesus' name we pray, and everybody said, amen. Amen. God bless you all.
