Study of Romans 12 – Verse 15

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” (Romans 12:15 NKJV)

    This simply-stated verse tells us that compassion is a needed characteristic for members of the body of Christ.

    Compassion is not just a feeling of pity for a person and their situation; it involves empathy. Where sympathy understands the emotion felt by another, empathy experiences the emotion alongside the other person. Sympathy may stand a bit apart and offer the expected words for the occasion, but empathy sits down with those hurting and offers comfort and help through action – it walks the rough road with them – and rejoices with the other when resolution is found and when strength is renewed.

Rejoice (Strong’s Greek #5463 ‘chairo’) means be glad, be joyful

Weep (Strong’s Greek #2799 ‘klaio’) means to cry, to mourn. It is an emotional outpouring due to either personal grief or compassion for others.

    Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be involved. Help them lift the load and be diligent in your desire to help carry the burden down the road (Galatians 6:2), however long the road may be. Let your love be in deed (action) and in truth (sincerity, 1 John 3:18).

“…there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honoured, all the members rejoice with it.” (1 Corinthians 12:25-26 NKJV)

    The body of Christ needs deep connection among its members, not arm’s length understanding and empty words spoken in the moment; a congregation of believers needs to be there for each other to help carry the burden – weep with those who weep – walking the road together, so that when a time for rejoicing comes, you can heartily rejoice with each other! 

    Be a bondservant (a servant who chooses to stay and serve, Deuteronomy 15:12-18) – bonded first to God, and then to each other for His sake – because “a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12)! Take the time to sit together, pray together, study together, stand together, encourage each other, and praise God for His blessed provisions throughout it all!

    Are you ready to be a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1) and give of your time so you can walk alongside your brethren in their troubles and their triumphs?

You can do it! So can I!! 

 

Study of Romans 12 – Verse 14

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” (Romans 12:14 NKJV)

Bless (Strong’s #G2127 ‘eulogeo’) means to speak well of, give reason(s) why this person should be seen as beneficial.

    Look at the Greek word again – eulogeo – it is from this Greek word that we get a well-known English word: eulogy. A eulogy is most commonly associated with a funeral service. It is the part of the service when a friend or family member will stand up and speak well of the deceased, telling of their work, their faith, their family, their kindnesses, their achievements, etc. God commands us to speak kind words and uplifting words about others while they live, even while they persecute us. Read and think about Ephesians 4:28-32.

Persecute (Strong’s #1377 ‘dioko’) means to pursue, chase, harass, trouble, molest, etc.  Consider those who persecuted Jesus (John 5:16-18, 11:53), how Saul persecuted the church (Acts 7:58, 8:1-4, Philippians 3:4-6), and then after his conversion (Acts 9, 22, 26) how Saul, also known as Paul (Acts 13:9), began to face persecution (Acts 17:5-13, 23:12-14).

    When we are persecuted for righteousness’ sake we are told to rejoice and be exceedingly glad because it means we’re doing what is right! Jesus told us in John 15:18-20 that the world hates us because we are not of the world (if we were of the world they would love us), and those who walk as Jesus walked will face persecution just as He did. When we commit to follow Jesus’ steps it means we will encounter persecution, but it also means we will follow His example to respond to it just as He did: He took it patiently; when He was reviled, He did not revile in return, when He suffered He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously (1 Peter 2:20-24). Take time to read and consider Isaiah 50:6-9.       

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:10-12 NKJV)

    How do we bless those who persecute us? 

    The ultimate examples are, for one, Jesus, who asked His Father to forgive those who were crucifying Him “for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34), and the other is Stephen, who, while the rocks being thrown by angry men were breaking his body, he cried out to God the Father to “not charge them with this sin” (Acts 7:54-60). They looked beyond the agony, called out to God, and asked a blessing for their persecutors.

    We are told in Matthew 5:44 that we are to love our enemies, bless those who curse us, do good to those who hate us, and pray for those who spitefully us and persecute us – we do this, because we are God’s children (Matthew 5:45). This means that we will not go around telling everyone about what was said or done by our persecutors. It also means that we will not go around saying bad things about our persecutors; we will not do to them as they have done to us (Proverbs 24:29). We will be merciful and gracious, just as God is toward us and we will run to God, lay out our troubles before Him (consider 2 Kings 19:14-16), and ask Him for wisdom (James 1:5, 3:13-17) and for strength (Ephesians 6:10-18). We will get up from our prayers enveloped in God’s comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-4) and with His peace guarding our hearts and our minds (Philippians 4:6-9), wholly prepared to bless and not curse.

Curse (Strong’s #2672 ‘kataraomai’) means to invoke evil upon, to pray for evil against another; to wish them harm or doom.

    We are to speak good words about others, not mentally plot revenge or daydream about their ultimate doom. Let’s make it our practice to go to God in prayer – just as Jesus did – and ask Him to renew our minds (so we are transformed and different than the world, Romans 12:2), and to help us to change from reactive to responsive, to feel pity for our persecutors instead of indignation. Let’s pray that we may see others as they truly are: souls in need of salvation. Let’s not hurt our hearts further by stewing and fretting (Psalm 37:7-8); instead let’s make our requests known to God and trust that He will help us to stand, withstand, and move forward in the best way possible.

“And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.” (1 Peter 3:13-17 NKJV)

    We should rejoice that we have been found worthy to suffer shame for Jesus’ name, and be motivated to continue shining as lights in the world and in doing good works (Matthew 5:16, also see Titus 2:8). In appreciation of God’s longsuffering with us, we will suffer long and be kind (1 Corinthians 13:4) desiring the same thing He desires: that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9) and that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:3-4). Valuing God’s mercy and grace, we will pray that those who trouble us may get the help they need and that they may turn to God and come to know the hope found only in Jesus.   

    Much of what remains in this chapter will magnify this command, so let’s leave our thoughts here. Obedience to this command takes commitment and self-control, and God has provided all we need so we can learn to respond appropriately to our persecutors instead of reacting in kind. Are you ready?

You can do it! So can I!!

A Study of Romans 12 – Verses 10-13: A Summary

Note: I’m a Bible student just like you. I read and study, reread and restudy passages. Sometimes, as in this very study of Romans 12, I write a few posts and then something suddenly connects and I understand the passage more clearly or I see another facet of it that amplifies its value and importance. I get so excited about these discoveries that I want to share them immediately, and this impulsive enthusiasm can cause confusion and extra-long posts for you to read – for that I humbly apologize. If the Lord wills, and I decide to publish this study as a class book or a personal study book, you can be assured that it will be more organized than how I am currently writing and presenting it. Thank you for bearing with me as we study this exciting chapter together.

    Now, I think it is worthwhile to take a breath and take the time to again look at the importance of Romans 12:10-13.

    Romans 12, verses 10 through 13 are one sentence and one thought. We are given the command, “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love,” and the nine instructions that follow, when put into action, will enable us to accomplish that command.   

We will be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love…

…when we give preference to one another – showing our brethren that they matter and are a valuable part of the congregation/work by taking time to listen, sorrow, rejoice, study, and pray with them; thinking of them more than ourselves (1 Corinthians 12:25-26, Romans 12:15, James 5:13-20).

…when we do not lag in diligence – having an earnest determination to do what God commands and instructs, so much so that our brethren can count on us/trust us to work alongside them (consider 1 John 5:2-3, Hebrews 10:35-39). When there is work to be done we will join in the effort.

…when we are fervent in spirit – having an unshakeable faith and trust in God can encourage others to “taste and see that the LORD is good” (Psalm 34:8). We need to build a foundation – by the renewing of our minds in obedience to His word and will – through which we prove to ourselves (and others) that God’s will is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:1-2, Matthew 24:12-13). Enthusiasm is contagious and when it is founded in truth and unshakeable trust, it’s an excellent way to share the glories of the gospel with others, and reinvigorate those who already know!   

…when we are serving the Lord – our determined diligence and fervent spirit keeps us serving God acceptably with reverence and godly fear (Hebrews 12:28), and we are a good example and steady encouragement to our brethren (1 Timothy 4:12, 15-16).

…when we are rejoicing in hope – storms will come (Matthew 7:24-27), but our hope is firmly anchored in God (Hebrews 6:17-20), trusting in His promises in this life (1 Corinthians 1:3-4, Philippians 4:6-9, Hebrews 4:16) and His exceedingly great and precious promise of life beyond this life (1 Peter 1:3-9, 2 Peter 1:2-11, 1 John 3:1-3). Our joy is magnified and multiplied when we can rejoice in hope with our brethren – we remind each other of our hope and build each other up as we prepare ourselves for eternity!   

…when we are patient in tribulation – “a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12); when we are with our brethren, we can, with God, withstand that which threatens to overpower us (Ephesians 6:10-18, 1 Peter 5:8-11); we can bear up under the burden with elegance (Psalm 144:12), knowing God is with us (1 Peter 2:23) and blessing us every step of the way (Psalm 68:19).

…when we continue steadfastly in prayer – we don’t give up on prayer, we continue in it without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17, Luke 18:1-7), and are vigilant in our earnest prayers with thanksgiving (Colossians 4:2-3). We can pray for our brethren (making intercession for them) and for those who have dedicated themselves to preaching (Ephesians 6:18-19).  

…when we are distributing to the needs of the saints – having a heart to provide what is needed for our brethren, whether material or spiritual, we do what we can to fill the need. When we first give ourselves to the Lord, we will be more willing and able to give to our brethren in their need (2 Corinthians 8:1-5, Acts 2:41-46). We will pray, study, comfort, and listen; we will cook, clean, garden, wash windows, and drive. We will show up and we will give support, and when needed we will provide monetary help (Romans 12:6-8, 2 Corinthians 9:7-12, 1 Timothy 6:17-19, Acts 4:32-37).  

…when we are given to hospitality – we open our heart and our home to others, we share God’s blessings with them – actually, we insist upon it (Acts 16:15) – wanting to comfort, edify, and ease the burden of travel and/or expense. We invite our brethren into our homes – especially if they seem like strangers to us! – and we are quick to welcome visitors to a meal and, if you have the room, a place to sleep (Matthew 25:34-46). We strive to keep the visiting preachers so that they have not only a place for quiet study, but also a place to be edified with sincere care.   

    God, in His wisdom (Ephesians 3:10), established the church so that we could have the ready help we need to walk the narrow way (Matthew 7:13-14), so we can run with endurance the race that is set before us (Hebrews 12:1-2), so we can wholly understand what kindly affection with brotherly love means – and clearly see how it differs from the meagre affections of the world. Our brethren are our help and our training ground – together we can learn to properly obey God!

    In Romans 12:10-13, we have both the command and the instructions needed to accomplish it - are you ready to begin?

You can do it! So can I!!

Study of Romans 12 – Verse 13

    In Romans 12:10, God, through the apostle Paul, commands us to be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, He then lovingly provides us with nine instructions (found in verses 10 through 13) that will enable us to accomplish that command.

    We’ve looked at the first seven in previous posts, now let’s look at the last two instructions:

“…distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.” (Romans 12:13 NKJV)

“…distributing to the needs of the saints…”

Distributing (Strong’s #G2841 ‘koinoneo’) means contributing, having a share in, partake in providing, and imparting.

Needs (Strong’s #G5532 ‘chreia’) means necessity, lack, and requirements. This can mean a lack of physical essentials: food, clothing, and also spiritual needs: study, encouragement, prayer, etc.

Saints (Strong’s #G40 ‘hagios’) means those who are holy, set apart, sacred; i.e. members of the church – Christians (1 Corinthians 1:2, Romans 1:7)

    We need to be familiar enough with our brethren – and trusted enough by them – that we can see (or be told of) a need they may have and we will do our very best to quietly and tactfully fill it. Our hearts need to be tuned toward our brethren – giving preference to them – so that we can offer them essential help, both material and spiritual, which means that we do not make a habit of rushing out of the building as soon as the “amen” is said, nor do we limit our speaking and interactions to only the times when we’re both inside the church building; it means we call, we sincerely care, and we stay connected so we can be there for them when they need us. 

    Simply put, when it comes to your time and attention, have a heart to give what is right to your brethren, not what is left. 

“…given to hospitality.”

Given to (Strong’s #G1377 ‘dioko’) means to practice, pursue, chase, press toward (as to a goal) with urgent determination. In this verse in particular, it means to insist – Lydia is the perfect example of this in Acts 16:15

Hospitality (Strong’s #G5381 ‘philoxenia’) literally means a friend to strangers (consider Hebrews 13:2). It is welcoming and providing shelter, food, and protection for strangers, which was a cultural obligation in the Greco Roman world.

    The word, hospitality, is only used here in Romans 12:13 and in the above referenced Hebrews 13:2, but it is seen throughout the New Testament in various ways; by instruction: Matthew 10:42, 25:34-46, Luke 10: 30-37, 14:12-14, etc. and by example: Luke 10:38-42, Acts 2:44-46, 4:32-37, 16:15, 40, 17:5-9, etc.

    If you feel that your brethren are strangers to you, invite them over for coffee, a meal, or a visit; learn hospitality by showing it toward your brethren and you’ll prepare yourself to also eagerly show it toward visitors at church services, and others in your community.

    Are you ready to open your heart and your home to your brethren in need? Are you eager to provide whatever is needed by your brethren? There may be times when the need requires a monetary solution, but more often than not it will simply require time together, encouraging words, earnest prayers together, and thoughtful study together; it will require kindly affection with brotherly love – are you ready?

You can do it! So can I!!