Feb. 14, 2024

Dear Friends,

Tonight we will study Romans 12:9-21—great, concise teachings about Christian living from the Apostle Paul. I hope you can join us. Notes are attached.

LIVING THE CHRISTLIFE

WAYNE BARRETT

HILLTOP LAKES CHAPEL

FEBRUARY 14, 2024

Romans 12:9-21

9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly

affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve

the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of

the saints and seek to show hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep

with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the

lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is

honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is

mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty,

give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be

overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

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Paul’s short phrase teachings usually occur at the end of a letter or of a section of a letter.

v 9 – “Let love be genuine”

In the GK NT some light punctuation has been

added, and this phrase is followed by a

colon. What follows is an expansion on

this one teaching.

“Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.”

Why would Paul have to even say such a thing

Most Christians are probably more in danger

of compromise with evil rather than

embracing it. To “abhor” evil does not

allow for that.

Holding fast to what is good is also necessary.

This is a positive instruction.

More lit. “abhorring evil, cleaving to good.”

v 10 – “Love one another with brotherly affection.”

More lit. “affectionate brotherly love to each

other”

“affectionate” – philostorgos, from philos +

storgé, only appearance in the NT

“brotherly love” – philadelphia

The Christian family

“Outdo one another in showing honor.”

Verses 9 – 13

A more literal rendering:

The love unfeigned: abhorring evil,

cleaving to good.

As to friendship, with family affection

for one another;

As to honor, leading the way for one

another;

As to diligence, not lagging;1

As to spirit, burning;

As to Lord, serving.

As to hope, rejoicing;

As to tribulation, enduring;

As to prayer, persevering;

As to the need of the saints, sharing;

As to hospitality, pursuing.

1 Notice the last eight statements have the same

“ing” ending, sort of a half-rhyme, and this is

mirrored in the GK with “ontes” or “ountes”

endings.

2

More lit. “in [showing] honor, leading each other [by example]”

v 11 – “Do not be slothful in zeal”

More lit. “in diligence, not lagging”

Don’t drag your feet!

“be fervent in spirit”

We have different personalities—but none of us should be lukewarm in spirit

“serve the Lord”

More lit. “the Lord serving”

A summary, of sorts. What has preceded this is all embodied in service to the Lord

But… it also serves as an interjection, pointing to what is to come

v 11 – “Rejoice in hope”

A constant theme

“hope” is a certainty, but not yet realized

“be patient in tribulation”

More lit. “bearing under,” “enduring”

tribulation was quite serious, and still is

“be constant in prayer”

“Be constant”— as in “attend to it constantly”; the Gk word means to go forward with great

strength

Do we think of prayer as this type of an activity?

v 13 – “Contribute to the needs of the saints.”

“Contribute to”— koinóneó, sharing, having fellowship

“seek to show hospitality”

[seek to show] hospitality – philoxenia, love of/to strangers

Not at all what some associate with “hospitality”

[See the side box]

v 14 – “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.”

More lit. (slight difference)—“Bless those who are persecuting [pp] you; bless and do not curse

them.”

And the persecution was severe

v 15 – “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.”

A practical recognition that we are not all in the same circumstances

v 16 – “Live in harmony with one another...”

More lit. “Minding or thinking the same toward one another.” It has to do with not showing

preferences, especially for “important” people over “unimportant” ones

Then, more lit. “not minding/considering the high, but being associated with/carried away with

the low”

3

“Never be wise in your own sight”

A consistent, Biblical teaching

v 17 – “Repay no one evil for evil…”

All people, not just all in the Church

We are on display and when mistreated, have an opportunity to witness

v 18 – “If possible…”

Again, a practical recognition, here that living at peace is two-way (at minimum)

v 19 – “Beloved, never avenge…”

More lit. “Never avenging yourselves, beloved, but give place to wrath [of God].”

“Vengeance is mine, and I will repay…”—Deuteronomy 32:35 Septuagint

Where vengeance is due, God will take care of it—and it belongs only to him!

We are not to judge, and we are not to seek vengeance—but (and because) it is God’s to do both

v 20 – “To the contrary…”

“If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for

you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.”—Proverbs 25:21-

22

v 21 – “Do not be overcome by evil…”

A great, concluding and summative teaching

“overcome” – nikaó, conquer, prevail