CHAPTER TWELVE OUTLINE

 

Outline of the Chapter:

I. Start With Yourself (1,2)

A. Present your bodies to God

[1]. Your response to his mercies
[2]. A living sacrifice
[3]. Holy, acceptable
[4]. It's only reasonable

B. Be not conformed to this world

[1]. Recognize the error of worldliness
[2]. Don't give under its pressure

C. Renew your mind

[1]. Mental adjustments
[2]. Spiritual adjustment

D. Then you can know God's will

[1]. Good will
[2]. Acceptable will
[3]. Perfect will

E. Take a personal inventory

[1]. Don't overrate yourself
[2]. Observe the limits of self-appraisal
[3]. According to the grace given you

II. Find your Place in the Body of Christ (4-13)

A. God's great visual aid - your body

[1]. Diversity of function
[2]. Unity of life

 B. Gifts differing according to grace

[1]. Speaking gifts

(a). Prophesying
(b). Teaching
(c). Exhorting

[2]. Serving gifts

(a). Service
(b). Giving
(c). Leadership
(d). Showing mercy

C. Personal relationships among Christians dictated according to love, not partiality

[1]. Hate sin
[2]. Cleave to good
[3]. Uphold others in honor, selflessness
[4]. Stay busy

(a). In business,
(b). In spirit
(c). In serving
(d). In rejoicing
(e). In patience
(f). In prayer

[5]. Respond to the needs of others

D. Personal relationships with all men

[1]. Bless them that persecute you
[2]. Show compassion
[3]. Avoid partiality and prejudice
[4]. Avoid conceit
[5]. Uphold your Christian testimony
[6]. Live peaceable with all men
[7]. Allow God to vindicate you amongst your critics and persecutors. Avoid the "get even" syndrome.

 

 

Chapter Twelve begins the third and last major section of the epistle. The first. eight chapters dealt with the major doctrines of sin and salvation. Chapters Nine, Ten and Eleven dealt with Israel's relationship to the gospel. The remaining chapters, Twelve through Sixteen, deal with personal and practical applications of Christian principles to the Christian's life. Now that I am a Christian, what does God expect from me? How am I to conduct myself in the world? The first section of Romans dealt with the sin problem. The second section deals with the Jew problem. The third section deals with the life problem. See pages 14 and 15 of introductory notes.

 

Verse:

12:1 "Beseech" - Beg

"Therefore" - based on what has been said in the previous chapter, especially (verses 33-36).

"By the mercies of God" - (Rom. 11:30-32)

"Present your bodies" - (1 Cor. 6:19,20; Rom. 15:6; 1 Cor. 3:16; 7:23; 6:13; Heb. 10:22; 12:28).

"A living sacrifice" - "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live..." - (Gal. 2:20; 1 Pet. 2:5).

"Acceptable" - Christian service is summed up as making yourself acceptable unto God. (Heb. 12:28; 2 Cor. 5:9; Rom. 14:18; 2 Cor. 10:18; 2 Tim. 2:15; Eph. 5:10; Ps. 19:14; Phil. 4:18; 1 Tim. 2:3; 5:4; 1 Pet. 2:5,20; Prov. 10:32).

"Reasonable service" - (verse 11; Acts 18:25). Service is an investment. In (2 Cor. 4), Paul described some of the facts of the ministry. Verse 12 says, "So then death worketh in us, but life in you." One man or woman "dies" that another may live, (Phil. 2:17).

There are three reasons why it is reasonable service:

[1]. Romans 11:36, everything is from God.
[2]. Romans 12:1, God's been merciful to you.
[3]. Romans 12:2, so that you can find what the will of the Lord is.

12:2 "Be not conformed…" (2 kings 17:15; 1 Jn. 2:15). The first step in knowing the will of God is not to be conformed to this world (1 Pet. 1:14-16).

"Be ye transformed"; (2 Cor. 4:16; Eph. 3:16; 2 Cor. 3:18).

"Mind"; (2 Cor. 10: 5,6; 11:3).

"That ye may prove";(2 Cor. 8:8; 13:5; Gal. 6:4; 1 Thess. 5:21).

There are three "wills" of God:

[1]. Good will - God's will is never for sin and wrong. Many things are good or right but will receive no reward for the motive is unacceptable.
[2]. Acceptable will - There is a reward attached because of proper motive, but what is done is not necessarily the right time, place or method.
[3]. Perfect will - This is the way he wants it done, at the right time, with a pure motive.

Christians live in one of four areas:

[1]. Conformed to this world
[2]. Transformed; good will
[3]. Transformed; acceptable will
[4]. Transformed; perfect will

The man that is a success in this life is the man that finds the will of God, does it, and with a perfect heart. God knows what he, has planned for you, he will equip you and only he knows what you need! If you want to find out the will of God for your life, you must be a nonconformist and a transformist.

Will of God; (1 Thess. 4:3-5).

12:3 "Through the grace given unto me - (vs. 6).

"Gifts differing according to the grace..." - (vs. 3)

"The measure of faith." Not all Christians have the same grace, faith or gifts. God works his will out in our lives according to the grace given to us and according to the grace that we have, received. See these passages: (1 Pet. 4:10,11; 1 Cor. 15:10; Eph. 4:7; 1 Cor. 7:17; 2 Cor. 12:9; 2 Cor-. 8:12; 10:13).

"...not to think ... more highly... (1 Cor. 4:6)

12:4,5 (1 Cor. 12:12-31; Eph. 5:23; 1:23; 4:16; Rom. 7:4).

12:6 "gifts differing…"; (1 Cor. 12:28-31; 9-11).

"According to the grace ... according to the proportion of faith" - see notes on (vs. 3).

"Prophecy" - definition: The work, function or vocation of a prophet. A spokesman for the Lord, declaring the will and purpose of God. Foretelling or declaring the future beforehand. "Thus saith the Lord." (1 Cor. 12:10; 13:2; 1 Pet. 1:10; 1 Cor. 14:3-5; 1 Thess. 5:20).

"Wait on" - attend to, like waiting on a table as a waiter or waitress.

12:8 "Exhort" - motivate

Three speaking gifts are mentioned, prophesying or preaching, teaching and exhortation or motivational speaking. Very few men possess all three gifts as biblical expositors.

There are four service gifts mentioned, ministering, giving, ruling (leadership or administration), and shewing mercy.

"Giveth...with simplicity" - don't keep accounts or score with God, remember (Acts 20:35 and Rom. 11:35; 2 Cor. 8:3-5).

"Ruleth" - (1 Cor. 12:28) - "governments" - leadership or administration ... with diligence. (Prov. 12:24; 2 Cor. 8:22).

Mercy is often granted with regret rather than cheerfulness.

12:9 "Dissimulation" - partiality (playing favorites), hypocrisy. (1 Jn. 3:18; 2 Cor. 6:6).

"Abhor" - hate, detest.

12:10 What follows might be termed the Christian Beatitudes. The key is selflessness. "Be kindly affectioned... preferring one another." How? (Vss. 11 - 20 answer this question. (1 Jn. 2:9-11; 3:14-17; 4:7,11,12,20,21).

12:11 (Acts 18:25; Rom. 12:1)

12:12 (Rom. 5:3; 2 Cor. 6:4-10; Jam. 1:3,4).

"Instant in prayer" - (Neh. 2:4; Acts 2:42)

12:13 (Rom. 15:25,26; Prov. 31:20)

I2:14 (Matt. 5:44; Prov. 24)

12:15 (Heb. 13:3)

12:16 "Be of the same mind..." (2 Cor. 13:11; Philip. 1:27; 2:2; 3:16; 4:2; 1 Peter 3:8).

''Mind not high things..." - (Ps. 131:1). Don't choose your friends according to their income bracket.

"Conceits" - ideas, opinions, personal judgments (Rom. 11:25).

12:17 "Recompense to no man..." - (Matt. 5:39; 18:15ff; Rom. 12:19).

"Provide things..." (2 Cor. 8:21)

12:18 "If" - implies it is impossible to live at peace with some men.

12:19 "Avenge not ... vengeance is mine... " - (Deut. 32:35; Heb. 10:30; Prov. 15:1).

12:20 "...thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head..." (Prov. 25:21,22; Ps. 140:6-10).

12:21 (Verse 9)