1: We must be REAL PEOPLE. By that the Scripture says they are not hypocritical in their love. Since love is “acting deliberately to meet a need, expecting nothing in return”, this requirement is not about what we FEEL, but how we respond to needs. We need to REALLY respond, not pretend to respond while we look for someone else to take care of the problem. We need to train ourselves to CARE so that the action to meet needs can be done without pretending that we care. Rom. 12:9 Let love (agape) be without hypocrisy. (an-oo-pok’-ree-tos – without pretending).
2: We must be SELECTIVE PEOPLE:
SELECTIVE ABOUT FULFILLMENT: We must carefully choose to “spit out” the things that cause grief to our Father, while choosing to glue ourselves to God’s provision’s for fulfillment and joy. Rom. 12:9b “…Abhor (ap-os-toog-eh’-o – “after + hatred” ; used for the departure from the mouth of food that has spoiled) what is evil (ponayros: from grief making); cling (kol-lah’-o – to glue or join to) to what is good (agathos was used by Jesus as “good things’ the Father gives to His children).
SELECTIVE ABOUT FRIENDS: We must deliberately choose to build our lives into each other. Rom. 12:10 “Be devoted (From philos and storge – cherishing one’s kindred, especially parents or children) to one another in brotherly love; give preference (pro-ay-geh’-om-ahee – consider before) to one another in honor. We look at the baby pictures of each grandchild. We laugh with each other. We cry when the pain of loss cuts deep. We CHOOSE to consider what hurts the others as important. We are honored to be part of each other’s lives. The people around us aren’t a hassle or a problem – they’re a brother or a sister. Romans 12:16 reminds us of the same truth when it says: “Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.” THE SIMPLE FACT IS THAT WE DON’T THINK SOME OF THE OTHER PEOPLE ARE AS IMPORTANT AS WE ARE. We see ourselves as doing important things, and sometimes the brothers and sisters are obstacles, not people.
SELECTIVE ABOUT ENERGY: We are called to build WITH PROFOUND EAGERNESS AND ENERGY. It is easy to let the body come a distant second. Our families require much of us. Our lives are full. Romans 12:11 “…not lagging behind (ok-nay-ros’ – from the word to delay or back off) in diligence (spoude: eagerness), fervent (dzeh’-o – “to boil”) in spirit, serving (from doulos – slave) the Lord; I will come if there is ‘SOMETHING FOR ME” isn’t Biblical thinking and does not reflect the eagerness God wants.
SELECTIVE ABOUT ATTITUDES: Maturity in Christianity can be measured – not simply in Bible knowledge – but in the attitude of POSITIVE EXPECTATION. Romans 12:12 “…rejoicing (khah’-ee-ro – giving a cheerful salutation) in hope (el-pece’ – to anticipate with expectation)”, Time and trouble have kept you apart – but now you celebrate just being a part of one another’s lives for a brief moment. The church is endangered when we cannot be expectant about our how God will shape our brothers and sister and what lay in our future – Jesus is COMING!
3: We must be STEADY PEOPLE: We are told to be busy about BRACING THE WEAK AND BINDING UP PAIN…The point is not to lighten the burden, but to strengthen the endurance for what WILL come. We are to prepare people for trouble, not just respond to it. Romans 12:12b “…persevering (hupomeno: remaining under) in tribulation (thlip’-sis – weight of trouble or pressure).
4: We must be DEPENDENT PEOPLE:
DEPENDENT UPON GOD: God’s church is powerless unless it is DEPENDENT ON GOD. Romans 12:12b “…devoted to (pros-kar-ter-eh’-o – continually giving themselves to or attending constantly to, sometimes translated “standing ready in”) prayer. A church that can plan it and execute it without praying for it is a self reliant church. Eve found out that relying on the faculties of SELF led to SIN and SEPARATION from God – not intimacy with God.
DEPENDENT UPON EACH OTHER: The comfort of others in the body should affect my life. We must be GIVING WITH CARE. In a society increasingly overtaxed and swindled by hucksters, we must not become suspicious and cynical over every need. Romans 12:13 “…contributing to the needs of the saints. Here is a simple question – “Can we, your brothers and sisters, depend on YOU?”
5: We must be SHARING PEOPLE: We have to admit that the need is huge and few are the places that are SHELTERING WITH LOVE. We are called to build up the body by spending TIME with one another. Romans 12:13b “…practicing hospitality.” This is one of the fundamental points we are losing in the modern church. People go and GET, but they are losing the simple bench mark measure – “Do I really want to spend time with people?” The number of Christians that I am meeting that believe they are mature, but do not LIKE people is getting unbelievably high. I believe it is mostly POORLY cloaked SELFISHNESS. Romans 12:15 picks up on this by reminding us to (12:15) “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” NO MATTER what you believe this rejoining entails – it cannot be done WITHOUT SHARING OUR LIVES.
6: We must be FORGIVING PEOPLE: We have to be ready to get back up after being hurt, and not use our reflex of revenge. God gave us something we could DO with the energy we gain from the revenge instinct – it is to be funneled into thinking of ways to bless those who deliberately hurt us to get us to leave them alone. 12:14 Bless those who persecute (dee-o’-ko: dog your steps to get you to flee) you; bless and do not curse. Romans 12:17-21 reinforces the literal understanding of this when it says: “ Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. 20 “BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
