Title: Romans 12:14-21
Romans 12:14-21 You should do this Topic: 44. Serving. 2010. 10. 31.
◎ Introduction
: God requires the believer to be self-controlled and completely free from carnal things.
※ Believers are required to testify strongly of God's love and to reveal God's love and forgiveness for people.
1. Bless those who persecute. (14)
※ The word “blessed” means “to speak kindly” and is required to speak kindly to those who persecute.
※ What does it mean to bless and do good to those who persecute?
① It is to say good things to those who persecute.
② It is a good thing to say about those who persecute.
③ It is praying for those who persecute.
④ It is to do good to those who persecute.
(Luke 6:27, 35; Romans 12:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:15; Ex 23:5; Proverbs 25:21)
2. Show genuine interest in what other people are going through. (15)
One). You should rejoice with those who rejoice.
※ Instead of participating in the eating and drinking of the world, it means that when something good happens, you should enjoy it with your neighbors or friends and relatives. It's not as easy as it sounds. Because there is something against such an attitude in human nature.
※ Sometimes it is difficult to enjoy the success of others together. He must rule his nature.
2). We must weep with those who weep.
※ What a believer should have is compassion for seeing others' weaknesses.
3. Reconcile and associate with the lowly. (16)
One). Believers must be “of the same heart” toward others.
※ A believer should try to understand other people's minds (personality and existence, situation and circumstances, status and position, needs and emotions).
※ Believers must understand others to the extent that they feel completely identical to them.
2). A believer should not set his heart on high things, but set himself on low things.
※ “High place” means excellence, honor, prestige, and recognition.
* upper class society. high status. material abundance.
※ We must not rule over the lowly, but we must care for them and provide a life that meets their needs
3). A believer must not be wise in himself.
※ What are the things that people feel wiser than others and superior to others?
* cloth. car. grade. social group. job. honor. status. popularity. part. ......
※ Believers should not lead a foolish life in the pride of being superior to others.
※ Intellectual pride or empty superiority is more harmful and fatal than any pride.
(Col 1:18; 3 John 9; Isa 5:21; Ro 11:25; 12:3; 1 Corinthians 8:2; Gal 6:3; Proverbs 3:7)
4. Live a flawless life. (17)
One). The believer must not repay evil for evil.
※ Believers must treat themselves unfairly and do not repay evildoers with evil.
※ This is because repaying evil for evil is neither God's method nor Christ's attitude.
2). The believer should seek to do good in the sight of all men.
※ The word “plan” means “think before you act”.
※ The Bible says it is for believers to show honest and virtuous behavior to people.
(Romans 13:8; 2 Corinthians 8:21; Proverbs 3:3-4)
5. Be at peace with everyone. (18)
※ Believers must be at peace with people. However, peace is not always possible.
※ Those who believe in “if possible” should be at peace with everyone.
* However, it should be remembered once again that peace is not always possible with everyone.
One). The cause of the conflict must not come from the believer.
※ As far as possible, we must do everything that can bring and maintain peace. (20)
However, this may not be possible.
2). How does a believer decide whether to have a “left cheek” or to defend himself?
※ The comprehensive principle is “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).
* But if the evildoer is allowed to continue to sin, the evil character of indulgence and indulgence will intensify and eventually bring down the believer.
* Therefore, the believer must not sacrifice the truth to maintain peace.
* We must not allow evil to triumph over truth.
(Ecclesiastes 10:4; Romans 12:18; 14:19; Hebrews 12:14)
6. Do not take revenge. (19-21)
※ Believers must not take revenge.
One). Because revenge belongs to God. (19)
※ “My beloved,” is an exhortation for believers.
※ If anyone follows God, he must leave it to God to take revenge.
* Because revenge belongs to God.
(Romans 12:19; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8; Hebrews 10:30)
2). For loving the enemy will have a great influence on him. (20)
* By doing good, the believer is “laying up coals of coal” on the head of his enemy.
※ Mercy will make the enemy ashamed and wretched.
※ By doing mercy, you will accumulate wrath on the day of judgment against those who have done evil.
3). For to take revenge is to lose to evil. (21)
※ If a believer takes revenge, evil triumphs, so it should never be allowed.
* The believer must overcome evil, never yield.
※ It is possible to overcome evil by doing good.
* In particular, we must overcome evil by doing good toward those who persecute and slander us.
(Matthew 5:39-41, 44; Ephesians 4:26-27; 1 Thessalonians 5:15)
◎ Conclusion: