Romans 12-16
Butterfly Believers

(*See note on Ps 120) Living together in daliy unity is great for roommates, marriages, families, and Bodies of Believers and other institutions. However, a group of self-centered people who only seek to further their own agendas are odious and stinky. In a dry climate, oil was refreshing, and dew essential for growth. The references to the anointing oil and blessing from Yahweh on Mount Zion, allude to the unity of a unified nation in unified worship. Both David and Hezekiah experienced the blessing of peace when Israel had one heart to do what God wanted (2Samuel 19:14 and 2Chronicles 19:12). Unity is not found in agreeing to disagree, or a union of likes/dislikes, but in all being of one mind and heart united in doing God's will, God's way. Note in the following verse, believers are perfectly united in the same judgment, which means there is not blind acceptance or group-think, but a discussion, debate and determination of what God wants.

1Corinthians 1:10 Now I beg you...that you all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

See above for the first two verses. This passage has a lot of “one another” verses in it (the Greek reflexive pronoun allelon describes things people do with each other and is used in a number of commands that are given to NT believers). In fact these constitute the marching orders for Biblical Bodies of believers. We are members of “one another” just like a human body, thus our present and future are interconnected. Random body parts don't constitute a human body, nor does that happen in the spiritual realm. The early church had 3,000 converts on the day of Pentecost, and a total of 5,000 a week later. With just twelve apostles, and no New Testament, how were they to function? The Holy Spirit gave gifts and gifted people (Eph 4) to help the Church get established and function so as to please God, the Heavenly Father of the family of believers. The faith necessary for the proper functioning of the Body, has been divided up (that's what the word “apportioned” means) among the Body, so all the members are necessary. This is not about believing that Jesus died for our sins, that was back in chapter 3. Note the number of times in verse 3 that Paul uses “think”. To think soberly, is to have a proper estimation of reality. Anything else is delusional. In Greek thought, being sound-minded, was having your life governed by objectives, rather than passions or delusions. Note also the use of mind in verse 16, forming an inclusio about thinking correctly about relationships in the Body. See 1Corinthians 12-14 for more about the use of “gifts in the body.” The persecution in verse 14 is not from without, but about that within the Body of believers (just look at verses 15-16), as is the desire for vengeance. See outline under Digging Deeper for the details. Here are the summary points, note the flow:

• A. 1-2 The Result of sacrificing themselves to God in sacred metamorphosis is that believers experience God's perfect will in their lives
• B. 3 The Reason believers need a sacred mental metamorphosis is because prideful thinking prevents proper functioning and service of others in the Body.
• C. 4-5 The Reason prideful thinking prevents proper functioning and service of others in the Body is because it fails to recognize that we are all interdependent members in union with Christ.
• D. 6-11 The Result of recognizing that we are all interdependent members in union with Christ is that believers should use their gifts and love in accord with the grace given to them, as they serve each other and the Lord.
  

In the OT, especially in Daniel, Jeremiah, and the other prophets, it was clear that God used human government, even evil government (like Assyria, and at times Egypt and Babylon) to accomplish His purposes, which sometimes involved the protection of His people, and at other times, the judgment of His people. In the NT, the Roman government put Christ and James to death, but preserved Paul. This passage (and others) indicate that God has set the boundaries of nations and government for His sovereign will, so fighting against government is frequently fighting against God. When a government's rules conflict with God's commands, one must obey God rather than man (Acts 5:29), and be prepared to suffer the consequences or run. The role of government in this passage is to reward the good and punish the evil. But what does one do when a government does the opposite? What does a Christian do if a Hitler rises to power? Or a military coup ousts the former government? Should Christians “fight” for good government? Should the colonists have declared independence from England? Maybe I'll address these questions in a commentary in the future, but here's a thought to mull. There is a difference between OT and NT models, but the principle of love (which is in both testaments, and discussed in the last half of this chapter) gives some insight. Love is doing what is in another's best interest, often at the expense of oneself. It's usually in the best interest of others to have good government, and thus believers should work to secure that (without neglecting the higher priorities God has specified in His word). On the other hand, God told the pre-exilic Judahites that it was better to go to Babylon, or flee, rather than stay in Jerusalem under a Davidic king, so there are times to abandon the “fight” and take flight.

We should not fail to give (owe) taxes, customs, respect, honor, etc., to anyone, except the ongoing obligation to love each other. Since love does not harm another, it fulfills the law. So it's time to get rid of the self-centered self-protective prideful mentality of darkness, and put on the Spirit armor of light. The reason for walking in obedience under sound-minded objectives, rather than self-indulgent lusts is that judgment day is coming. Our salvation (not justification, but glorification, the redemption of our Bodies, and the donning of glory-suits -2Cor 5:3) is nearer now than when we first believed. When we first believed (exercised faith), we were forgiven (justified), it's a present possession. But there is something yet future, which is coming closer, also called our salvation, when Christ finishes reversing the effects of the Fall and shares His glory with the faithful.

Paul sums up the actions that should follow a renewed mind with verse 14. We have to put on the Lord Jesus Christ (embrace Him as Lord and do His will), and imitate His actions, obeying His commands. We can't put Him on over our old works of darkness, nor our old thinking (don't be conformed -12:2), so we need to not only put those off, but make no provision, plan, scheme, nor maneuvering to fulfill our desires for illegitimate temporal gratification (lusts of the flesh).

This chapter establishes a couple of key principles: a believer's freedom of conscience (where God hasn't spoken we're free to develop our own convictions); our lack of freedom to use our convictions to judge one of the Lord's servants (another believer seeking to serve God); and, the BIGGIE, whether we've lived in faith and love, which will determine if we will realize our hope (of reward) in the coming Kingdom of God.

Believers will be judged, on a number of issues (not just on whether they've accepted Christ or not), namely,

• on how our behavior or freedom has affected others;
• on the motives for our actions (Christ pleasing or self pleasing);
• on our judgment of others;
• on whether or not we've lived in love;
• on whether or not we've built up or edified others;
• on how we've limited ourselves for the benefit of others;
• on whether what we do is a response of faith to God's revelation, or our desires and ambitions.

The Kingdom of God, which is where our judgment has its consequences, is not about eating and drinking in the here and now, but living for righteousness (doing what is right in Christ's sight), and having resultant peace and joy from the Holy Spirit. Those are two of His fruits (Gal 5:22) that we can experience partially now (15:13) and more fully in the future (Isa 55:12).

The last verse is worth thinking a little more about: if we can't demonstrate that what we do is a response to God's revelation, then how can we say it is of faith? Paul says it's of sin (independence, which reaps judgment).

Paul encourages those who are stronger and more mature in the faith to build up those who are weaker, seeking to please them, not themselves. This is Christlike, as Psalm 69:9 indicates. Whatever was recorded in the OT was to instruct us so we would endure and persevere to achieve our hope (of reward).

Continuing on the theme of interaction between Body members, he stresses the importance of unity (one mind and one voice -cf 1Cor 1:10) which results in harmonious glory being given to God. Therefore believers should accept one another as Christ did us (when we admitted we were wrong, confessed our sin, and stopped fighting Him). We can't have a “more Christ-like” standard of acceptance than Christ did (please leave your sin at the door, and forget about it). The other element of unity is service, and as we serve others for the truth of God, a basis of unity is established, so that diverse groups (like Jews and Gentiles) can together praise and glorify God as the OT indicates. In verse 12, Paul ends the OT proof on Isaiah 11:10 which indicates that the Gentiles will seek the offspring of the root of Jesse/David who will arise to rule of the Gentiles, who will hope in Him. The hope is not justifying faith, but the persevering expectation of reward in the Messianic Kingdom, as they live for Him in this age.

Paul prays that the God who is the source of hope will fill the Gentiles with joy and peace (Messianic blessings) as they believe, so they will have an abundant hope, through the sanctifying and empowering work of the Holy Spirit. Paul is persuaded that common everyday believers are able to warn and instruct each other when they are full of goodness (proper motive), filled/controlled by knowledge (proper method). This is another of those “one-another” passages which specify the interactions believers should have with each other in a Body. Paul writes boldly so he can fulfill his commission to serve as a priest in the preparing of the offering of the Gentiles, who are made acceptable and holy by the Holy Spirit. Paul's job is to cause the Gentiles to obey. He doesn't want to build on someone else's foundation, which as a miracle working apostle sent to the Gentiles was appropriate. The usual model is what he's been instructing the Romans to do: build up each other where they are, and through the witness of the Body, the truth would spread as they live in obedient, God-glorifying unity.

Paul closes the chapter with his desire to see them, and his trip to Jerusalem to take a contribution from the churches of Macedonia and Achaia to the poor and oppressed saints in Jerusalem (hint, hint). Actually he goes beyond hinting to state that the Greeks are debtors to the Jews for the spiritual blessings they've received, and therefore ought to “serve them in fleshly things,” which is described as “fruit.” He puts in a prayer request from being delivered from disobedient Jews, and being able to see them with joy (and there's that peace again).

Paul concludes the letter with a commendation of those who have demonstrated the obedience to (that accompanies) the faith he's been trying to develop, and for which he was an apostle (1:5; 16:26). He names a number of women and men who are fellow-workers, and fellow-prisoners in Christ, and gives some insight into the network of relationships and love essential to Biblical ministry. Phoebe was probably the letter carrier. Priscilla and Aquila apparently moved to Rome and started a house church. A couple of women are singled out for working/laboring particularly hard, and a few people are specially beloved by Paul. It's worth noting that in verse 13 Rufus is the only one called “elect” (in fact the word is only used elsewhere in Romans in 8:33), an indication of his “choice” or “select” status because of his service, not his “salvation/justification.” The “holy kiss” in verse 16 (another of those one-another passages) indicates the level of fondness and affection that existed among those in the family of God (holy, as in not like the Gentiles; and kiss-“philema” from phileo -brotherly love).

The Body of Christ is a group of believers focused on following Christ with each other. Those who don't serve the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own passions and desires are to be noted and avoided (as in turn away from them). These self-centered, disobedient believers will face judgment and saints don't want share in their judgment. If we're wise in what's good, and innocent in what's evil, we can look forward to the peace and grace of God. Shortly (from His perspective) God will crush Satan (Gen 3:15) under their feet (Kingdom time!). Tertius the guy who took down Paul's dictation slips in a line (was verse 22 inspired?).

Paul's benediction is worth examining. He wants glory to be given to God, the only wise (11:33) through Jesus the Messiah, to (eis) the Age (of the Messiah). That glory will be given as the believers live in obedient response to the revelation Paul has declared to them. This is the revelation of the mystery (hitherto unrevealed information) which existed as part of God's plan before He made the world. This mystery is brought to light by Paul's preaching of the prophetic Scriptures (OT prophets) according to the command of God. The mystery (11:25-27) is that Israel, because of their unbelief, experienced a partial blindness until the fullness of the Gentiles could believe, and become participants in the Messiah's Kingdom. Then the Messiah would turn away ungodliness form Jacob and take away their sins. Paul proclaimed this to the Jews and Gentiles to bring about obedience sourced in faith, among all, so all could together give glory to God.