Pracitcal Instructions for Believers

Study of Romans: Message Twenty-Six

Wednesday Nights at MFBC

Romans 12:9-21.

ETS: Paul instructed believers regarding their interaction with other people.

ESS: We ought to interact with others in a manner that glorifies God regardless of what group they belong to.

OSS: [Ethical] {I want the hearers to commit to interacting with both believers and unbelievers in a manner that draws people to Christ.}

PQ:

Who are the two groups Paul has in mind as he gives instructions to the believers regarding their interactions with others?

UW: Groups

Intro.: [AGS]: As a student at Blue Mountain College, I quickly realized not every student was a believer. Furthermore, not every student was there to focus on school. Certainly, not every student was there to prepare for ministry. I was shocked when I realized that many of the students were unbelievers. It surprised me to think that a student who did not believe in God would choose to attend a private, Christian college. I quickly learned that for many students, opportunities to continue their sports career motivated their enrolling at BMC. This provided many unique opportunities to share the Gospel and minister on campus as the culture and population quickly and drastically changed. One particular occasion stands out to me. I developed a relationship with a baseball player who lived in the same dorm as me. He was from Arkansas, and he claimed Catholicism as his religious beliefs. However, he openly admitted that he was not a devout or even practicing Catholic. As the year progressed and he and I interacted more, a particular conversation impacted me. He explained to me in the conversation that during his time at BMC, he had been impacted in a different way by believers. He had encountered two different type of Christians: (1) those that called themselves Christians, yet lived no different than any other unbeliever (partying, vulgar language, etc.) (2) those that called themselves Christians and lived to please God in their lives. He expressed that he had never encountered someone who truly lived to please God prior to this experience. I’m not sure he ever made a profession of faith, but I am certain he was impacted by the different interactions he had with believers. [TS]: Today’s text records Paul writing to a group of believers in Rome, giving practical instruction for their lives as they interact with both believers and unbelievers in the world. [RS]: You and I encounter and interact with both believers and unbelievers daily. It is urgent and important that we understand how our interactions with both groups impact the people as well as the Kingdom of God.

TS: Let us examine the two groups together now.

The first group is believers. [vv. 9-16]

Love genuinely and deeply [9a; 10a]

Turn from evil; be glued to good [9b]

Leading in showing honor. [10b]

Serve the Lord enthusiastically and diligently. [v. 11]

Remain faithful. [v. 12]

Rejoice in hope

Remain patient in affliction

Remain persistent in prayer.

Demonstrate hospitality. [vv. 13, 15]

Build others up. [v. 14]

“To bless” suggests edifying one another; “to curse” suggests to tear one another down.

Live in harmony with one another [vv. 15-16]

Rejoice when the community of believers rejoice

Weep when the community of believers weep

Conduct oneself with humility

APPLICATION: Our interaction with other believers ought to be such that exemplifies Christ [1 Pt. 2:21] and encourages the community of believers as the Kingdom is furthered.

The second group is unbelievers. [vv. 17-21]

Live honorable among unbelievers, too. [v. 17]

1 Peter 2:22-24 “22 He did not commit sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth; 23 when he was insulted, he did not insult in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten but entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”

Live at peace with all people, including unbelievers. [v. 18]

Live with a commitment to not take vengeance into one’s own hands. [19-20]

Let God take care of vengeance.

Tend to the needs of others. [Prov. 25:21 “21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,” ; Mt. 5:44 “44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,”]

The purpose of the quotation from Prov. 25:22 is not to cause an evil effect, but the opposite. This is a sense that could perhaps lead an individual to come to their own senses and to repent. Similar to Rom. 2:4 “4 Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?”

Live a Gospel-centered life, not yielding to evil. [v. 21]

Evil such as alluded to by repaying evil for evil.

APPLICATION: Our interaction with unbelievers ought to be such that draws them to Christ.

Takeaways:

[1] Have you lived a life that has encouraged and edified the community of believers?

[2] Have you lived a life that has drawn unbelievers to trust in Christ?

Consulted Resources:

[1] Edwin A. Blum, “Romans,” in CSB Study Bible: Notes, ed. Edwin A. Blum and Trevin Wax (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2017).

[2] Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament: Romans, ed. Robert Frew (London: Blackie & Son, 1884–1885).

[3] Adam Clarke, The Holy Bible with a Commentary and Critical Notes, New Edition., vol. 6 (Bellingham, WA: Faithlife Corporation, 2014).

[4]William Barclay, “The Letter to the Romans” in The New Daily Study Bible (Louisville, KY: The Westminster John Knox Press, 2017).

[5] Warren W. Wiersbe, “Romans” in Be Right: How to be Right with God, Yourself, and Others (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2008).