Service: A Survey of Romans 12:1-21
Author’s note: This blog post is part of an ongoing series about the book of Romans. To see other Romans resources, click here.
The book of Romans resembles a mountain range. The intrepid reader must work hard to summit its heights, but he is rewarded with breathtaking vistas of the glory of God. After a steep and exhausting ascent through eight chapters, the reader attains the first—highest—peak. Three more chapters of rocky terrain separate him from the secondary peak, found at the end of chapter eleven. Then, worn out but exultant in his view of God, the traveler is led gently downward through five more chapters of alpine meadows—less spectacular, perhaps, in their sublimity, but verdant with application. It is on this downward path through spiritual highlands that we now travel.
A Paradigm for Spiritual Worship (12:1-2)
Our hearts are meant to be full as we enter chapter twelve. We have seen the power of grace, the sacrifice of Christ, and the plan of God for world history. These truths should raise our affections to the highest pitch, and Paul assumes that we are eager to worship God.
Hence, Paul lays out for us, in two verses, a paradigm for how to worship God. He borrows cultic language that would be familiar from temples and ancient worship ceremonies, but he does not describe a worship “service.” Rather, genuine spiritual worship is a matter of living each moment of life for God: existing as “sacrifices.”
Paul’s appeal is through “the mercies of God,” which naturally reminds us of everything that has come before. Indeed, in view of God’s mercy, such dedication to him is the only rational response for saved sinners. As Schreiner notes, “Since God has been so merciful, failure to dedicate one’s life to him is the height of folly and irrationality.”
The call is to complete dedication to God; believers are no longer their own—they are sacrifices. Such sacrifices are defined by three words: “living,” “holy,” and “acceptable to God.”
The paradigm that Paul lays out contrasts significantly with the way Gentiles live in chapter one. While Gentiles do not see fit to acknowledge God, Christians worship him. Gentiles become futile in their thinking, and their hearts are darkened; Christians, by contrast, engage in “rational” or “reasonable” worship. And while Gentiles dishonor their bodies, Christians present their bodies to God.
Verse two expands on this paradigm by showing that true worship centers on the mind; it is a rejection of the world’s ways of thinking. The world has paradigms, thought patterns, and worldviews that press people into an ungodly mold. These patterns are reversed and believers are transformed as their minds engage in renewal. Such renewal occurs as they study, learn, meditate, and focus on God’s truth. Ultimately, this leads them to become proficient in knowing and applying what God calls them to in every situation.
This paradigm for worship is significant because it unites Jews and Gentiles together in spiritual worship. Paul has labored to explain biblical truth because it is the foundation that joins the church together. Now, as he unpacks biblical worship, he calls Jews and Gentiles to join together in the application of the doctrine they both believe.
Demonstrating Unity through Diverse Gifts (12:3-8)
After laying out the paradigm of spiritual worship, which will summarize the next chapters, Paul begins to take specific elements of life and show how this paradigm is applied. He begins by addressing all members of the church, explaining how they should view themselves and interact within the congregation.
Essential to all congregational life is a rejection of pride. No one should “think of himself more highly than he ought to think,” overvaluing his own contribution or significance to the body. Instead, each one must have a sober and accurate assessment of himself.
This does not mean we should engage in a false humility, casting ourselves as worthless and useless. A right view of ourselves acknowledges that we have unique gifts and a role to perform among God’s people. What is significant, however, is that these gifts are just that—gifts, freely given by God, undeserved.
Such an acknowledgement recognizes that God gives individuals all things, even faith, in varying degrees. God is pictured as having a “measure” (we might say a “measuring cup”) with which he measures out varying amounts of faith to each believer.
This acknowledgement also recognizes the role each person plays in the church. Each person has a unique and important role, but no role is all-encompassing or most central to the body. This is developed by Paul’s illustration of the body as consisting of many members which, coming together, create an entire organism.
The practical takeaway of this teaching is that each person must be intentional with the use of his gifting. While not an exhaustive list, Paul lays out seven specific giftings as examples. For each entry, he encourages that person not to give in to laziness but to utilize the gift for the benefit of the church, avoiding the particular vices or tendencies which could diminish that gift’s service to the body.
First, those who prophesy must do so “in proportion to our faith.” This likely refers to the tendency that one might have to veer from the divinely communicated message. The one prophesying might be tempted to continue the prophecy with human-derived additions in a desire to appear more spiritual or holy. Instead, such people should be careful only to speak what they are convinced, by faith, is from God.
Second, those who serve others in any way are to do so “in our serving.” This seemingly redundant phrase recognizes that service can be an arduous task, one which we might be tempted to give up on quickly. But it is a gift that ought to be practiced faithfully, not abandoned.
Third, the one who teaches is to do so “in his teaching.” This also is a call to commitment to the task, involving not only public instruction but also the weariness of private study. Such individuals can labor diligently to improve their gift by careful study and personal commitment.
Fourth, the one who exhorts is to do so “in his exhortation.” This differs from prophecy and teaching in that it is calling on individuals to very practically apply the teaching of Scripture. We see this gift when someone warmly and practically encourages us to apply a truth of Scripture which we might be overlooking.
Fifth, the one who contributes is to do so “in generosity.” Some people have a unique ability to contribute to the financial needs of others, but for such individuals the temptation will be to withhold their provisions and view it as a drain on their financial resources. For those who are gifted to be able to contribute, Paul calls on them to do it generously.
Sixth, those who lead are to do so “with zeal.” Leadership often requires a high degree of self-motivation, since leaders are not always being watched by overseers to ensure that they remain committed to their work. It is also easy for leaders to take their positions for granted and grow lax in the work, hence they are encouraged to maintain zeal.
Finally, the one who does acts of mercy is to do them “with cheerfulness.” Nothing stifles the joy of receiving mercy more than the sense that one’s benefactor doesn’t want to help. So that their merciful acts are not harmed, Paul calls on these people to be careful to ensure that they take joy in the mercy that they are gifted to grace others with.
Practical Worship in Daily Life (12:9-21)
Romans 12 concludes with a long list of short admonitions to help believers live out this continual worship of God. The first section of this list (vv. 9-16) is generally applicable to most situations. The second section (vv. 17-21) places special emphasis on how we should treat our enemies and how to respond to persecution.
The first section is perhaps best summarized by the command from verse 11 – “be fervent in spirit.” The idea is akin to earnestness, and most of the commands in this subsection flow out of this. Hence love is to be the genuine virtue, not a fake “niceness” (v. 9). Believers should throw themselves into the life of the congregation, treating others as spiritual siblings (v. 10), helping them in their needs (v. 13), and being genuinely moved by their triumphs and tragedies (v. 15). Believers should be uniquely committed to God in even the trying times (v. 12), clinging to good over evil (v. 9), and even demonstrating this to those who mistreat them (v. 14).
The second section might be best summarized by its final command: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (v. 21). Evil can be so overwhelming that it can sorely tempt believers to pursue their own vengeance, to turn to petty meanness, and to cut others completely out of their lives. All such actions are forbidden. Instead, believers are to “leave it to” or “give place to” the wrath (which, as the ESV specifies, is by implication “of God”). This is a quotation from Deuteronomy 32:35 and serves as a reminder that God is the one who will set all things right in the proper time.
Believers should instead demonstrate genuine care for their enemies, even going so far as to help them in their genuine needs. This is not because such actions will give a sense of moral superiority or because in this way believers can “kill with kindness” those who have harmed them; rather it is because God observes such actions and will surely do his part to care for his injured saints, as Proverbs 25:21-22 asserts.
In sum, believers worship God not only—or even primarily—through worship services and rituals, but first and foremost through their own lives. By living lives that prioritize God and place him at the center of existence, Christians show that they are sacrifices of thanksgiving to the God who has shown them mercy.
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