Beauty in the Book: Romans 12
Themes
This chapter unpacks themes of God’s grace, spiritual gifts, and intentional living. Explore how the Gospel empowers us to live a transformed life of sincere love and proper humility—as we operate peaceably, powerfully, and purposefully in the church, and in the world.
Questions
This chapter addresses the following questions:
How can I know what God’s will is?
How am I to think of spiritual gifts in regards to the church?
How do spiritual gifts reveal God’s grace?
What does it mean to actively love others?
Moving Forward
This writing will break down the chapter section-by-section, offering commentary for your reflection. Don’t miss the ending titled Beauty in the Book where it all gets wrapped up in a bow—highlighting how every chapter is woven with uplifting realities of God’s goodness and grace.
Romans 12:1-2
After eleven chapters of breaking down what has been accomplished for us in Christ—largely from a spiritual perspective—Paul dives into how salvation might play out in our physical bodies, as we live transformed lives in the day-to-day. He is getting practical.
Just as we have explored God’s mercy toward us for eleven chapters, now we get to explore how to operate as believers in the ways of his kingdom, displaying Christ’s love and righteousness in the world.
And what a perfect order in which to explore these things: his love coming first, and our love coming second. After all, his love begets our love.
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:9-11 NIV
God’s love: first we know it, then we show it.
Before Paul gets into the specifics of living a life reflective of God’s love, he offers the big picture idea that it all must begin with our minds being renewed.
Our minds are renewed so that we can live in the way God intends for us. To operate in accordance with God’s will must first begin with the transformation of our minds.
John Piper has a stellar quote on this topic:
“The Christian alternative to immoral behaviors is not a new list of moral behaviors. It is the triumphant power and transformation of the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ — our Savior, our Lord, our Treasure. “[God] has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:6). So transformation is a profound, blood-bought, Spirit-wrought change from the inside out.”
The Bible has a lot to say about our minds in relation to Jesus. And it’ fascinating stuff.
For starters, 1 Corinthians 4:4, describes the darkened minds of unbelievers:
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:4 NIV
A person who can’t see the goodness of the gospel experiences a sort of spiritual blindness. When someone has seen the light, however, they begin to conceive with their mind the glory of Jesus as displayed in the Gospel. They see how God’s image is displayed in him.
It’s a divine transformation that takes place when someone passes from death to life in Jesus. They are washed, reborn, and renewed in the Spirit, and their human minds go from spiritual blindness to spiritual sight—where they begin to be capable of comprehending the good things God has prepared for those who love him. See it in 1 Corinthians 2:
However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”—
the things God has prepared for those who love him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 1 Corinthians 2:9-12 NIV
The eye-opening nature of the Christian faith is something we might contend for and pray for an increased measure of, just as Paul prays for the church in Ephesus in Ephesians 1.
He asks that the eyes of their hearts might be enlightened, so they can better grasp all that God has given them. After all, the depth and riches of God’s extravagant mercies are endless.
I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe... Ephesians 1:16-19 NIV
God wants his chosen ones to comprehend his glory of the Gospel; even as they walk in the fullness of its power. (John 15:1-8)
It’s only as our hearts are yielded to his mercies—abiding in the person of Christ—that we can live the fruitful, transformed lives he intends for his people.
As we lean into Romans 12:1, we are reminded that it’s only in view of God’s mercy that we are able to offer our bodies as living sacrifices to him.
Paul assures the reader that this process is what it looks like to live in holy and pleasing worship to God. We understand God’s mercy, we trust in Jesus, he regenerates our minds, and we walk in the new life he has given us.
Walking out our new lives in Christ begins with the transformation of our minds. The greek definition for mind is a hearty one. And after reading what exactly is denoted in this specific word, we gain incredible insight as to what Paul may have meant when he encourages us to be transformed by our renewing of it. (Definition found at blueletterbible.org)
Mind, nous, νοῦς:
the intellectual faculty, the understanding
reason in the narrower sense, as the capacity for spiritual truth, the higher powers of the soul, the faculty of perceiving divine things, of recognising goodness and of hating evil
the power of considering and judging soberly, calmly and impartially
*Definition from blueletterbible.org.
As you can see, this definition of mind goes beyond how we might think of that word in our everyday, English-speaking world. The “mind” doesn’t just consist of our intellectual nature, but our soul’s ability to perceive right and wrong, our capacity for spiritual truth, and our ability for clear discernment.
So then, as our minds are renewed by the Holy Spirit—as we have a regenerated mind that becomes able to discern what’s right and wrong—may we choose to walk in what’s good.
May we not continue along with the sway of the world, but may we fix our eyes on Jesus and continue in step with him. With our new spiritual sight, may we fix our gaze on him even as we are transformed more-and-more into his image:
And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV
It’s only as we let ourselves be transformed by the work of the Holy Spirit inside of us, that we will be able to test and approve God’s will. We touched on the Scripture earlier, but it’s entirely worth re-visiting because Titus 3 describes this process so well:
At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone. Titus 3:3-8 NIV
As you can see above, we used to live in sin and hatred, but when God’s love appeared and his incredible mercy, we were saved from that wicked way of life. He washed us clean by the power of the Holy Spirit, offered us full justification, the hope of eternal life.
We are to focus on these realities of God’s salvation—to “stress these things” as it says in the text—so that believers can be careful to devote themselves to what is good.
We understand God’s mercy and trust in Jesus for salvation, then we walk in his ways.
Romans 12:3
After discussing the idea of keeping God’s mercy in view and understanding God’s will, Paul soberly reminds the Roman believers that this faith we have is itself a gift from God.
We aren’t to puff ourselves up regarding our own faith. But rather, as we saw above, it is only to God’s credit that our eyes are opened to his glory. We are to walk humble, grateful lives of service as we operate in accordance with our faith.
Romans 12:4-8
We couldn’t talk about the nature of using our gifts in the church without pulling the reference of 1 Corinthians 12:12-19, which offers an excellent metaphor for what the members of the church are like: members of a body! Enjoy:
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
We are the hands and feet of Jesus in this world. (And the eyes, ears, noses, etc…) We come together as the body of Christ—the church—and operate as the Holy Spirit empowers us for the common good. (1 Corinthians 12:1-31)
And while we are to eagerly desire the gifts of the Spirit—which serve beautiful purposes—may we always keep love in proper view. Meaning, while we would be good to place an appropriate value on gifts of the Spirit, may it never eclipse our pursuit of love in the church, and in the world around us. (1 Corinthians 14:1, 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:3)
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 explains the immense value of love in a memorable way:
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NIV
Keeping love in view, Paul opens this explanation of spiritual gifts with the affirmation that as members of Christ’s church, we belong to one another. (12:5) We receive gifts of the Spirit in accordance with God’s grace, and through the faith God has distributed to each of us. May we approach these gifts with a posture of humility and an attitude of selfless love.
1 Peter 4:10 sums it up well:
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10 NIV
May God’s grace be put on full display in his church!
Romans 12:9-13
Next up, Paul rattles off a series of quick remarks pointing the church towards faithful living. For fun—is this your idea of fun, too?!—let’s toss them in some bullet points, paraphrased!
Sometimes breaking things out of the verbatim we are used to engages are minds as we deeply consider what’s being shared. Here’s the list:
Love sincerely. Hate evil. (12:9)
Hold onto what’s good. (12:9)
Love each other with devotion. (12:10)
Honor others above yourself. (12:10)
Serve the Lord, passionately and enthusiastically. (12:11)
Let hope keep you joyful! (12:12)
Stay patient in painful times. (12:12)
Pray faithfully. (12:12)
Share with the Lord’s people who need it! (12:13)
Be hospitable. (12:13)
I mean, that all sounds pretty great, right?!
All-in-all, it seems Paul is invoking the church to walk out the love we have received. To know his goodness and to act in accordance with his goodness from the position of a transformed heart.
He encourages the Romans to hold fast to their true hope, remaining joyful, prayerful, and patient. After all, the hope we have is a real and present hope—one that produces an organic joy as we consider all it means for our lives both for now and for eternity. (More on that in here!)
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13 NIV
He rallies them to serve the Lord with all they’ve got—enthusiastically! passionately!—even as they serve one another. After all, serving those in need is serving the Lord. Have you ever read Matthew 14:31-40, in which Jesus describes this dynamic?
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” Matthew 25:31-40 NIV
Jesus wants us to serve our brothers and sisters in Christ, even as we serve him.
Romans 12:14
When we love our enemies, we reflect the nature of our loving and gracious God, who loved us enough to send his son, while we were still dead in our sin.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 NIV
A steadfast love like His isn’t contingent on receiving it first, but continues in love even in the face of rejection. See how Jesus shares about this during his Sermon on the Mount:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:43-48 NIV
So then, blessing those who persecute you and not cursing them, reflects the image of our Father in heaven. Using our words to do good versus evil.
He wants us to speak blessing over all—as all are made in his image. (James 3:9-10)
Continuing in this topic of love, it would be good to note what Jesus said to his disciples in Matthew 24, letting them know what the end of time would bring; he spoke regarding the idea of loving with perseverance:
Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. Matthew 24:12-14 NIV
May we love until the very end!
Romans 12:15-16
In a few different ways, Paul encourages the Romans to get on others’ levels. Not acting in vain superiority, but humble love. It reminds me of how Jesus is described in Philippians 2. He was God-by-nature, yet he became human-like-us. This is how we are to interact with others, with humility:
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross! Philippians 2:5-8 NIV
We do this as we keep eternity in view. We know our place on this earth as servants of the Lord, and we seek to lay ourselves down for the sake of others. May we be agents of love who are willing to make ourselves lesser so that the life of Jesus might be put on full display.
I love the way this scripture is translated in the King James Version:
Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Romans 12:16 KJV
It presents this idea of not minding the things of this world or taking pride in them, but all being of the same mind. Coming together—with the things of this world put out of view—so that we might love one another truly, from the heart.
1 Peter 1 describes the dynamic of brotherly love as it relates to what’s temporary and what’s eternal. For the things that might cause us to esteem in the world are passing away, but God’s word—the one that invites us into true and pure love—remains:
Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for
“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
but the word of the Lord remains forever.”And this word is the good news that was preached to you. 1 Peter 1:22-25 ESV
May we live harmoniously with our brothers and sisters in Christ, loving truly, as we remember what truly matters—the faith we share.
Romans 12:17-21
This next portion of scripture contains words that are both incredibly straightforward, and incredibly challenging to accomplish—aside from the work of the Holy Spirit.
For in our flesh, revenge makes sense. And yet, in Christ, a new way is introduced:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.” Matthew 5:38-39 NIV
Our flesh wants to fight back and to turn against those who insult and harm us. But God calls us to the higher plane of forgiveness. I’ve heard it said that forgiveness is like taking the things that offend you and placing them at the feet of Jesus.
It’s not approving what’s wrong so much as it’s surrendering it to the only proper judge.
It’s like saying, “Ouch, this hurt me, but I trust You to deal with it instead of me.”
And while one might think this sets them up for more pain, forgiveness is actually the only way to allow ourselves to be saved from bitterness, anger, and other assailants of our soul.
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32 ESV
Furthermore, we aren’t just allowing evil to take place as much as we are inviting God to take care of us when faced with evil. We are leaving room for God to judge.
It reminds me of Psalm 91—a powerful psalm describing God’s ability to guard and protect his people. See verses 1 and 2:
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 91:1-2 NIV
Choosing to walk peaceably, without offense, and in the fullness of forgiveness is to allow God to be our refuge and fortress. It’s not to put ourself in harm’s way as much as it is to place ourselves safely in his care, finding rest for our souls.
Finally, Paul ends with the invocation to not let evil triumph over us, but to triumph over evil with goodness. We are to keep moving forward in the love and kindness of God—even towards our enemies.
In this way, we shine the light of Christ in the world, in the hopes that others see the beauty of the Gospel on display. For it’s only in this Gospel that they will be beckoned towards the life transformation that occurs from the inside out—as love abounds and ultimately wins the day, for all those in Christ Jesus.
Beauty in the Book
As we hold God’s mercy in view, an incredible and divine thing happens: through the regenerative work of the Holy Spirit, we are offered the opportunity to be transformed into the image of Christ.
Our spiritual eyes become opened and we behold the beauty of who God is, and all he has freely offered us in the person of Jesus. As we gaze—eyes wide open—on the face of Christ, we become emboldened to walk in this world as people made brand new.
That’s what this portion of Romans is all about: living as those transformed by love. To walk as humble recipients of God’s grace through lives of service. In the church, we serve in the power of the Spirit, enabled and equipped to love with special gifts reserved for the people of God. We practice hospitality, we serve faithfully, we give generously—and we do it all according to God’s grace flowing in and through us.
And in this world, we are like Jesus. (1 John 4:17) We lay our lives down in love for those around us. We bless others, even when we don’t get it in return. We forgive others, even when they insult us to our core.
We lay everything at the feet of Jesus, entrusting ourselves to the true beauty of the Gospel, knowing that we can trust our Lord completely. And in that trust, may we enjoy lives of peace and rest that come only from knowing Him.
Thank you Jesus!
