CHAPTER 12

(A.D. 60)

CONSECRATION

¹I beseech you therefore, Brethren (I beg of you please), by the Mercies of God (all is given to the Believer, not because of merit on the Believers part, but strictly because of the Mercy of God), that you present your bodies a Living Sacrifice (the word Sacrifice speaks of the Sacrifice of Christ, and means that we cannot do this which the Holy Spirit demands unless our Faith is placed strictly in Christ and the Cross, which then gives the Holy Spirit latitude to carry out this great work within our lives), holy (that which the Holy Spirit Alone can do), acceptable unto God (actually means that a holy physical body, i.e., temple, is all that He will accept), which is your reasonable service. (Reasonable if we look to Christ and the Cross; otherwise impossible!)

²And be not conformed to this world (the ways of the world): but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind (we must start thinking Spiritually, which refers to the fact that everything is furnished to us through the Cross, and is obtained by Faith and not works), that you may prove what is that good (is put to the test and finds that the thing tested meets the specifications laid down), and acceptable, and Perfect, Will of God (presents that which the Holy Spirit is attempting to bring about within our lives, and can only be obtained by ever making the Cross the Object of our Faith).

SPIRITUAL GIFTS

³For I say, through the grace given unto me (refers to Pauls Apostleship given by the Grace of God [Eph. 3:8]), to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think (Israel had fallen, and the reason at least in part was because of this very thing a prideful, unscriptural evaluation of themselves); but to think soberly (dont be high-minded), according as God has dealt to every man the measure of Faith (this is given by the Holy Spirit at conversion).

⁴For as we have many members in one body (refers to every person who is in the Body of Christ), and all members have not the same office (a mode of acting or function):

⁵So we, being many, are one body in Christ (speaks of the unity which ought to be prevalent within the Body), and every one members one of another (in effect, says that whatever is true according to one is also true according to the other; this does not speak of offices, but rather being a member of the Body).

⁶Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us (speaks of different Gifts or Offices), whether Prophecy, let us Prophesy according to the proportion of Faith (has to do with the measure of Faith);

⁷Or Ministry (one who serves), let us wait on our Ministering (would have been better translated, let us Minister according to the proportion of Faith): or he who teaches, on teaching (carries the same idea; it is a wise man who stays within the sphere of service for which God, the Holy Spirit, has fitted him, and does not invade some other field of service for which he is not fitted);

⁸Or he who exhorts, on exhortation: he who gives, let him do it with simplicity (proclaims giving as a Gift or Office); he who rules, with diligence (a position of authority); he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness (the Holy Spirit says that this is a Gift as well).

COMMANDS

⁹Let love be without dissimulation (real, not feigned or hypocritical). Abhor that which is evil (the Christian is to express his hatred of evil by a withdrawal from it and a loathing of it); cleave to that which is good (fasten, and firmly).

¹⁰Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love (speaks of the Brotherhood of Believers, which is even closer than the blood ties of relatives who arent saved); in honour preferring one another (the respect shown another, which is measured by ones evaluation of another);

¹¹Not slothful in business (must be done with fervency, diligence, and attention to detail, with responsibility); fervent in Spirit (should have been translated, fervent in the Holy Spirit; looking to the Spirit constantly for leading and guidance); serving the Lord (serving Him in everything we do);

¹²Rejoicing in hope (constantly rejoicing in the sphere of hope, always believing God); patient in tribulation (to remain under the test in a God-honoring manner; not seeking to escape it, but eager to learn the lessons it was sent to teach); continuing instant in prayer (the idea is that we pray about everything continually, and be quick to do so);

¹³Distributing to the necessity of Saints (pertains to concern and generosity); given to hospi tality (kindness toward all, even strangers).

¹⁴Bless them which persecute you (speak well of such a one): bless, and curse not (the Christian is to only bless, and not pronounce judgment on others, even our most strident enemies; we must leave judgment to the Lord).

¹⁵Rejoice with them who do rejoice (speaks of the Believer being sincerely glad for the Blessings of others), and weep with them who weep (expresses the Believer being sincerely sorry for and with those who experience tribulation and sorrow).

¹⁶Be of the same mind one toward another (have the same mind toward all, whether great or small, rich or poor). Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate (the manner in which a Believer treats a person who occupies the lowest station of life [whatever that might be] when no one else is seeing or hearing shows what you are). Be not wise in your own conceits (proclaims the antipathy felt by the Apostle to every sort of spiritual aristocracy, and to every caste-distinction within the Church).

CONDUCT

¹⁷Recompense to no man evil for evil (we are not to repay evil in like kind, but rather with the very opposite). Provide things honest in the sight of all men (the Christian is exhorted to take careful forethought that his manner of life and his outward expression conforms to, and is honestly representative of, what he is, a Child of God).

¹⁸If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men (the Believer has no control over the conduct of another, but the idea is that the initiative in disturbing the peace is never to lie with the Christian).

¹⁹Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves (proclaims action respecting fellow human beings), but rather give place unto wrath (speaks of Gods Wrath, and means to leave room for it and not take Gods proper Work out of His Hands): for it is written, Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, saith the Lord ([Lev. 19:18] the righting of wrong is to be committed to the Lord).

²⁰Therefore if your enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink (we should treat our enemies with goodness): for in so doing you shall heap coals of fire on his head (coals of fire were taken from the Brazen Altar, a Type of the Cross, and placed on the Altar of Incense; the Cross diverted judgment to intercession, of which the Altar of Incense was a type; by showing kindness to an enemy, we are diverting judgment, and showing mercy which God has shown us).

²¹Be not overcome of evil (dont meet evil with evil, which only breeds more evil), but overcome evil with good (the initiative has changed from evil to good).