How Do We Live in Response to God's Grace?

Romans 12:9-21 - Love in Action

9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to ; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Paul moves from theology about the nature of Israel in God's plan of salvation to what it means to respond to God's grace in one's life.  He starts this chapter by saying, "In view of God's mercy offer your bodies as a living sacrifice.  Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your minds."  
What does this transformation look like? The person who practices what he describes above.  
Summarizing his teaching: 
1. Hate what is evil and cling to what is good.  A lot of times Christians like to flirt with or play around with evil.  Paul says to hate it.  This is convicting. 
2. Sincerely love one another.  This is not just telling people you love them but Paul gives several examples of how to do it. He includes sharing with those in need, practicing hospitality, rejoicing with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn. 
3. Love even your enemies.(Remember Paul's enemies eventually locked him up in jail and eventually killed him) and not getting revenge but forgiving your enemies. I find it humorous when he says, "Feed your enemy when he is hungry, and give him water when he is thirsty. In doing this you will heap coals on his head". 
4. Focus on your spiritual life.  I.e. Never be lacking in spiritual zeal, be joyful, patient and fervent in one's prayer life. 
Though none of us are perfect and never will be, these are some good markers of what we should strive to be like as God's people.  Importantly remember Paul's opening line in verse 1, "In view of God's mercy." Our motivation in living this kind of life is not to earn God's love. We live it because we have it. Jesus' gift to us is his death on the cross, our gift to him is a life lived in gratitude to him, which is best showed by loving all people... even those we don't like or even hate. 


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