Love for fellow believers 12:9-13 - Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

Resource > Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable) > Romans > Exposition > VI. THE PRACTICE OF GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS 12:1--15:13 > B. Conduct within the church 12:3-21 > 2. The necessity of love 12:9-21 > Love for fellow believers 12:9-13

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"Nowhere else in Paul's writings do we find a more concise collection of ethical injunctions. In these five verses are thirteen exhortations ranging from love of Christians to hospitality for strangers. There are no finite verbs in the paragraph. There are, however, ten participles that serve as imperatives. In the three other clauses (vv. 9, 10, 11) an imperative must be supplied. Each of the thirteen exhortations could serve as the text for a full-length sermon. What they deal with are basic to effective Christian living."³⁶⁶

12:9 Love is of primary importance (cf. Lev. 19:18; Matt. 22:39; 1 Cor. 13). However it must be sincere (cf. 1 John 4:19-21). This command acts as a heading for this whole list of exhortations.

"Paul is not always talking specifically about love, but he keeps coming back to love as the single most important criterion for approved Christian behavior."³⁶⁷

The totally committed Christian should hate evil and love what is good as his Lord does expressing commitment to His attitudes as well as to His actions.

"What God seeks in the believer is not so much a single worthy act as it is a continuing quality of life."³⁶⁸

12:10 We need to express love to individual people as well as to ideals (v. 9). Giving recognition and appreciation to those who deserve it is a concrete way of expressing love.

12:11 It is natural for Christians to slack off in our diligence in serving the Lord when we have been Christians for some time. Apollos was a model of someone who maintained fervent diligence in his service (Acts 18:25; cf. Rev. 3:15-16).

12:12 We must never lose sight of our hope of things in the future that God has promised us. This will help us persevere in tribulation (cf. 5:3-4). Prayer is our great resource whenever we feel stress and strain (cf. Phil. 4:6-7). Note the same progression from hope to perseverance to prayer in 8:24-27.

12:13 We should never be so self-centered that we fail to reach out to others. Again God the Father and God the Son are our great examples here.