Romans 12:1-8
Q.1. How should we respond to God’s mercies? What undermines and what ungirds our minds? How should we view our new life in Christ? How does our faith grow? – (Rom.12:1-3)
Paul had completed his explanation of justification by faith, and of God’s plan for both Jews and Gentiles. Since God has so wonderfully extended His mercy to lost sinners, Paul called on believers – … to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship (Rom.12:1). Our worship of God involves dedicating our bodies to Him. This we do by refusing to let the world squeeze us into its mould, and by allowing the Holy Spirit to transform our thinking, and to renew our minds (Rom.12:2). Only by doing this, can we live a life consistent with God’s plan and purpose for us. As Paul has explained, we were formerly slaves to sin and dominated by the spirit of the age. However, now we belong to Christ, and as his servants we need to change our thinking, to reflect what is pleasing to God. Paul had gone to great lengths to explain about our old nature and our new life in Christ. He advised us to be grateful for the gifts that God has given us in the context of the body of Christ, yet not to become inflated with pride over their effectiveness. This will help us to be neither overconfident nor defeatist in our spiritual walk. Here he suggested that we grow by exercising our God-given spiritual gifts – … as God has allotted to each a measure of faith (Rom.12:3). God has designed all of us with the potential to serve and glorify Him (1 Pet.4:10-11).
Q.2. Why did God give spiritual gifts? What is the challenge of having many unique members in the same body? How should we respond to this God-chosen diversity? – (Rom.12:4-6)
God has given us gifts so we can FUNCTION in the context of the body of Christ i.e. we are saved to minister. However, each one is uniquely gifted to contribute to the growth of the body (Rom.12:4). Just as the physical body has numerous members, each with a special function and contribution – so we, who are many, are one body in Christ and individually members one of another (Rom.12:5). We all have a responsibility to contribute – Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly … (Rom.12:6). God wants us to make room for each person’s contribution, while at the same time sensing our own call to minister according to our own individual gifts.
Q.3. Are there just seven gifts? Why did Paul single out these gifts? What did he say about the gifts? What makes gifts valuable to Christ and the church? – (Rom.12:6-8 c.f. 1 Cor.chpt.12; Eph.4:7-13)
Here in Romans, Paul only spoke of seven gifts – (i) Prophecy (ii) Service (iii) Teaching (iv) Exhortation (v) Giving (vi) Leading (vii) Mercy (Rom.12:6-8). Since there are many other gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4, this list is not comprehensive. These seven spiritual gifts are often seen to be motivational gifts that may express themselves in a variety of ways, in order to build up the body of Christ. PROPHECY or preaching (i.e. the prophets of the Bible did much preaching and brought predictive messages for the future) is to be exercised – according to the proportion of his faith (Rom.12:6). SERVERS are to concentrate on serving others, and TEACHERS on teaching God’s people (Rom.12:7). EXHORTERS or counsellors (i.e. the Greek describes them as –one called alongside to help) are to bring counsel, whereas those with the gift of GIVING should give generously. Those who are gifted to LEAD or administer are to do so with diligence, to help the church function in an orderly fashion. Those given the gift of MERCY should exercise that gift with cheerfulness, lest they get discouraged (Rom.12:8). Gifts need to be operated and used. They are given to build up the body of Christ, while at the same time enabling us to offer our – spiritual service of worship (Rom.12:1,6).