9 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 10 love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. 18 If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
In Romans 12:9-21, Paul discusses the theme of genuine love, both within the church and toward those outside the church. The structure of these verses is loose. They function as reminders of who the Christian community is. Yet, it does so in a form different from the Torah or any approach that encourages adherence to a code. If fact, if we approach these oral admonitions as a law will miss the point. Paul is laying before us in these verses the qualities, attitudes, and actions that are to distinguish the community from other social gatherings. The people of God are to have certain distinguishing features in their life in the world. It will not derive its identity from adherence to a political ideology, to an economic system, to a pattern of worship, to a building, to a set of ritual or purity laws, to a form of dress, and so on. Such approaches would be the approach of a people devoted to law and adherence to a code. In contrast, these words, phrases, and sentences are matters for our meditation and prayer. Here is the type of community we seek to be and therefore the type of people we seek to be. Reading such statements as we do here ought to give us pause. Are we becoming the type of person Paul is describing here? Are we becoming this type of community? Such a community is seeking to do the will of God (Lord’s Prayer and Romans 12:2). One cannot legislate this type of attitude and behavior that extends forgiveness and resists the temptation of repaying evil or evil. One can hardly legislate loving God fully or extending genuine love to the neighbor. Such matters lift one beyond a code and to the life-giving realm of life in the Spirit and becoming children of God (Romans 8). We will never become such communities or persons, but we can be on the way. We can keep engaging in self-examination to see if we truly on this path.
Too many congregations have established a self-centered pattern in relation to each other and to the world. They have learned to look after themselves. Paul offers a vision that should stir its heart and maybe even the imagination of the world in which we live. Let us consider the context. Presenting yourself as a living sacrifice, allowing the transformation of your mind, and aligning your life with the good, and therefore right, friendly, and wholesome, will of God, will lead Paul to reflect upon interpersonal relationships within and outside the body of Christ. The same “body” that is at war in Romans 7-8 is now at peace in relationships, not because one focuses on individuality, but because one focuses on their connection to community. In fact, returning to Romans 7 is helpful because the struggle there focuses on the ego, that is, the struggle “I” have. In this passage, one gets far more of a sense of individuals at peace because they have connected as part of the body of Christ, and therefore has genuine love as a guide. As part of the body, they have put the conflict described earlier behind them. One can now experience the peace that passes understanding and allow this peace to maintain, guard, and protect their lives. The concern in this passage is that the law of the Spirit of life governs the behavior of the community. In a sense, this section takes the individual so seriously because it places the individual in the context of community. Thus, we will need to avoid an individualistic interpretation of this segment.[1] Paul now provides tangible instructions for how to be a unified body in the present age. Paul is moving from a discussion of spiritual gifts to a discussion of Christian character inspired by love. Love is the necessary component if the fullness of the spiritual gifts that activates and exercises the Christian community is to become reality. We find here a collection of wisdom sentences, like the wisdom we find in a book like Proverbs. We might consider them counsels for Christian living. It will not have a tight and ordered structure.
We can think of verse 9 as the general principle of the section. Authentic love will show itself in hating evil and valuing the good. Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good. In a sense, if we properly grasp love, the other behaviors that Paul considers a matter of wisdom will naturally follow. Yet, we need to have some care with love. For one thing, due to our capacity to deceive each other, love may not be true. Honesty, truthfulness, genuineness, and authenticity in love is a true gift. Given all the hurt that can surround our experience of love, we can become cynical. Life can be dry, waterless, and unfruitful. Life is full of regret, disillusionment, and weariness with the world. Yet, love keeps appearing in our lives in surprising times and places.[2] For a second thing, genuine love springs from goodness and aims at the good of the person loved. A person who loves this way may not always do what the person loved wants, for what the person may not be in their best interest. By “good” here, I do not mean a narrow ethical conception. I mean that which contributes to human flourishing. Yet, goodness includes the virtues Paul will often list.
Verses 10-13 mention ten counsels that sum up ways the congregation can demonstrate genuine love. 10 Love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another (προηγούμενοι esteem, give thought to others, give pride of place to another in esteem) in showing honor. Mutuality of love and showing honor is important within the Christian community. Such an act is sacrificial and humble. Self-importance fades while regard and respect arising out of authentic love for others flourishes. 11 Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Zeal and passion in serving the Lord are important within the Christian community. Serving the Lord is the way the community does good, the way it does the will of God (verse 2).[3] Verses 12-13 add to the growing list of Christian attitudes and actions. 12 Rejoice in hope, rejoicing flowing from Christian hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.
Verses 14-21 seem to shift focus to the obligation the community toward those who are not part of their community. We become aware quickly that those outside the community to which Paul is writing are hostile toward the Body of Christ. Again, we have simple wisdom sentences, reminders of basic truths they already know. Verses 14-15 suggest that Christians, as they live outwardly, are caught up in an inner process of healing. Reading verse 14 with verses 17-21 would be wise. 14 Bless (speak well of and pray for) those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them, advice contrary to much of the Old Testament call for curses upon the enemy. Apparently by Paul's time, this attitude was firmly a part of the Christian catechesis. This directive stood in stark contrast to the synagogue's practice of formally cursing one's enemies in the daily prayer cycle. The Old Testament, especially the Psalms, never shrinks from calling for God's wrath to spill down on those who persecute Israel. As God's "chosen" people, the Israelites never hesitated to call on that special relationship in hopes of punishing their enemies. In fact, such advice is hardly the way of the world that might think of such advice as foolish, futile, and the path of failure. Paul stands with Jesus on this point. He taught that his followers were to meet hostility with prayer and meet violence with blessing (Matthew 5:44). In psychology, the pattern of abuse is that if one receives abuse as a child one administers abuse as a parent. It seems deeply engrained. Yet, some persons determine to be the opposite. The son of an alcoholic sees the damage done by an alcoholic father and chooses to be the opposite of that. The daughter abused by her mother determines to be the opposite type of mother. Regardless of how deeply engrained such behavior may seem, we always have choices of how we respond to the violence in this world. Jesus and Paul are inviting the Christian community adopt a distinctive pattern of life.
Verses 15-16 seem more at home after verses 9-10 as they promote the community spirit of love. The community is to 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. The community is so intimately in touch with all other members that sharing emotions and compassion should be as natural as the urge to share faith and worldly goods. In contrast to the focus upon fierce and dark side of competition culture seems to encourage, they are to 16 live in harmony with one another. They are to avoid the arrogance that causes them to separate themselves from the lowly.
How any of us treats those who might have lower social and cultural standing reflects who we truly are. We ought not to defer to another based on race, religion, gender, class, fame, wealth or position. We have no right to judge others based on such divisions created by various cultures. The cultural and political institutions, creations of human beings, have no right to diminish the value of another or bring more admiration to another.
I share a brief story. William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, was involved in the Boer War. A hungry group of people assembled to discuss the distribution of a small amount of food that they gathered. Everyone understood that each church represented would try to take care of its own members. An Episcopal rector said, "All who belong to my denomination follow me." A Presbyterian said, "You Presbyterians, all of you, come with me." Other denominations followed suit. Then, in a moment, the quiet unassuming Salvation Army officer rose and said, "All you fellows and gals who belong to nobody, follow me." For the Body of Christ, there are no “nobodies” in the world.
Part of wisdom is to realize you are not as wise as you think you are. They are to focus on what is noble and peaceable in their relations with others, rather than give any thought to vengeance. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Such an admonition is like showing honor in verse 10. People climb in popularity, power, and wealth in ways that make them self-focused, as if what they want is all that matters. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all.Determine to do the opposite. Love instead of hate. Bless instead of curse. 18 If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Part of a distinctly Christian character in Paul's eyes is not only simply to avoid doing wrong, the Christian must actively seek to do right.
Paul concludes in a reminder to us of his eschatological mindset that conditions how he approaches these matters. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, in Proverbs 25:21-22,“Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” He reminds them that he can offer such counsel of love toward the enemy because the Christian needs to give room for the wrath or anger of God to have its place. I think it likely that the reference to heaping burning coals on their heads refers to the person having the kind of shame that will lead to repentance and healing of the relationship. They are to overcome evil with good, even as God can bring good out of evil (Romans 8:28). The ways of the world in which we live may suggest that persons who behave like this are wimps and losers. Yet, this counsel has behind it the notion of the art of the divine governance of the world. Such counsel is practical for Paul because divine judgment is near. It will disclose to the enemy the error of their ways. God will hold them accountable for their actions. The time before divine judgment is a sign of divine patience and the love of God.[4] Such counsel is appropriate for the cultural and political setting Paul faced. It will likely be appropriate for most situations Christians face today. It testifies to the promise and hope of an age to come in which peace will reign. Vengeance, revenge, and militarism are hardly part of the Christian system of values. Yet, to bring such a passage under the absolute moral value of pacifism is an inappropriate application. In this ambiguous world, one may need to engage in strife, but only with the goal of the kind of peace we can have in this world.[5]
Abraham Lincoln delivered a speech during the civil war in which referred to Southerners as fellow human beings who were in error. An elderly woman chastised him for not referring to them as irreconcilable enemies who must be destroyed. “Why, madam,” Lincoln replied, “do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?”[6] The unexpected and innovative design of Christian life is to overcome evil with good, instead of fighting evil with evil. If our enemies are hungry, we feed them. If they are thirsty, we give them something to drink. In the end, we destroy our enemies by turning them into friends. Transforming an enemy into a friend requires one person to step forward and initiate the change. Such a move often arises out of love, forgiving all slights, looking past harsh statements, past injustice, social pressure, and aggressive actions. Such love finds a common bond. When faced with an enemy, don’t attack them. Feed them. Give them a drink. Do to others as you would have them do to you.[7]
The wisdom Paul offers to the Christian community affects both members of the community and those outside the community. It begins with authentic love. Christians owe to each other and to the world this kind of love. If we broaden our thinking to the context of the argument Paul has made in Romans, Christians have received the gift of grace and reconciliation in Christ and therefore are to reflect this peace with God (Romans 5:1) in their relationships with each other and with the world.[8]
[1] Barth, Church Dogmatics, II.2 [38.3].
[2] Deserdata puts it this way: do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.
[3] While many texts have translated Paul's call for zeal and ardency as characteristics Christians should use to "serve the Lord," some ancient versions have defined this call to serve the "time" or "opportunity." The translation problem here may be based on a scribal error, where kyrio ("Lord") became misread as kairo ("time"/"opportunity") or vice versa. Yet, both translations seem to agree with Paul's basic message. "Serving the Lord" is the way "the good" (God's will) is kept nourished within this world. But giving "timely service," serving the "opportune moment" is also a genuine expression of Christian commitment. Christians are constantly called to serve "the present age" — not to mope longingly for some past golden glory or pine after some golden-calf future. Thus, while "serve the Lord" remains the more common and accepted translation here, the less popular "serve the opportune time" still has much to say to those trying to nurture the growth of these Christian characteristics.
[4] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology, Volume I, 440.
[5] Barth, Romans, 451, 460-75.
[6] The 48 Laws of Power, Robert Greene
[7] Inspired by Kane, Suzanne. “How to Transition from Enemy to Friend.” PsychCentral, July 8, 2018, https://psychcentral.com.
[8] Barth, Church Dogmatics II.2 [38.3].
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