Romans
Chapter 12
Rules of Christian Life
I urge you, dearly beloved, by God’s mercy, to present yourselves as a living and holy sacrifice pleasing to God; this is the kind of worship that makes sense for you as sensible people.
Don’t let the world shape you, but be transformed by renewing your mind. You need to understand God’s will: what is good, pleasing, and perfect.
The grace that God has given me allows me to tell each of you: don’t pretend too much, but think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
See, the body is one, even though it is made up of many parts, but not all of them have the same function.
The same is true for us; since we are many, we are one body in Christ, depending on each other.
Let each of us serve according to our different gifts. Are you a prophet? Then share the insights of faith.
If ministry, in ministering; if one is a teacher, in teaching;
the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.
Let love be genuine. Detest evil and cling to what is good.
Love one another and be kind. Strive to surpass each other in mutual respect.
Be passionate about fulfilling your duties. Be enthusiastic in the spirit and serve God.
Have hope and stay cheerful. Be patient during trials and pray constantly.
Share with other Christians in need. Be prepared to welcome those passing by.
Bless those who persecute you; bless them and do not wish harm on anyone.
Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
Live peacefully with each other. Do not dream of grand things; stay humble and do not consider yourselves wise.
Never repay evil with evil; instead, show everyone your good will.
Do your best to live peacefully with everybody.
Beloved, do not seek revenge yourself, but leave it to God to punish, as scripture says: Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.
And it adds: If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; by doing this, you will heap burning coals upon his head.
Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.
Commentaries
Rules of Christian Life.
He begins a lengthy exhortation on how Christians should behave, not as isolated individuals but as members of a faith community. The theme of unity and harmony was Paul’s obsession. It was also a constant challenge for those young churches made up of Christians from such diverse backgrounds and with opposing customs. While he starts by affirming that the Gospel is the power of salvation for all who believe, he now wants to see that Gospel expressed in personal relationships with one another, as if everyone were offering a living, holy sacrifice acceptable to God, which is the true “spiritual worship” (1) that God desires. In the cry “Abba, Father” (8:15), the Apostle emphasizes the community’s unity and harmony at its deepest level. From here, he begins a long list of recommendations, admonitions, and advice that outline the ideal behavior of a Christian as a member of the community of faith. It is a program as relevant for the community of Rome as it is for our Church today.