Romans 12 and spiritual gifts
notes from my class last week. i actually forgot them, so i didn't actually teach this stuff, but i muddled through the chapter.
1-“therefore” – since God has chosen to save us despite our unworthiness, worship bodily, in deed, not just in music or prayer, but in action, by doing the “one another” stuff
2-“don’t conform, be transformed, be renewed” which results in the ability to “test and approve God’s will.”
3- be humble
4-5- we form Christ’s body (is there some play on offering our bodies and being described as members of His body?)
6-7- we have different gifts
if…
prophecy-use it
service-serve
teaching-teach
encouragement-encourage
contributing-give generously
leading-govern diligently
mercying-mercy with a smile
9-21 – LOVE
just like the letter to the Corinthians, the gifts are placed in the context of love and worship. We have a vertical relationship with God, and using our gifts for each other’s benefit is an act of adoration of Him and his body. We have many horizontal relationships that we need to exude love into. We share our gifts from God with each other without restraint. If we refrain from using our gifts we short circuit the love that the Father wants to express to our siblings through us. And our love doesn’t stop with our friends. vv. 17-21 are about loving our enemies and those who are evil to us, which is what God did to us before he wooed us into the kingdom.
Anyway its telling to me that 2 verses mention gifts and 12 discuss love. Gifts need to be exercised with love. Without love, we are annoying, see 1 Corinthians 13:1
1-“therefore” – since God has chosen to save us despite our unworthiness, worship bodily, in deed, not just in music or prayer, but in action, by doing the “one another” stuff
2-“don’t conform, be transformed, be renewed” which results in the ability to “test and approve God’s will.”
3- be humble
4-5- we form Christ’s body (is there some play on offering our bodies and being described as members of His body?)
6-7- we have different gifts
if…
prophecy-use it
service-serve
teaching-teach
encouragement-encourage
contributing-give generously
leading-govern diligently
mercying-mercy with a smile
9-21 – LOVE
just like the letter to the Corinthians, the gifts are placed in the context of love and worship. We have a vertical relationship with God, and using our gifts for each other’s benefit is an act of adoration of Him and his body. We have many horizontal relationships that we need to exude love into. We share our gifts from God with each other without restraint. If we refrain from using our gifts we short circuit the love that the Father wants to express to our siblings through us. And our love doesn’t stop with our friends. vv. 17-21 are about loving our enemies and those who are evil to us, which is what God did to us before he wooed us into the kingdom.
Anyway its telling to me that 2 verses mention gifts and 12 discuss love. Gifts need to be exercised with love. Without love, we are annoying, see 1 Corinthians 13:1
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