Scripture
A Living Sacrifice to God
1And so, dear brothers and sisters,[1] I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.[2] 2Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
3Because of the privilege and authority[3] God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.[4] 4Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.
6In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
9Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10Love each other with genuine affection,[5] and take delight in honoring each other. 11Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.[6] 12Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
14Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!
17Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
19Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
“I will take revenge;
I will pay them back,”[7]
says the Lord.
20Instead,
“If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
burning coals of shame on their heads.”[8]
21Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
Translation notes (8)
- 12:1a Greek brothers.
- 12:1b Or This is your spiritual worship; or This is your reasonable service.
- 12:3a Or Because of the grace; compare 1:5.
- 12:3b Or by the faith God has given you; or by the standard of our God-given faith.
- 12:10 Greek with brotherly love.
- 12:11 Or but serve the Lord with a zealous spirit; or but let the Spirit excite you as you serve the Lord.
- 12:19 Deut 32:35.
- 12:20 Prov 25:21-22.
18Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
We were reminded in the weekend message that we cannot control other people's actions and responses. They may be angry or frustrated, or unkind when conflict occurs. One thing we can control, however, is our response. We get to choose how we respond to the people around us. We can choose anger, frustration, or unkindness, or we can choose peace. Scripture urges us to do everything possible to live peacefully with everyone around us.
Being a peacemaker changes the atmosphere in all of our relationships. That is why Paul wrote in Romans 12, “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.” I love how the New International Version puts it: "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." As far as it depends on us, we are called to do our best to live in peace with everyone. This peace Paul describes in this verse does not depend on other people. It depends on us. Others may argue and hold on to grudges and continue to create conflict, but we do not have to engage. We can work towards peace. We can choose peace over anger and grudges. No, we cannot choose how people will respond, but we can choose peace. One of the ways we can be peacemakers is by living by what Paul describes as the "fruits" that the Holy Spirit produces in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23). When we exhibit each one of these characteristics, we cannot help but bring peace to those around us.
What situation do you need peace in right now? Maybe you need peace in your relationship with your spouse. Maybe you and a family member are struggling with conflict. Maybe you need peace with a friend or coworker. You cannot control how they respond. You can choose to be a peacemaker. You can choose kindness and love. This, my friends, is a decision you will never regret. Let’s be peacemakers, as long as it depends on us.
Moving toward action
Consider God's call for His people to be peacemakers. As you evaluate your own life, what is going well? What needs improvement? What is one thing you can do today to be a peacemaker? Pray that God will help you follow this call to be a peacemaker and do one thing today to bring peace.
Going Deeper
Romans 12:1-21 (NLT)
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