Romans 12: Part 8

Romans 12: Part 8

After Paul wrote that we should hate what is evil and cling to what is good, he continues with another command. Again, I am splitting this verse into two parts, so we will address part b next week. 

Paul commands that Christians "be devoted to one another in love" (Romans 12:10a).

How should we be devoted to one another? IN LOVE. We are devoted, one person to another, in love. Love is the glue that holds our virtues together (see Colossians 3:14). 

Who should we be devoted to? Another. An other. Someone who is different than you. Far too often, we only want to devote ourselves to people like us (and we make the category of "US" quite narrow, while "THEM" is quite broad). People who look like us, eat like us, dress like us, vote like us, and so on. Yet, the Bible doesn't provide us with this qualifier. Paul didn't write "Be devoted to one another in love, IF it is convenient" or "IF you hold similar political opinions". We’re told simply to be devoted.

Our obedience to this command in Scripture also does not depend on anyone's else obedience. If we choose to treat someone hatefully, because that is how we are being treated, then we are disobeying Scripture. Another person's disobedience to the Bible does not give us permission to respond in kind. We are called to live out Jesus's commands EVEN IF the other person is blatantly disobeying the same commands. We are called to love our neighbors and our enemies, EVEN IF they are rude, annoying, or disrespectful. We are commanded to help the poor, EVEN IF we don't feel like they "deserve" it.

Be devoted. To people that are different than you. And do it with love.

Questions to Wrestle With

Take time this week to consider: 

-How have you been doing at obeying this command? 

-What have you done to show your devotion to AN OTHER in love? 

-How have you narrowed your definition of "us"?

-How have you widened your definition of "them"? 

-How does Paul's lack of a qualifying IF broaden our definition of who we should love? 

-When have you been guilty of disobeying Biblical commands because someone else was also disobeying as they mistreated you? 

-What is the Holy Spirit nudging you to do as you seek to live out this verse? 

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