Peter Barnes | Romans 12:13-15
SERMON NOTES
RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS
(Romans 12:13-15)
1. We are to share with other Christians.
– 12:13; literally, ‘to enter into the fellowship of the needs of the saints (same word as for ‘fellowship in 1 John 1:3)
– for hospitality, see 1 Pet.4:9; Gen.18; Matt.25:35; Heb.13:2
2. We are to bless those who persecute us.
– 12:14; see Matt.5:44; 1 Cor.4:12-13; Paul surely knows a Gospel.
– Théodore d’Aubigné was converted after seeing some Huguenots executed. Did Paul remember Stephen in Acts 7:59-8:1a?
– Esau in Gen.27:41; see Prov.24:17-18
3. We are to be people of great empathy.
– 12:15; Thomas Schreiner says that Paul is only speaking of empathy within the Christian community; C. E. B. Cranfield says that he is referring to those outside the community; while Robert Haldane says that it is a general statement. Charles Hodge: ‘How lovely is genuine sympathy.’
– 1 Cor.12:25-26
– an inappropriate insensitive response does harm (Prov.25:20) Calvin: ‘Not to welcome a brother’s happiness with joy is a mark of envy; and not to grieve at his misfortune is inhumanity.’ Paul entered into the very lives of his people – 2 Cor.11:29.