Peter Barnes | Romans 12:16
SERMON NOTES
HARMONIOUS HUMILITY
(Romans 12:16)
1. We are to strive for unity in thinking.
– this is a call to be of the same mind (NKJV), or to live in harmony and unity (NIV, ESV). Paul seems to be mainly speaking of thinking here (see Rom. 15:5; Phil.2:2, 5; 1 Tim.6:17).
– Martin Luther: ‘Peace if possible, truth at all costs.’ Strive for harmony in our thinking in subjection to the Word of God.
2. We are to strive not to be proud in our actions.
– It could be saying to associate with lowly things (John Murray, Calvin) or with lowly people (Cranfield, Thomas Schreiner). Douglas Moo tries to say both. Luke 14:13; James 2:1-4.
– The Duchess of Buckingham was decidedly hostile to the evangelical faith of the Countess of Huntingdon, and wrote to her: ‘It is monstrous to be told that you have a heart as sinful as the common wretches that crawl on the earth.’ Academics sometimes despised C. S. Lewis because he was a Christian who wrote popular works of Christian apologetics and children’s stories. Romans 1:22.
3. We are to strive to be humble in our thinking.
– Prov.3:7a. Psalm 131. Charles Simeon: 1. humility; 2. humility; and 3. humility. James 3:13.
Calvin: ‘The most fitting remedy for curing arrogance is not to have too high an opinion of our own wisdom.’ Then we can come closer to achieving an harmonious humility within the people of Christ.