Rom 12:3 | KingComments | STEP | . Romans 12 divides into three sections. form the first section that speaks about your relation with God. The third section comprises , discussing your relation with people around you. The current section ( ) is your relation with your fellow-believers. You must understand you’re not better than another; on the contrary, modesty and moderation are fitting. God has imparted to everyone a certain amount of faith. This is exactly the amount of faith you need for the task He wants you to perform. God has done the same with your fellow-believer who also has received a task from God with the measure of faith needed for that task. Having received this from God, you can’t boast about it, can you? Even Paul didn’t do this, and he was an apostle. He addresses you and me by the grace [undeserved favor] given to him. This is how we should approach each other, realizing the grace that has been given to us. . He makes a comparison with the human body. A body has many members. All those members have different functions. With us, things work in a similar way, but in a spiritual sense. All believers together form one body in which every believer has his or her proper place and function. In 1 Corinthians 12 this is treated more extensively, where stress is placed on how all those members belong together. They can’t manage without one another. Here in Romans 12 we have your attitude with respect to others. You have your unique task that only you can properly fulfill. Do you know your function? Difficult, isn’t it? There is a verse that says: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do [it] with [all] your might” ( ). In other words, look around you and you will see a lot of work. . In a number of these functions, there called “gifts”, are mentioned. What it comes down to is your attitude. A practical way to demonstrate the transformation of your mind is to be helpful to someone else. What counts is what we are with respect to each other ( ). We all have received a different gift of grace from God. God didn’t give it to us to neglect it, but to start working with it. “Prophecy” is the first gift mentioned. In 1 Peter you read a good description of prophecy, which is ”speaking the utterances [literally: oracles] of God” ( ). The more you learn about God, the better you can pass on God’s thoughts. Therefore, the next thing you read is “according to the proportion of his faith”. Passing on God’s thoughts can only be according to the measure of your personal fellowship with God, according to the measure in which you have learned to trust Him in your practical life of faith. . Maybe “service” suits you better. This is a more practical way of being occupied. Archippus, in Colossians 4, was such a person ( ). He had to be exhorted to fulfill the ministry or service he had received from the Lord. You and I may need a similar exhortation. Maybe there’s a ‘teacher’ hidden in you because your desire is to teach your fellow believers. In Ezra 7 you find an important order: 1. Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD. 2. Then he practiced it. 3. Then, only after doing the first two, he taught God’s statutes and ordinances in Israel ( ). . Then there is “exhortation”. To exhort means to encourage or to comfort, but it may also mean to point out wrong things. This is not a popular activity, but a necessary one. Believers are always in danger of backsliding from the Word. Therefore, they must be warned. Deviations always have unpleasant consequences. The object of exhortation, therefore, is to bring believers who have gone astray, back to the Lord. In James 5 you can see the blessed result this can have ( ). There are brothers and sisters who have the gift of ‘giving’, that is to share with others what they have. To me, this gift of grace seems much more rewarding than the preceding one. But using this gift requires spiritual exercise. It must happen “with liberality”, wisely, and without ulterior motives. ‘Leading’ is a special gift too. Being diligent in this is necessary because leading is a matter of being a good example yourself and not of handing out assignments. Nehemiah of the Old Testament is a good example of a leader. The last gift mentioned here is to show “mercy”. There are believers who, on seeing others in misery, are ready to help them. For them it is important that they fulfill their task “with cheerfulness”. However, this is not easy because help is not always appreciated. Paul has not given an exhaustive list. What he has tried to make clear is that every believer, including you, has a gift and this gift must be used correctly. There will certainly be something that will keep you occupied. Ask the Lord to lead you in this matter and then get busy! Now read Romans 12:3-8 again. Reflection: Ask the Lord to help you in seeing and performing your task.

‏ Romans 12:3

What Is Your Task?

Rom 12:3. Romans 12 divides into three sections. Rom 12:1-2 form the first section that speaks about your relation with God. The third section comprises Rom 12:9-21, discussing your relation with people around you. The current section (Rom 12:3-8) is your relation with your fellow-believers. You must understand you’re not better than another; on the contrary, modesty and moderation are fitting.

God has imparted to everyone a certain amount of faith. This is exactly the amount of faith you need for the task He wants you to perform. God has done the same with your fellow-believer who also has received a task from God with the measure of faith needed for that task. Having received this from God, you can’t boast about it, can you? Even Paul didn’t do this, and he was an apostle. He addresses you and me by the grace [undeserved favor] given to him. This is how we should approach each other, realizing the grace that has been given to us.

Rom 12:4-5. He makes a comparison with the human body. A body has many members. All those members have different functions. With us, things work in a similar way, but in a spiritual sense. All believers together form one body in which every believer has his or her proper place and function. In 1 Corinthians 12 this is treated more extensively, where stress is placed on how all those members belong together. They can’t manage without one another. Here in Romans 12 we have your attitude with respect to others. You have your unique task that only you can properly fulfill.

Do you know your function? Difficult, isn’t it? There is a verse that says: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do [it] with [all] your might” (Ecc 9:10). In other words, look around you and you will see a lot of work.

Rom 12:6. In Rom 12:6-8 a number of these functions, there called “gifts”, are mentioned. What it comes down to is your attitude. A practical way to demonstrate the transformation of your mind is to be helpful to someone else. What counts is what we are with respect to each other (Rom 12:5). We all have received a different gift of grace from God. God didn’t give it to us to neglect it, but to start working with it.

“Prophecy” is the first gift mentioned. In 1 Peter you read a good description of prophecy, which is ”speaking the utterances [literally: oracles] of God” (1Pet 4:11). The more you learn about God, the better you can pass on God’s thoughts. Therefore, the next thing you read is “according to the proportion of his faith”. Passing on God’s thoughts can only be according to the measure of your personal fellowship with God, according to the measure in which you have learned to trust Him in your practical life of faith.

Rom 12:7. Maybe “service” suits you better. This is a more practical way of being occupied. Archippus, in Colossians 4, was such a person (Col 4:17). He had to be exhorted to fulfill the ministry or service he had received from the Lord. You and I may need a similar exhortation.

Maybe there’s a ‘teacher’ hidden in you because your desire is to teach your fellow believers. In Ezra 7 you find an important order:

1. Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD.

2. Then he practiced it.

3. Then, only after doing the first two, he taught God’s statutes and ordinances in Israel (Ezra 7:10).

Rom 12:8. Then there is “exhortation”. To exhort means to encourage or to comfort, but it may also mean to point out wrong things. This is not a popular activity, but a necessary one. Believers are always in danger of backsliding from the Word. Therefore, they must be warned. Deviations always have unpleasant consequences. The object of exhortation, therefore, is to bring believers who have gone astray, back to the Lord. In James 5 you can see the blessed result this can have (Jam 5:19-20).

There are brothers and sisters who have the gift of ‘giving’, that is to share with others what they have. To me, this gift of grace seems much more rewarding than the preceding one. But using this gift requires spiritual exercise. It must happen “with liberality”, wisely, and without ulterior motives.

‘Leading’ is a special gift too. Being diligent in this is necessary because leading is a matter of being a good example yourself and not of handing out assignments. Nehemiah of the Old Testament is a good example of a leader.

The last gift mentioned here is to show “mercy”. There are believers who, on seeing others in misery, are ready to help them. For them it is important that they fulfill their task “with cheerfulness”. However, this is not easy because help is not always appreciated.

Paul has not given an exhaustive list. What he has tried to make clear is that every believer, including you, has a gift and this gift must be used correctly. There will certainly be something that will keep you occupied. Ask the Lord to lead you in this matter and then get busy!

Now read Romans 12:3-8 again.

Reflection: Ask the Lord to help you in seeing and performing your task.