The Believer and the World
Romans 12:17-21 · Bob Eckel · Jul 8, 2007
Romans (2005-07), No. 90
Holly Hills Bible Church
https://hollyhillsbiblechurch.org/teaching/messages/4926031578125

Transcribed from the recording by SermonAudio, so expect the occasional misheard word.

The text today is Romans 12, 17 through 21. And we're going to build to some extent on what has preceded. And remember now, Romans 1 through 11, the chapters considered together really is kind of the... It's outside, it's the bus. I was thinking it was one of your beepers. No. No. Does everyone agree that it's always good to barter around making sure that everything's tucked? All right. So where were we here?

Remembering that 12 through 16 really is built on a firm foundation of 1 through 11 and that we can't ignore the fact that when we consider the passages that follow, many of these are urgings to the believer and many of them in fact are imperatives. We're going to look at some of the more than urgings or imperatives today. We have to put this into context because remember that the text here isn't directed at the Adam nature. You know, Adam is worthless, and Adam can sometimes get buffed up and do all these imperatives to please God, but that's not the foundation that we've covered in Romans 1-11.

So we've got to build this on the platform of the Lord Jesus Christ and how that life is portrayed in each one of us as we live by faith and believing what God has revealed, that we are in fact who he says we are. positioned as no condemnation. We have a new life to live and it's that life that ultimately gets lived out as we look at these imperatives that are before us. So today our text really is looking at the relationship of the believer to the world. The last week we covered really the relationship as Randy did last week, the relationship between the believer and the Christian family or the brothers and sisters in the Lord. and it gets worse. We're now the world and then the government. Sometimes you get down on the government. Art, you don't ever get down on the government, do you? No. Oh, okay. Just wanted to make sure you didn't get down on the government. Are you ready for the next president who's likely to be a Democrat, Art? Are you ready for this? Not really, okay.

You know, I'm not sure who's teaching next week. It's assigned to me, but Randy's really got this pulse to want to be up here next week. So he really feels strongly about this Christian in the government thing. So when he gets here today, I'm going to find out if I'm teaching next week or whether he's teaching next week. We're going to see how that plays out. All right, let's begin now. 1217, let's read this down through 21.

Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peacefully with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath, for it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him. If he thirst, give him drink. For in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

I like to ask the class, how y'all doing with this? Everybody got this tucked in? There are no hands going up here. I think the question is, as we would depend on our flesh to respond to this, we're all going to fail at this left and right. There's no victory in buffing up the old man for these tasks.

Let's again acknowledge, as I did already, that this is what the new founded Romans 12, 1 through 2 life looks like in us, positioned as holy and acceptable unto God. Let's go back and look at those verses again right now. Jim, could you read those please, Romans 12, 1 and 2? And if you think of the way the world operates, just verse 17, recompense to no man evil for evil, how does the world system respond? I mean just right there, but Jim just read, and be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. Do not be conformed to this world.

That's a world system kind of operation. Retaliation is in the present active participle. That means it's ongoing. This is something we're doing. And we're active. We're involved. That's a decision we all make. And it's certainly not a characteristic of the Christ life. And let's look at these verses.

Donna, could you pull 1 Thessalonians 5.15 Dave, how about 1st Peter 3.9?

And Rachel, how about the Romans 12.14? That's right there, tucked in next to you.

And Wendy, how about 1st Corinthians 13.4 and 5? So let's look at these verses. These are all the writings of Paul, except for the 1st Peter passage directed towards the believers. So when you have it, just go ahead and read it. And make sure we know which verse you're reading. Donna, you're up first. 5.15, I hope. unto any man, but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves and to all men. David.

1 Peter 3.9. Not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead. For you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. Thanks, David. Rachel.

Romans 12.14. Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse. And Wendy. How about that?

I mean this isn't just a casual thought that Paul had in Romans 12, 17, is it? I mean this is recapitulated throughout the epistles. So this life, if you will, is a life that is really not of the human nature. But it does at times enter into our thoughts, doesn't it?

This retaliation. Let me be perfectly transparent. With my oldest daughter, at times her behavior really makes me angry. And I really feel that she needs just a dose of really very tough love. Now the question is, and I ask the Lord constantly, how am I supposed to be dealing with this? She has a birthday this Friday. Margaret and I went down and we picked out a card that I felt met the current situation the best way possible.

Of course, my love for her is unequivocal. That's not only my love as a father, but as a believer. Unequivocal. Whatever she does or however her behavior is reflected, ultimately my response must be not only as a father, but as a believer. entering, you know, these thoughts that enter into us, responding with evil. Man, I'll tell you, at times I just get so angry with her. And my response is to want to deal with it that way.

I was going to say, you know, where you really see this is when you get an email from somebody. Because email is one of those things. It's so easy to just react when you get an email. To just sit there and go, please, send. And then you go, oh no, because you can't get it back. I mean, you see that a lot in the workplace. You see it by reacting rather than responding.

Yeah, and I think just as kind of a practical application of these verses, it's when we have an email and we react immediately, that is probably something we need to consider and pause for a second because it's easy to react and it's more God-like and Christ-like to respond and allow time to venture and not allow Adam to be up front. But keep in mind everybody, that Adam nature is still there in all of us. I don't know about you, it's still very much there in me. And boy, Adam knows how to respond. He really can show up a lot.

And we can't deny that. It's that the cross just has done so much to take us out of that realm before God. And if we're in fact before God, perfect and holy and acceptable, That's the life that is possible in us by our faith and the enactment of that existence within each one of us.

I'm going to read at the end today something that I think is very appropriate. In fact, I'm going to read it now actually because we're thinking about it. Today's Hungry Heart. I can't believe how many times when I teach Sunday school that what I read that morning has application. This is titled Spirit Taught and Spirit Wrought. I'm going to jump into the middle of it.

If some of you who have been the Lord's for a long time cast a glance over your past history, you'll be able to recall occasions when he spoke and you obeyed instantly. But you can recall other occasions when he spoke and you failed to respond. Yet strangely, after a time, you just found yourself in the way of obedience.

Such is the fruit of the Holy Spirit's government in each of our lives. Even if we are not totally unable to obey and cannot even exercise faith, a day comes when the resistance has vanished and we are trusting the Lord Jesus in simplicity of heart. It is the tireless energy of the indwelling Spirit that has accomplished this. Our union with the Lord Jesus is a union of life. We were raised with Him, we were made alive in Him. True, our bodies are to be changed, and those who have died in Christ are to be raised as to their bodies, but now we are raised with and are made alive in Him. I like particularly where it said, A day comes when the resistance has vanished and we're trusting the Lord Jesus in simplicity of heart.

I mean that's the true rest played out. And we all seek that. We all want that. And certainly our experience plays into that. But the truth is that's where he has us anyway. And so the point I want to make here is that keep looking down here. Remember Philippians 3.20 is our citizenship. Our citizenship is in heaven. Not here. As we keep looking down... Randy is there a quick solution to this? That's our high-tech man in the back. All right, let's go to the handout then. And 17 says, provide things honest in the sight of all men. But in other words, give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all men.

And here we're looking at the comparison of kalos in the Greek, which means good, with tekos, which means evil. And here are some just other texts that supports this responsiveness on our behalf as new people in Christ. Proverbs 3, 4, of course, is Old Testament, but very applicable. And so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man. You know, to find favor in the eyes of God is to having seen Him seeing ourselves in the Lord Jesus Christ. That's where he sees us. But keep in mind, as we're seen by Him in that position, ultimately men will see His glory persuasively through us as we live that life. Not only does God acknowledge it, but men will also see.

2 Corinthians 8.21, providing honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

1 Peter 2.12, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation."

And all these texts really reflect that how the world sees us. By the way, we may be the only gospel they ever see. You know, that shouldn't put pressure on us. It should return us to the basic principles of what the Christian life is all about. And it's that other life. And that other life is established and we're ultimately provided again with 11 chapters of a firm foundation of what that life is all about.

And finally, the Christian principle lived out and reflected in Colossians 3.13, forbearing one another and forgiving one another. If any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. I mean, that atmosphere and attitude of forgiveness is there before the sin is ever committed, is it not?

And so, as I'm dealing with Kim with this, she's eternally forgiven. And I'm comfortable with that. Now the question is, am I expecting a change in her behavior or ultimately how does the Lord live out through me to try to make sure she understands that love, but ultimately it's up to the Lord to change that circumstance. I can do nothing more than reach out in love to her. Any thoughts about verse 17? We do not return evil with evil. Now the question is, does that mean we don't stand on the principles of truth? Randy?

I think one of the crux of this is to give thought. The give thought right there is part of us as believers, meditating on God's word and knowing, as we're resting by his mercies, The suggestion of email came up, and I happen to work in that industry.

One of the things that is really common is that we don't speak the same way that we write letters, and we don't email the same way often that we would write a letter. And so when it comes to writing an email, we should put thought as email writer sending the first email to a lost person or a saved person, just the same as we would that. Because when we communicate in written text, we're spending time pouring over a few sentences that Paul wrote. It's unlikely that someone is going to do the same thing to our emails. But when you do write, let it have that light of an experience, because we're abiding as we write. or as we drive, or as we communicate with our spouses, or our friends, or our enemies.

Well, that's the perfect rest played out, too, right? I mean, the rest is not an immediacy response. I mean, sometimes you have to act immediately. Somebody has a cardiac arrest. You don't want to rest in the Lord and decide, ultimately, what you need. I mean, you need to take care of them. But I mean, obviously, the attitude of rest is one that allows his message to be pervasive through us.

Other thoughts here? The time when we want to pay back is when we feel offended. When I think about paying back evil, it's because I've been offended. And what has been offended, the way I think of it, is what's been offended is the old man. Exactly. Therefore, the cross has been rendered powerless. Therefore, the idea there of paying back evil because of the cross is gone. Okay, Jim, I think that's a beautiful comment, but let's extend that one point further.

Are we then to be kind of doormats then in relationship to evil? I mean, how do we handle the evil in the world? It's maybe not so much done against us, but done in more general terms. I mean, we hate evil, don't we hate evil? So how do we address evil in our walks or in our lives or in our conversations?

It seems that there's a response to it, but it's not a response of paying back. paying back because I've been wronged. So therefore we respond to people but we respond more out of walking by faith and abiding in Christ. The payback atmosphere is entirely of the old man, isn't it? It really is. It's hard because we all live in these human bodies, Donna. From a position in Christ, I think as believers we really understand love and faith, more so than the world. because of Christ. He loves the good, hates the evil. And I think that becomes more clearly defined once you're in Christ, because you have Him as your watermark.

Retribution should never be our object. I'm sorry, Art? Retribution. Or retaliation, right? Other thoughts here? Yeah, Randy? When we repay, when we retaliate, it's evil plus one. And so they get evil plus one and respond with evil plus another one and it just escalates. Right?

I mean on their chart of check marks, how could he or she be a believer of the way they've treated me, right? I mean they claim to be a Christian, but yet look what they've done to retribute what maybe I did, but I don't feel guilty about it anyway, right? That's what they deserved. Yeah, and remember the world system keeps a checklist.

God doesn't. Calvary was his checklist completed. I'm sorry? Right. And we're going to get into more detail about what that looks like here in a second. Be kind to one another. All right. Let me see if we can recover this at all. Oh, right here? There? Coming up?

Patience is not a virtue of my old man I can assure you. Lord give me that rest for this. Anyway we got the printed handout. Oh here look at this. We are making progress here. Thank you Roy. You were God-given here this morning. Why is it overheating so commonly? Maybe we don't need to...

Alright, let's move on to verse 18 then. It says, if it is possible, I love this verse, if it is possible as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. My next comment is, as you see, what's this if it's possible as much as depends on you stuff anyway? What do you make of that? Before we go on, what do you make of that? If it's possible as much as depends on you. How's everybody doing here? Okay, so we're talking about a choice now? Back to an old conversation, Jim.

The whole issue, do I choose to live the Christian life or is that life lived out in me by faith? And I think, yeah, we make choices every day. But I find when I intellectualize the truth of the Word of God, I'm kind of already considering the alternative. In other words, there's often no victory if I'm intellectualizing. You know what I'm saying? Is everybody kind of with me on that concept? It's not that I'm failing, because I'm still going to make, quote, before God, that right choice. But in a sense, I like what Barbara said.

In terms of the way the world system is dealing with our response, if it's at all possible for us to have that Christ life show up, and depending on you, it's not God's appeal to Adam, is it? I mean, Adam... I don't think God would ever But I would say to you Margaret that often many decisions we make is because it's quote right and the consequences of making an alternative decision have some penalty on us. I mean if I respond in my anger and et cetera with certain circumstances, I'm going to pay the consequences of that. So my intellectual decision said you better not go there because if I go there, there's going to be a penalty. You know, it's funny, if you look at, if it is possible, it's only used four times in the New Testament, and I was really profoundly interested in the fact that here's one of them.

Matthew 26, 39, and he went a little further and fell on his face and prayed saying, oh my father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou will. Is there any relationship between the interpretation, if it is possible here, with ultimately what we're talking about here in Romans 12? Interpretation. What was Christ saying here? Thank you. So was that Christ's old man that allowed this to be said? Of course, of course he did. I'm not sure why he would use that because he knew that it was not going to be passed. Isn't this kind of a play on words that if this were possible rhetorically, no, it's impossible. Okay, so Christ knew the answer before he said this.

So are we not going to interpret this as it is perceived in terms of just the text? I don't want to make too much of this, but I mean it's kind of interesting. The other two circumstances where it is possible, if it were possible, or if and were possible, or separated, it relates to Paul in terms of travel to one place versus another. In context, it really doesn't reflect the profound nature that it does with the Lord before, the Lord Jesus Christ before his Heavenly Father. And I'm not so sure that we need to ultimately bring this into the current verse in terms of a duplicative type of understanding.

But I think it's kind of interesting that God, the Lord Jesus Christ, He asked His Father if it were possible, knowing it were not. I mean, in other words, is this His humanness? I mean, I think this is His human nature. not the Adam nature, but his humanness being exemplified before his Heavenly Father. And he said, no, God, I'm here as your son to do a task.

And in a sense, I like that in terms of the interpretation of the verse that's before us. And Barbara, I think, was really good. If it's possible, as much as you can influence it through the power of the Spirit working out in your life, right? Live peaceably with all men. as much as depends on, eck, out of, from, by, away from, out of you, this kind of externalization of what the inward man is all about.

And my question here is that Or in Romans Paul stated, so as much as is in me. In other words, in a different setting, Paul says, as much as is in me, I'm ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome. I mean, it's the same kind of thing. And it's not Paul's old man that's going to preach the gospel to Rome. As much as the Lord has taught me and exemplified himself through me and lived through me, I'm going to preach the gospel to Rome.

So this, if it's possible, God, if it's your will that ultimately that life is going to be sufficiently obvious through me, I'm going to depend on you to ultimately have this occur. And I'm asking the classic question, who's he appealing to? Is this the new man or Adam? I mean, he can't be appealing to the Adam nature, right? Is this something we work at living the Christian life? Yes, we work at it, but we work at it by act of faith, right? Don't we? We're all believing who we are. Where we're positioned in here, sure. Any other thoughts here? Yeah, Randy.

One question to think about is what sort of attitudes does a believer have or take place just even in some sort of discussion to bring about peace, some kind of negotiation? Do they have to be humble? we have to be willing to apologize. If we have, in a moment of fleshliness, been wrong and committed something that's wrong, there's humility and apology that needs to be part of that.

But let me extend that as I did for a comment that I think maybe, I mean, the whole issue, we're not doormats though, are we? I mean, I use the term doormat loosely, but the idea is, the difference between good and evil is a position we stand firmly on, correct? That doesn't mean we're offensive, but let the cross speak, right? That's carrying our cross daily, isn't it, to some extent? But it's not part of the flesh to respond with humility. It's not part of the flesh.

It really does have to be a reflection of Christ in our lives. But the world would say, But you know I've used that example many times and a dear brother in the Lord who I haven't seen for a while and Margaret knows who this is says that that's an excuse for the believer to show quote righteous anger.

In other words, every time we get angry, if we say that we'll look at Christ and the money changers, that gives us a right to respond angrily to situations. And you know, he had a point to make there. I think the Spirit can only convict us is what the motive is for our responsiveness, correct? So I think the money changers is a good example. Christ was angry at the evil that is being portrayed by their behavior in the temple. So we can have that righteous anger too, but boy, the Spirit better be lifting you up and leading you through that circumstance. That's correct. So that does show that that type of behavior can be acceptable under certain circumstances, and each of us have to answer to the Lord for that.

I'm not going to give you a metric to see whether you responded correctly or not. I mean, the Spirit, isn't that wonderful that we have the Holy Spirit that guides us? And if we've made a mistake with our anger, boy, He shows up, doesn't He? I don't know about you, but man, if I've responded not righteously angered, but because I've been offended, Jim, I think, then the Spirit doesn't give me any rest about that. It should give us rest in itself, is the statement. Because it doesn't say it's self-evident.

And if you fail, then you've got all this guilt that should take away the guilt. How about an understanding going back to Romans 12-1, you know, that each one of these commands as we go through there, goes back to our understanding of who we are in Christ. And that, I think, is a progressional work of the Spirit. You understand it conceptually, but I think as time goes on, there's a process that goes on.

Good point. Let's continue. Is this conditional? In other words, it says if it's possible as much as lies in you live peaceably. Is this kind of a conditional thing? If others will let me? Does God give us an out here if they don't let me? I mean, is that then I can maybe not live so peaceably?

Did the Lord Jesus Christ and other New Testament saints always live peaceably with all men? These are, to some extent, redundant, but they're all things to kind of think about here. I mean, remember, it's the cross that offends and the truth that relates to the cross and all that it stands for, not us. So living peaceably means that we do, in the new nature, all we can to work with every man and woman to make sure that the relationship brings glory to the Lord. But when it comes to define God's truth, then the cross must defend, not us. Everybody okay with that? Well, you live peaceably with all men, you know, if everything that the Spirit's leading you to ultimately is permissible.

But, you know, I guess if somebody... I mean, let's take abortion as an issue. I mean, I think and hope most of us here think abortion is not right in God's eyes. In fact, not only not right, it's murder, but maybe people have different opinions, but I believe that God's word teaches us that abortion is not correct. If that issue ultimately comes, they need to understand why your decision is what it is about abortion, because you believe God's word reflects the truth, that abortion is not anything but murder.

If that's the tiebreaker, let the cross be the offense, not you. I'm using that as just one example. There could be many others. Often it's much more subtle than that. It's not a key yes and no kind of issue. It's something that's more equivocal. How about Hebrews 12, 14?

Pursue peace with all people and holiness without which no one will see the Lord. Ooh. Randy, like on Friday, we were talking about Hebrews in terms of those kind of bullet darts that remind us. Do we believe that if we don't have peace with all men, we're going to lose our salvation? Ruth, what do you think? We'll lose our salvation if we don't keep peace with all men?

No, it's sure, isn't it? This is sanctification. Are you really one of His? The question is being asked. If you're not keeping peace with all men, are you being set apart? Are you really living that life that God has called you to? And I think that's a question that we can really heed and understand the purpose of Hebrews 12, 14. It's not losing your salvation. Is it are you set apart and reflecting God's nature in you?

James 3.18, now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. Isn't that interesting? As we respond in Christ to people and all the trials that come our path and disagreements, ultimately that's righteousness which is sown by that peace that we make with the world around us. Now again, we can't compromise truth. We don't want to go so far to say we ever compromise truth by making peace. But yet, this is fruit of righteousness. Let's go to verse 19 then. Beloved, never avenge yourselves. Oh gosh, God, quit telling me all this stuff. Leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.

And I say, how's this of you looking down, huh? You know, so many believers, and this is kind of just a comment, but so many believers keep looking up, and we're told through Romans 1-11, just keep looking down, and I love that view from up there because it takes us out of this kind of situation we're in. Alright, there we are. Who's in control here anyway?

This whole issue of avenging. Is vindication or exacting justice? So when we avenge ourselves, we say that we've been, you know, offended, right? Jim said it beautifully, that we've been offended and we have to avenge ourselves in some way. And this is a present act of participle, something that's present and ongoing right now. But we're told not only not to avenge ourselves, but give place unto wrath.

This is an irrespective imperative. Your job, based on your position, is to give the wrath and vengeance to the Lord. This is an imperative. Oh, believers, by the way, I'd like you to kind of turn this over to God and let Him deal with this on His own time and in His own way. No. Do it. This isn't any equivocation. This is saying, do it. Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord, not yours. And this is the Lord's responsibility. I will repay is a future active indicative. That means it's factual and it's going to happen sometime later.

And this is God's activity, not ours. There the verb tense is so important, I think, and relevant to what happens. Let's look at kind of what God has said about this. Deuteronomy 32-35. This is almost a direct quote from that passage. Vengeance is mine in recompense. Their foot shall slip in due time, for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things to come hasten upon them.

Nahum, a book in the Bible we rarely quote, but here it's nicely stated, God is jealous and the Lord avenges. The Lord avenges and is furious. The Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserves wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power and will not at all acquit the wicked. The Lord has his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

And then in the New Testament, Hebrews 10.34, we know him who said, Vengeance is mine, I will repay. Again, quoting the Deuteronomy passage, says the Lord, and again, the Lord will judge his people. Now when it says at the end of the verse, sayeth the Lord, says is present active indicative, now I'm telling you. The judgment, the vengeance is future. But God right now is saying, vengeance is mine. So don't mix that up. The vengeance is not necessarily now. He's saying in the future, vengeance is mine, trust me. And I'm saying that to you right now.

Boy, that's hard for us sometimes, isn't it? We think we've been so unjustly dealt with. And my question to all you is, do we really believe Him? We think there's so many things that happen to us or to our friends, our family, and the believers in the world that ultimately we're doubting the Lord.

And my question to the class, and I don't have anything written after this, how will the Lord repay? How will His vengeance ultimately be shown? You know, one question I have is, speaking of our relationship with unbelievers you know this is the world And Rachel, I think what happened from last week when Randy taught where the kind of the church, the body was being dealt with in terms of our ability to interact there. I think now we're talking about the world system. And then next week, I don't know, one of us is going to teach about government. So we'll even extend it even a little bit further. How will the Lord repay? Just spontaneously. Randy. There you go. See, God sees us in Christ, doesn't he? I mean, how are we going to be repaid for the injustices done against him, right?

The cross is spoken eternally. And you know, by the way, in Hebrews 12, 14, it says Satan's already been conquered. I mean, we as who walk in this world and still reflect on our old nature and the capability of the old man and doing wrong things, or thinking wrong things, or not doing sufficient.

You know, God says, you know, there's no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus. And so, vindicating us is not what the future is all about. It's ultimately the judgment is against all sin in all people for all time. Good point. Other thoughts on how God will repay? This isn't vindicating us. Believe me.

It's a much bigger picture than just making things right with David when you've been offended. I mean, I'm sorry, but this is just not him doing justice for you personally. On the road to Damascus, that's what the Lord said to Paul. You are persecuting me. So when we are offended because of the cross, the Lord is offended. He's offended. And He can handle it. And He'll take care of it because the offense is really to Him.

So I think as we look at the prophecy before us, thank you Martha, as we look at the prophecy before us, everything's going downhill in terms of the world system, right? His vengeance will be clearly documented and we respond by faith, saying God's prophecy is real. And ultimately, there'll be an Antichrist, and there'll be a world government leader, and a spiritual leader, and ultimately, the tribulation will follow, and this earth. That's his vengeance, ultimately. And of course, the great white throne judgment will be the ultimate punishment for those who have not responded by belief. So we can spend hours there, but let's go ahead and see if we can get done here this morning. Oh, OK. You'll have to wait until it cools down. How long has it been down? Alright, I'm getting my steps in up here this morning.

Romans 12, 20, Therefore if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head. Flip the page. On page 5, this is directly from Proverbs 25, 21, and 22 without the suffix. And the end of 22 says, and the Lord will reward thee. And I asked the class, no rewards for now? Okay, so read the verse, and the Lord will reward thee. Therefore, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing, you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will reward thee.

Okay, let's move on. Okay, so feed and give. You know, this isn't something casual, right? Again, an imperative. If someone's hungry, we feed them. if they're thirsty we give them drink. Now then you could start getting under a legal system, maybe I need to look for more hungry people and feed more. Well to some extent your giving reflects that attitude doesn't it? I mean when we give to ministries we ultimately are meeting the needs to some extent of those who are hungry and those who are thirsty.

But the spirit has to lead here. Yeah, and we're not talking about meeting the needs of the believer who's unfortunate in his or her circumstances. I think God's going to, for each one of us at times in our life, bring us into circumstances like this where we need to respond in a way that would not be expected in terms of how our feelings are. Randy, are you going to say something?

It's like your dad's example last week in terms of the difference between mercies and grace, right? Remember, mercies, the cop didn't give you a ticket for speeding, but grace, he takes you out to lunch too, right? I mean, it's this idea more, not just getting the just punishment for your wrongdoing, but in fact, giving you more. I mean, that is, as your dad said the other day, that's kind of a simple example, but I think it means a lot to me in terms of trying to understand the differences between mercy and grace.

We always take it for granted that this means actual food and water, something like that. But you know, it can also be showing that person your life, which is Christ, which is the bread and the blood. I mean, which, I don't know, I've always kind of thought that it meant both things. Yeah, that's interesting. Because if you are that believer and you're showing him that food, then It is heaping coals of fire because sometimes they get madder. They get more angry with you if you show them a kindness as well. But I think it's because they see Christ in you. Well, Margaret, that's interesting because this putting coals of fire in his head, boy, that's a tough phrase, isn't it? How do you interpret that, putting coals of fire in his head? That sounds terrible, doesn't it? How are we interpreting that?

And just because of time, I thought it might be good to jump down to Vine. And by the way, in the Psalms, I gave you two examples about fire and brimstone and coals of fire. But Vine, I think, helped me out a lot. By conferring a favor on your enemy, you recall the wrong that he, she has done you so that they repent. with pain of heart. I mean that's the idea here, that in a sense by your good deeds and your response of the Lord Jesus Christ working through you, ultimately that makes them recognize more clearly where they're coming from. So I think that's really the message that's being transmitted. Anybody want to add anything to that? Roy, any further thoughts?

The coals have fire upon their head. I mean, pouring coals of fire on somebody's head would not be a good thing to be doing, right? I mean, in the literal. We got hot brimstone and we're putting it on somebody's head, we're obviously going to cause some material damage there. Okay, that's a good point. Other thoughts about this whole concept of pouring coals of hot fire on somebody's head?

That would have been normative in a battle scenario. Pouring, burning hot nasty things on top of people that are trying to take over your city, your town. That would be defense. So as defense, do nice things. And that's a radical departure. It really is. So you really have to interpret this carefully and in context. So I'm raising to the class, I thought Matthew 544, but I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.

I thought that was kingdom age stuff. You know, I'm certainly a dispensationalist and certainly believe that the Sermon on the Mount really reflected the kingdom age, but the Christ nature is reflected in the Sermon on the Mount, is it not? I mean, he's going to write the law on their hearts, but that kind of Christ light is something we experience today. We don't have to put a law to that. It's just that the Christ nature through us reflects this type of an attitude. Let's look at 2 Corinthians 2, 14-17. Ruthie, would you read that for us please? For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved. and those who are perishing. To one we are the smell of death, to the other the fragrance of life.

And who is equal to such a cat? Unlike so many who do not peddle the word of God or prophet, on the contrary, Christ will speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God. Doesn't that really relate to the text at hand here this morning? And there's the aroma of the believer. I think 2 Corinthians 14-17 really says it all. This is the aroma the world should see no matter how difficult the circumstances, no matter how trying the persecution is, no matter how evil the deed is. And that's something, remember, that we don't work at. It's something we believe. Let's finish the chapter.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Do not overcome as present passive imperative. Another one of these commands, by the way. And this is a circumstance in which we become recipients of the evil of the world. And we're told, don't let that happen. And then secondly, another imperative, but overcome, that's active tense now. So we're passively being subjected to the evil of the world, don't do it. And then we're told overcome and that's active, we should do it. These are both commands and that reflect conquering. Some people like conquering better than overcoming. And my question to everybody, are we being conquered by evil or are we conquering evil? Which life?

And reflect back again on Romans 12, 1 to 2, whatever, don't do it and do it. Imperatives. 1 Peter 3, 9 says, not returning evil for evil, reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. And just a point here at the top of the final page, evil is an extension of the hatefulness of others exemplified in verse 20, but also reflects all of the evil in the world. And a reminder everybody, we're in foreign soil everybody.

Philippians 3.20, our citizenship's not here, we're positioned above, we're holy and acceptable unto God. So let's let that aroma be reflected in how we don't get overwhelmed or controlled by the evil around us and we respond.

I'm going to turn to Hal's notes here in closing. And I was really moved by this and reflecting Hal and his great ministry to each and every one of us and his wisdom of the word. And this is a quote. It's like a wife of 1 Peter 3 winning her husband without a word, but by her conduct. and her adorning, not outward, but the hidden man in her heart.

So the question to each one of us, how should we respond? I can reflect back because my first wife won me to the Lord Jesus Christ by her conduct and her adorning, not by slamming the gospel down my throat. And in a sense, that's our position before the world. So how should we respond to all these urgings and imperatives? Be lifted up. Rest. Believe. And let Christ live in your life. Any thoughts? All right, let's turn to the Lord in prayer. Father, we're grateful for a passage that seems so difficult. And it seems so difficult because we're so incapable of responding in a way that you've commanded.

But yet, there's a rest here and a trust that we are fully acceptable and adorned in a new life, and that life is that of the Lord Jesus Christ. And you've simply asked us to believe that truth. And as we grow in grace, I believe that as the Hungry Hearts series reflected today, ultimately our lives will be changed. because we've trusted you in what you've promised. So we're thankful for the word, all that it means, and the truth that we can reside in to bring glory to you as we respond to a world that is filled with evil. And ultimately, vengeance is yours, you said. May we rest and trust in that great truth. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.