Doing Good Together - Romans 12:21 (Part 6)
Dear Friends,
We’ve been meditating on Romans 12:21 for the past five weeks or so. We are embarking on the 6th article in this series, as we want to continue learning what it means to “...not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Since this is a command in the New Covenant, we want to understand how to successfully walk this out by the Spirit’s power and Divine energy that Christ Jesus supplies.
We have covered a lot of territory in Scripture, so far, that will help us anchor our faith in the only One who is able to accomplish this goal of not being defeated, but rather overcoming evil with good – that is our Savior, Jesus Christ. It is through faith in His overcoming presence within our hearts, that we are enabled to overcome all evil with God’s outstanding goodness.
Let’s dive right in where we left off last week, engaging the context of our key verse. If you have not been able to read the other articles in this series, we encourage you to go to DiscoveringGrace.org or click through to Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, or Part 5.
We are picking things up at the beginning of Romans 12. Since our key verse is located at the end of the chapter, we must conclude that there is a lot of important instruction in the verses prior to Romans 12:21. So, let’s begin...
“I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.” - Romans 12:1 AMPC
One very important discovery in our quest to “… not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good,” is to realize that this is accomplished in the context of our dedicated service to our Lord and Savior. In light of all that He has done to set us free from the bondage of sin, sickness, disease, Satan’s power and authority, and death, we willingly offer our bodies and our lives to His special service. From past teaching, we have come to understand that this is done in loving unity with Him. This kind of service is what God calls worship!
In order to adequately serve the Lord in a holy and well pleasing way that is in accordance with His will and the good works He has planned for us, we may have to change the way we think.
“Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].” - Romans 12:2 AMPC
We really nailed this verse last week, (see Part 5) especially in regard to our response to viruses or any other thing that “exalts itself against the true knowledge of God” (2 Corinthians 10:5). We simply cannot think like the world thinks, if we are going to adequately serve the Lord. We must learn to think like God thinks, and believe all that God believes, and have confidence in all that He has revealed in His Word, especially as it concerns those of us who have believed in Him. If we are going to serve the Lord well, we must know our Lord well!
Years ago, I learned something from E.W. Kenyon and also Don Gossett that has really stuck with me. Perhaps it will help you also...
“I am what God says I am!”
“I have what God says I have!”
“I can do all that God says I can do!”
The easiest way that I know to understand what God thinks and to prove what His good and acceptable and perfect will is, is by reading and studying His Word. His Word is His will. I’ve heard it said lately, that we need a “Revival of the Bible!” I could not agree more.
Now so far, we see in Romans 12, that the believer’s life is to be wholly dedicated to the service of the Lord. I always wondered why the Lord didn’t just take us straight into His Kingdom when we first believed. The reason, of course, is that there is much work to be done on earth. He has placed us in unity with Himself and given us all power and authority in His Name, so we get the privilege of sharing the reward for being a partner with Him in this great work of bringing all to the knowledge of Him. It is so amazing that he entrusts us to work with Him in His ministry. And, we are about to learn more details about what this looks like in practical service.
We see in verse 2, that we are also to be sure that we approach our service to the Lord through a mind that has been renewed to God’s way of looking at things, and not according to the world’s standards or methods of interpreting life. God’s ways of doing things are so much better than the world’s approach, which is why He calls them good, well-pleasing and perfect. We can deduce that the world’s way of doing things is just the opposite, bad, unpleasant and imperfect. When we approach our service according to His perfect plans, we can’t help but succeed at everything He places in our path to accomplish for His glory.
As we move on to verse 3, we see very clearly what our next step is...
“For by the grace [of God] given to me I say to everyone of you not to think more highly of himself [and of his importance and ability] than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has apportioned to each a degree of faith [and a purpose designed for service].” - Romans 12:3 AMP
Once we have dedicated our life to the service of the Lord, and we have abandoned the world’s way of thinking in order to embrace God’s thoughts, we are to adopt a grace-based opinion of ourselves. Now, who better to make this claim than the Apostle Paul! This is the man who was so zealous for his religious upbringing, that he persecuted the very people Jesus had come to save. Here is a man who knows a thing or two about grace and has had the experience to be able to inform us in all humility, that our estimation of ourselves can only be accurate if it is according to the grace and mercy of God.
There is not a one of us who is deserving of anything worthy in our own right.
“For God has made all people prisoners of disobedience, so that he might show mercy to them all.” (Romans 11:32 GNT) We only have the salvation we possess because “God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NASB) “And what do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7 NKJV) The Scripture asks some tough, but honest questions of us. What do we have that we have not been freely given?
God is so generous to each one of us. First, He provides an atonement for our sins, then pursues us with the Gospel and gives us faith in order to believe it. He then supplies us with everything we need for life and Godliness by granting us union with Him through the Holy Spirit, and then gives us precious assignments in His awesome plan to reach the world with His salvation message. And, to make certain we are able to accomplish everything He has in mind for us to do, He gives us each a measure of His powerful faith in order to complete any task that is given. Wow!!! Thank you, Lord!
It makes a lot of sense for us to have a God-sized view of ourselves, but also a God-sized view of every other believer that God has called to this amazing world mission. We are all on the same team, and our Captain is fair. He simply asks us to have a grace-based view of ourselves and not place a higher value on our own importance above any other believer who is dedicated to serving the Lord also. We must remember that the Spirit of the Lord Jesus lives in each one of His believing servants. The Jesus in me is not any more valuable or important than the Jesus in you. This places us all in dependence upon Him to do whatever work He desires to do through us, therefore, we are all under His grace and favor.
Friend, I hope you see how powerful this is. If you have ever considered your past and thought that your mistakes have disqualified you from being powerfully used of God, you are sadly wrong about that. Remember, the person who wrote Romans 12:3 was the Apostle Paul, who had a much shadier background than you have probably had thus far. And even if you have participated in heinous sins in the past, if you have believed in the redemption purchased for you by the blood of Jesus Christ, you are completely clean and the Lord is not remembering your sins any longer (Hebrews 8:12). You have a part to play in God’s amazing story and your service is just as important and invaluable as anyone else in the Kingdom of God.
I’d like you to see how the Apostle Paul understood himself accurately according to the grace of God…
“For I am the least [worthy] of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I [at one time] fiercely oppressed and violently persecuted the church of God.
But by the [remarkable] grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not without effect. In fact, I worked harder than all of the apostles, though it was not I, but the grace of God [His unmerited favor and blessing which was] with me.” - 1 Corinthians 15:9-10 AMP
The Apostle Paul claimed to be the least worthy of all the apostles. But even Peter, who walked and talked with Jesus and participated in all of His miracles, abandoned the Lord in His most desperate hour and denied even knowing Him three times. You see, even the great apostles understood that without the indwelling Christ, through the Holy Spirit, they were also worth absolutely nothing. We all need the grace and favor of God. And with the grace and favor of God, we are able to work harder than we ever thought we could.
So, now that we have dedicated our bodies to the service of the Lord, and we have renewed our minds to God’s way of doing things, and we have a grace-based estimate of ourselves, we are ready to learn how we fit into this “good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” The great Apostle begins to use an illustration to help us see how well we fit and how important we are to the greater cause...
“For just as in one [physical] body we have many parts, and these parts do not all have the same function or special use,
so we, who are many, are [nevertheless just] one body in Christ, and individually [we are] parts one of another [mutually dependent on each other].” - Romans 12:4-5AMP
A hand, a foot, a mouth… a finger, a toe, an eye… a leg, an arm, an ear, a nose, or a back-side… These are all necessary parts of the human body. The lungs, the kidneys or the stomach… Whether they are visible, outside parts or hidden, inside parts, each part of the body has an important and distinct function and special use as an integral part of the whole. All of these parts are created especially to mutually benefit each other and the whole body, as well as anything that the body touches or influences by close proximity.
Your special contribution to the body of Christ, is unique and vital, yet may be functionally similar or different from someone else in the body of Christ, depending on how the Lord has fashioned you to function. This means that we are all important! It is really that simple.
Now, we can see why it makes so much sense that we are to have a proper view of ourselves in the body of Christ. When you have a grace-based view of yourself, you will not be tempted to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think (Romans 12:3) You are not so important that you can say that you have no need of other believers, and yet in the same way, no other believer can say that they have no need of you and the good works God has especially designed for you to fulfill. (1 Corinthians 12:20-22) Isn’t that so wonderful!
Having a proper, grace-based view of ourselves also means that we do not diminish or devalue our importance either. (I Corinthians 12:15-17) “But now God has arranged the parts, each one of them in the body, just as He desired.” (1 Corinthians 12:18) God has not made any mistakes in the way He chose for each individual to function in the body of Christ. The Word is very clear that even those members of the body that seem to be weaker are even more important. (I Corinthians 12:22-23) The illustration of the human body bears this out in real science. Small parts, that people have mistakenly considered unimportant, are some of God’s most creative defenses or are absolutely necessary for perfect body function...like your tonsils, nail cuticles, the pineal gland in your brain, your big toes, your appendix, your gall bladder, etc. Just like the marvelous human body that God created for us to live in, every part or member of the body of Christ is just as important and necessary to fulfill the dream of God.
In order to “not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good,” ultimately, we need to be ready to work as a team, as part of the great body of Christ, yet fulfilling our own special assignments from the Lord. There are two things that the Apostle has already listed that will hinder our service to the Lord; being conformed to the world in our thinking, and thinking too highly of ourselves. Let’s be aware of these snares, so we can avoid getting caught in them.
I’d like to return to our understanding that, as we dedicate ourselves to the Lord for His delightful service, having removed from our thinking the influences of the world and any undue, lofty thoughts about ourselves, we remember that our service to the Lord will only be holy, well-pleasing, and good, if it is in unity with the will of the Father through the Divine energy of the Holy Spirit of the Son of God. That was a mouth-full of words, but we must simply remember that we are only the branches, and He is the Vine that supplies all of the energy necessary to produce fruit in our lives. With that being said, we are ready and excited for every good work He has planned…
“Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them accordingly: if [someone has the gift of] prophecy, [let him speak a new message from God to His people] in proportion to the faith possessed;
if service, in the act of serving; or he who teaches, in the act of teaching;
or he who encourages, in the act of encouragement; he who gives, with generosity; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy [in caring for others], with cheerfulness.” - Romans 12:6-8 AMP
As we consider the exhortation in Romans 12:21, to “not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good,” let’s examine just exactly how to “overcome evil with good.” The Apostle gives several applications in this portion of the Scripture. Let’s list them…
Prophesy (speaking for God)
Serving others
Teaching
Encouraging
Giving
Leading others
Mercy (caring for others)
This is what it looks like when Jesus reaches out through us. None of these gifts and abilities are a means for serving self. They all project outward to others.
In order to overcome evil, someone needs to speak for God and share the thoughts of God to those who need to know God. In order to overcome evil with good, someone needs to serve people for God’s sake and not for personal gain. Jesus “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38), and He did this by serving people; helping, healing, feeding, rescuing, delivering people from Satan’s bondage.
Jesus went about “teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom” (Matthew 4:23/Mark 6:34). A teacher explains the Word of God to people so that they can understand the truth and are no longer deceived by misinformation or misinterpretation. This certainly is an important means of “overcoming evil with good.” When the Master teaches through a member of the body of Christ, evil is overcome, because evil feeds on deception.
People need to be encouraged and someone needs to be God’s comforting voice of goodness and hope to the discouraged, fearful and downtrodden. Jesus was the grandest giver that ever lived, even to the point of giving His own life for the salvation of everyone else. The world needs to experience the giving heart of our Savior in very real and practical expressions of help, support and love.
The world is in need of Godly leaders who lead by example, giving preference to those they are called to guide and protect. Jesus led by example and never lorded over those who followed His leadership, yet He served them by always directing them in God’s perfect will and purposes. He is the Great Shepherd Who leads the sheep. Those who have the heart of the Shepherd will lead as He led and protect as He protected. There are wolves, you know! And finally, people need people who have the compassionate heart of God and who delight to care for others, being the loving hands and feet of Jesus to them. Being a good Samaritan is so much more than binding a wound.
Are you beginning to see where you fit? I promise you that if you have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and have been adopted into His family of believers, you have been filled with His Divine character and attributes and nature. There is no one who has entered the family of God who has been left out or excluded from the gifts He has given to His children. See for yourself…
“Yet grace [God’s undeserved favor] was given to each one of us [not indiscriminately, but in different ways] in proportion to the measure of Christ’s [rich and abundant] gift.
Therefore it says, “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And He bestowed gifts on men.” - Ephesians 4:7-8 AMP
Dear Believing Friend, there is no doubt that Jesus has bestowed upon you rich and abundant gifts for you to be able to serve Him using His own character and nature. The Apostle Peter classifies these gifts into two basic categories – speaking gifts and serving gifts. You are bound to fit into one of these two categories…
“As each of you has received a gift (a particular spiritual talent, a gracious divine endowment), employ it for one another as [befits] good trustees of God’s many-sided grace [faithful stewards of the extremely diverse powers and gifts granted to Christians by unmerited favor].
Whoever speaks, [let him do it as one who utters] oracles of God; whoever renders service, [let him do it] as with the strength which God furnishes abundantly, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ (the Messiah). To Him be the glory and dominion forever and ever (through endless ages). Amen (so be it).” - 1 Peter 4:10-11 AMPC
As we wrap things up this week, I’d like to make what I consider to be the most important point for this week. In order to truly “not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good,” we need to follow this very important command that is given in Romans 12:6 -“Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them accordingly.”Yes, we have gifts! And when we have dedicated ourselves to the Lord and are ready to joyfully join Him in His work, we are to use those gifts accordingly.
Peter echoed this same command in 1 Peter 4:10 saying, “As each of you has received a gift (a particular spiritual talent, a gracious divine endowment), employ it for one another as [befits] good trustees of God’s many-sided grace.” By employing the individual gifts given to us by our Lord and Savior, we are overcoming evil with good. Embrace your amazing, God-given gifts and “prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].” (Romans 12:2) What a better way to live out the rest of your life on earth!
Friend, if you are reading this today and you desire to have this personal relationship with Jesus and live this abundant, supernatural life in unity with Him, I encourage you to follow the instructions given in this next passage of Scripture and you’ll be on your way to a loving, guilt-free, faith-filled relationship with the God Who created you for awesome things…
“...if you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
For with the heart a person believes [in Christ as Savior] resulting in his justification [that is, being made righteous—being freed of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [his faith openly], resulting in and confirming [his] salvation.
For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him [whoever adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] will not be disappointed [in his expectations].”
For there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile; for the same Lord is Lord over all [of us], and [He is] abounding in riches (blessings) for all who call on Him [in faith and prayer].
For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord [in prayer] will be saved.” - Romans 10:9-13 AMP
If you have made that decision today or you are still thinking about it, we’d like to suggest a few more articles that will really help you.
As we conclude this article, let us step into the future fully encouraged that through Jesus, we are empowered to live our lives in complete service to God, using the gifts He has given to us. Let us go into these next weeks charged up to “serve the Lord with gladness.” (Psalm 100:2)
We’d like to leave you with this final meditation from 1 Peter 1:13-25
“So prepare your minds for action, be completely sober [in spirit—steadfast, self-disciplined, spiritually and morally alert], fix your hope completely on the grace [of God] that is coming to you when Jesus Christ is revealed.
[Live] as obedient children [of God]; do not be conformed to the evil desires which governed you in your ignorance [before you knew the requirements and transforming power of the good news regarding salvation].
But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your conduct [be set apart from the world by your godly character and moral courage];
because it is written, “You shall be holy (set apart), for I am holy.”
If you address as Father, the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in [reverent] fear [of Him] and with profound respect for Him throughout the time of your stay on earth.
For you know that you were not redeemed from your useless [spiritually unproductive] way of life inherited [by tradition] from your forefathers with perishable things like silver and gold,
but [you were actually purchased] with precious blood, like that of a [sacrificial] lamb unblemished and spotless, the priceless blood of Christ.
For He was foreordained (foreknown) before the foundation of the world, but has appeared [publicly] in these last times for your sake
and through Him you believe [confidently] in God [the heavenly Father], who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are [centered and rest] in God.
Since by your obedience to the truth you have purified yourselves for a sincere love of the believers, [see that you] love one another from the heart [always unselfishly seeking the best for one another],
for you have been born again [that is, reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] not of seed which is perishable but [from that which is] imperishable and immortal, that is, through the living and everlasting word of God.
For, “All flesh is like grass, And all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers And the flower falls off, But the word of the Lord endures forever.”
And this is the word [the good news of salvation] which was preached to you.” - 1 Peter 1:13-25 AMP
Dear Believing Friends, prepare your minds for action as you go out in confidence to serve the Lord and “overcome evil with good.” You are no longer like the grass that withers. You are born again through the everlasting Word of the Lord, Who is the Seed that is imperishable and immortal. And since that Seed living in you is imperishable and immortal, you also are imperishable and immortal.
Now that, dear Friends, is Grace!
written by
Eileen R. Jacobs (March 2021)
Copyright © 2021 Eileen Jacobs Ministries. All rights reserved.
Note:
One last note...if today you received Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, we encourage you to write the date down somewhere important to you. Many people like to write the date of their salvation on the inside cover of their Bible. I can’t stress enough how important this is to do. Not only does it help you remember the day you became a Child of God, but it is a marker of your New Birth like a birth certificate, which is a legal proof of your existence. This marker is important because, whether you know it or not, there actually is a devil. Since he is a spirit, he has an ability to speak to our minds by way of deceptive thoughts. I can almost guarantee that there will come a time when a suggestive thought will come to your mind that will cause you to question whether you are really saved or not. This is where that date recorded or marker or New Birth certificate becomes important. You can simply go back to your Bible or wherever you wrote it down, and remind yourself or say to the devil...”Nope, you’re wrong! This date is the day I received Jesus, the day of my New Birth, the day I became a Child of God, the day I was saved, the day my name was written in the Lamb’s book of life...end of discussion!”
Finally, we would love to know that you have joined the family of God. We are so excited for you and we want to keep you in our prayers. Email us to let us know!
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