In Romans 12, the Apostle Paul dives into what it truly means to live out the Gospel in our everyday lives. As we study verses 14-21, we confront some of the most challenging aspects of Christian living — extending love in the face of adversity and opposition. Loving those who oppose us, blessing those who curse us, and overcoming evil with good are tasks that defy our natural tendencies.
Last week, we discussed the manifestation of Christ’s love among believers. This week, the challenge escalates as we discuss engaging with an unbelieving world. It is one thing to share love with other believers and quite another to extend it to those who might not only disregard our efforts but actively resist them. Human effort alone is insufficient. Without the presence of Christ’s love, our endeavors fail; but with Him, we can show love to a lost and dying world. Let’s explore how we can live out this high calling, not by our might, but by the Spirit of God who empowers us to love radically and sacrificially — even when it is hard.
1. Love by Blessing Those Who Curse You
In Romans 12:14, Paul challenges us to embody a radical kind of love — one that blesses even those who curse us. Paul’s call to “bless and do not curse” is not a suggestion; it is a command that reflects the heart of the Gospel. This is the love Jesus showed when, even as He hung on the cross, He forgave those who crucified Him, saying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” For many of us, trying to love those who hurt us can feel like an impossible task. We might even question whether it is worth the effort. But when we attempt to live out this command in our strength alone, we are bound to fail. True success in loving our enemies can only come through the transformative power of Christ within us. It is He who empowers us to love beyond our human capacity.
As followers of Christ, we are called to a higher standard of love — one that surpasses human understanding. This love does not calculate wrongs or seek retaliation but offers forgiveness without reservation. By doing so, we imitate Christ and open a way for others to experience His grace. When faced with persecution or hatred, our response should not mirror the aggression but rather demonstrate the boundless love of God. This radical love also serves as a test of our faith. If we find ourselves struggling to forgive and bless, it may indicate a need to dive deeper into our own understanding and acceptance of the forgiveness Christ offers us. Only by fully embracing the grace and mercy we have received can we truly extend it to others.
In practical terms, living out this command might mean praying for those who have wronged us, seeking their good despite our pain, or simply letting go of bitterness. These actions are not signs of weakness but of immense strength and conviction. They are the fruits of a life genuinely rooted in Christ. Let us strive to love as Christ loved us — unconditionally and sacrificially. It is through this love that we truly become lights in the world, overcoming evil with good, and hatred with an unyielding, Christ-like love.
2. Love With Empathy
ln Romans 12:15, Paul outlines a crucial aspect of Christian living: loving with empathy. The power of empathy in the Christian life cannot be overstated. It acts as a salve for both the giver and receiver, providing a sense of connection and understanding. This is not merely a passive exercise but an active engagement in the emotional lives of others. Paul’s exhortation to “rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” is an invitation to share deeply in their experiences. It is easy to empathize with those we like or those whose experiences align closely with ours. However, the real challenge — and Paul’s focus — is on extending that empathy to those we might not naturally gravitate towards.
This radical form of empathy is transformative. It requires a profound humility and a willingness to see the world through another’s eyes, even, and especially, when their perspective challenges or discomforts us. It is about actively participating in someone else’s pain. This can mean celebrating achievements that we might envy or sitting with someone in their grief without trying to fix it. Engaging with others in this way does not just improve their emotional health; it can lead to a fuller, healthier life for the empathizer as well. By acting as representatives of Christ, the Great Physician, we are called to bring healing and wholeness to a fractured world, starting with our immediate interactions.
The challenge, then, is to live out this empathy in everyday interactions. It might mean genuinely congratulating a coworker who receives a promotion we thought we deserved, or it could involve sitting quietly with a friend enduring loss. True empathy means celebrating another’s joy as if it were our own and allowing their grief to touch our hearts deeply. This passage reminds us that Christian empathy is not optional; it is fundamental. It shapes how we interact within the community of believers and the world.
3. Love Without Prejudice
In Romans 12:16, Paul challenges us to dismantle our innate prejudices and to actively cultivate the same level of concern for everyone, regardless of how different they may seem from us. Prejudice can manifest in many forms, not just the ones we are accustomed to recognizing, such as racism. It can arise from differences in socioeconomic status, educational background, or simply from unfamiliarity with another’s culture or lifestyle. Such biases, whether they stem from ethnicity or other differences, are fundamentally incompatible with the teachings of Christ.
Paul’s insistence on living without prejudice is rooted in the principle that all humans are created in the image of God. To discriminate against another person is, in essence, to challenge God’s wisdom and authority. Instead of contributing to the stormy seas of discord and division, Christians are called to be lighthouses — stable, guiding, and peaceful amidst societal turmoil.
5 Practical Steps Toward Harmonious Living
- Recognize and address personal biases. This requires honest self-reflection and openness to admit when our attitudes do not align with our faith.
- Prejudice often stems from ignorance. By seeking to understand the experiences and perspectives of those who are different from us, we can begin to dismantle the barriers that prejudice erects.
- Practice empathy by genuinely trying to understand their experiences and emotions. It involves sharing in their joys and sorrows as if they were our own.
- Engage in meaningful conversations that can bridge gaps between diverse groups. These conversations, while sometimes uncomfortable, are crucial for developing mutual respect and understanding.
- Actively seek unity and find ways to connect with and support others, regardless of our differences.
By embracing these practices, we not only live out the command to love without prejudice, but we also contribute to a more just and compassionate world.
4. Love Rightly Even When Wronged
In Romans 12:17-21, Paul teaches us Christians should handle mistreatment. The Christian response calls for a love that does not retaliate or seek vengeance but instead reflects the character of Jesus, even when it is not deserved.
Love Does Not Retaliate or Seek Vengeance
Our natural inclination when wronged is often to retaliate — to respond to hurt with hurt, believing that a forceful comeback will settle the matter. However, Paul directs us towards a different path. This principle is profoundly illustrated in verse 17, which encourages us to respond to hostility with peace, and verse 19, which expressly instructs us to leave vengeance to God.
This does not mean suppressing feelings of injustice but rather channeling them in a way that aligns with Christ’s teachings. Paul reminds us that retaliatory actions only propagate the cycle of wrongdoing, while a Christ-like response has the potential to halt it. Imitating Jesus, who on the cross prayed for forgiveness for his executioners, sets a high standard: responding to injustice with a spirit of forgiveness rather than revenge.
Love Like Jesus Even When It’s Not Deserved
Jesus’s example on the cross is the ultimate demonstration of loving without prejudice — offering forgiveness and salvation to those who least deserve it. Romans 12:18 highlights this: “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” This verse acknowledges that while complete peace may not always be achievable, our responsibility lies in striving towards it to the best of our ability.
Loving like Jesus involves extending grace and forgiveness even to those who may not reciprocate or appreciate it. It means actively seeking reconciliation and harmony, rather than contention and division. This type of love challenges us to overcome our biases and prejudices, urging us to treat every individual with dignity and respect, regardless of their actions towards us.
This approach to dealing with mistreatment and misunderstanding is not about being passive or a “doormat.” Instead, it is about choosing a proactive stance of love that seeks to transform adversity into an opportunity for grace and redemption. It is about making hard choices that reflect God’s endless capacity for forgiveness, aiming to replicate that in our lives as much as humanly possible. By choosing to love as Christ loves, even in the face of wrongdoing, we actively participate in the divine nature of grace. As we embody this radical love, we become beacons of Christ’s light in a dark world.
