Christ's Instructions

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20) Rom 12:10a . . Love each other with genuine affection

The Greek word translated "love" basically refers to fraternal feelings; which
goes beyond things like courtesy, kindness, consideration, and charity, etc.
Those things exhibit civility which is a non affectionate love; in other words:
being nice to people without necessarily liking them isn't the love we're
looking at here.

Rom 12:10a is not an easy command to obey because it requires the
emotions of fondness and affection, i.e. actually liking one's fellow Christians
as opposed to only being nice to them.

Real affection is easy to imitate, but not so easy to duplicate. Going through
the motions is just not the same as feeling the feelings.

* There are people in this world who, by nature, are affection-challenged.
They can't even feel anything for their own children, let alone other people.
For them, parenting is a nightmare rather than a dream come true. Their
children are a burden rather than a blessing. Children ruin those parents'
lives instead of brightening them up and making their lives more worth the
living.

However, affection-challenged people aren't defective beyond repair because
Christianity isn't entirely a do-it-yourself religion; it's also a supernatural
religion; viz; part of the plan of salvation is regeneration.

● Rom 8:11 . . If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in
you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal
bodies through His spirit, who lives in you.

● 2Cor 4:16 . .Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are
being renewed day by day.

A heads up to affection-challenged people: fraternal love is inconvenient. It
will make you a better human being, but it will also make you pretty
uncomfortable at times too because this love gets into your gut and makes
you emotional, sensitive, compassionate, and sympathetic.
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21) Rom 12:10b . . Honor others above yourselves.

Christians infected with narcissistic personality disorder will find that rule
difficult, if not impossible, to obey. NPD is a mental condition characterized
by a grandiose sense of self-importance, a need for excessive admiration,
exploitive behavior in relationships, and a lack of empathy.

Narcissistic people are by nature insufferably arrogant, self-absorbed,
indifferent, and insensitive. They see nothing wrong with their behavior, nor
are they attuned to its impact on others. Were you to confront narcissistic
folk with your concerns about their attitude; be prepared for a counterattack
because they'll no doubt become indignant and defensive; possibly accusing
you of selfishness, jealousy, overreaction, hysteria, and unloving behavior.
You see; they're never the problem: you are.

As I was watching a recent series on the National Geographic channel about
geniuses; it became readily apparent to me that people in the genius
category crave recognition. Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso are two very
good examples. Their contributions to art and science were secondary to
their ambitions for greatness. I wouldn't say that all geniuses are like that of
course, but apparently the desire for greatness is not uncommon among the
gifted genre.

I should think that most alpha achievers would have trouble complying with
Rom 12:10b too. I mean. why be a winner if not to feel superior? The alpha
achiever's motto is: It's not enough to succeed: everyone else must fail.

Feelings of value are important to everyone's sense of well being, but the
narcissist and the alpha achiever sincerely believe only themselves to be of
any real value. In their mind's eye, those inferior to themselves are of little
worth, i.e. expendable and/or a dime a dozen. (cf. Est 6:6, Matt 27:26, Mark
12:38 39, and 3John 1:9)
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22) Rom 12:11a . . Be not slothful in business; fervent in spirit

According to its use in Matt 25:26-27, the Greek word for "slothful" indicates
failure to honor one's fiduciary responsibilities.

In other words: when people have put their trust in you, in whatever
capacity or circumstance: do not disappoint them, nor (God forbid) make
lame excuses for failing to deliver on your commitments.

"fervent in spirit" sort of means on fire-- i.e. earnestly dedicated and/or
committed --which is just the opposite of half-hearted, lukewarm and/or
stone-walling and procrastination.
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23) Rom 12:12a . . Be glad for all God is planning for you.

Christians unsure of their afterlife destination cannot, in all honesty and a
good conscience, comply with that one. For all they know, God has outer
darkness planned for them. That's not something to be glad about.

There are obvious benefits to a permanent association with God; most
especially resurrection to a superior body and perpetual youth. But those
aren't the end-all.

Humanity was given the blessing of fertility specifically for the purpose of
populating the earth and subduing it. Well; the angels' purpose and way of
life is very different. They're an organization of celestial beings engaged in a
variety of capacities other than populating, conquering, and/or colonizing.

Folks who make the cut won't be returning to their familiar way of life,
pairing up with spouses like before (Matt 22:30). Instead, they too, like the
angels, will be organized to engage in a variety of capacities other than
populating, conquering, and/or colonizing; and they will be kept very busy
getting things done in accord with God's expectations in a new and improved
cosmos.

"It is not to angels that He has subjected the world to come, about which we
are speaking." (Heb 2:5)
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23) Rom 12:12a . . Be glad for all God is planning for you.

Christians unsure of their afterlife destination cannot, in all honesty and a
good conscience, comply with that one. For all they know, God has outer
darkness planned for them. That's not something to be glad about.

There are obvious benefits to a permanent association with God; most
especially resurrection to a superior body and perpetual youth. But those
aren't the end-all.

Humanity was given the blessing of fertility specifically for the purpose of
populating the earth and subduing it. Well; the angels' purpose and way of
life is very different. They're an organization of celestial beings engaged in a
variety of capacities other than populating, conquering, and/or colonizing.

Folks who make the cut won't be returning to their familiar way of life,
pairing up with spouses like before (Matt 22:30). Instead, they too, like the
angels, will be organized to engage in a variety of capacities other than
populating, conquering, and/or colonizing; and they will be kept very busy
getting things done in accord with God's expectations in a new and improved
cosmos.

"It is not to angels that He has subjected the world to come, about which we
are speaking." (Heb 2:5)
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The world to come is upon the earth.

 

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24) Rom 12:12b . . Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful.

Troubles are often made bearable by a confidant; someone with whom we
can safely share every aspect of our emotional distress.

God is of course the first choice for that purpose because He not only has a
sympathetic ear but is also able to sufficiently strengthen His own during
their troubles to prevent them from jumping off a bridge or drowning
themselves in the bathtub.

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the
heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For
we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our
weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as
we are-- yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with
confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our
time of need." (Heb 4:14-16)

The Greek word translated "confidence" basically means all out-spokenness,
i.e. frank, blunt, and/or candid. In other words: in our hour of desperation,
we should not address God with a rote prayer, instead; we ought to speak
from our heart.
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25) Rom 12:13a . . Share with God's people who are in need.

The Jews are God's people in accordance with an unconditional covenant
that He made with Abraham. (Gen 17:7-8)

NOTE: Nazi Germany was very nearly 99% Christian. Had they all complied
with Rom 12:13a, the effects of the Holocaust would've no doubt been
greatly reduced.
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26) Rom 12:13b . . Practice hospitality.

Webster's defines hospitable as:

1_ given to generous and cordial reception of guests

2_ promising or suggesting generous and cordial welcome

3_ offering a pleasant or sustaining environment.

In other words; a hospitable person is civil, courteous, thoughtful, easy on
one's nerves, helpful, non threatening, non confrontational, non militant,
non reactive, non defensive, approachable, accommodating, and relaxing to
be with.
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25) Rom 12:13a . . Share with God's people who are in need.

The Jews are God's people in accordance with an unconditional covenant
that He made with Abraham. (Gen 17:7-8)

NOTE: Nazi Germany was very nearly 99% Christian. Had they all complied
with Rom 12:13a, the effects of the Holocaust would've no doubt been
greatly reduced.
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Paul elsewhere explains that the Abrahamic covenant is with Abraham and his seed (i.e. the Messiah, and those who belong to him.)

The passage in Romans is speaking about the church.

Christianity was grotesquely refashioned / reinvented / perverted in Nazi Germany. For interested readers I recommend The Aryan Jesus: Christian Theologians and the Bible in Nazi Germany, written by Susannah Heschel.

 

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27) Rom 12:14 . . Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

The Greek word for "persecute" basically means to pursue; i.e. to hound. In
other words; a persecuting personality is one whose mission in life is to ruin
somebody's day at every opportunity.

The Greek word for "curse" is from a Greek word meaning to execrate.

Bless is from a Greek word that basically means to invoke a benediction, e.g.

"Good Morning."

"Live long and prosper."

"Have a nice day."

"Good Luck!"

"Bon Voyage!"

"Buen Camino." (Spanish: Pleasant Journey)

"Nya:weh" (Seneca: Thank You)

"Happy Birthday."
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27) Rom 12:14 . . Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

The Greek word for "persecute" basically means to pursue; i.e. to hound. In
other words; a persecuting personality is one whose mission in life is to ruin
somebody's day at every opportunity.

The Greek word for "curse" is from a Greek word meaning to execrate.

Bless is from a Greek word that basically means to invoke a benediction, e.g.

"Good Morning."

"Live long and prosper."

"Have a nice day."

"Good Luck!"

"Bon Voyage!"

"Buen Camino." (Spanish: Pleasant Journey)

"Nya:weh" (Seneca: Thank You)

"Happy Birthday."
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The hound of Jewish monotheism is a blessing. Has it ruined your day?

 

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28) Rom 12:15 . .When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are
sad, share their sorrow.

It's surprising the number of Christians that I've encountered, even Sunday
school teachers, who honestly believe that feelings have no role whatsoever
in the practice of Christianity. As a result, they go about the business of their
spiritual life as insensitive mannequins: cold, academic, and metallic; sort of
like the Tin Woodsman of the Wizard of Oz who, without a heart, couldn't
feel the passionate emotions he once felt for the love of his life. Without a
heart; the poor, pitiful man is barely a sentient being.
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29) Rom 12:16a . . Live in harmony with each other.

It isn't necessary to be in 100% agreement with others on everything in
order to comply with that command. But it is necessary to practice courtesy,
tolerance, patience, and tact, i.e. make every effort to avoid feuding,
one-upmanship, and debating. The opposite of harmony is dissonance, which
can be defined as a mingling of sounds that strike the ear harshly, e.g. sour
notes.

For some people, every disagreement is an act of war to be won at any cost.
That's not harmony, that's militant. It's far and away better for Christians to
be diplomatic rather than be right all the time.

● 2Cor 12:19-20 . . For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I
want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that
there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander,
gossip, arrogance and disorder.
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30) Rom 12:16b . . Don't be elitist, but willing to associate with people
below you.

I'd have to say that those instructions apply only in church where it's
understood by Spirit-led Christians that no one in attendance is somehow
better than another. (cf. Jas 2:1-4)

Church managers should be given a higher degree of respect than pew
warmers because they're in positions of authority and greater responsibility;
but all in all, church is a congregation of redeemed sinners, and that includes
the managers; so we're all equals on that basis. Christ had to undergo just
as much suffering, indignity, and death to redeem church managers as he
did for everyone else so God forbid the hierarchy should exhibit a holier
than-thou attitude. (cf. Matt 23:2-7)
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31) Rom 12:16c . . Don't be wise in your own conceit.

Webster's defines "conceit" as excessive self-appreciation of one's own worth
or virtue. In other words we're talking about hubris; which often indicates a
loss of contact with reality and an overestimation of one's own competence,
accomplishments or capabilities.

Conceit is uncivil, untrainable, and intolerable. It truly believes nobody
beneath its dignity could possibly have anything to tell that it doesn't already
know; and if it doesn't already know, then that's because the information
possessed by those beneath its dignity isn't worth knowing.

Those kinds of people will interrupt you right in the middle of your sentence
and begin talking about their own perspective as if your voice is nowhere to
be heard in the whole room. You know why they do that? Because they
sincerely believe that nothing you are in the midst of saying is nearly as
important as what they have to say. In other words: you, and your
thoughts, are superfluous.

Conceited folk are generally very picky about their influences too. In other
words: even if somebody is a Spirit-gifted Bible teacher, but are neither
published, accredited, or properly educated, then forget it. That Spirit-gifted
somebody is eo ipso undeserving of conceit's intellectual attention right out
of the box.

Conceit is not only stuck on itself; but very critical of others too. I've seen it
to happen time and again that when a Spirit-gifted Bible teacher comes
across with a personality like Elijah's or John the Baptist's that conceit
summarily brushes them off as "unloving" no matter even if they speak as
the very voice of God. In other words; conceit disdains to be taught; rather,
conceit seeks to be accommodated.

I think most people in church are aware that conceit is unacceptable.

● Matt 5:3 . . Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven.

Conceit is a psychological disorder, so people can't just turn it off at will. But
unless something radical is done to correct their conceit; people will have to
face the sum of all fears.

● Matt 18:3 . .Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like
children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.
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32) Rom 12:17a . . Never reciprocate evil with evil to anyone.

That is a really tough command to follow; for example: when someone
makes a demeaning comment, and/or a sarcastic remark about us, the urge
to bounce back with a rejoinder in kind is very difficult to resist.

Well-to-do families at one time sent their daughters off to finishing school to
learn a variety of social graces. I don't know, maybe they still do; but surely
tact and diplomacy ought to be common social graces among Christians.
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33) Rom 12:17b . . Respect what is right in the sight of all men.

The Greek word for "right" is a bit ambiguous. It can mean honorable,
decent, sensible, mature, conforming to social norms of decency and
propriety, beautiful, virtuous, honest, having worth, fitting, and/or
appropriate. Those are all good qualities and should be practiced not only
inside church, but outside church too.

Human nature has a way of adjusting to a variety of social environments.
For example: a boy might be gentlemanly and gracious with his best girl
while a brutish punk with his buddies. Thus he "reads the crowd" sort of like
the way professional stand-up comedians do. In other words: he respects
what's right when with the girl, but not when with his buddies.

The boy can get by with that just so long as his two worlds don't collide; like
in the early scenes of the 1978 movie "Grease" starring John Travolta and
Olivia Newton John where a teen-age guy slips back into his bad-boy high
school persona only to be confronted by a girl with whom he was sweet
during Summer vacation and never expected to see again.
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34) Rom 12:18 . . If possible, so far as it in your power, be at peace with all
men.

NOTE: The Greek word translated "men" is somewhat ambiguous. It mostly
refers to humans of either gender-- male and female --which bounces back
to the very beginning where both genders are labeled Man & Adam (Gen
1:27 & Gen 5:1-2)

Assertive, defensive, demanding, fault-finding, imperious, judgmental,
confrontational, argumentative, bossy, spirited, hard-nosed, implacable,
moody, thin skinned, vindictive, abrasive, spiteful people are not allowed in
heaven. Why? Because heaven is a place of peace (Rom 14:17).

Disagreeable people who fight at the drop of a hat simply don't fit in heaven
and besides, not only would they be a fish out of water; but it wouldn't be
fair to the others to let difficult people in to heaven where they would surely
turn it into the same kind of hellish world to live in that they've made this
one.

Of all people, Christians should not be difficult; they should be the easiest to
get along with. (cf. Matt 5:9)
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35) Rom 12:19 . . Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave it to the
wrath of God, for it is written: Vengeance is mine, I will repay; testifies The
Lord.

The focus is upon one's "own" revenge; in other words: what we're talking
about here is evening the score, i.e. payback.

So; if the matter can't be settled legally; then let it go rather than take it
upon yourself to be prosecutor, judge, jury, and executioner, viz: a
vigilante. Those who seek justice outside the justice system are no less
criminals than the people they seek to punish.
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36) Rom 12:20 . . If your personal enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is
thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals upon his
head.

Heaping real live burning coals upon somebody's head would be terribly
vindictive and unchristian; as would wishing them dead and condemned to
Hell. It's probably just meant to be a colloquialism for making someone feel
ashamed of themselves, i.e. guilty.

Way back when the television show "SURVIVOR" was in its second or third
season, two of the women fell out of sorts and one vowed that even if the
other were lying in the street near death from thirst, she'd walk right past
and not give her so much as a drop of water.

Bad form. Christians have to remain civil and not permit detestable people
to dictate the way we treat our fellow men. It is far better for Christ's
followers to exemplify humanitarian principles than satisfy a grudge. I'll
admit it's galling to have to be courteous with people that mistreat us; but
what can I say? Christ expects it.

● Matt 5:46-47 . . If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?
Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your
brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do
that?
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