Romans 12: the wisdom and way of Jesus
Please read 1 Kings 3: 4-15, Matthew 5: 1-10, James 3:13-18 and Romans 12: 17-21, and then pray: Gracious and Wise God, fill us with the knowledge of your will, and lead us in the way of Jesus with all the wisdom and understanding which your Word and Spirit give. Amen.
This will be the final sermon of the series of messages on Romans 12. This is sermon 11 of the series that has majored on the theme of practical, day to day Christianity. If I were to summarise the teaching of the apostle Paul in chapter 12 of this his greatest letter – it would be this: Christianity in action. Christianity is a life of faith – but that faith in Jesus leads to practical action, action which overflows with much evidence of God’s mercy, grace, and love. You and I are saved by the merciful grace of God, and our salvation impels us to gratefully respond by living a life of mercy in relation to others – even enemies. As this section of Romans ends, Paul moves to his concluding thoughts by teaching on two very practical issues. These are non-retaliation and peace-making.
Before we look at these two great remaining challenges – it is important to stress the importance of one thing which is especially needed if we are to successfully live a life of genuine Christian faith and action. What you are I most need, and what God is prepared to give us in ever increasing measure is wisdom. Wisdom to know what to do and how to put into practice our wonderful faith as outlined in Romans 12. Wisdom to guide in areas such as non-retaliation and peace-making – and all the other areas of an active and obedient Christian life.
This is why I chose the 3 readings today: to illustrate and highlight the vital importance of wisdom. In Proverbs, after Solomon had written about the moral benefits of wisdom, the king then focuses on the supremacy of wisdom. (Read Proverbs 4 v 1-9)
The good and wise father tells his son to prioritise the pursuit of wisdom. This is what will enrich life more than anything else – certainly more than silver or gold. Go for wisdom. Pursue it. Hold on to it. Pray for it. Learn wisdoms ways and walk in them. As I look back on my life and the course of my ministry, particularly my pastoral ministry, I wish I had asked God for more wisdom more often because when we lack godly wisdom, we stumble towards trouble and strife. Wisdom comes through prayer (James 1:5), spending time in the presence of the all-wise God.
When Solomon began his reign of breathtaking splendour, dominant power, and immense success, he was invited through an encounter with God in a dream to ask for one thing that he thought would be of the greatest help to him as the King of Israel. Solomon asked for wisdom – a discerning heart and mind. That is what he believed he needed to rule and reign over his people with righteousness and justice and courage. God blesses Solomon with very great wisdom and influence. God also grants Solomon wealth and honour in abundance. Whilst we are not called to be kings like Solomon was, we are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. (Matthew 5: 13-16) Do we not need wisdom so that we can fulfil this high calling? We certainly do.
When Jesus was born (of the line of David and Solomon) he announced that there was now One among the people who was “greater than Solomon.” (Matthew 12:42) In the gospels, we encounter the teaching of Jesus. Jesus is the Personification of Wisdom prophetically spoken of in the book of Proverbs. (Proverbs 8: 22-36). Nowhere do we encounter the wisdom of God more than in Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount. (Matthew chapters 5-7) That wisdom teaching begins with the beatitudes where Jesus explains how people can experience and enjoy the blessed life – the life of the kingdom. Jesus teaches the wise ways which characterise and mark out his kingdom and his kingdom people. Who are the ones richly blessed and anointed in Jesus’s eyes?
The poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek; those hungry for righteousness and justice; the merciful; the pure in heart and the peacemakers; and finally, those persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for the sake of Jesus’s kingdom. And you will find that Paul in Romans 12 is reiterating the practice and the wisdom contained in all those beautiful beatitudes – beatitudes which form the basis of the greatest piece of moral teaching in the world.
Did you notice how James (the brother of our Lord) describes the wisdom that comes from heaven, from God? This is the wisdom he saw in Jesus. And this is what Paul calls for in Romans 12:
But wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peace-makers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. (3:17)
Earlier James writes: Who is wise and understanding among you. Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. (3:17) Isn’t Romans 12 primarily concerned with wise actions and good deeds done with humility? (Romans 12:3, 10, 13, 16)
There are so many connections between Proverbs (an OT book of wisdom), Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount, Pauls’ Romans 12, and James’s emphasis on wisdom and practical faith. We will see all these interconnections and agreements as we think about non retaliation and peace-making, but I felt it was very important for us to hear once again that above all else, we need to ask God for his wisdom, heavenly wisdom to help us live a genuine Christian life of obedience, joy, and peace. Let me remind what James writes as part of the opening words of his letter:
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5)
Let us now consider those great challenges in Romans 12 concerning non-retaliatory action and to peace-making and peace-loving. (Read Romans 12: 17-21)
In v 17, we have the first “do not.” Do not repay evil for evil.” In v 19, we have another “do not” calling for non-retaliation. Do not take revenge. Paul here is basing his teaching on Jesus and the Sermon on the Mount, and on the older tradition within Solomon’s book of Proverbs.
There is a whole section of Jesus’s teaching on an “eye for an eye” which stresses non-retaliation, proscribing against revenge, and encouraging kindness to enemies. (Matthew 5: 38-42) There are many Proverbs which tackle the same theme. (Proverbs 20:22, 24:29). And Paul quotes directly from Proverbs here in Romans 12 where he is calling for wisdom and calmness in situations where we may be tempted to respond like for like, responding with a sinful action to a sinful action against us. Here is the quote Paul uses from Proverbs:
If your enemy is hungry, feed him: if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. (Proverbs 25: 21-22)
The call is for the Romans Christians and for us to respond to aggression and antagonism with grace and kindness. Who said Christianity was easy? Living the Christian life is no easy option; on the contrary, it the most challenging and demanding of journeys, and especially when it comes to relating to people you believe and know are “against you” or wish you harm. We are called to exercise kindness and hospitality to any who dislike us. Revenge is not an option for the Christian. Retaliation is not a Christian ethic. Any ideas or thoughts we have of “getting our own back” – need to be repented of – however hard that is for any of us.
These tough and tempting situations that arise in everyone’s life at some point should be faced with the help of the grace of God and the power of the Spirit of God working within our hearts and minds. Demonstrating kindness to those who oppose us, and practically serving enemies is very hard, but nothing is too hard for our God who abides in us, and is working out his purposes through us. Prayer is especially needed, so we can seek to act with practical wisdom and follow the very example of Jesus. And that is what Paul is calling for here – the following of Jesus’s example.
This is put nowhere better than in 1 Peter 2: 21-23, a letter in which the apostle Peter is connecting with Christians suffering from their faith and regularly facing threats from enemies of the Christian faith;
To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps. (What was that example which Christians must follow?) He committed no sin; no deceit was found in his mouth. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate: when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
Jesus did not retaliate against his enemies. He made no counter–threats. Instead, through prayer, he entrusted himself to God – to His Father, before and during his crucifixion. To use Paul’s words in Romans 12, Jesus was willing to let God do the judging. Jesus entrusted his situation and his enemies to the just and decisive wrath of God. God will one day perfectly respond and judge all evil with perfect justice. His justice is faultless. God will vindicate where necessary and punish where necessary.
Responding with kindness, going the extra mile is the challenge before us. That is a huge challenge that can only be met through the grace and mercy of God working supernaturally within us. Paul also offers a broader challenge which is this. Bearing in mind that the eyes of the world are upon the Christian, waiting for them to slip up or to spot some sort of hypocrisy and seize upon it: Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. Christians are constantly being scrutinized and judged by different people – so Christians need to be always on their guard, always on their toes and seeking to act without misrepresenting or harming the message of the gospel.
This translation in the NIV is not perhaps the best way to capture Paul’s thinking. The message Paul is wanting to get across to those Christians in Rome who will face persecution in the years to come is this. See that your public behaviour is above criticism. (JB Philips) Or as Stuart Olyott puts it in His commentary on Romans; Keep your life free from justified criticism. In Colossians, Paul urges this which expresses the same idea.
“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (Colossians 4: 5-6) Or a Jesus puts in memorably in his Sermon, and this comes just after the beatitudes: “let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good deed and praise your Father in heaven.”
You can see why I felt I needed to draw everyone’s attention to wisdom. In pressure situations, we need wisdom and grace. The burning coals Paul refers to and which are spoken of in Proverbs, are not some sort of punishment, but are to be seen as the challenging heat of inner conviction which may lead to shame and repentance within the hearts of enemies. Kindness to enemies can speak with great power and grace. Enemies could become friends and this has happened in the history of the Christian faith. Bitterness and anger can be melted by grace and kindness. Bitterness will never be transformed by further retaliation and by aggressive responses.
We are as Paul says to overcome and overturn evil with good. Letting light shine in the way that Jesus advocated can overcome darkness – the deep darkness that controls all ongoing, seemingly never-ending conflicts and relationship breakdown. That should be the aim of the meek, the righteous and the lovers of peace. To overcome evil with good deeds, good responses.
This leads me on to what is another great challenge which Paul presents us with. This is a powerful verse of Scripture.
If it is possible, as far as depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Jesus said – Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of God. Here, in this verse above, is the apostle Paul’s call for Christians to be people who pursue peace and who love and cherish peace. He is referring specifically to peace with other people – (not a general peace) – Christians and non-Christians – peace with everyone.
The challenge is for every Christian (no exceptions) to aim for relational peace with others and to make it a top priority. Peace must be our priority and we must have our consciences sharpened to this challenge. If it is possible, as far as depends on you – live at peace with everyone.
We must note this expression – “as far as depends on you.” That is our challenge to seek to be at peace as much as possible with as many people as possible! A Christian is urged to be a peace-maker, a peace-seeker, a peace-lover. Remember how James describes the wisdom from heaven? “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.”
Why must we always seek to “sow in peace,” and pursue peace with “everyone” including all family members, neighbours, estranged friends, and those people who for whatever reason, dislike us, and are not afraid to express their dislike. We must sow in peace because:
- Our God is a God of peace (Romans 16:20) and His Son our Saviour and Lord is the Prince of peace, and the Holy Spirit wants us to know peace in every way and express it through the development of that very fruit. (Galatians 5:22) The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…
- Our gospel and the message we believe and hold dear is the gospel of reconciliation and peace. We are messengers of reconciliation with a ministry of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:18) We must live out this core part of the gospel we have embraced and proclaim. Reconciliation!
- This is such a key part of our witness as Christians. How can we claim to know the way of true peace in Jesus and yet not pursue peace in all our relationships? We cannot be satisfied and content with a lack of peace. We cannot be dismissive when it comes to peace.
We note, as Paul does that peace may not always be possible, especially with those who despise Christianity. But we are to aim for peace “as far as it depends on us.”
This pursuit of peace does not call us to compromise our faith or the truth of the gospel, but I think it does mean that we must be prepared to press on with the following;
We understand that as Christ’s followers, we always have an obligation to make the first move – because we are called to be peace-makers by Jesus. We must be the first to reach out to the ones who we do not enjoy peace with.
We must be prepared to pray for wisdom in how to approach people to whom we need to be reconciled. We may need others to pray with us and for us. God can guide us into paths of peace. He can show us how to repair a relationship step by step with the wisdom of the Spirit. We may have to begin with baby steps. This is often the case.
We may need to understand that in some situations and with some people, we may only be able to establish a partial peace, and not a complete peace. A partial peace is an improved peace, and this is better than no peace; sometimes we may have to settle for this and leave the rest in God’s hands. Can you establish at least a partial peace with someone you are estranged from? We must cover all we seek to do in prayer, and for our conscience’s sake, make every effort to secure the best peace we can, with help of God’s grace and wisdom.
We must learn the art of agreeing to disagree (agreeably) with others. This again requires prayer, grace, and wisdom. We should certainly be able to do this with others in the Church, with all who claim to take peace seriously, even if we cannot achieve this with those who hold very different world views to ourselves.
I close with this. Imagine a world where everyone is actively following the way and the wisdom of Jesus, and are therefore keen and determined to live out this challenge from the apostle Paul.
If it is possible, as far as depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
What a very different and blessed world we would live in together with significantly more peace and hope.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
May the grace and peace and mercy of God be with each one of us.
Amen
(Revd Peter J Clarkson 16.11.25)