Some Key Words (12/14/00-12/15/00)

Same (autos [846]):

himself, herself, themselves, or itself, the same; the reflexive pronoun [the implication, here, seems to be to think of others as they think of themselves and as they think of you, leading to an equality of assessment]

Haughty (hupselos [5308]):

high, lofty, exalted, powerful, eminent in influence and honor, to seek after high things, to be aspiring; lofty in place or character

Associate (sunapago [4879]):

to lead away together, to be carried away with, to experience with others, to yield or submit to lowly things, conditions, or employments; to take off together, seduce, yield

Lowly (tapeinos [5011]):

humble; not rising far from the ground, of low degree, brought low with grief, depressed, lowly in spirit, abject, deferring in a servile way; depressed, humiliated in circumstance or disposition

Wise (phronimos [5429]):

prudent, sensible, practically wise, thinking oneself prudent due to lax standards of self-judgment; intelligent, mindful of one's interests; thoughtful, sagacious, discreet, of cautious character, conceited

Respect (pronoeo [4306]):

to comprehend before, to provide for, to take thought, to care beforehand for; to foresee, to think of beforehand; to consider in advance

Right (kalos [2570]):

constitutionally good but not necessarily benevolent, beautiful in harmonious completeness, balance, and proposition; beautiful, excellent, eminent, choice, precious, suitable, admirable, shapely, magnificent, excellent in nature and characteristics, well adapted to one's purpose, genuine, competent, able, such as one ought to be, praiseworthy, pure of heart and life, morally good, comforting and confirming; valuable, virtuous

Depends (ek [1537]):

out of , from, a state or condition out of which something comes, the source of a thing, that from which something proceeds, the motive or occasion from which something proceeds, the agent producing the effect, the manner in which a thing is done, the means; by, away from; the point from which action or motion proceeds

Peace (eireneuo [1514]):

to live in peace, keep peace toward someone; to make peace, cultivate peace, keep harmony, be at peace; to be and to act peaceful

 

Paraphrase: (12/14/00)

16 Be consistent in your relationships with each other; don't be prideful and selective, but associate also with the lowly. Be careful about considering yourself wise, it's God's estimate that matters. 17 Don't take your own vengeance on anybody. Adhere to what is right, for rightness is recognized by all. 18 Do your utmost to be at peace with everybody.

Key Verse: (12/14/00)

12:18 - To the utmost of our ability, we ought to be at peace with everybody. Not just inside the church, but also in the mission field. I don't know that any have ever been won to Christ by anger.

People Mentioned: (12/14/00)

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Some Parallel Verses (12/15/00)

12:16

Ro 15:5 - Pray to God that we might be of one mind with each other as Christ has commanded. 2Co 13:11 - God will be with us as we rejoice, being completed, comforted, and like-minded as we live in peace. Php 2:2 - As we live in a true unity of purpose, spirit, love, and mind, we make our leaders' joy complete. Php 4:2 - In this, we also live in unity with our Lord. 1Pe 3:8 - We are all to be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted and humble. Ro 11:20 - Recognizing that we are in God's kingdom only by His own choice and effort, we ought to avoid any arrogance, and rather fear lest we cause Him to repent of our inclusion. Pr 3:7 - Beware your own wisdom, and rather fear the LORD and repent of evil.

12:17

Pr 20:22 - Wait for the LORD to save you, rather than repaying evil yourself. Pr 24:29 - We are not to do to others as they have done to us. [rather we are to do to them as we would have them do to us.] 2Co 8:21 - We are to regard what is honorable in man's sight, too.

12:18

Ro 1:15 - Paul is ready to preach the Gospel to Rome. Mk 9:50 - Our peace with each other is evidence of our 'saltiness.' Ro 14:19 - We are to pursue peace and edification.

 

New Thoughts (12/16/00)

Here, and also in 2Co 8:21, we are told to regard and respect what is held to be right by all men. In today's society, this seems almost foolhardy advice, for truth is not generally held to be right by all men. As the idea of an absolute truth, or an absolute morality has been eroded, so has the possibility of general agreement on what is right and good and beautiful. And yet… There remain things in this world that manage to surmount vagaries of taste and opinion. A sunset remains beautiful, no matter what fashion statement one is making personally. In spite of attempts to smear the view, to blur the lines, the concept of absolutes remains. Mankind can't shake it by denying it, for mankind is a product of that Truth, and would need to deny its own being to truly eliminate the facts. God is in the business of helping us to put on corrective lenses so as to bring the facts into sharp focus. He is in the business of healing our eyes and our minds to recognize the clear facts that have ever lain before us. How much effort has to go into resisting His healing hands! So, are we told here to succumb to the popular tide of opinion? No. There's a qualifier. What we are told to respect is that which is right in all men's eyes. Only the absolute can command that degree of agreement. Even the worst of false religions recognize the absolute rightness of that which is complete and in balance. Even Satan recognizes these absolutes, and upon them he builds his lies to confuse whom he can, for every lie must contain some truth to gain a hearing at all. The Holy Spirit has come to lead us into all truth. In the safety of His company, we can look at the world around us and appreciate the truth, the right, wherever it may be found. We may largely condemn the tastes and habits of the culture we live in, but when the truth shines out from amidst the trash piles, it remains just as true as it is inside our sanctuaries. It ought to be bolstered and celebrated all the more, when it is found in the unlikely place, as that is where the light is truly shining in the darkness. Those are the times and places to pray that God would open the eyes of those who still cannot see.

What is good, what is right, what is pure invades our daily lives. It walks beside us and within us. It colors all that we come in contact with. I've watched it change the workplace around me, as a number of co-workers have ceased their drinking. I've seen it modify our neighbors' behaviors, this being the first year that we haven't had Santa staring at us from the house across the street. Never a word had to be said. Barely a prayer had to be offered. But the presence of the absolute right made itself known. This is the power of God! It can be no other. I can but stand in awe of the workings of my Lord in and about me. I can but give myself to Him who ever stands with me, who so strengthens me and straightens the path before me. He will not allow me to stumble along the way, He does not rest from His watching over me, but ever keeps me from danger, ever guards my soul (Ps 121:3-7).

"…so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men" (Ro 12:18). This cannot be restricted to peace with our fellow believers. This is a directive as to how we ought to be presenting ourselves to the world at large. How many go out 'in the name of the Lord,' ready, willing, and able to offend anybody and everybody? How many times have you heard a brother or sister testifying of their efforts, describing actions that are simply offensive, and justifying them by claiming the blessing of Matthew 5:12? Jesus did not proffer a blessing on those who were insulted for being rude and offensive, He declared His blessing upon those who - so far as it depended on them, worked for peace with those to whom they declared the Gospel, but were stridently rejected in spite of their gentle approach. It is given to us to declare the exceedingly good news of the completion of God's plan for redeeming His creation. It is given to us to help set the captives free by His power. God help us not to add to their chains by our spitefulness. Keep us, Lord, from driving them even farther from You by offering them our ugliness, rather than Your perfection. Yes, we will often be rejected in this effort. Of this we stand forewarned, and cannot take offense, rather forgiving them as You have forgiven us. But woe to us, if we strive to cause offense!