Video Notes: 

• First, we must keep in mind the beginning of Romans 12, “therefore”. This passage and all the passages in this chapter and going forward are written to Christians who already stand in the grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ. These actions and commands do not make us right before God, rather we get to do them because we are already right before God.
• The word for “give thought” has a prefix indicating this is a prior action. Before evil even happens to us, we should be thinking about what good and honorable things we can do for others. Then, when evil is done to us, rather than giving into the desire for revenge, we carry out the good and honorable things we were already planning to do.
• The good and honorable things are things both approved of by God and seen as good by the community.
  • It’s counter-cultural, but who knows the impact it could have.
• Live at peace…if possible
  • Peace requires two. So, it isn’t always possible.
  • However, love is always ready for peace and is never the cause of sinful discord. Matthew 5:9
  • I say sinful discord, because Christians cannot maintain peace by going against God’s ways. Also, Christians may, at times, cause discord through the sharing of God’s Word, but people need to hear God’s Law and especially God’s Gospel.
• Don’t avenge yourself
  • Deuteronomy 32:39-41
  • Previously we were told love don’t repay evil with evil. Even when our response isn’t evil, we still need to let it go and let God deal with it. How?
    • Certainly, on the last day if they stand in unbelief, but also, according to Romans 13:3-4, through the government, which is to punish evil and praise good.
    • With that context, we can also understand that this doesn’t mean we have to just let evil be done, rather we can report it work through the appropriate authorities.
    • Interestingly, when you aren’t consumed with vengeance, it not only relieves stress, but it frees you up to be kind.
• Feeding and Heaping coals
  • Proverbs 25:21-22
  • If you’re like me, when you first read this, you thought, “Hah! That’s right. I’ll get my revenge by showing kindness!”…as though this was just a different way to get revenge.
  • While the image of fire and even coals is often associated with judgment in the Bible, it isn’t always associated as such and, in this case, it seems highly unlikely that after being told we should bless those who persecute us, not repay evil with evil, and not avenge ourselves, that now we are to show kindness with the intend of increasing judgment/punishment.
  • It’s much more likely that this actually a reference to the burning of guilt and shame and its ultimate intent is repentance.
  • Scholars have found connections between the proverb and an Egyptian practice of carrying coals in a bowl on one’s head as a sign of repentance.
  • In other words, rather than avenging yourself, you show kindness, bless the person, and try to be a peacemaker in the hope that they would repent at least to you and be reconciled to you, but also that they would repent to God and be saved.
• That’s what Jesus has done for us. We were once enemies of God. He overcame us by making us His friends through Jesus great sacrifice on the cross. He heaped burning coals on our head through His Word and His kindness which led us to repentance and reconciliation. This is how we bless those who hurt us. This is how we live at peace with those who are not currently wanting peace. We reflect God’s love for them in word and deed and prayer.