LOVE: ‘LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU’

(3)  ROMANS 12.9-21: ‘LOVE IN ACTION’

INTRODUCTION:

In Romans 12.1-8, Paul writes about relationships of mutual service, encouragement and up-building among Christians, behaviour inspired and enabled by the indwelling ‘Holy Spirit’ and his gifts. Then, in 12.9-21 he goes on to write about practical Christian love.

First, in 9-16, he describes the love Christians must display to one another.

Then ,in 17-21, he speaks of the way Christian love must respond to hostile antagonism and unjustified aggression of opponents.

LOVE AMONGST CHRISTIAN FRIENDS:  12.9-16

HOW TO PROMOTE LOVE

Paul seems to have loving relationships amongst Christians chiefly in mind- but, of course, the things he shares apply more widely.

Discuss together the implications of 9-16

(Some of the following questions may help you)

• In what ways can love be insincere? How does insincere love show itself? How great a temptation is this?
• We must learn to ‘hate’ in order to ‘love’!  What are we to ‘hate’?  And how does this promote love?
• Does love spring from emotion or volition?
• In what ways do these verses underline the need for a resolute, committed, determined attitude behind our loving?
• What is said (and meant) about love empathising with others? How difficult is this to do? And why?
• What is necessary for ‘harmony’ among a disparate group of people?
• In what ways can pride get in the way of love?

LOVE TOWARDS (NON-CHRISTIAN) OPPONENTS: 12.14,17-21

OVERCOMING EVIL

Discuss together these verses that advocate love in the teeth of hostility, aggression and persecution.

Again, some of the following questions may help you.

• Get to the heart of why it is so very difficult to love those (openly) hostile towards us?
• What spontaneous reaction is evoked within you by unkind, aggressive behaviour? (Analyse your reaction carefully! Is it just justifiable indignation?
• Or is there, mixed in with that, an element of sinful feeling in us?)
• Can you see how ‘sin’ in others can give birth to sinful attitudes in our hearts?
• How do these verses encourage us to overcome evil and not add to it? What overcomes evil?
• A question may arise in our hearts:  ‘Should not evil shown against me be resisted and rebuked?  Am I not condoning it, if I do not speak against it?  Where does justice come in?  Won’t it just spread? What is the clear answer of these verses to that question?

ARE YOU COMMITTED TO THE WAY OF LOVE?