Bible

In the Bible room today, we continue reading the book of Romans with Session 6. Here are the summaries of chapters 12, 13, and 14.

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Romans

Session 6

Chapter 12. Gifts

Therefore, my brothers, I urge you to give your bodies to Christ,

• Which He will accept as a holy, living sacrifice, as this would
• Be a wise decision; And do not be influenced by the things of
• The world, but let your mind be changed so that you can know
• The perfect plan God has for you; I am telling all of you, by the
• Grace given to me, do not think too highly of yourself, but
• Think seriously about your new life that God has given each of
• You, individually; Now, we are all members of the body of
• Christ, and we each have our separate functions according to
• The various gifts we have received in grace, so that we are able
• To use them in proportion to the abilities with which we have
• Been blessed, such as prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhorting,
• Generosity, leadership, compassion;
• Keep your love pure, shun evil things, do only good things; Be
• Kind to each other as brothers, giving first place to one another;
• Serve the Lord diligently, and keep praying so you can remain
• Cheerful and hopeful when you face tribulations; Be hospitable,
• And support your fellow believers when they are in need; Do
• Good things for those who torment you, without speaking evil
• Words to them; Be happy with those who are happy, and weep
• With those who weep; Be agreeable with each other, do not be
• Haughty, make friends with the humble; Do not pretend to be
• Wise in your opinions; Do not retaliate with evil for evil;
• Keep a good reputation among all people; As far as you are able,
• Always do your part to maintain a peaceful relationship with
• Everyone; Keep your anger under control so that you will not
• Attempt to avenge the wrong of another, for it is written:
• ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord; Based upon
• This, you should give food and water to your enemy if he is
• Hungry or thirsty, and by doing that you will soften his enmity
• Toward you; Do not let evil things overwhelm you, but rather
• You should overwhelm them with good things.

Chapter 13. Changes

Everyone should obey the requirements of the government:

• God establishes all authorities, and He has given them their
• Authority, as He is the only source of authority; And if anyone
• Resists authority, he is resisting God, and he will receive the
• Judgement of God; Rulers are in place to control evil, and to
• Defend good works; You need not fear the rulers if you are
• Doing good as you will receive praise from them; For God has
• Put the rulers in place to do good things; But if you do evil
• Things you should be afraid, for the ruler is the minister of God
• Who will bring wrath upon evil doers; Therefore, you must
• Obey the authorities, not just because of the punishment, but
• Because of your good conscience; Also, because of your good
• Conscience, you pay your taxes, as tax collectors are authorized
• By God for this purpose; In general, you should give to all what
• They are due, such as taxes, customs, respect, and honor;
• Do not owe anything to anyone, but love one another as this is
• The fulfillment of the law; All the commandments which
• Prohibit adultery, murder, stealing, lying, coveting, and all the
• Others, are wrapped in this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself;’
• Loving your neighbor means you will never do anything to
• Harm him, and that fulfills the requirement of the law;
• Do not wait any longer to make the changes in your new life;
• Let us give up everything from our old life of darkness, and
• Begin anew in our new life of living decently in the daylight,
• Where there is no drunkenness, or uncontrolled revelry, or
• Lewd, sinful behavior, and no envy or fighting; Do not allow
• The desires of the body to control you, but give yourselves
• Completely to the control of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

Chapter 14. Clean

Be patient with the one who is just beginning in their walk of faith:

• But do not have disputes over questionable issues, such as diets;
• One believer may say he can eat anything and everything, but
• Another may say he eats only vegetables; These believers
• Should not criticize, or judge, each other for they have both
• Been accepted by God;
• Who are you to question the actions or abilities of another
• Person’s servant? He is only accountable to his own master;
• If he needs help, God will help him;
• One person may regard a certain day as being more important
• Than another day, or some may say all days are the same, so, let
• Everyone have their own opinion; One may choose a certain
• Day to be for the Lord, but another may choose not to do that;
• The one who eats anything and everything can do that to the
• Lord, and then thank the Lord; The one who does not eat
• Certain foods, can do that to the Lord, and give thanks to Him;
• We do not live to ourselves nor die to ourselves; If we live or
• Die, we are the Lord’s; Christ died, then rose, and lived again to
• Be Lord of the dead and the living;
• Why would you criticize or demean your brother? We shall all
• Stand before God to be judged, for it is written: ‘As I live, says
• The Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall
• Confess to God;’ And that means each of us shall give account
• Of himself to God, so let us all resolve to avoid doing anything
• That could cause a brother to fall;
• The Lord has shown me, and I am certain, that nothing is
• Inherently unclean: However, if a brother considers a thing to
• Be unclean, then it is unclean for him; So, if your food causes
• Him to be offended, show love to him, and do not let your food
• Drive him away, for Christ also died for him; Do not allow your
• Good habits to become despised by others, for the kingdom of
• Heaven is not about food and drink, but about right living,
• Peace and joy in the Holy Spirit: These things are acceptable to
• God, and if we serve Christ in these, we will be acceptable to
• Men also; So, let us work for peace and to build up others;
• Do not let food destroy the work of God; All things are clean,
• But some foods may be offensive for someone; It is not good to
• Eat meat, or drink wine, or engage in anything with a brother
• That is offensive to him, and could cause him to lose his faith;
• You have your faith between you and God, and whatever you
• Approve, in good conscience, you are not condemned; But, if
• You are uncertain of your faith, or your convictions about
• What you should eat, or not eat, then you will be condemned.   

End of Session 6 of the book of Romans.