Romans 12 Gifts

Some thoughts from Romans 12 about God’s gifting of His people in order that they might serve one another effectively to His glory in their local church.

Romans 12:1-2, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Points:

1. Believers (brethren) are challenged to be fully sold out to God – which is only logical.
2. Know the world and do not model it.
3. Work at changing your thinking – labor in the Word in order to see life from God’s view.
4. God has a prefect will for you which can be found through diligence in study.

12:3, For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 

Points:

5. God has given all His people gifts – graces.
6. No man should boast in his gift but rather be humbled and thankful.
7. Even the faith to see God, grasp Calvary, and to know to embrace Jesus as Savior is a gift.

12:4-5, For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 

Points:

8. Christianity is made up of many put into one group – a body.
9. Christians do not have the same gifts – differing abilities, focus, and/or role.
10. Every Christian is important to the other Christians – members of one another.

12:6-8, Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, 7 let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Points: Seven broad areas are given

11. Prophecy – foretell and forthtell – preach/proclaim – apply truth to today and days ahead, I Peter 2:9.
12. Ministry – joyfully serving and helping even if no one knows, Galatians 5:13.
13. Teaching – every detail matters – what the word means and why it matters, Hebrews 6:1.
14. Exhorting – hope and help – vision and promises, Hebrews 3:13.
15. Giving – abundantly and joyfully giving monies, I John 3:17.
16. Leading – organizing and managing, Romans 5:14.
17. Mercy – joyful hugs, cards, flowers, sitting beside – loving the unlovely, I Peter 3:8.
18. Romans 12:9-21 give 24 charges for a shared community life that is pleasing to God.

The call in Romans 12:2 is to grasp the will of God.  Every one of the seven “graces” – God’s gifts in 12:6-8 – are given as charges to every Christian elsewhere in the New Testament, so it is my belief that with study and time, a Christian grows into using all or to practice all seven within a local church setting.  The will of God is that all His people become Christ-like and what was Christ like?  All seven of those areas!  So, what interests or irritates you is likely your gift area, but don’t sit back waiting for another to step into an area of need claiming it is not your gift area.  Rather, labor to be able to serve in that area and step out and do so.