02.21. II. The Yielded Life in Service (12:3-8).
II. The Yielded Life in Service (Rom 12:3-8).
1. For I say (Rom 12:3). The apostle speaks with authority, through the grace (i. e., the gift) given unto him.
2. To every man (Rom 12:3). He says it not to this person or that person only, but to ruler and ruled, to bond and free, to simple and wise, to woman and man (Chrysostom.)
3. Not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think (Rom 12:3). There is a play on the words here in the original, which can only be clumsily conveyed in another language: ‘not to be high-minded, above that which he ought to be minded, but to be so minded as to be sober minded’ (Alford).
4. According as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith (Rom 12:3). Reference is made here to the differing gifts for service in the church which is the body of Christ. But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him (1Co 12:18).
5. We are one body in Christ, and everyone members one of another (Rom 12:5). This is illustrated in Rom 12:4, as in 1Co 12:12, by the human body, which, though it is one body, has many members with differing functions.
6. Having then gifts (Rom 12:6-8). As these gifts differ according to the grace that is given to us, that is according to the will of God Who bestows the gifts, we are to minister, each one according to his own gift and place in the body. There are seven gifts enumerated (compare Eph 4:8-12; 1Co 12:28). The seven gifts are named in order in this passage, and believers are here exhorted, each to minister according to his own gift from God by the Spirit:
(1) Whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith (Rom 12:6). The New Testament prophet is one that speaketh unto men to edification and exhortation and comfort (1Co 14:3). A prophet is a forth teller of the mind of God. The Old Testament prophets were called upon to do this apart from the written Word, for the Word of God was not yet complete; but, now that the Scriptures are finished, the prophet of God speaks according to that which is written. To be a prophet is a high privilege, and this gift is the first named here. In 1Co 14:1 we are exhorted to follow after love, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. It is a great thing to be a mouthpiece for the Spirit of God. Yet this must be done within certain well-defined limits: the prophet must prophesy according to the proportion of faith. Dr. Stifler says that faith does not mean here body of doctrine. It is the prophet’s own personal trust. There was dealt to him a measure of faith (Rom 12:3 above) for this work. God gave him an insight into the gospel of Christ. Let his prophecy not go beyond that and become vainglorious and arrogant. Men who have an office are under strong temptation to go beyond what they know in it. Thus they greatly injure themselves in coming to believe the utterances of their own ignorance, and they mislead others, who believe them because they are accredited teachers. Let the prophet rigidly limit his gift by the faith of his gift.
(2) Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering (Rom 12:7, R. V.). Preachers are often spoken of as the ministry, as if they were the only ministers in the church. In a very true sense the whole church is a body of ministers, for the word means a servant. The passage here reads, eite diakonian, en te diakonia —”if service, in the service.” But, it may be observed that the Greek word for servant is the word for deacon; and possibly the office of deacon is in view here. Let them be occupied with their diaconate, that is, their ministry or service. In connection with the word, ministry, it is interesting to note the change made by the Revisers in Eph 4:11-12, where the purpose of the risen Christ in bestowing gifts upon His church is set forth. The King James Version reads: And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
These persons are what the modern church calls the ministry. They are only Christ’s gifts bestowed upon the church which is His body, for a very definite purpose; namely, according to the common Version: for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ This is confusing, for it seems to separate “the ministry into a class distinct from the saints. Now observe the Revised rendering of the passage: And He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ.
Still clearer is the 1911 Bible: And he hath given some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; unto the perfecting of the saints for the doing OF SERVICE, for the building up of the body of Christ.
(3) Or he that teacheth, on teaching (Rom 12:7). The gift to teach is necessarily in some degree included in the gift of prophecy. The teacher is an expounder of the Word of God. Let him expound that Word according to the proportion of faith. Let him teach in the sphere, within the bounds, of the teaching allotted to him by God, or for which God has given him the faculty (Alford).
(4) Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation (Rom 12:8). A most interesting word is this: eite ho parakalon, en te paraklesei. Notice here that the root word for Paraclete is used. The same word in its verb form is translated beseech in the first verse of our chapter. Within limitations, the exhorter is to be a paraclete or comforter to his fellow-believers. This gift also is closely connected with the gift to prophesy. In 1Co 14:31 it is written: For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted (Gk., parakalontai). In 1Ti 4:13 the gift of teaching is linked with that of exhortation:
“Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation (paraklesei), to doctrine (didaskalia, translated teaching in Rom 12:7).
(5) He that giveth, let him do it with simplicity (Rom 12:8). Some have supposed that this refers to those who were appointed in the church for the giving of alms to the poor, while others hold that it includes those who give money to the church for the support of the gospel. In any case, the principle is the same. For simplicity the Revision reads liberality; the Greek is singleness (compare Mat 6:22; Luk 11:34; Eph 6:5; Col 3:22).
(6) He that ruleth, with diligence (Rom 12:8). This, declares Dr. Stifler, is a faulty rendering. The apostolic church had no rulers. It ought to be, ‘He that presides’ or ‘superintends.’ Paul may have referred in this term to their elders (1Th 5:12; 1Ti 5:17). Dean Alford says: He that ruleth or presideth— but over what? If over the church exclusively, we come back to offices again: and it is hardly likely that the rulers of the church, as such, would be introduced so low down in the list, or by so very general a term, as this. In 1Ti 3:4-5; 1Ti 3:12, we have the verb used of presiding over a man’s own household: and in its absolute usage here, I do not see why that also should not be included. Mr. Grant has a helpful note. He says: Next, we have ‘He that ruleth’ or ‘He that leadeth.’ The leader is of necessity, to a large extent, the ruler also, but there is no absolute rule, except that of the Spirit, in the church of God; but he that realizes that he is leading others has, of necessity, much responsibility attaching to this. If his word is weighty, he must be the more careful. The apostle says here, he must rule or lead ‘with diligence,’ that is, not careless of what he is doing, not at random, but as giving thought and care to that which is having effect upon the minds of others.
(7) He that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness (Rom 12:8). The word mercy as used here has no reference to sins, nor to the forgiveness of sins. The reference is to those in the church having a special gift to aid those who are in trouble. Let them do it with cheerfulness, for it is a glad service. Perhaps this is the gift of helps mentioned in 1Co 12:28.