YouTube: https://youtu.be/DIHaA18dhqE

Download Audio: https://od.lk/f/MV8yOTU1MDQ3Mzhf
Download Video: https://od.lk/f/MV8yOTU1MDQ3NjJf
Download PDF: https://od.lk/f/MV8yOTU1MDQ3NTdf

Timothy: Romans 12:9-21
Love in God

9 Let love be without dissimulation, in horror fleeing from evil, cleaving to the good,

10 in brotherly love to one another, loving fervently, having gone before one another in honor;

11 in diligence, not slothful, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;

12 in hope, rejoicing; in affliction, enduring; in prayer, steadfastly continuing;

13 imparting to the needs of the saints, pursuing hospitality.

14 Bless those persecuting you; bless, and do not curse.

15 Rejoice with rejoicing ones, and weep with weeping ones;

16 minding the same thing toward one another, not minding high things, but yielding to the lowly. Do not become wise within yourselves;

17 returning evil for evil to no one; providing right things before all men. Prov. 3:4

18 If possible, from you being in peace with all men;

19 not avenging yourselves, beloved, but giving place to wrath, for it has been written, “Vengeance is Mine,” “I will repay,” says the Lord. Deut. 32:35

20 Then “if one hostile to you hungers, feed him; if he thirsts, give him drink; for doing this you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Prov. 25:21, 22

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome the evil with good.

[Literal Translation of the Holy Bible]

Dear God, my Beloved Father, I offer thanks to You for granting me another day to live under Your protection and reflect on the Eternal Living Word of God. I pray that Christ may strengthen my body, and that the Holy Spirit may enlighten my mind. I thank Christ and the Holy Spirit.

Dear Father, I wish to present my understanding of Romans 12:9-21.

Dear Father, I understand that verses 9 through 13 speak of the characteristics of love. Firstly, love is sincere; secondly, it hates evil but clings to good. Therefore, those who have love can love one another as brothers and sisters. The people of God are siblings of the same Father, so they love one another with brotherly love. Through love, they respect one another, without distinguishing between the higher and the lower, the leaders and the followers. Through love, they are fervent in serving God, serving with a passionate spirit. By their love for God, the people of God can be patient and endure suffering for the sake of God’s name, maintaining regular fellowship with God through prayer. By their love for fellow believers, the people of God share with one another in their needs and eagerly welcome one another.

Dear Father, I understand that verse 14 teaches the people of God to love their enemies, those who oppose them or harm them. Rather than being angry, hating them, or cursing them, the people of God should bless them, wishing that they will soon accept the Gospel to receive God’s salvation. After all, they too have been created in the image and likeness of God, and Christ has borne the punishment for all their sins; You want them to be saved and to have knowledge of the truth.

Dear Father, I understand that verse 15 teaches the people of God to sympathize with others in their rightful joys and sorrows, joys and sorrows that do not contradict the Scriptures. But when participating in the ceremonies of those happy or sorrowful occasions, we should avoid rituals, superstitions, or exaltation of evil spirits. Father, I wish that the people of God will care about each other’s birthdays and celebrate them together, for being born as a human being is the greatest blessing that You have given to each of us.

Dear Father, I understand that verse 16 calls on God’s people to think together on the same platform. That platform is the Word of God. Rather than thinking according to various beliefs, academic standards, philosophies, worldly views, or their own personal beliefs or preferences without harmony with brothers and sisters in the Church, God’s people should not think about things that are beyond their knowledge and expertise, but should humble themselves to listen and learn, rather than boasting that they know many things, or that they know more than others. God’s people should not think about being rich, seeking fame, or power in this life, but should be content when they have food and clothing.

Dear Father, I understand that verses 17 to 19 advise God’s people to live in harmony with everyone, not causing harm to anyone; if necessary, they should yield to avoid creating discord. If anyone harms them, they should not seek revenge, as revenge belongs to You. On the contrary, God’s people should forgive their enemies, as they have been forgiven by You, because You call on God’s people to love others as themselves. However, this does not mean that God’s people should allow the wicked to exploit or oppress them; they have the right to seek protection under the law and government. Because those in authority are appointed by You to do good and punish evil, God’s people have the right to defend themselves justly under the laws of the country.

I understand verse 20 to mean that God’s people must treat their enemies well and provide for their basic needs in order to preserve their lives, but this does not mean hiding them from the law. A few years ago, while preparing a sermon, I researched biblical exegesis and concluded that the phrase “doing this you will heap coals of fire on his head” can be interpreted in two ways. The first is that our act of kindness towards our enemy will make them feel ashamed and restless in their mind. The second is based on the custom of the past: In the past, people kept the fire by burying hot coals under ash. When they needed fire to cook, they would light the hot coals, place some firewood on top of them, and blow on them to make the fire burn. Sometimes, the amount of hot coals left under the ash was not enough for the next meal. In that case, they had to carry a bucket full of ash to their neighbor’s house to ask for some hot coals. It was a good deed to put hot coals in the ash bucket for the neighbor to carry on their head and bring back to start a fire for cooking. Similarly, feeding one’s enemy when they are hungry and giving them water when they are thirsty is also a good deed.

Dear Father, I understand verse 21 as follows: Evil is anything that goes against God’s commandments, while good is anything that aligns with God’s commandments. As a child of God, I have the full power of God within me, so I can obey God’s commandments and not go against Him. I need to use God’s all-encompassing strength to live according to His Word, instead of letting the temptation of sin overcome me and make me a slave to sin.

Dear Father, I thank You for the Eternal Living Word of God, which always gives me encouragement and strength to be happy and steadfast on my remaining journey in this world. May my life emit the fragrance of God’s love. Amen!

In the grace of Jesus Christ, my Lord.

Timothy Christian Huynh
04/06/2023