Romans 12 Live at Peace With Everyone

 

Romans 12

Live at Peace With Everyone

 

 

Two wrongs don’t make a right

 So, if someone angers you with wrong actions

 Let God give them a spanking, you do not want to get a spanking, too.

If you really want to burn someone, then verse 21 tells you how to do it

Feed your enemy and give them something to drink

Whether evil is subtle or bold, don’t let it overcome you

Remember

Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the Children of God

God’s Kids are peacemakers

So

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

Romans 12:18

 

 

Live at Peace With Everyone

 

Peace

 

How many words can you think of

that are more comforting than peace?

 

What is peace?

 

The Greek word for peace is

eirene from the verb eiro

 

“to join or bind together that which has been separated) literally pictures the binding or joining together again of that which had been separated or divided and thus setting at one again, a meaning convey by the common expression of one “having it all together”.

 

Life is very complex, full of variety.

 

The complexity starts with

us being spirit, soul and body.

 

A healthy strong body can be void of inner peace.

 

 Things may look good on the outside,

but there can be turmoil on the inside.

 

Complexity and variety expands to the

environment and world around us…

 

 People, places and things.

 

“Having it all together”…

 

Seems to be an impossible task.

 

Christ is the Prince of Peace according to Isaiah 9:6.

 

It is His government, or rule, His counsel,

His strength, throughout all time and eternity

that makes Him the Prince of Peace.

 

Even the demons are subject to Him.

Luke 10:17

 

The environment, wind and waves

are subject to His rule.

 Matthew 8:27

 

Doesn’t it make sense that God sent His Spirit

to live inside of us, so we could have peace…

 

 Even when in the world, there is no peace.

 John 14:16, 17 & 27; John 16:33

 

An essential characteristic of God’s Kingdom is Peace.

 Romans 14:17

 

The Greek word eirere  is where we get the word “serene” 

(calm, peaceful, and untroubled, tranquil).

 

Peace is the opposite of division or dissension.

 

Peace is something we must work at, especially with others.

 

Paul says…

 

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you,

 live at peace with everyone.

Romans 12:18

 

Take it upon yourself to see if it is possible

to have peace with everyone…

 

 Go the extra mile.

 

Don’t make it the other person’s responsibility…

 

 Take it upon yourself to live at peace with everyone.

 

Look at these points for making

peace again in Romans 12:9-21…

 

Have sincere love, make it your devotion to others.

 

Cling to what is good (all people have

some good in them, recognize it).

 

Honor others, it almost always comes back to reward us.

 

Keep serving the Lord with zeal.

 

Don’t let turmoil keep you from serving others for His namesake.

 

Be joyful, patient, and faithful, in hope, affliction and prayer.

 

Help those in need, be hospitable.

 

Bless don’t curse.

 

Connect yourself to the joys and sorrows of others.

 

Learn to harmonize.

 

 Blend your voice as often as you can with others.

 

Find where you agree and become one voice.

 

Don’t let pride and conceit get in the way

of associating with those who may not

boost you up, but require more grace.

 

Don’t make the mistakes of paybacks…

 

 Your bag should be empty of evil and full of good.

 

Don’t be satisfied with pleasing some.

 

 Ask yourself the question…

 

 “Does everyone see what I say and do as right?”

 

Two wrongs don’t make a right.

 

 So, if someone angers you with wrong actions…

 

 Let God give them a spanking.

 

You do not want to get a spanking, too.

 

If you really want to burn someone…

 

Then verse 21 tells you how to do it.

 

Feed your enemy and give them something to drink.

 

Whether evil is subtle or

bold don’t let it overcome you.

 

Remember…

 

Blessed are the peacemakers for

they will be called the Children of God.

 

God’s Kids are peacemakers.

 

So…

 

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you,

 live at peace with everyone.

Romans 12:18

 

 

Scripture Reading

 

Romans 12:17-21

Do not repay anyone evil for evil.

Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.

¹⁸ If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

 ¹⁹ Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. ²⁰ On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
    if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

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

Sermon on the Mountainside Sons of God are Peacemakers

Sermon on the Mountainside

Sons of God are Peacemakers

Jesus handled the issues of social injustice with a demand of personal repentance

Jesus came to create pure hearts in the lives of individuals

Pure hearts that will see God Matthew 5:8

Pure hearts that when they see God will see He is the Prince of Peace

Not all will have a change of heart

Not all will be reconciled and persecution will continue

But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 1 Corinthians 7:15

Division will come, and when it comes, God shows who is approved                           1 Corinthians 11:19, 2 Corinthians 10:18

In the end the weightier matter is righteousness

Our salvation requires us to have a pure heart

And to be peacemakers reconciling others to God the Prince of Peace

Sons of God are Peacemakers

The Sermon on the Mountain or the Beatitudes

is Jesus’ teaching on eternal life or salvation.

Jesus is teaching on the changed heart

and what the changed heart receives.

Jesus tells us who will see God…

It is those who are pure in heart.

Jesus’ next point of salvation

is becoming “Sons of God”.

True children of God are peacemakers.

If we want to see how to become

a son of God we can look at…

John 1:12 and Galatians 3:26

John 1:12 says…

“To all who received him [Jesus],

who believed in his name,

he gave the right to become children of God.”

Galatians 3:26 says…

 “For in Christ Jesus you are

all sons of God, through faith.”

In other words, we become sons of God by

trusting in Christ for our forgiveness and hope.

Children resemble their father.

We know from Scripture that the

Heavenly Father is a “God of peace”.

 Romans 16:20; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 13:20

Heaven is a world of peace.

 Luke 19:38

Most important of all,

that God is a peacemaker.

 2 Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 1:20

“God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself,

not counting their trespasses against them.”

2 Corinthians 5:19

“He made peace by the blood of the cross.”

Colossians 1:20

Being a son is the result of the Spirit.

Because you are sons, God sent

the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,

 the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father."

Galatians 4:6

For you did not receive a spirit that

makes you a slave again to fear,

but you received the Spirit of sonship.

And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."

Romans 8:15

So we do not earn or merit the

privilege to be called sons of God,

rather we owe our new birth to the

sovereign grace of God.

 John 1:13

We owe our faith to the

impulses of the new birth.

 1 John 5:1

We receive the Holy Spirit by

the exercise of this faith.

 Galatians 3:2

The fruit of this Spirit is peace.

 Galatians 5:22

And those who bear the fruit

of peace are the sons of God.

Our whole salvation,

from beginning to end,

is all of grace — therein lies

our hope and joy and freedom.

But our final salvation is not unconditional.

We must be peacemakers.

Therein lies the earnestness and great

seriousness with which we must

deal with these Beatitudes, and

seek the grace of God in our lives.

A few verses after Jesus says…

 Blessed are the peacemakers.

 He tells us how to be peacemakers…

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:43-48

Peacemakers “Love your Enemies”.

Our Father in heaven causes the rain and

sun to bless the righteous and unrighteous.

In the same way, we are to treat our enemies

the same way we would treat our friends.

Don’t just love those who love you.

Greet enemies as you greet friends.

 Greetings start with a smile and

looking into the eyes of others.

It is reaching out in a way that

says, “I do care about you”.

The greeting is the first phase

of the bridge of reconciliation.

Peacemakers “pray for those who persecute you”.

Our prayer should be the prayer Jesus taught…

"'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come, your will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6:9-10

Our prayer should be that our enemies

would recognize the holiness of our

Father in Heaven and see the importance

of our Father’s Kingdom in earth.

So the very prayer we pray for ourselves

 is to be the prayer for others.

Peacemakers must build on purity.

The pure in heart will see God.

Without truth you cannot have lasting peace.

Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

He revealed truth to us so that we might have

peace with God and peace with one another.

Jesus was well aware of world issues.

 

Was Jesus aware that the iron hand

of the Roman Empire rested on the tiny

land of the Jews without their consent?

He was aware that Archelaus slaughtered

three-thousand Jews at a Passover celebration.

He was aware that the Roman soldiers could

conscript any Jew they chose to carry their baggage.

He was aware that Pilate had his soldiers

bludgeon a crowd of Jews protesting his

stealing from the temple treasury.

Was he aware that Pilate massacred Jews

on the temple ground and mixed their

blood with their sacrifices they were offering?

Jesus handled the issues of social injustice

with a demand of personal repentance.

Jesus came to create pure hearts

in the lives of individuals.

Pure hearts that will see God.

Pure hearts…

When they see God, they will

see He is the Prince of Peace.

Not all will have a change of heart.

Not all will be reconciled

and persecution will continue…

But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so.

A believing man or woman is

not bound in such circumstances;

God has called us to live in peace.

1 Corinthians 7:15

Division will come, and when it

comes, God shows who is approved.

 1 Corinthians 11:19, 2 Corinthians 10:18

In the end the weightier

matter is righteousness.

Our salvation requires us to have a pure

heart and to be peacemakers reconciling

others to God the Prince of Peace.

 Scripture Reading

Matthew 5:9 NIV

9 Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called sons of God.