This Sunday, the lectionary invites us to reflect on Romans 12:9-21. The English Standard Version supplies the heading, “Marks of the True Christian.”
Last week, I discussed the first two verses in today’s chapter. I titled it “Transformed minds, faithful bodies.” I suggested that the Apostle Paul would agree with the statement “Everything begins in theology and ends in politics.” I said that he urges us to adopt lives of sacrifice, which may cause the state to treat us like it treated Jesus. I pointed out that the risk arises because we adopt the ideas of Jesus about what’s right and what’s wrong, rather than the ideas of the state.
If you read verses 3-8, you’ll see that Paul urges each church member not to think too highly of himself or herself. He builds on what he said in chapters 1-11 about the Gospel, the good news: every member has been saved, pulled out of the prison of sin, by grace, through faith. He says that each one has a different gift, to be used for the benefit of others. He says each gift is to be exercised in the church, within a body. He doesn’t list all the gifts; he gives a sample, just to explain what he means by “one body in Christ.” Every Christian is called to work with others.
The remainder of the chapter is today’s text. The first sentence in verse 9 reads, “Let love be genuine.” Paul begins with love – because it’s Jesus’ death on the cross which saved each one of us from living directionless, hopeless lives. And Jesus’ death on the cross is rooted in God’s love for us. Paul wrote that nothing can separate us from the love Jesus has for us.[1] The apostle John put it strikingly: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”[2]
Some people may be surprised by the second sentence in verse 9. It reads, “Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” If we love the things of God, we will not only hold fast to the things which are good. We will also abhor, will vigorously hate, the things which are not of God. “Abhor” is a very strong word. It calls to mind the way the quills on a porcupine stand up when it senses danger. The word “evil” is also a strong word. I’m pointing out the strength of these words because we avoid strong words – because we think Christians must be nice.
Today, I came across a sermon preached by Revd. Henry Ward Beecher at his church in New York, on 15 November 1868. Beecher was America’s most famous preacher: he gave the opening prayer before Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address. At the time he gave the sermon, the President of the USA was Andrew Johnson; he’d succeeded Lincoln in 1865. On that day 158 years ago, Beecher preached to about 3,000 persons. His text was Romans 12:9. His title was “Abhorrence of Evil.” It lasted over an hour. It was reported in the newspapers the following day.
What did he say? He said the people must take the blame for the poor state of justice in the USA. He said Christians hadn’t taken evil seriously; they’d let evil go on a rampage. He said Christians had neglected to participate in politics and to vote. He said most preachers spoke against slavery only after it was ended. He said Christians had stood by and done nothing while President Johnson abused his power to pardon felons. He said judges could be bought. He said the rich were exploiting the poor.
As I read the sermon, I wondered how most preachers I know would respond to it. I realized immediately that they would tell me of the many flaws in Beecher’s theology and personal life – just like they say of Desmond Tutu and Martin Luther King Jr, even Dietrich Bonhoeffer – and many others whom non-Christians regard as great Christians. I won’t argue. I’ll just ask, how do you “keep the balance” N T Wright hints at in his commentary on today’s passage:
It is possible that [when Paul uses the image of “one body in Christ,” he] is aware … that pagan writers had spoken in similar terms about “the body politic.” There may even be a hint … that Paul sees the community of the Messiah’s people as an entity over against the great political entity of the time, the state of Rome.[3]
Try this exercise. Recall the sermons you’ve heard in the last three months. Compile a list of things they said Christians should abhor, should be “over against.” How long is the list? Do you think there’s any Christian commentary on these things in the media?
Peace be with you.
[1] Romans 8:35-39.
[2] John 3:16.
[3] N T Wright, The Letter to the Romans: Introduction, Commentary, and Reflections. He goes on to wonder whether Paul might be suggesting that we think of the body of Christ as the resurrected version of Israel according to the flesh.
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