Lit., soul.
Lit., soul.
The transformation mentioned in Rom. 12:2 also governs the Christian life taught in this chapter. Man's natural character is rebellious, but a transformed character is submissive. Subjection to authority requires transformation, which results from the growth in life.
Lit., by. After man's fall, God authorized man to act as His deputy authority in ruling over man (Gen. 9:6). To be subject to the authorities is to recognize God's authority and to respect His government over man. Paul's word here implies that he recognized even those officials appointed by Caesar as rulers ordained by God to be God's deputy authorities.
God ordains the authorities over man in order to maintain peace and security in human society so that He may have the time and the opportunity to preach the gospel, to save sinners, and to build the church for the spread of His kingdom.
Or, punishment, condemnation.
The same Greek word as for deacon in Rom. 16:1 (there rendered deaconess) and 1 Tim. 3:8.
Lit., public servants.
Love is not merely an outward behavior but is the expression of the inward life. In order to love people and thus spontaneously fulfill the law, we need the transformation in life and the life supply. We need God's life and God's nature of love to transform us and supply us in life, so that in love we may live out this God, who is love, and express His love.
The present age is the nighttime. When the Lord Jesus returns, day will dawn. The next age, the kingdom age, will be the daytime.
Although we have been baptized into Christ and are already in Christ (Rom. 6:3; Gal. 3:27), we must still put Him on. To put on Christ is to live by Christ (Gal. 2:20) and to live out Christ (Phil. 1:21), thus magnifying Christ (Phil. 1:20). Putting on Christ is the same as putting on the weapons of light (v. 12), indicating that Christ is the weapons of light for the warfare between the Spirit and the lusts. The warfare here is the same as the conflict between the Spirit and the lusts of the flesh (Gal. 5:17). However, it is different from our wrestling against the devil and his evil forces (Eph. 6:12) and from the warfare between the law of sin and the law of good in us (Rom. 7:23).
Or, arrangement. This word has the same root as the Greek word for take forethought in Rom. 12:17. To take forethought includes the meaning to provide. To make no provision for the flesh is to not take any forethought for the flesh or provide the flesh with anything that will support it and make it convenient for it to fulfill its lusts.