Be Like-Minded

Today I would like to discuss two very similar sounding English phrases which, upon closer inspection, actually turn out to be quite different. Romans 12:16, in part reads, “Be of the same mind toward one another” and Romans 15:5, again in part, reads, “Be of the same mind with one another.” We might be tempted to use these phrases interchangeably, but I’m quite certain the Apostle Paul never meant that to happen.

In the first verse, the word “toward” is the Greek word eis, it has the general idea of motion, and specifically here it means changing the direction of one’s mind. However, in the second verse, the word “with” is the Greek word ev, it has the primary idea of rest, being in a fixed position, and remaining in a particular place. With regards to our minds, you might even want to say this is a reference to being stubborn!

So why would Paul give two such very different commands in the space of just three chapters? The answer is clear when we examine the context of each phrase.

First, let’s look at Romans 12:15, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” The beginning of the very next verse contains the motion-related “be of the same mind toward one another.” Paul wants us to set aside whatever emotions we have at the moment and move towards like-mindedness with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

A few days ago I resolved a personal 6-month old problem; I was so giddy, humming as I did dishes and laundry. But then the phone call came that a good friend was hospitalized with a life-threatening condition. My mind “moved” instantly! This “like-mindedness” is how we should relate emotionally toward one another in the Body of Christ.

Now let’s examine the stubborn, fixed-position “one another”. Romans 15:5b reads, “be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus”. Using my Zodhiates’ Complete Word Study Dictionary, I found that the Greek word translated as “according” means having “conformity of a norm, rule, or standard, conformable to the will of someone…”

So who is the standard, whose will should we be conformable to? “Christ Jesus”! Paul here tells us not only to be conformed to Christ, but to be fixed in that position, and stubbornly remaining there. When each member of the Body of Christ adheres to this Standard, we automatically have “like-mindedness”.

As Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, there is a time and a place for everything. Sometimes we need to change our minds and sometimes we need to stand firm. But in either case, we are commanded to be like-minded.

John 17: 22-23 “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.”

Give Preference to One Another in Honor

Romans 12:10b states that we are to “give preference to one another in honor.” This “one another” has been like an onion for me. As I dig deeper into my Bible study, this phrase is taking on a rich new meaning; one that is changing both my mind and my heart.

I began by simply thinking about “honor” and how nice it would be to honor those folks who were instrumental in giving me such a firm foundation for my Christian walk by sending them a nice note of thanks. At this point, I understood “honor” to be something I chose to give away and then only to very outstanding individuals.

Within a few hours I was jotting down various thoughts on how “honor” was used in the Bible. In Daniel 3, Shadrach, Meshack, and Abed-nego were thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing to honor King Nebuchadnezzar over the Lord. I then made a note that “this” is where to draw the line at honoring someone; biblical honor never requires us to sin.

Next came to mind the idea that we are to honor God through the giving of our tithes and offerings. Proverbs 3:9-10 reads, “Honor the Lord from your wealth and from the first of all your produce; so your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine.”

There is also the fifth commandment, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you.” Exodus 20:12. Then I reflected on honoring those in authority over us – spiritual leaders (I Timothy 5:17), government leaders (Titus 3:1), and masters or employers (I Timothy 6:1).

By now, my understanding of “honor” was shifting. I began to realize that no where does the Bible mention or even hint that these commands are optional or conditional. We are simply expected to be obedient, giving honor to those over us, in all these various positions. These commands are clear and unequivocal. Furthermore, it truly does not matter if you feel that person is worthy of honor. But even as I type that sentence, I am seeing that to feel like those folks don’t deserve honor is nothing more than prideful sin lurking within me.

Finally, I decided if I were to start practicing biblical “honor”, I should find out the actual biblical meaning. I used Zodhiates’ Complete Word Study Dictionary and found the definition of the Greek word translated as honor. The overly simple definition surprised me: to value. I paused to reflect on what it would mean to “value” someone, what would that look like…? The dictionary’s long list of antonyms (opposites) brought this into sharp focus: to despise, treat contemptuously, to reject, to disapprove, to regard lightly, to care little for!

As I turned my attention back to the original phrase I realized I had missed a large part of its meaning. I was focusing on a single word, “honor”; but the command is to “give preference to one another in honor”. Giving preference means “putting first” and the “one another” are my brothers and sisters in Christ. Therefore this phrase is really saying, put your fellow believers first by assigning them a greater value than yourself, and it applies to all fellow believers, not just our parents or various sorts of leaders. In other words, this command boiled down to humility!

I soon realized that if honoring someone in the biblical sense is to value them, then we aren’t to honor a person based on how we view the job they’re doing. A person’s biblical value comes from being made in the image of God. Period. That being the case, one must ask, shouldn’t we value everyone, even those outside the Body of Christ? The answer of course is yes, and I Peter 2:17a leaves no room for doubt – “Honor all people”.

Matthew 5:22 “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.”

Discussion Question: Now that we understand what biblical honor is all about, what are the practical ways we can put this into action?

Be Devoted to One Another

Today’s “one another” comes from Romans 12:10, it starts out by saying, “be devoted to one another in brotherly love”. I had a hard time putting into words exactly what it would mean to be devoted to someone so I checked out the Greek word using my Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance. It turns out this is the only place in the Bible this particular word is used, not that it matters, but I always find that interesting. The original Greek word Paul used here means “tenderly loving”.

I also looked at the Greek words for “brotherly love”, it turns out there isn’t two different words, the phrase has been translated from a single Greek word “philadelphia” which speaks of a family sort of relationship and literally means, “coming from the same womb”. We are to feel such closeness to our fellow believers that we see them as having come from the same womb we did – and this is true since we’re all born of the same Spirit.

When I think of brotherly love in the Bible, I usually think of the Old Testament example of Jonathan and David. But today I was also reminded of how the believers in Ephesus treated Paul as he was departing. In Acts 20:36-38 we read, “When he (Paul) had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. And they began to weep aloud and embraced Paul, and repeatedly kissed him, grieving especially over the word which he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they were accompanying him to the ship.”

Sometimes showing brotherly love can be difficult, especially if you’ve come from a dysfunctional family or even just a family where affections were more presumed than demonstrated. Personally, I think it has taken me a lot of years to be as good at this as I am, and I know I have a long way to go. But the good news is that I am moving in the right direction, and hopefully, you are as well!

I John 4:20-21 “If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.”

Discussion Questions:

How have you shown devotion to another Christian? How was that received? Does fear of rejection keep us from adequately showing devotion to one another?

Accept One Another

In Romans 15:7, Paul teaches that we are to “accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.”  In looking at the context of this verse, we find that the previous section of Romans speaks about eating and not eating meat offered to idols. Paul is teaching us here that we need to be accepting of each other’s differing behaviors brought about by matters of conscience – not matters of sin, but matters of conscience. That being said, before I can correctly judge such a situation, I better be sure I know what the Bible says or doesn’t say on the matter.

I also looked up the Greek word used here for “accept” using Zodhiates’ Complete Word Study Dictionary – “to admit to one’s society and fellowship, receive and treat with kindness.” This reminded me of another passage of Scripture where James gives the example of dinner guests getting different treatment based on their expensive clothing. He concludes, “If you show partiality, you are committing sin” (James 2:9). When we behave like members of a high school clique rather than members of the Body of Christ, we are destroying the unity Jesus prayed for and commanded of us.

Another lesson to be seen in this definition is regarding prejudice. In some areas, we’ve come a long way towards overcoming racial prejudice. In others, it seems we’ve only begun. It can be difficult to be truly accepting of people we may have little in common with or know very little about. Therefore, when I’m in such a situation, I think it is important to extend an extra measure of kindness and effort to get acquainted so everyone feels comfortable and acceptance will follow.

I find it interesting that Peter took about five years from the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 to the conversion of the gentile Cornelius in Acts 10 for him to accept that the God of Israel was also accepting of gentiles. “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.” (Acts 10:34-35).

If you’ve realized there is a brother or sister in Christ that you are not fully accepting, consider doing something special for that person. Sometimes this is what our heart needs to eventually get in line with what our mind knows is right… or vice versa!

Discussion Questions:

How is “accepting one another” being carried out in your church? What can you personally do to promote a spirit of acceptance in your local congregation?

Greet One Another With a Holy Kiss

I’m glad to be attending a church filled with huggers. I really look forward to my Sunday bear hugs! Paul says in Romans 16:16, to “greet one another with a holy kiss”. A lot of folks get hung up here on the word “kiss” and, for the most part, I’m right there with them. But in doing so, we overlook the word “holy”.

It doesn’t really matter if we greet one another verbally or with a handshake, a hug, or a kiss. These are just customs that differ depending on when and where you’ve lived. I think Paul’s emphasis here is, first of all, that we greet one another – don’t pass by without acknowledging each other.

Secondly, make your greeting “holy”. At first glance, this seems a little odd and even difficult to do. I think a holy greeting is one that isn’t a mere superficial formality, but one that shows honest concern and comes from a sincere heart. Another way to look at this is to greet one another with God’s unconditional “agape” love.

The world around us has its various customs that come and go, but Paul admonishes us to be different, to not be as the world, but to always greet one another with holiness.

Romans 12:9a “Let love be without hypocrisy.”

Discussion Questions:

How do you prefer to be greeted when attending church? Is this any different than the greeting you expect other places? How important is this “one another” to you?

Paul's Past, Not a Problem

A couple weeks ago I did a small word study on “principalities”. It was really small because this English word is used only once in the NASB version of the Bible!

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39.

By using Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, I was able to find the original Greek word used for “principalities” is “archē”. This is a prefix we already have some understanding of in English.

Archeology and Archives – something being old, the beginning or earliest
Archangel and Archenemy – the primary, important, or first of something

Therefore, it is not surprising to learn this same Greek word is translated 38 times in the New Testament as “beginnings”. What is surprising (to me anyway) is that “archē” is not also translated as “beginnings” in Romans 8:38. If it were, the passage would read, “nor beginnings, nor things present, nor things to come …”

In other words, Paul’s word choice in the original Greek language seems to say that there is nothing in your “past, present, or future” that will separate you from the love of God! When I think of Paul’s past as a persecutor of the Church, I am grateful to know about his “dirty laundry”, it keeps me from falling prey to hero-worship.

But more importantly, it teaches me about the love of God. Paul says we will find God’s love “in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39). Once I am in Christ Jesus and He is my Lord, nothing I’ve done in the past would cause God to turn away from me, I am His child, and He loves me with His unending love. Hallelujah!

Paul on the Road to Damascus

As I write this, the Bereans’ class is wrapping up the book of Acts and will be moving on to Paul’s letters to the Corinthians. But I can’t possibly do Luke’s book of Acts any justice if I don’t comment on Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19). Not only are the actual events given quite a bit of space, but Luke also records for us the details as re-told by Paul twice more (Acts 22:1-21 and 26:1-23).

Saul, accuser and persecutor of the Saints, sees a blinding light, hears a mysterious voice, and becomes Paul – Christ’s Ambassador and Apostle to the Gentiles. As Christians, we often marvel at having such a wonderful conversion story to tell – and at the powerful and undeniable change in Paul that resulted.

While it is true, not everyone has such a dramatic conversion experience; the Bible is clear that everyone is to be dramatically changed by their conversion experience. Your life “in Christ” is new! “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold new things have come.” (II Corinthians 5:17).

This being the case, does your current lifestyle significantly differ from your pre-conversion lifestyle? Another way to look at this, is to ask if the way you live looks any different than those you know who are unsaved? Do you both watch the same television shows, share the same expensive, time-consuming hobbies, and both equally maxed out with personal credit card debt?

The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 12:2 that we are not to be “conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (NASB). The Greek word for “transformed” is “mĕtamŏrphŏō”. Using the old KJV Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, I found this meaning: to transform (literally or figuratively “metamorphose”) – change, transfigure, transform.

This definition really improved my understanding of Romans 12:2. First, I was completely amazed to find the root of this word being so similar to our word for metamorphosis – the miraculous change of a caterpillar into a butterfly. Let me share with you a bit about this insect’s life cycle. The tiny eggs look like flecks of dust on a twig or leaf. They hatch out caterpillars so small you would hardly notice their squirming little bodies. Then they eat, and they eat, and they eat. As you might guess, they also grow! Soon they form their chrysalis cocoons and the miracle of transformation takes place.

I think it is interesting to realize this change would not be possible without the critter’s voracious appetite. Can you imagine their dismal failure if they ate only a few nibbles of a leaf, a couple times a week? They would die of starvation – with no transformation at all. I think that’s what happens to some new Christians when they aren’t given enough encouragement to be faithful in the Word. Jesus tells us in the Parable of the Sower that the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life can choke out our time in God’s Word and rob us of maturity as well as our fruit-bearing ability (Luke 8:14).

Sometimes I think we seem to encourage new believers to not study the Bible. When we say, “Congratulations – now you have eternal life!”, we imply they’ve arrived and there’s nothing else to do but wait to die and receive their reward. But can you imagine the explosion of growth in their tiny, imperceptible spiritual life if they went right home and read John’s gospel that same day? Then the next day they read 3 or 4 short epistles and the 3rd day plowed through Matthew?

We all want Christ-likeness, but the truth is, you can’t be or do what you don’t know. To be a disciple of Christ is to be a learner - to be a disciplined student of the things of God. We can’t hope to transform our minds if we won’t “eat” God’s Word like a hungry caterpillar! After Paul’s conversion, he spent three years in Arabia, consuming and transforming before beginning his ministry as Apostle and Ambassador for Christ (Galatians 1:15-18). Likewise, the transformation of our lives begins with radically different thinking and that happens as we are immersed in the teachings of Jesus, being His continual, steadfast disciple.

The other thing that jumped out at me from the definition of “mĕtamŏrphŏō”, is how this word seems to equally mean both “transform” and “transfigure”.  Transformation seems like a gradual process and transfigure seems more instantaneous. After a little more digging, I was able to learn that this Greek word is only used four times in the entire New Testament.

Twice this word is used in the gospels where Jesus is “transfigured” as He meets with Elijah and Moses (Matthew 17:2 and Mark 9:2). It is hard for us to know exactly what changes occurred that caused the gospel writers to use this particular word; but just imagine – it was something as dramatic as a caterpillar metamorphosing into a butterfly! Furthermore, in Romans 12:2, we can now see that Paul says we are to dramatically re-align our thinking to this same extent. How can we do this? By hungering for God’s word like a caterpillar munches leaves!

The fourth New Testament reference using this Greek word is found in II Corinthians 3:18, here Paul is talking about how we are to be transformed into the very image of Christ. Now that’s dramatic!

So again, let’s consider Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus – was it unique? Yes, the manner of each person’s conversion is different. But no, we should each be radically transformed by a genuine encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Here are journaling suggestions for you to try:

Describe the changes that have occurred in your life since receiving Christ as your Savior.

Put down on paper the details of your personal conversion experience.