By The Rev. Ron Purkey
Guest Columnist

Read: James 2:8-13

“Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.” (Romans 12:10)

The Rev. Ron Purkey

Living creatively for Christ in the home is the acid test for any Christian man or woman. It is far easier to live an excellent life among your friends when you are putting your best foot forward and are conscious of public opinion than it is to live for Christ in your home. Your own family circle knows whether Christ lives in you and through you.

Each believer has his or her own spiritual service to perform, but Romans 12:9-21 tell us how every Christian should behave in the family of God

Love should be honest and without hypocrisy (see 1 John 3:18). We should hate evil and cling to the good (see Psalm 97:10). Love should lead to kindness and humility, faithfulness in business, fervency in spiritual things (“fervent” here means “boiling, aglow with power”).

Notice how the characteristics mentioned in this section parallel the fruit of the Holy Spirit that Paul describes in Galatians 5:22-23.

Christians in the local church should care for each other and share with each other. Notice how the prayer of Romans 12:12 is followed by the care of Romans 12:13. “Given to hospitality” is literally in the Greek “pursuing hospitality”— going after people. 1 Peter 4:9 tells us to stop complaining when we open our homes to others. Unspiritual hospitality is pictured in Proverbs 23:6-8. See also Luke 14:12-14; 1 Timothy 3:2 and 5:10; Hebrews 13:2; 3 John 5-8.

Christians have their battles as well as their blessings, and Paul instructs us how to handle those who oppose the word. We are to bless them (Matthew 5:10-12) and not curse.\

Of course, no believer should get into trouble because of wrong living (1 Peter 2:11-25). We should have sympathy (Romans 12:15) and humility (Romans 12:16), for selfishness and pride generate ill will. Christians are never to “pay back” their opponents; rather, we should wait for God to “repay” (Romans 12:19), either in this life or in the future judgment.

“Provide things honest in the sight of all men” (Romans 12:17) suggests that the Christian lives in a “glass house” and must be aware of the scrutiny of others.

“I’m going to live my own life!” is a sinful attitude for a believer, in the light of Romans 14:7-8. People are watching us, and as much as possible, we should live peaceably with all people. Of course, we cannot compromise with sin or have a “peace at any price” attitude. The attitude and spirit of Matthew 5:38-48 will help us be “peacemakers” (Matthew 5:9).

If you are a true Christian, you will not give way at home to bad temper, impatience, fault-finding, sarcasm, unkindness, suspicion, selfishness or laziness. Instead, you will reveal through your daily life the fruit of the Holy Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, and all the other Christian virtues which round out a Christlike personality.

Read Ron Purkey’s Bible study outlines free at rcpbibleoutlines.com. Purkey has been an ordained Baptist minister for 50 years.