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Romans 12:5 – It’s Not Personal

Posted on September 27, 2018 by Will

so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and we are members of one another.

Truth to Learn

In Christ you do not exist alone, but as part of a greater whole.

Behind the Words

Paul starts off this verse with the Greek word houtōs, which means “even so.” It is the other half of the kathaper with which he began the previous verse. Therefore, this verse is a direct correlation to the previous one.

The word translated “many” is pollos, meaning “much (singular) or many (plural).” In the Greek text, however, there is also a definite article (the). Thus, we see that the Greek text actually reads, “so we, the many, are one body …”

Meaning Explained

Paul is using the metaphor of a physical body to teach us something. He started off the last verse telling us that we each have a body with many body parts and not all of them have the same bodily function. And, you will remember that he started off the previous verse with “very much as” or “just as” meaning that he was making a close comparison between the physical body and something else.

The current verse contains that something else. So, just as we each have one body with many members, we the many, says Paul, are one body in Christ. This body has a head and in Ephesians Paul tells who the head is:

And He [God] put all things under His [Christ’s] feet, and gave Him [Christ] to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:22, 23)

There is only one head in each body, and the head of “the body of Christ” (the church) is Jesus Christ, Himself. We, the many, that is, the members of the body, are united together in a single body with Christ as our head.

The last part of the current verse can be translated as, “and every one members unto each other.” Just as each of our physical bodies is made up of many parts (arms, legs, eyes, mouth, etc.) so the church is made up of many parts, and we each have a function to perform within the body. None of us are isolated members; rather, we are interdependent with each other, just as all of the members of our physical body are interdependent with each other. We are interdependent with all the other parts of the body of Christ for our spiritual nourishment, protection, and health. We need each other.

Here’s how Paul explained the body to the Corinthians:

For is not made up of one member but many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the smelling be? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. (1Corinthians 12:14-18)

Application

These are important facts to keep in mind as we begin to talk about spiritual gifts. These gifts were not given to us for our personal use but for use within the church. Your spiritual gift is not for you, it is for the church. Think about that!

In God's service, for His glory,

Romans 12:5 – It’s Not Personal

Posted on January 6, 2011 by Will

Romans 12:5 – It’s Not Personal

so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

Truth to Learn

In Christ you do not exist alone, but as part of a greater whole.

Behind the Words

Meaning Explained

Paul is using the metaphor of a physical body to teach us something. He started off the last verse telling us that we each have a body with many body parts and not all of them have the same bodily function. And, you will remember that he started off the previous verse with “very much as” or “in the same way that” meaning that he was making a close comparison between the physical body and something else.

There is only one head in each body, and the head of the body of Christ (the church) is Jesus Christ, Himself. We, the many, that is, the members of the body, are united together in a single body with Christ as our head.

Here’s how Paul explained the body to the Corinthians:

For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. (1Corinthians 12:14-18)

Application

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Romans 5:16 – One for the Many

Posted on February 17, 2010 by Will

Romans 5:16

And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification.

Truth to Learn

God’s free gift of righteousness takes care of all our sins.

Behind the Words

The word “sinned” is translated from the Greek word hamartanō, which means “to miss the mark.”

As if making a play on words, in this verse Paul repeatedly uses nouns that end in ma. In each cast it indicates the result of an action. These words include:

· The word translated “gift” – dōrēma, derived from the verb dōreō, meaning “to bestow a gift.” Hence, it refers to a gift.

· “Judgment” – from krima, which is derived from krinō, meaning “to decide” or “to judge.” Whereas, it can refer to a decision of innocence or guilt, it is most often used in relation to a guilty judgment.

· The word translated “condemnation” – katakrima. The prefix kata means “down” or “against” and krima, as we just saw, means a judgment. Hence, this word means “a judgment against” or “condemnation” as we have it in this verse.

· “Justification” – from dikiōma, which is based on the verb dikaioō meaning “to declare righteous” or “to declare innocent.” Hence dikiōma refers to the result of the declaration. That is, our righteousness or justification.

Meaning Explained

This is a tough verse, so follow closely. It’s the second time Paul is contrasting the effects of the deeds of Adam and Jesus. Previously, he said that death (the consequence of sin) flowed from Adam but that the gift of grace flowed from Jesus.

A literal word-by-word translation of the first phrase in this verse is, “And the gift not like through the one having sinned.” Fortunately a couple of words have been added by the translators in order to make the verse more clear. What Paul is saying is that the free gift is not like the one sin of Adam.

Paul now shows why the one sin is not like the free gift. Here’s what the remainder of this verse says,

for (on the one hand) the judgment is out of one (deed) resulting in condemnation, but (on the other hand) the free gift is out of many transgressions resulting in justification.

Though the grammatical construction is a bit awkward in English, Paul is saying: “on the one hand the judgment that came from one deed resulted in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift that handles many transgressions results in justification.”

If we were to sum up this verse it would be to say that death (the consequence of sin) flowed from one transgression (one sin), but the gift of grace is effective over many transgressions resulting in our justification.

Application

Once again, we should be driven to our knees in prayer giving thanks for the gift of the sinless life of Jesus and the gift of grace whereby we will one day stand in the presence of God as righteous saints, not as condemned sinners!

In God’s service, for His glory,

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