Romans 12:9-11

Paul, in the book of Romans, was trying to teach the people how to worship, to be loving Christians, & to be forgiving. He was grooming them to become the first “churches.”

4 Pictures:

1) Roman Church~~the first "church" met in people's homes. Jesus had lived and been resurrected at this time; but the "doctrine" of Jesus as a Savior was new. Churches and preachers were not heard of ~~prior to this time they did not exist. Many in the city of Rome were opposed to this new doctrine of Jesus. Those who did worship God and accepted Jesus as their Savior, met in their homes secretly. They were very careful about whom they invited into their homes. Why? When we are told to spread the good news of Jesus would they do this? Because in this time period, the Romans would soon begin to feed the Christians to the lions. The good news spread in spite of what the Romans tried to do to stop it.

2) Today, 2006, in rural Utah there are Baptists trying to set up churches. The non-Baptists will not support them if they know this. These Baptist missionaries have businesses that need to be patronized so they can live. So, in 2006, they too are careful about whom they invite into their homes. Even so, the truth of the Gospel is spreading in Utah. This is happening world wide. Wherever you find persecution of Christians, you will find people who meet secretly to learn about Jesus and God and the “good news” spreads in spite of the persecution!

3) The early church was not buildings like we have today. It was the people and their homes where they met. A building representing a place of worship came several centuries later.

4) Jesus, was exposed to all these same things. Yet, He allowed us (sinners) into His house~~ He was NOT careful about whom He invited in~~ALL were welcome.


vs. 9 "Don't just pretend that you love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of good."

Paul is telling the Roman church that you must truly LOVE others. You must stand up for righteousness. You must hate evil.

Simply put, you love the sinner, hate the sin.

Boy, this can be hard! It is so easy to hate that homosexual or child abuser or wife beater or rapist or thief or adulterous spouse or murderer……

But Jesus set the example we are meant to follow. He allowed us into His home~~sinners that we were & still are; we can do no less. We too must allow “sinners” into our home, our church.

God and the angels rejoiced when we “came home” and acknowledged our Savior. They will do so when the next sinner sees the errors of his ways and repents.

When you "pretend" to love others; it is very obvious. This is what gives the secular world the view that Christianity is just a bunch of hypocrisy. What they fail to grasp, is that not ALL Christians are like this.

They grasp a generalization; which we all know is a bad thing to do; and apply it to an entire group of people. This is no different than stating that ALL blacks are poor, welfare supported, and ignorant. The intelligent person knows this simply is not true. Yes, there are blacks like this, but not ALL are.

Or what about the white race? There are many who believe they ALL are self-serving, greedy, manipulative, grasping, selfish, bigots. Once again, the intelligent person knows this simply is not true. Yes, there are whites like this, but not ALL are.

We could go on and do this for every race that exists on the planet. Because, people being people, have flaws. But to make generalizations about a "race" of people is WRONG. It is bigoted to do this. It is ignorance speaking.

And it is UNLOVING. You cannot profess to be a Christian if you pretend to love people but then believe these negative things. You then ARE a hypocrite~~and you haven't fooled anyone.

Those in the church who are hypocrites sometimes get involved so they can reap praise and adoration~~when they should be getting involved because they want to serve the Lord and their fellow human beings for God's Glory~~not theirs.

Or they get involved to help their businesses. They want patronage from their fellow "Christians".

The body of Christ knows there are hypocrites inside the church. They haven't fooled us. But it is our hope that someday, they begin to understand what it truly is all about. And then they will want to “serve” for the right reasons.

vs. 10a "Love each other with brotherly love..."

There are many types of "love". Brotherly love is different from sexual love. When Paul told the roman church to love each other with brotherly love, he was trying to teach them that we love each other but without a "sexual" context.

Being Southern and naturally friendly, I will hug someone I know. But I don't go around hugging everybody in church! Nor do I go around kissing them. This just is not appropriate. Churches that do this, ARE crossing a line. They are not practicing brotherly love anymore and are getting perilously close to a love of a sexual nature. That is opening doors to allow sin to enter in.

On the flip side, nor should you be curmudgeonly with affection. Giving a smile to someone can improve their day. Giving them a compliment or a kind word can help a bad day to become better. What has it cost you? Nothing!

Too selfish with affection is just as bad as being too affectionate. There is always a "happy medium"!

vs.10b "...and take delight in honoring each other."

As Christians we should support each other. We should do so because we WANT to do so. We should shop at our Christian brother's business, eat at our Christians sister's restaurant.

We should also support each other emotionally.

vs.11 “Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.”

Often times, a person, new to Christ will start out enthusiastic and on fire. Then over time, they become more lackadaisical. Or we make a new year’s resolution to tithe our 10% every Sunday or attend church every week; then over the weeks we are less enthusiastic about it.

Personally, some Sunday mornings I lie in bed thinking how nice it would be just to “sleep in”. But I get up anyway. And you know, I am always blessed in some way for making that effort to get to church! It has never failed~~I was GLAD I had made the effort to go!

In order for a “church” to be strong, we must practice all the above verses of teaching that Paul shared with the Roman church. He was grooming them.

In teaching them, he has taught us.


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The following things can split or destroy a church.

1) Joining a committee to influence and “control” the rest of the church members.

2) Serving the church, but then quantifying the amount that service cost and deducting it from your tithe. Or bragging about your service for adulation~~when it is supposed to be done for God’s glory! We are serving the Lord, not ourselves.

3) Screening people to see if they “deserve” to be members of the church. Some churches will not let a homosexual to enter their church much less join. Some will not let a minority to enter much less join.

This type of screening is wrong. They have missed the whole point of Christ’s sacrifice! Jesus let them enter into His home, who are they to treat others this way then? How can they do less?

Flawed, sinful people have sat in judgment and then determined that someone is not worthy of forgiveness! There is no way they can justify their actions~~Jesus who forgave them can also forgive the very ones they are trying to exclude.



Southern Baptists do a type of screening. Anyone is welcome to attend church. But to become a member you will have to be a repentant sinner who has accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. That is our doctrine or belief system.

We welcome anyone into our worship service. We hope you will hear the truth of the Gospel. When it comes time to join, you will have to share either your salvation experience, or a letter from your previous church.

Our doors are open to you no matter your color, your sex, your education level, your previous religious experiences. We will openly worship with the homosexual; the adulterer; the wife-beater; the child abuser; the thief; the murderer.

But to join, you will need to be a repentant homosexual; adulterer; wife-beater; child abuser; thief; or murderer.

The Good News is there is NO sin too great for God to forgive!

Jesus loved YOU, already knowing the sins you would commit. He willingly died because of them, for YOU.

YOU are precious to God and Jesus.

And remember, after your conversion, to open your arms to the sinner and to continue to spread the “Good News”! After all, YOU can do no less!

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