Chapter # 12 Paragraph # 4 Study # 11
July 19, 2020
Humble, Texas
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Thesis: The "standing instructions" of Scripture regarding vengeance are to regard "the Lord's" prerogative in the matter as
exclusive.
Introduction: In our last study we considered the focus of the second "command" under the theme of living out a life of "unhypocritical love" with its second focus being upon those who prove themselves to be enemies. We have seen that there is a definite form to Paul's instructions. In
12:16 he gives a primary command with three attending participles (focused upon how we think about ourselves in respect to our enemies), and in
12:17-19 he gives a second primary command with four attending participles (focused upon our responses to the actions of our enemies).
Now we are going to consider his "rationale" for these instructions regarding his second command: "Give God the 'place' of 'Executor of Wrath'. This "rationale" is rooted in Scripture written by Moses.
- I. This Rationale Begins With a Deliberate Focus Upon Believers as Beloved.
- A. In Paul's fourth attending participle he inserted the adjective "beloved" in his description of his readers (12:19).
- 1. Since his overall summons is to a life of unhypocritical love, being "beloved", as a matter of faith, is a concept of critical concern.
- a. This adjective is used by Paul, in Romans, in eight texts (1:7; 11:28; 12:19, and 16:5, 8, 9, and 12).
- 1) It seems significant that he used it first in 1:7 to characterize his readers under the identity of "saints" who are to receive "grace and peace" from The Father and The Lord.
- 2) Then it is not used again until 11:28 where the "enemies" of the Gospel are said to be "beloved for the sake of the fathers", indicating a fixed status rooted in ancient promises and future realities.
- 3) And after 12:19 it is only used in chapter sixteen where it is attached to four persons Paul wished to "greet".
- 4) Thus, the use in our text is significant in terms of its application to Paul's readers as 1:7 first indicated and then left with no further uses regarding them until 12:19.
- b. It seems to be a rather straightforward deduction, then, to understand that Paul thought that, in light of "divine permissions of persecutions by adversaries", it is important for us to follow his instructions because those "permissions" do not contradict our status as "the beloved of God".
- 1) This deduction is reinforced by Paul's use of the verb in six places in Romans (8:28, 29; 9:13, 25; and 13:8 and 9) four of which are found in heavily "predetermination" settings.
- 2) It is also reinforced by Paul's use of the noun in eight places in Romans (5:5, 8; 8:35, 39; 12:9; 13:10; 14:15; and 15:30) where "love" dominates complicating issues in which the reality of God's "love" for us might be challenged.
- 2. At issue, then, is the concept of "faith" as an attitude of "acceptance" in the midst of contradictory appearances.
- B. This deliberate focus is the basis for the insistence that the "beloved" give God the "place" of "The Executor of Wrath"
- II. This Rationale Continues With An Appeal To Scripture.
- A. This "appeal" has multiple implications.
- 1. First is the "implication" that some words "written" by men express the mind of God.
- 2. Second is the "implication" that the particular words that express the mind of God do so with "jot" and "tittle" accuracy.
- 3. Third is the "implication" that these "written", with "jot" and "tittle" accuracy, words are necessary for most human minds to be able to come into contact with God.
- a. Apostles and prophets obtain "Truth" from God in ways that the rest of us do not possess (1 Corinthians 12:28) and, thus, are primary sources of the words that express the mind of God.
- b. Without the words of the apostles and prophets, human minds are bereft of the truths which exist in the mind of God.
- 1) This is true in spite of the reality of "natural revelation".
- a) Psalm 19:1-6 declares of "natural revelation" that it is inescapable, but offers no beneficial impact, whereas verses 7-14 attribute multiple benefits from "special revelation", the first of which is a powerful benefit to the "soul".
- b) Romans 1:20 declares of "natural revelation" that it is inescapable, and brings man to the position of being "without excuse" so that his "mind" has become "reprobate" (1:28) and his behavior is repugnant (1:21-32).
- c) John 1:5-10 intensifies this distinction between "impacts" from "natural revelation" and "special revelation".
- 2) This is also true in spite of the reality that even with the words of apostles and prophets, there are significant problems (Romans 10:18-21).
- c. Even with the words of apostles and prophets, human minds need "help" in the form of gifted teachers (1 Corinthians 12:28-29) who have special abilities to enable understanding of the divine "words, written".
- 1) This "help" is in the form of "more words" that address "empty places" in the categories of thought in the human mind.
- 2) The special abilities of gifted teachers consist of, for the lack of a better explanation, the divine direction of "inspired words" into the proper "empty places" so that "connections" can be made across "categories" of the mind and understanding dawns.
- 3) These special abilities are simply enhanced capacities that all men have, but are fruitless without the special activity of the Spirit of God as "illuminator".
- 4. Fourth is the "implication" that "written" words, expressing the mind of God, are supposed to direct human beings into certain "paths of behavior".
- a. In our text/context, the "path of behavior" is specific: How to react to the activities of the enemies to our actual hurt.
- b. This is a large part of "life" since Paul only addresses "two" areas of the "mind" in respect to dealing with others (how we view ourselves in comparison to others, and how we react to the actions of others in view of "suffering").
