This Week With Jesus

BIBLE PASSAGE – ROMANS 12:9-21 The Principle of Replacement The Principle of replacement states that it is not enough to passively accept the enemy’s actions or even accept it in order to leave it to God’s intervention and justice. We are to do the opposite: we are to replace evil with good. Why? That is the very opposite to what we have been taught!.  Because, by doing good to the one who has wronged us may shame the other person into repentance and a change of way. Paul closes this passage saying do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. This is not easy in fact it is costly because it sometimes involves taking on the pain of someone else’s wrong doing. But overcoming evil with good may result in gaining a friend and promoting reconciliation in the process . These words may have been written thousands of years ago but are as true today as then. Today these words are as relevant, as crucial, and, as important as they were then because we are li...

BIBLE PASSAGE – ROMANS 12:9-21 While we discussed resolutions yesterday and, taking a cure from Paul, we looked at "building a Biblical New Year Resolution". From verse 14 onwards Paul changes gears to talk about behaving like Christians with non-believers. Make no mistake, this is a crucial admonition especially in the world we are living in today. Paul says we are to relate to non-believers the same way we relate to other believers: with love Even when non-believers persecute us do good even to those who treat us badly. The post tragedy behaviour of Mrs Gladys Staines is a beautiful example of this : ‘bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse’. It takes god’s grace to be truly concerned about the successes and needs of other people. Verse 16 is extremely crucial in defining behaving like Christians : be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. do not be wise in your own opinion. Simply put, t...

BIBLE PASSAGE – ROMANS 12:9-21 Most people make new year resolutions! In fact, A study in the us in 2016 showed that 41% of Americans made new year resolutions but by the end of the year only 9% could claim to have been successful in keeping those resolutions. The reasons for this failure are many - unrealistic goals, poor record-keeping, plain forgetfulness, and, an unrealistic number of resolutions. I don’t know how many of us make new year resolutions. I don’t, but perhaps a good way to start would be to follow the list given by Paul in our bible passage today. Paul in this section of his letter to the Roman church is advising and cautioning them, and us, to ‘behave like Christians’. As a church, as people, I think that is a good resolution to make and then strive to keep it. But what exactly does he mean? Paul talks about behaving like Christians within  the church, with other Christians (verses 9 to 13) and behaving like Christians outside the church, with others (i...