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Pastor Lud Golz
Pastor Lud Golz

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  Home | Transcript Archive | September | September 15, 2011

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Bless those who persecute you. (Romans 12:14) 

We have been amplifying the focus of Romans 12 in recent days. We identified the focus of the chapter as being, “overcome evil with good.” We amplified this focus by considering the importance of identifying and using our spiritual gifts. We also saw the importance of loving others. Now let’s begin looking at the importance of demonstrating grace as described in verses14-21. 
 
It is always easier to be gracious when others are gracious toward us. Paul explains in these verses of Romans 12 that we are to be gracious in the face of opposition. He begins in verse 14 by challenging us to “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” 
 
The implication by the way this command is constructed is that the Roman Christians were calling on God to curse their persecutors. What Paul is saying is, “Stop cursing.” 
 
You do this best by replacing cursing with blessing. No matter how unjust your persecutors are, Paul is saying we should bless them. That is, we should be responding with the opposite of what they are doing to us. We should be kind and loving toward them. The word “bless,” means, “to speak them good.” In the original the emphasis is on “constantly blessing.” Rather than call on God to curse our persecutors, we are here commanded to call on God to bless them. 
 
This is what Jesus did when on the cross He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Stephen, the first Christian martyr, did the same (Acts 7:60). 
 
Paul tells us, Go and do likewise.
 

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