True Love – Part Two (Romans 12: 14–21)

05/14/25 • 31 min

The Bible is unmistakably clear on one thing: that love stands at the center of our Christian life. We are commanded to love God, to love one another, to love our families, our neighbours, and even our enemies.

That being so, it’s reasonable to ask: What exactly is love?

Today’s passage teaches us not just what love looks like, but how it behaves. It begins with the command:

Summary of Love in the Church:

Put others first (vv. 10–12)
Provide for those in need (v. 13)
Practice hospitality (v. 13)

But beginning in verse 14, Paul shifts the focus outward—to love for all people, even enemies.

“Bless those who persecute you” (v. 14) — referring to those outside the faith. “Repay no one evil for evil” (v. 17) “If your enemy is hungry, feed him” (v. 20)

Most commentators agree: these are instructions about how we love our fellow human beings, not just fellow believers. That said, even if aimed at relationships within the church, the effect of such love is a powerful witness to the outside world.

Five Commands of Christian Love Toward the World:

Command One:

"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse." (Romans 12:14)

Christian love doesn’t retaliate with words or actions. When wronged, we bless. Speak kindly, not flattery, but grace. Even in persecution, love blesses.

Command Two:

"Rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn." (Romans 12:15)

Love is emotionally present. Love enters into others’ joy and sorrow. It celebrates sincerely and weeps compassionately. Love shares the experience of others.

Command Three:

"Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited." (Romans 12:16)

This is a call to humility and unity. Love sees value in everyone. Don’t network upward; relate humbly. Love looks around, not up.

Command Four:

"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone... If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." (Romans 12:17–18)

Love refuses to strike back. It doesn’t even the score. It seeks what is right, honourable, and healing. Paul is realistic: peace may not always be possible, but as far as it depends on us, we pursue it.

Command Five:

"Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath... ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord... ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.’... Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:19–21)

This is the climax. Don’t take justice into your own hands. Trust God with vengeance. Your role is mercy. Love your enemy by feeding them, caring for them. This disarms hostility and brings transformation. Love absorbs evil and overcomes it with good.

Conclusion:

These five commands reveal the heart of true love: it blesses enemies, shares in joy and sorrow, walks in humility, refuses to retaliate, and entrusts justice to God. In doing so, it mirrors

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That being so, it’s reasonable to ask: What exactly is love?

Today’s passage teaches us not just what love looks like, but how it behaves. It begins with the command:

Summary of Love in the Church:

Put others first (vv. 10–12)
Provide for those in need (v. 13)
Practice hospitality (v. 13)

But beginning in verse 14, Paul shifts the focus outward—to love for all people, even enemies.

“Bless those who persecute you” (v. 14) — referring to those outside the faith. “Repay no one evil for evil” (v. 17) “If your enemy is hungry, feed him” (v. 20)

Five Commands of Christian Love Toward the World:

Command One:

"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse." (Romans 12:14)

Christian love doesn’t retaliate with words or actions. When wronged, we bless. Speak kindly, not flattery, but grace. Even in persecution, love blesses.

Command Two:

"Rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn." (Romans 12:15)

Love is emotionally present. Love enters into others’ joy and sorrow. It celebrates sincerely and weeps compassionately. Love shares the experience of others.

Command Three:

"Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited." (Romans 12:16)

This is a call to humility and unity. Love sees value in everyone. Don’t network upward; relate humbly. Love looks around, not up.

Command Four:

"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone... If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." (Romans 12:17–18)

Command Five:

Conclusion:

These five commands reveal the heart of true love: it blesses enemies, shares in joy and sorrow, walks in humility, refuses to retaliate, and entrusts justice to God. In doing so, it mirrors

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Previous Episode

True Love – Part One. (Romans 12: 9-13)

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🔑 Key Theme:

True Christian love is not sentimental, vague, or self-serving—it is sincere, ethical, and devoted to the wellbeing of others, especially within the family of believers.

📖 Summary:

In today’s episode, we begin a two-part exploration of Romans 12:9–13, a passage that offers one of the clearest New Testament portrayals of what genuine Christian love looks like.

We open with a simple but sobering question: What is true love? Drawing on Paul’s teaching, we discover that true love is sincere—without hypocrisy or performance. It is a love that hates what harms and clings to what heals. It doesn’t merely feel; it acts. It doesn’t simply accept others; it prefers them above oneself.

🧠 Core Insights:

Love must be sincere – No masks, no manipulation, no hidden agendas.
True love hates evil and clings to good – Love is morally discerning, protective, and committed to kindness.
Christian love expresses itself first in the community of believers – with familial affection (storgē), friendship (phileō), and covenantal devotion (agapē).
Honour others above yourself – Not through self-degradation, but through joyful self-giving.
Christian love is not passive – It is passionate, zealous, and actively serves the Lord.
Love endures and is sustained through three spiritual virtues:
- Joy in hope
- Patience in suffering
- Faithfulness in prayer

Theological Emphasis:

This passage reveals that agapē love—God’s kind of love—is not an emotion but a decision: to will the good of another. It is spiritual, ethical, and grounded in a future hope that fuels present service.

🛠️ Application:

Are you loving others with sincerity—or with performance?
What evils do you tolerate that harm others emotionally, spiritually, or relationally?
How can you actively prefer your fellow believers in your daily life this week?
Is your service marked by spiritual fervour—or passive obligation?
How might deepening your prayer life sustain your love for others?

🙏 Prayer Focus:

Ask God to give you a love that is real and active—a love that delights in doing good, that lifts others up, and that endures through prayer and hope.

📍Next Time:

In Part Two, we’ll look beyond the household of faith to see how Christian love extends even to those who oppose or mistreat us. Romans 12 doesn’t just call us to love one another—it calls us to love our enemies. Don’t miss it.

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Next Episode

Christian Citizenship - Part One, The State. (Romans 13: 1-7)

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Episode Summary: In this episode on Christian citizenship, we explore Romans 13:1–7, the most comprehensive New Testament passage on a believer's relationship to government. Paul makes a compelling case that governing authorities are ordained by God and that submission to them is a form of submission to God's providential order. We unpack what it means to live faithfully under human governments—just or unjust—and how our ultimate allegiance to God's authority informs our public and civic responsibilities.

Main Themes:

The universal call for Christians to submit to governing authorities (v.1)
Government's divine institution and God's sovereignty over human rulers (v.1–2)
Resistance to government as resistance to God (v.2)
Government as God's servant to commend good and punish evil (v.3–4)
The Christian's dual motive for obedience: conscience and fear of judgment (v.5)
The legitimacy of state authority in collecting taxes and maintaining order (v.6–7)

Key Points:

Submission to government is grounded in submission to God, not in the moral merit of the state itself.
All authority, including governmental, is ultimately from God—even flawed or unjust rulers exist by God's sovereign allowance.
Christians should be known for their integrity, lawfulness, and peaceable conduct within society.
The government bears the sword not in vain—it has the God-given right and responsibility to administer justice.
Obedience to the state does not override our obedience to God, but it expresses our trust in God's providence.

Applications for Today:

Christians must grapple with the tension of living as citizens of heaven and residents of earthly nations.
Our critique of government must always be tempered by the recognition of God's hand in history.
Active, respectful civic engagement is part of our Christian witness.
We must resist lawlessness and chaos, even as we pursue justice and righteousness.

Questions for Reflection:

How does recognizing God’s sovereignty over government change your attitude toward political authorities?
Are there limits to Christian submission to the state? When and how should believers resist?
In what ways can Christians be faithful citizens without compromising their ultimate loyalty to Christ?

Further Reading:

Daniel 4:17 — God's sovereignty over human kingdoms
Acts 25–28 — Paul's respectful engagement with Roman authority
Matthew 22:15–22 — Jesus on rendering to Caesar and to God

Next Episode: In Part Two, we will explore the boundaries of submission—when governments command what God forbids or forbid what God commands. How should believers respond when earthly and heavenly authority collide?

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The Bible Project Daily Podcast - True Love – Part Two (Romans 12: 14–21)

Transcript

True Love – Part Two (Romans 12:14–21)

Transcript:

The Bible is unmistakably clear on one thing: In that love stands at the center of our Christian life. We are commanded to love God, to love one another, to love our families, our neighbours, and even our enemies.

That being so, it’s reasonable to ask: What exactly is love?

1 Corinthians 13 is famously called the “love chapter,” and while it describes love’s qualities, i