Romans 12:9-20 English Standard Version

Marks of the True Christian

9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”

This is not exactly what one thinks about when we hear the word tattoo. In much the same way as a tattoo has meaning about what we care about and stand for something, then these passages mark us in ways more indelible than ink.

It begins with “Let love be genuine.” This is followed immediately with abhor evil. Abhor in Vive’s is a verb that denotes “a shudder”, a physical reaction that makes every nerve react in horror. It does not apply the word hate to evil but is the opposite reaction to good which is to cling.

Tattoos fade over time and lose their brightness. This is just the opposite with “marks” of a Christian. We get better and brighter as we mature in Christ. That might be because this life becomes more a matter of being rather than doing. I could be wrong, but it feels that way.

I am struck with verse 18 which begins with “if possible” because not everything is within my control. 

Galatians 6:9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

If God has asked anything of us, He did so with purpose. Our human instinct is wanting to see some measure of success for the things we do. We play games and keep statistics of our wins and losses and analyze our game to figure out how to improve our game.

This is not a game. This is about the salvation of souls which is beyond our control.

• Psalm 3:8 Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people! Selah
• Jonah 2:9 But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!”
  Revelation 7:10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

We are blessed to be included in His salvation plan.

Obedience of faith should lead us to praise not reward.

We do not get to see the final results of our efforts until we join Him in eternity.

I have to remind myself that these messages of salvation go out to the world wide web to nameless faces that I may never see until I am called to the Great White Throne.

My hope is that final judgment will only be seeing the result of what Jesus did through me and not all the mistakes I made along the way. I could be wrong about that, but that hope propels me forward when I am tired. I am human, I get tired.

Today my hope is that this post encourages someone that feels the same way.

The way of the world is instant gratification. This media world with “likes” and emojis are not a scorecard. 

• Matthew 6:19, 20 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”