Christian Love Is a Dead End for Evil

Rev. Tim Koch, pastor at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Milbank, SD, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 12:9-21.

Christians have been brought into new life in Christ Jesus completely by God’s grace. Now St. Paul illustrates what that life looks like. The commands that the Apostle recites are not prerequisites for entrance into God’s kingdom; rather, they are based upon the mercies of God that have already brought sinners into His kingdom. Jesus gives the concrete picture for each of the statements made. Christian love is characterized by familial love that purposefully seeks to put the neighbor first. Christian love is grounded in the confident expectation of what God has promised in Christ. This allows the Christian to respond to evil and persecution without vengeance. The Lord remains judge and avenger. Instead of returning evil for evil and therefore allowing evil only to grow, the Christian responds with that which is truly good. As Jesus overcame evil on the cross through His forgiveness, so the Christian responds to evil with the same forgiveness first freely given to them.

“The Righteousness of God for You” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. Human righteousness cannot save, because all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. Only the righteousness of God can bring life and forgiveness to sinners. This is the righteousness that He has fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is the righteousness that is revealed in the Gospel, the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. This is the righteousness that is not earned, but is freely given by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.