Romans chapter 12, I'm taking the title from what I said earlier, verse 21. Oftentimes I struggle with trying to find a title for the message. And I did with this one. I thought of several different things. But in Romans 12, verse 21, the title of the message comes from this verse.

Be not overcome of evil. Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil. overcome evil with that which is good. Now as I read to you earlier, they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, Revelation 12 verse 11, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto death.

The only way we can overcome evil is with Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ. So overcome evil with good, and I thought about I underscored that word good, and I wrote next to it, overcome evil with the gospel. Or overcome evil with God. Overcome evil with the gospel. The only way that the scriptures reveal unto us how the evil of our sins, iniquities, and transgressions are removed and defeated is by that gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. His blood cleanses us from all our sin. The only way is by the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Upon this principle, overcoming evil with good, upon that core principle, the gospel is based upon that core principle, is it not? The Lord Jesus Christ came to do what? Overcome evil. with good, how did he do that? He laid down his life for us. Upon this principle, the Lord Jesus Christ came to redeem us. In the fullness of the time, God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under the law to redeem them that were under the law. Upon this core gospel principle, the Lord Jesus Christ freely laid down his life for us, overcoming evil with his good atoning blood. Upon this principle, the Lord Jesus Christ went about doing good to others, honoring the law of God for us in every precept. He said, I didn't come to destroy the law and the prophets. I came to honor the law and the prophets. We read in the Gospels, and we've studied through Matthew, Mark, and Luke a couple times.

But one of the things that's amazing about that, everywhere he went, he drew a crowd of needy, sick people. Every sinner that was sick and needy who came to the Lord Jesus Christ seeking mercy, it says that he healed all them that had need of healing. He never turned one mercy beggar away. I'm going to seek the Lord. I'm going to seek mercy where it's found in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Upon this principle, the Lord went about doing good, honoring the law of God for us. He redeemed us from the curse of the law. being made a curse for us. Remember that young law keeper came to the Lord and said, good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life? And the Lord said, why do you call me good? There's none good but God. Overcome evil with God. That's the only way. There's none good but God.

Now often times, those who hate what we preach, who are opposed to the gospel of God's sovereign, saving, free grace, accuse us, preachers and others, of promoting what they call licentiousness, or careless living, or having a light view about being and doing sinful deeds. They often accuse us about those things, but it's a false accusation. It's a straw man that they raise. Well, if salvation's all by the grace of God, let's just live like the devil. No, God restrains us by his grace. Those who were opposed to grace alone, faith alone, and Christ alone would accuse us of preaching the freedom of sin. Well, when you think about it, don't you sin more than you want to? I mean, if you, if, if, you know, I would stop if I could, but I cannot not sin. And you can't either. You can't either.

But it's a straw man that the enemies of the gospel raise up and hurl and throw at us, but it's a vain argument. Those who are saved by the grace of God, they are gracious, kind, and loving people who live to the glory of God, motivated by His love. They're not mean, harsh, and cruel. They're loving, kind, and gentle people. They love one another. This does not mean that we compromise the gospel to get along, but rather we promote peace and harmony around the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, his love constrains us. His love constrains us.

These verses in the closing part of Romans 12, they lay out for us a guide and a rule for us to live by as believers. And believers delight in the word of God, These things given unto us, these are things we need to work on and put into practice every day, not to be justified, not to be sanctified, but rather because God has been gracious to us, likewise, we want to be gracious to others. As God has shown you mercy, don't you want to and delight to show mercy to others? Listen to this scripture. He says, to love one another and to forgive one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you. Even as God has forgiven you? A preacher friend of mine often says this, the Bible does not teach others how to treat you. The Bible does not teach others how to treat me, but rather how I should treat others. How I should treat others.

Forgive and love and forget. Verse 9 says, Let love be without dissimulation. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil. Let our love to the Lord and to one another be without hypocrisy. That is, let it be genuine and real. Let us love not in word, but in deed and in truth.

This scripture I wrote down here in John 13, 34. He said, A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another as I have loved you. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, that you love one another. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor. If you look over here at chapter 13, verse 10. Look at chapter 13, verse 10. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor, Therefore, love is a fulfilling of the law, of his law to love one another. Turn, if you will, to 1 John chapter 3, 1 John chapter 3. Turn over there. 1 John chapter 3. We studied this all through the book of 1 John chapter 3, verse 14. We know that we pass from death unto life because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abides in death. Whoso hateth his brother is a murderer. And you know no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us. We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. Whoso hath this world good and seeth his brother hath need and shut up his vows of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him. My little children, let us not love in word, neither in deed, in tongue but in deed and in truth. Hereby we know that we are the truth and shall assure our hearts before him. As he laid down his life for us, we ought to lay down our lives for one another.

Now this love here, this love that's talking about here is not natural affection. It's this supernatural love that's given by the fruit of the spirit of God. The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, meekness, temperance, so forth. This love here is a fruit of the Spirit. This is the love of God that shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Spirit when God makes us new creatures in Christ. A man without this love is a man without Christ. We only love him and love one another because he first loved us. A man without this love is a man that doesn't know the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

He said, if I have all knowledge, let me read this to you. Don't turn it, you're familiar with this. Though I speak with the tongue of men of angels, 1 Corinthians 13, and have not love, I'm a sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and have all faith so I can remove mountains and have not love, I'm nothing. Love. So, let love be without dissimulation. Back at Romans 12 verse 9. Let love be without dissimulation. Let your love be genuine and sincere and true without hypocrisy.

And then it says here, hate that which is evil. That word abhor means to hate that which is evil. Hate that which is contrary to the gospel of God's grace. Hate that which is evil and then cleave Cleave. It means get a death grip. Cleave to that which is good. Cleave to the gospel. Let go. Let go everything contrary to the gospel. Hate it. And then get a death grip. Lay hold upon the Lord Jesus Christ. And that's by faith.

Hate that which is contrary to the gospel. and cleave to that which is of God. David said this, how sweet are thy words and do my taste a sweeter than honey. Through thy precepts I get understanding, therefore I hate every false way. Hate that which is contrary to the gospel. and love that which is good. Shun evil and cleave to that which is good. Cleave to that which is of God. The Gospel of God concerning the Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse 10, Be kindly, affectionate one to another. And this is talking about family love. With brotherly love. Or in the love of the brethren, it says in the margin. In honor, preferring one another. Prefer one another. Those who are born of God are loved by those who are born of God. We're born into the family of God. We're members, as it says there, we are members one of another. Verse five, so we being many are one body and everyone members one of another. Believers love each other. This is intimate family love. There's no room in a regenerated heart for hate, grudges, and bigotry. In making others happy and loving others, we find happiness. In promoting the welfare and good of other believers, we are blessed in that effort to do so.

Verse 11 says, so preferring one another, esteem others better than yourselves, as it says in Philippians chapter two. And then verse 11, not slothful in business. fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. Three things he mentions. Serving the Lord, not slothful in business, but serving the Lord. I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Serving the Lord, not slothfully or lazily, not slothful in business.

Now, we could be talking about the business you work at and the business that you have. You shouldn't be. How successful, if you had a business of your own and you were the sole proprietor of that business and you were trying to make a living with that business, if you were slothful and lazy and not about business, how successful would it be? You'd go bankrupt pretty soon. You'd be working for somebody else pretty soon.

So we can make that application but where it says fervent in spirit. I think about this word business and I wrote this text down in Luke chapter 2 verse 49. Remember the Lord said I must be about my father's business. So the main business that we should have a fervent spirit about, and not being slothful, is that of serving the Lord. Worshipping the Lord.

Not with a careless attitude, but with a heart that burns with zeal and jealousy. I'm jealous for His glory, aren't you? Not lazy in our zeal, but fervent in spirit. earnestly jealous over the glory of God, always going about seeking the Lord's will, always going about promoting the gospel with a burning desire for His glory. Think about it.

What a high privilege God has called us to be servants of the Lord. Being a servant of the Lord is a very high honoring title. Isaiah 42, 1, Our Lord said, Behold my servant, my elect, in whom my soul delights. The Lord Jesus Christ is called the servant of God. The servant of God. And we love by the grace of God given unto us. We love to serve one another. To forgive one another. To love one another. So, not slothful in business, but fervent. Fervent. Zealous of his glory. Serving the Lord. Serving the Lord.

Verse 12, rejoicing in hope, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer, instant in prayer. Now, three things he mentions there, rejoicing in hope, that we have a good hope, a good hope through the Lord Jesus Christ. It's a good hope through grace. So we rejoice in that hope. Christ in you is a hope of glory. We have a hope. Christ is that hope. Christ is our hope.

So rejoicing in hope, rejoicing in hope, and then patient, rejoice in hope, and then patient in tribulation. Trials are coming. Heartache's coming. Patient in trials, waiting upon the Lord. Our Lord said this, these words have I spoken unto you that in me you should have peace, you may have peace. In this world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome. Patient in tribulation.

Remember when the Apostle Paul was in the city of Lystra, and he went there preaching the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and those folks got so mad, They stoned him. They picked up big rocks and started to dash his brains out. And they drug him out of the city by his heels and they left him for dead. Some think he did die. Some think this is when he was taken to the third heaven. But the Lord revived him and you know what he did? He went right back into that city preaching the same message again.

And he writes this. exhorting them to continue in the faith that we through much tribulation must enter into the kingdom of God. Now that's being patient in trial, is it not? I wish I had some kind of patience as the Apostle Paul or as Job. Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, patient in tribulation. Trials are coming. And then while we're rejoicing in hope and we're patient in tribulation, what do we do? Pray. Praying, as it says there, continuing instant in prayer.

The Apostle writes this in 1 Thessalonians 5. Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5, 16 through 18. This is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Pray without ceasing. doesn't mean that we're walking around with, you know, trying to demonstrate before other people. We're not going to, I'm not going to meet down here at the courthouse around the flagpole and hold hands on the National Day of Prayer. That's not what he's talking about. This is entering into your closet and crying and pouring out your heart before God.

This is being instant in prayer, and what a privilege. We sing oftentimes, sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer. What a privilege God's given unto us to call him our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our sin. Lead us, deliver us, for thine is the kingdom, thine is the power, thine is the glory, both now and forever. Verse 13.

Distributing to the necessity of the saints. Who are these saints? Every believer is a saint. Every believer has been sanctified by God the Holy Spirit and made a new creature in Christ. So distributing to the necessity of the saints, giving to the needs of other believers who are in need.

Our Lord said it's more blessed to give than it is to receive. Giving to hospitality. Open up your home to your family and friends in the church. I've stayed in the home of a lot of different people. I used to travel and preach a lot when I was younger, before I came here. I would travel many places. Brother Mahan had a very far-reaching ministry. When anybody needed a substitute preacher, they called Brother Mahan. And Brother Mahan had a whole classroom full of preachers, and he would call on one of us to go. I remember one time I went to Brownsburg, Indiana. to a little church in Brownsburg, Indiana. This is back in the middle 80s.

And there was a young man and a family there who was pastoring the church and they fired him. They fired him. And the people of the church contacted Brother Henry and I went that Sunday and preached for the folks there. And I remember so well how the folks welcomed me into their home and took care of me when I was there. A stranger, they took me in. But I remember as I preached that morning, there was a young man and his wife and three kids sitting there.

And I didn't know when I was preaching. I knew that they had fired the pastor, but I didn't know that man was the one that they fired. And after I found out, I felt so sorry for him. Here's a wife and three kids, and they put him out on the street for no viable reason. But that's just some of the things that I've been through.

Distributing to the necessity of the saints. Giving to hospitality. People have opened their homes up to us. I've stayed in homes of people I've never met before, but they were believers. They were family. He said, my home is your home. Make yourself at home.

And they meant it too. Verse 14, it says, Bless them which persecute you, Bless them that persecute you. That's a tough one. What does that take? Overcome evil with good, with God, with grace. Bless them that persecute you. Bless and curse not. Oh, I've got that one down. Do you? No, I'm working on it. I'm working on it. Bless them that persecute you over the gospel.

We don't know much about persecution in our day, like the early church, but our Lord teaches us to forgive them when they sin against us, don't they? Doesn't it? How many times should I forgive my brother? Well, if he repents, 70 times, seven times, Peter said, well, the Lord says 70 times seven. If he repents, forgive him. And Peter said, Lord, increase our faith.

Increase our faith. Listen to this. Let's turn and read this. Look at Romans 12 verse 14. You see it there, Romans 12 verse 14. Bless them which persecute you, bless and curse not. And the marginal reference is Matthew 5, 44. So let's turn there. Matthew 5, 44. If you don't want to turn, let me just read it to you. Matthew 5, 44. You have heard it said, verse 33, that thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate your enemy? But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them that despitefully use you. Let's work on that one. Let's ask God to give us grace. Let's ask God to give us grace. You know, when you read in Acts chapter 7, I'll give you some examples of this.

When Stephen was stoned to death, they tied him up to a stake and dashed out his brains with stones. And Saul of Tarsus stood there and said, come on boys, throw one a little bit harder. Stephen said, lay not this sin to their charge. Father, forgive them. And our Lord, when they crucified Him on Calvary's tree, what did the Lord say? Father, forgive them. They know not what they do. I want to cultivate that heart and attitude, don't you?

Bless them which persecute you. And then verse 15, Rejoice with them that do rejoice. Rejoice with them that do rejoice. And we have reason as believers to rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ. To have no confidence in the flesh. To worship God in the Spirit and to rejoice in Him. Again, Paul says in Philippians 4, Rejoice in the Lord always.

And again I say, Rejoice! There's a time to rejoice. And there's a time to weep. Weep with those that weep. bear you one another's burdens, and your soul fulfill the law of God. I rejoice with you when things are going great for you, and you're being blessed of the Lord. I rejoice with you. But when heartache, sorrow, and trouble comes your way, I weep with you too. We're one. We're one. We weep together, don't we? We rejoice together. And we weep together. When believers sorrow and rejoice together, we demonstrate that we're one in Christ. Verse 16, be of the same mind, one toward another.

Mind not to high things. Be not, we have that phrase, high-minded. Don't be high-minded. Don't have this attitude as a Pharisee. Pray, Lord, I thank you I'm not like that man. Don't be high-minded. Be of the same mind, one toward another. Mind not the high things, but get off your high horse. Condescend to men of low estate.

Esteem others better than yourself. Paul writes that. Fulfill you my joy, Philippians 2. That you be like-minded, having the same love. Being of one mind, one of core, let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind, let each of us esteem others better than ourselves. Be not wise in your own conceits. Don't be, I'm gonna use that phrase, don't be a know-it-all.

I mean, especially when it comes to, I mean, we know, Paul said this, we know in part, we preach in part. I know a few things, the Lord's taught me a few things, but I'm not, I'm not a know-it-all. I'm a sinner saved by the grace of God. And we have this treasure, that earthen vessel that we might glory only in Christ. Verse 17, Well, let me go back here to verse 16 for just a minute. In Galatians 3, it says, When man thinketh himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

Galatians 6.3.

And then 2 Corinthians 12.10, We dare not make ourselves of a number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves, but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, they are not wise. That's not wise.

Revenge is contrary to grace. Look at verse 17. Recompense to no man. Evil for evil. Now this is the tendency of that old, rotten, sinful flesh that we have. I'm going to get even. When somebody does you wrong, what's the first thing that... Revenge. I'm going to get even. Don't do that. Recompense to no man, evil for evil.

If he curses you, say, thank you, brother. Listen to this scripture. When David was on the run and Shimei came and cussed David, and one of David's soldiers said to David, let me go over there and cut off his head. And David said, no, don't do that. The Lord sent him to cuss me. So recompense the no man evil for evil.

Maybe God sent you a rebuke that you needed to hear. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. I thought of this scripture here where it says, in Philippians, excuse me, Ephesians chapter 4, I was thinking of this scripture that came to my mind, where it says, Be ye angry, okay, we've all been there, right? Be ye angry, sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the devil. Don't go to bed mad. How well did you sleep that night? When you went to bed with wrath and anger, heartache, you didn't sleep at all, did you? Recompense in no man evil for evil.

Provide things honest, if it be possible, verse 18. Sometimes it's not possible, but if it be possible, think about this, with God, All things are possible, right? Anything too hard for the Lord? If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. At work, in school, in your neighborhood, in the church family. Let's live at peace. There's enough turmoil in this world. There'll never be peace in this world. The Lord said, I didn't come to send peace but a sword. I think there's an article in the bulletin about that. So with God, all things are possible.

Let's live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, verse 19, don't avenge yourself, goes along with providing recompense to no man evil for evil. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give price to wrath. Let it die. For it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, sayeth the Lord. The Lord will take care of it. Don't throw, you ever tried to throw gasoline on a fire? What? Big trouble, isn't it? Don't throw gasoline on a fire.

Give place to wrath. Step back. Just step back and give it place. God will, he said, vengeance is mine, saith the Lord. Revenge is contrary to the way of grace. It is to our fallen sinful nature. It's natural to our fallen sinful nature to get even. to punch back when we are punched, to repay evil words for evil words, or evil deeds for evil deeds, or to forgive one another as He's forgiven us. Live at peace with all men. Don't avenge yourself. Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord. The Lord will defend His people. The Lord has ordained. This for his glory. He's the judge of all men. God will judge all things.

Now, if someone in the community steals from you or does something criminally wrong to you, Don't go to his house and confront him. Pick up the phone and call the proper authorities. And that's what it says in chapter 13. Let every soul be subject unto higher powers. Verse 1. The Lord has ordained civil power to take care of these crimes in the community. Don't be the vigilante committee and take vengeance in your own hands. God will take care of things in proper time and proper order. Verse 20, if your enemy, if he hungers, look the other way. No feeding.

If he's thirsty, give him a drink. In doing so, thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Now, if your enemy is hungry, Feed him the bread of life, the Lord Jesus Christ. Give him the bread of life. Give him the gospel. If he's thirsty, give him a drink of water. Our Lord says, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. Give him the gospel.

If you have an enemy, tell him about the bread of life, the water of life, salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ alone. The wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God, does it? He does. Bottom line, verse 21. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

This is the bottom line, the sum of what Paul is teaching us here. The very core principle and real standard of the gospel of Christ He gave his life for us. He laid down his life for us. We ought to lay down our lives for one another. Our lives for one another.

The only way we can overcome our many sins, transgression, and iniquity is by God our Savior. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered, Psalm 32. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome, this is the sum of it right here, overcome that which is contrary to the gospel with the gospel, with God.