It is popularly thought today that human rights are the invention of modern secularism, which must protect these rights from oppressive forces like religion. But the facts of history tell us that the concept of human rights arose not from secularism, nor from Eastern religion, nor from the Enlightenment, but from Christendom. Until Christianity transformed it, the Greco-Roman worldview held that humans are born into a kind of natural hierarchy—that some men are born to command, others to obey, some to enslave, others to be enslaved. The father of the Roman family, for example, was born to command, meaning that if he turned his thumb down when his child was born, the child would be immediately drowned.
Into this oppressive patriarchy marched Christianity with the radical idea that every human being, no matter how weak, handicapped, or helpless had inherent value and worth, and therefore justice requires protecting. And nowhere was Christianity’s assignment of dignity to every human being more obvious than in Paul’s letter to those living in the capital city of the empire, Rome, itself. This is especially true of the text we are studying in Romans 12 on the topic of spiritual gifts. Not only are vital spiritual gifts given to every individual in the Body of Christ, but the very nature of some of the gifts is to ensure that personal attention and care are given to every individual inside and outside the Body of Christ. These People gifts are those we examine in today’s episode.
Today, we and our families often hear the narrative proclaimed that secularism—a world without religion—is the path our culture must pursue to secure human rights, because religion fosters oppression—especially white religion. However, the harsh reality of history is that in the twentieth century, many more humans were slaughtered by the atheistic, “secular” regimes of Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot than in any other century in history. The idea that secularism is the answer to the human problem that strong humans oppress weaker ones has been thoroughly debunked.
It is true that majority culture Christians today do have a shameful record of both exhibiting and promoting injustice against minority groups. We ought not hide this failure of the church. Nevertheless, we owe it to our children and grandchildren to help them understand the historic fact that the very concept of human rights that pervades modern, Western thinking is the result of the Christian worldview conquering the Greco--Roman worldview that those males born into nobility had the right to treat slaves, women, the poor, the handicapped, and the helpless like a piece of property, throwing them away like garbage.
As Paul pens the book of Romans, in chapters 1-11, he proves once and for all the worth of human beings. We are so inherently valuable that the precious blood of Christ was shed to redeem us (purchase us back) from slavery to sin. As Paul begins to focus in the twelfth chapter on what the Christians at Rome, who were steeped in a hierarchical world view most needed to understand to grow in Christ, he addresses the importance of horizontal connection to each other. The Roman hierarchical pattern of relating to others needed to be overthrown. So, he writes,
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use the (Rom 12:3-5).
Hierarchy is replaced by parity. The class-dividing idea that the contemplative life of leisure led by the rich, while the slaves and lower class did the work, was turned upside down. Every member of the Body of Christ was to be a servant to the others. In fact, every member was given a gift that he or she must use to serve the others lest the Body of Christ suffer. Is there any more potent way to communicate that every individual has worth and dignity than this? Paul’s teaching about spiritual gifts undergirded the biblical concept that every individual had value, which slowly began to permeate the cultures of the West.
And there was another part of Greco-Roman culture that needed to be overthrown: the devaluing of emotions. Author Tim Keller explains,
For the governing classes in the Greco-Roman world, the soul had been thought of as ruling the body with the same authority as the well-born male ruled those inferior and alien to himself. Ancient pagan culture believed the mind and reason (resident in the soul) needed to subordinate the “alien” body and the emotions resident within the body. (Keller, Making Sense of God).
Romans saw emotion as weakness. They believed that reason (what they thought of as part of the soul) was to rule over the emotions (what they saw as part of the body.) In sharp contrast to this Gnostic dualism, Christianity values this physical body as much as the soul, and our emotions as much as reason. The value that Christianity places on the inner motivations and feelings is evident in the giving of the last two gifts to be covered in this series: the gifts of exhortation and mercy. Even more scandalous to the Roman, than the church’s egalitarian understanding of spiritual gifts, was the value they placed on human emotion. Our inner motivations are so important to our design that God gives the gift of exhortation to help ignite our inner desire to please him. The rest of our feelings are so important to God that he gives the gift of mercy—just to help us process our emotions by feeling understood. Let’s look at the characteristics of these two gifts.
EXHORTER (PARAKALEO)
Significant help understanding this gift comes in realizing that this Greek word is the same word used to describe the Holy Spirit—PARAKLETE. In God’s plan of redemption, God the Father is the source of the plan of salvation, God the Son accomplishes the work of salvation, and God, the Holy Spirit applies the work of salvation to individual believers. The exhorter’s focus is APPLICATION.
Characteristics of the EXHORTER
1. They automatically see how Scripture APPLIES to everyday life. An exhorter's focus is on how life works. He usually loves the book of Proverbs with its cause-and-effect sequences. He loves discovering fresh insight from Scripture.
2. They like to mentor others. The word, PARAKALEO comes from PARA, which means alongside, and KALEO, which means to call. It was used for an attorney—the one you call to your side for counsel. They tend to want to give advice, to supply biblical principles to apply to overcome the problem or see it in a new light.
3. Exhorters are very attuned to human motivation. In Phil 2:13, Paul commands believers, Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. The indwelling PARAKLETE works in us granting us the motivation to pursue God’s good purposes. The very concept of exhorting means to put fresh wind into another’s sails. Sometimes they breathe such motivation in by simply listening well. Other times it is by praising the way another honors Christ. Occasionally, it is by casting a vision for what God wants to do through them. Sometimes they inspire by reminding fellow believers that they can’t outgive God. Often, it is reinforcing other’s successes by reminding them that what they did honored Christ. The exhorter is the battery pack that tow truck operators carry to jump-start Christians whose spiritual batteries need a recharge.
4. Exhorters want to help others grow spiritually. Paul, who filled the office of teacher, but always included long passages on application in his letters, shows the inner motivation of an exhorter. He addressed the Galatian Christians, My little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you (4:19). To the Colossians, he wrote that he worked day and night to present everyone mature in Christ Jesus (1:28).
5. Exhorters focus on Christ-like character. The gift of exhortation (PARAKALEO) like the Holy Spirit, the (PARAKLETE) recognizes that the goal of our salvation is to make us Christ-like. The fruit of the Holy Spirit’s work in us is character—love joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness and self-control.
Vulnerabilities of This Gift
- He may take verses out of context to apply them. He needs those with the gift of truth teaching (DIDOSKALOS) to keep him from making such mistakes.
- When listening to others, she sees the connection between what she is hearing and her own life experiences. She can easily jump to her similar experiences, instead of listening to the other person open-up and share her story.
- Exhorters tend to see the full half of the cup because they are natural encouragers. At times they need to confront the sins from the empty half.
- Exhorters want to give advice, explaining relevant biblical principles when understanding another’s feelings is often a better way to impart strength.
- Exhorters need verbal affirmation since they constantly give it. In a sense, praise is their love language, so, they have a special need to receive it.
- Exhorters can fail to build a strong theological foundation, or miss the deeper issues of the heart, when they give advice.
MERCY SHOWER (ELEEO)
This Greek word means “to feel sympathy with the misery of another.” As clearly as Peter matched the word for the Romans 12 motivational gift of prophet, the Apostle John matches the gift described by the word MERCY, (ELLEEO).
Characteristics of the MERCY SHOWER
1. She has excellent radar to sense what others are feeling and to empathize. She is the one in the Body who brings Christ-like compassion. One scholar describing the word for mercy shower (ELEEO) writes, “Grace describes God’s attitude towards the law-breaker and rebel; MERCY is his attitude towards those in distress. God supernaturally gifts some in the Body of Christ to sense the distress and emotional pain of others so they can tenderly bind up their wounds. The church has always been called to a ministry of mercy toward the sick, the poor, the homeless, the marginalized—those hurting because of the way life in a fallen world breaks humans.
2. The mercy shower’s primary motivation is to care for others. This is the lens through which he sees all of life. Challenging Christians to keep loving each other is their highest priority. Listen to these words from the John’s first letter.
- Whoever does not love, does not know God, because God is love (4:8).
- Anyone who does not love his neighbor is not a child of God (3:10).
- We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love, remains in death (3:14).
3. The mercy shower views fellowship as THE GOAL of life—not just the means to an end. John introduces his first letter with these words, That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete (1:3-4).
4. A mercy shower thinks relationally, not programmatically. She is usually NOT goal driven. She reacts to people being run over or being straight jacketed into a program. John’s gospel, which is often the favorite gospel of mercy-showers, is not based on the storyline of what Jesus did—but upon the I AM statements, i.e. who he was. Here are some other observations about John’s gospel:
- Salvation is described in relational terms—becoming a child of God (Jn 1:12).
- Only John records Jesus’ prayer of John 17, where Jesus describes eternal life in relational terms. Vs 3: And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
- John used the word, love, more than any other gospel writers.
- John’s name for himself in his gospel was not the brother of James, the fishing partner of Peter, or one of the twelve. His name for himself was “the one Jesus loved.”
Vulnerabilities of This Gift
- He tends to avoid confrontation. Hostile or angry feels directed towards one who confronts are amplified by the mercy shower’s keen emotional radar, making it hard for him to speak to speak the truth in love.
- She has difficulty being firm in decision-making and children’s discipline. Her emotional radar is so strong, she can easily be swayed by their feelings.
- He can easily be a rescuer, who enable other’s dysfunctions. The heart of the mercy shower goes out in compassion to those in physical and emotional pain with the desire to alleviate suffering. But suffering the consequences of bad choices is one of the primary ways God teaches us character.
- Mercy showers are easily hurt by insensitive people. They can close their heart to thick-skinned people and resent those who hurt others.
- Those with this gift often have trouble being organized or staying focused on goals. Their agenda is caring for people, so they drop their agenda to care for the person who just crossed their path.
SUMMARY OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS OF ROMANS 12 SERIES
A. Observations about the seven gifts of Romans 12.
- I do not believe, as some teach, that these seven are exemplary of the various gifts God has given. I believe every believer has one of these 7.
- I do believe most believers have strengths in several of the seven areas; but when push comes to shove, only one is their highest motivation.
- I believe these seven gifts show seven facets of Christ’s godliness. Therefore, as we pursue being like Jesus, we should be learning the strengths of all seven gifts.
- Over forty years of ministry, I have found that understanding the differences in spiritual gifts is the most valuable teaching I have ever received to understand conflicts between Christians.
B. Let’s look at one final picture of the seven gifts of Romans 12. If one with each gift were to visit a fellow believer in the hospital, here are the things they might say:
1. “I’ve been so convicted by Jerry Bridges newest book, Respectable Sins that I picked up a copy for you to read while recuperating.”
Gift: Prophet
Motivation: Upholding God’s holy character bringing conviction if sin.
2. “I noticed that you are out of apple juice. I am going down to the nurses’ station to ask for more.”
Gift: Server
Motivation: Demonstrating Christ’s love by meeting other’s practical needs
3. “I did some research on your illness and I think I can explain what is happening”
Gift: Truth Teacher
Motivation: Error detecting. Motivated to help Christians base their lives on truth, especially the truth of Scripture correctly understood.
4. “I’ve been noticing how much Paul links trials to growing in Christ-like character. When we have time, I’d love to hear what you are learning through this trial.”
Gift: Exhorter
Motivation: Helping every believer grow into Christ-like spiritual maturity
5. “If you don’t mind my asking, does your insurance cover all of your expenses?”
Gift: Giver
Motivation: Helping to provide the financial resources for the work of the church
6. “I’ve rearranged some tasks and responsibilities at the office and when you are feeling better you will be able to work from home.
Gift: Leader
Motivation: Visualizing what needs to be done and organizing, equipping and inspiring a team to help them do it
7. “What has been the toughest part of going through this for you?”
Gift: Mercy shower
Motivation: To care for others with their emotional support
The Biblical view of spiritual gifts reinforces the dignity and value of the individual, that Christianity has brought into Western thought. When anyone comes to faith in Christ, he is endowed with a spiritual gift that he needs to deploy or other individuals will suffer. Unlike world views that devalue women, the weak, the handicapped, Christianity reveals the care Christ wants shown to every induvial who needs to be encouraged and feel understood to flourish.
For Further Prayerful Thought
- How we you defend the statemen, Christians should lead the way in shaping the culture surrounding them to value the individual rights and feelings of others.
- How does the egalitarian idea that we need help from those with other gifts, and that all have gifts to contribute, not just the strong, undermine a culture that believed the strong had a right to conquer the weak?
- Do the characteristics of the exhorter remind you of anyone? The mercy shower?
