Spiritual Service in Christ’s Body (Romans 12:3-8): Part 2 of 2

“Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them … if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness”  (Rom. 12:6-8, ESV).

The Gift of Serving

Besides prophecy (see Part 1), the other gifts distributed among the body of believers are non-miraculous and include “serving” [διακονία] (cf. 11:13; 15:31), a broad category involving benevolent assistance,¹ hospitality,² and spiritual service.³ Every Christian ought to be able to serve in some capacity, as he or she continues to grow in various aspects of ministerial activity.

The Gift of Teaching

There is also the gift of “teaching” [διδάσκω] (cf. 2:21). In a sense all Christians teach by way of example (1:8; 16:19),⁴ open confession of faith (10:9-10),⁵ defending the faith (1:14-16; 16:17),⁶ and evangelism (10:14-15),⁷ occasioning the rebuke of some, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers …” (Heb. 5:12). However, in another sense those gifted as communicators of God’s word have a special function in the church (cf. 1 Cor. 12:29; Jas. 3:1) and ought to develop and utilize their God-given teaching talents (cf. Eph. 4:11).

The Gift of Exhorting

Another gift is “exhortation” or “exhorting” [παρακαλέω] (cf. v. 1; 15:30; 16:17), a verb appearing 109 times in the Greek NT (54 in Paul’s writings), with various shades of meaning, from “exhorting” and “appealing” to “encouraging” and “consoling,” exercised according to applicable needs and circumstances.

The Gift of Giving

Next concerns one who “contributes” or the gift of “giving” [μεταδίδωμι] (cf. 1:11), done in “generosity” [ἁπλότης], understood in the sense of (a) “simplicity, sincerity, uprightness, frankness,”⁸ or (b) “generosity, liberality”⁹ (BAGD 85-86). The former would apply to the attitude and perhaps manner of giving, irrespective of monetary means (cf. 2 Cor. 8:2-5), while the latter would pertain to the amount, implying disposable income (cf. Phil. 4:15-18). Both ideas are relevant to the varied economic situations of Paul’s readership. 

The Gift of Leading

To be “leading” [προΐστημι] or “one who leads” is a gift to the church, whether as part of a qualified eldership (1 Tim. 3:4-12; 5:17) or otherwise engaged in church leadership (1 Thess. 5:12; Tit. 3:8, 14). This gift is to be employed with “zeal” or “diligence” [σπουδή] (cf. v. 11), implying determined effort. 

Unlike Paul’s letter to the Philippi saints, there is no mention of “overseers and deacons” in his letter to the Romans. Whether or not they had scripturally qualified and officially appointed congregational leaders at this time cannot be confirmed. Near the end of the first century, the churches at Rome and Corinth were each governed by a plurality of elders, and at Rome there were at least three about whom we have record: Linus, Anacletus, and Clement.¹⁰ Around AD 95-96 Clement wrote a letter to the Corinthians on behalf of the Roman brethren, clearly showing that local churches were governed by a plurality of overseers (cf. I Clement 42:4; 44:1-2), with no distinction between “bishops” and “elders” as developed later. 

The biblical design for church leadership is for each autonomous congregation to be overseen and directed by a plurality of qualified men serving as spiritual shepherds of the local flock (Acts 14:23; 1 Tim. 3:1-7).¹¹ Congregational leadership in the absence of qualified overseers will be addressed in a separate post.

The Gift of Mercy

Another gift in the Christian community is “one who does acts of mercy” or “showing mercy” [ἐλεάω] (cf. 9:15-18; 11:30-32), the only time Paul uses this verb of people. This would include “any act of mercy toward others, such as visiting the sick, caring for the elderly or disabled, and providing for the poor.”¹² Demonstrations of merciful kindness are to be done with the attitude of “cheerfulness” [ἱλαρότης], cognate with the adj. “cheerful” [ἱλαρός] (2 Cor. 9:7). 

Conclusion

Within any given community of believers, “Christian ‘maturity’ … is thus not ‘sameness’ or ‘uniformity’ but the performing of one’s function within the context of the life of the organism, the church which is the body of Christ.”¹³

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Acts 6:1; 11:29; 12:25; Rom. 15:31; 2 Cor. 8:4; 9:1, 12-13

     ² Luke 10:40; cf. Rom. 12:13. See K. L. Moore, “Hospitality,” Moore Perspective (7 Aug. 2019), <Link>. 

     ³ Acts 1:17, 25; 6:4; 20:24; 21:19; Rom. 11:13; 1 Cor. 12:5; 16:17; 2 Cor. 3:8, 9; 4:1; 5:18; 6:3-4; 11:8; Eph. 4:12, 17; 1 Tim. 1:12; 2 Tim. 4:5, 11

     ⁴ Matt. 5:13-16; Rom. 16:19; 1 Tim. 3:7; 4:12, 15; 5:25; 1 Pet. 2:11-12.

     ⁵ Matt. 10:32; Heb. 4:14; 10:23.

     ⁶ 1 Pet. 3:15; Jude 3.

     ⁷ Matt. 28:18-20; 2 Cor. 5:17-21.

     ⁸ 2 Cor. 1:12; 11:3; Eph. 6:5; Col. 3:22.

     ⁹ 2 Cor. 8:2; 9:11, 13. 

     ¹⁰ Cf. Phil. 4:3; 2 Tim. 4:21. Later historians attempted to trace a succession of bishops back to Peter in Rome, but there are discrepancies as to the correct order of this alleged succession, whether it was Linus who followed Peter, who was then succeeded by Anacletus and then Clement (cf. Irenaeus, Augustine), or whether it was Clement who immediately followed Peter (cf. Tertullian, Jerome). This is an example of a distorted concept of church organization being read back into history at a time when no such hierarchy existed. Clement, Linus, and Anacletus were all “bishops” (i.e., overseers or elders) who were contemporary with each other. See F. W. Mattox, The Eternal Kingdom 56-59, 109-110; B. Howell, The Fall from Servant to Master 106-110.

     ¹¹ See K. L. Moore, “Qualifications of Elders (Part 1),” Moore Perspective (16 June 2021), <Link>, and accompanying Links.

     ¹² D. J. Moo, Romans 769. 

     ¹³ M. R. Weed, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians LWC 11:159.

Related Posts: Spiritual Service (Rom 12:3-8): Part 1, Romans 12:9-21

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