Romans 12:6, commentary and pictures

God gives different gifts to each believer according to the grace given to them, fitting one for one kind of work and another for another under the same Spirit. The gift of prophecy is to be used in proportion to the measure of faith granted. The many members with different offices are one body in Christ and members of one another, each the complement of the others so that no worker is complete alone. Every person has an appointed duty and must humbly take up the work suited to the ability given and do it faithfully and diligently in reliance on God, thinking soberly and not more highly of self than is right. The gifts are given to make the church a light to the world to advance God's work and save perishing souls, and when they are rightly used in love without hypocrisy the work moves forward rapidly in the perfect will of God.

Words and Context

God gives differing gifts to the individual members of the churches according to the grace given to each, and each one is to fill the appointed place with the gifts appointed by God. Believers receive different capabilities through grace, including prophecy, and each person is to use the gift entrusted to them faithfully in its proper service. The whole chapter holds lessons for all and is for the church to study.

Those given prophecy are to exercise it in proportion to faith, in keeping with the measure of faith granted to them. Heeding this direction saves much perplexity in the difficult work for the Master in this age. Faith that works through love purifies the soul from rivalry and strife.

The differing gifts fit one for one class of work and another for another class, so that every member has a religious duty and a work to do and all blend together in a complete whole. It is God's order that some serve in one line of work and others in other lines, with one gift given to one person and another gift to another for the good of the whole body, while all work under the same Spirit. One is fitted for a certain work, another for a different work, and another for a still different line, and each is to be the complement of the others, with different offices, talents, minds, methods, capabilities, and lines of service. The leaven of truth hidden in the heart becomes a vital working power that brings mind, affections, motives and all capabilities into conformity with itself, converting all powers to be worked by the same Spirit, for God is the author of peace and not confusion.

The verse belongs with ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, ruling, and mercy, laying down principles for the conduct of Christians toward one another as members of the heavenly family to help and strengthen each other while seeking heaven by overcoming as Christ overcame. Its surrounding directions call for sincere love without hypocrisy, diligent service, prayer, patience, and hope, with abhorring evil, cleaving to good, and in brotherly love preferring one another. This practical instruction in the twelfth chapter of Romans must be brought into daily life, for bringing that instruction into practice makes true believers. Those who have put on Christ are transformed by the renewing of their minds and prove by their own experience what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, and following this instruction would bring a great transformation in the church.

One Body Together

God gives differing gifts by grace to the many individual members of the churches, fitting one for one class of work and another for another with different capabilities and offices, yet they are many members of one body in Christ and members one of another. Each one is to fill his appointed place with the gift appointed to him and exercise it faithfully in its proper place according to faith, together with ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, ruling, and mercy, laying down principles for the conduct of Christians toward one another as members of the heavenly family who help and strengthen each other while seeking heaven by overcoming as Christ overcame. No teacher, physician, minister, nurse, publishing-house worker, or other believer can ever be a complete whole alone, for each is the complement of the others in mutual dependence and must judge himself humbly and soberly without overvaluing himself or trying to bear rule over one another. As a body has many members without the same office, so the church blends together in a complete whole to represent God and His cause in the midst of rebels and enemies by whom His will is neglected and His honor despised, and by differing gifts prayerfully studied and faithfully exercised to become the light of the world. The leaven of truth hidden in the heart becomes a vital working power that brings mind, affections, motives, and all capabilities into conformity with itself, converting all powers to be worked by the same Spirit, for God is the author of peace and not confusion, so the people of God must strive to be one as Christ is one with the Father, and those brought together in church capacity must be united understandingly and intelligently, each serving in his own gift in love without hypocrisy, abhorring evil, cleaving to good, honoring others above self, refusing to strengthen any evil work by pen or voice, and acting unitedly in obedience to God's word, which requires daily conversion instead of cherishing inherited and cultivated tendencies to wrong.

The gifts are to be made helpful by connecting and blending them with the gifts of others, for all are essential for the advancement of God's cause and none is above another. One is fitted for a certain work, another for a different work, and another for a still different line, and each is to be the complement of the others, with what one lacks supplied by another, so those joined in work must blend together in union with the Holy Spirit, take time to understand each other, find points of resemblance, be a help to one another instead of standing apart to watch and criticize and judge, and accept and appreciate keener perceptions and give due credit to each one's ability. God ordained that workers be associated in His service so the varied talents of many minds may be blended, contact of mind with mind quickens thought and increases capability, and the deficiency of one laborer is made up by the special gift of another, and when physicians and teachers thus unite in imparting their knowledge the youth under their training receive a symmetrical, well-balanced education for service. Various lines of work are committed to different men according to their several ability, but all work done for the Master is connected with the great whole, and all are to work together in concert, each one controlled by divine power, putting forth undivided effort to draw those around them to Christ, with hearts blending like well-adjusted machinery where each part is dependent on the other part yet stands distinct in action, and like threads in a complete pattern united under Christ as Head.

The perfection of the spiritual body depends on each member rightly filling his place, as the perfection of the physical body depends on the perfection of the individual organs, wearing Christ's yoke and drawing under His leading in union with brethren rather than striving to be a distinct whole carrying out his own plans and ideas. A variety of gifts are to be brought into the building of the temple of the Lord, and each gift is to find its proper place so that all grow together into an holy temple in the Lord, with no one shutting himself within himself but all loving one another as brethren and being kind and courteous. The perfection of the church does not come from each member being fashioned exactly alike, but from each one taking his proper place, standing in his lot, and doing his appointed work according to the ability given him, for believers do not all work or speak in the same way but their differing contributions balance one another and form a beautiful harmony. The church is His garden adorned with a variety of trees, plants, and flowers, and He works through willing large and small vessels to seek and save souls ready to perish, not expecting the hyssop to assume the proportions of the cedar nor the olive to reach the height of the stately palm.

Faithful Use of Gifts

God gives differing gifts to the individual members of the churches according to the grace given to each, fitting one for one class of work and another for another, so that every man, woman, and child has individual responsibility and an appointed religious duty and work to do according to ability. Each one is to fill his appointed place with the gifts appointed, humbly taking up the work before him in continual reliance on God and doing it faithfully and diligently as a responsible moral agent cooperating with divine help, for God does His part and the human agent must act in cooperation with Him. No one belonging to the body can remain inactive or idle, for the church's work suffers when people are idle while active service helps the whole body carry out its work and blend together in a complete whole. Those given prophecy are to exercise it according to the proportion of faith, and heeding this direction saves much perplexity in the difficult work for the Master in this age. Humble ministering in an appointed humble place is just as important in its place as larger responsibilities, and visiting to speak sympathy and encouragement and to lead people to a correct understanding of the Scriptures demands much grace, much patience, and ever-increasing wisdom, with meekness learned from Christ enabling the presenting of the all-sufficiency of Jesus to benefit humanity.

Each person is to take the proper place and do the work suited to the ability given and entrusted, standing in his lot and doing his appointed work rather than expecting all members to be alike or to be fashioned exactly alike. The work entrusted to each is proportionate to the gift, so every person can serve faithfully in his own measure and distinct sphere, and no small task is to be despised. God works through willing large and small vessels to seek and save souls ready to perish, and He does not expect the hyssop to assume the proportions of the cedar nor the olive to reach the height of the stately palm, but has a work for even those with limited religious and intellectual training if they labor in humility trusting in Him. Each has useful work to do when serving humbly and trusting in God, however small what has been entrusted may seem. The gifts and abilities of mind and body are to be guarded and kept ready for use, not weakened by self-indulgence or misuse, because the loss of one capacity can lessen a person's usefulness as a whole.

The instruction of the verse and its whole chapter holds lessons for all and is for the church to study, laying down principles that must be carefully studied and obeyed in small matters as well as large. The command is of high value and vital importance to everyone, to be prayerfully studied and faithfully exercised, and to be practiced now above all other times in the history of the earth. Men appointed by God are sustained only as doers of His Word, working humbly and seeking wisdom from Him rather than becoming exalted in their own opinion, because self-exaltation weakens them and gives power over them to evil, while humble obedience keeps them usable as His instruments. Publishing-house workers, physicians, nurses, and ministers need daily conversion to use their gifts rightly in their proper place according to faith instead of cherishing tendencies to wrong and doing haphazard work.

Humility and Mutual Love

The differing gifts are given by grace to each believer to be used in its proper place according to faith, and each one is to fill the appointed place with the gifts appointed, as members who are one body in Christ and members one of another. Thinking soberly forbids thinking of self more highly than ought to be thought and forbids trying to bear rule over one another, so no one is to suppose a special gift is above any other gift. All gifts are essential for the advancement of the cause and are to be appreciated, valued and honored as such, and they are made helpful by connecting and blending them with the gifts of others. What one lacks is supplied by another, for no single train of thought or supposed greater ability can reach all hearts, and even the humblest ability is needed to reach hearts sealed against others, so ministers must crush all feeling of superiority, esteem each other as brethren, hide self in Christ, and blend their talents in free, hearty unity of action with shared thinking, work and responsibility. As the perfection of the physical body depends on the perfection of the individual organs, so the perfection of the spiritual body depends on each member rightly filling his place, wearing Christ's yoke and drawing under His leading in union with brethren rather than striving to be a distinct whole carrying out his own plans and ideas. Publishing-house workers, physicians, nurses and ministers need daily conversion to use their gifts rightly instead of cherishing inherited and cultivated tendencies to wrong, and the gifts prayerfully studied and faithfully exercised make the church the light of the world to represent God and His cause in the midst of rebels and enemies by whom His will is neglected and His honor despised.

Each person is given his own work according to ability and is to stand in his lot and place and do faithfully with whole attention the work given him, in humility and fidelity, in simplicity of true faith and by earnest prayer, guided by the Lord. Each is to attend to the work assigned and labor in different lines to accomplish the same result, drawing together while working differently, rather than interfere with a fellow worker's distinct work or feel that fellow workers must labor in exactly the same way. One may not understand the nature of the work the next one has to do, and no worker's judgment is to be treated as beyond question. Leaving an appointed humble place to seek to be teachers and leaders is forbidden, because humble ministering is just as important in its place as larger responsibilities. Visiting to speak sympathy and encouragement and to lead people to a correct understanding of the Scriptures and to present the all-sufficiency of Jesus demands much grace, much patience and ever-increasing wisdom, with meekness learned from Christ, and heeding the direction to exercise prophecy according to the proportion of faith saves much perplexity in the difficult work for this age. No one is to tear to pieces, unravel, question, criticize or condemn what a brother is doing, or place himself where God has not placed him, or gather a party that echoes his views, for the criticizing spirit puts men in hard places and Satan has snares prepared for such meddling, while faithful doing of each appointed task moves the work forward rapidly as the different parts, varied in kind and brought together by Christ the Master-worker, fit perfectly.

Masterly working power that dominates and rules over the people by dictating what they shall do and shall not do is forbidden to all who hold a position as shepherds to represent the great Shepherd, and the work is to be carried on a higher plane of action. Such domination is a dangerous and strange element in Christian experience, is not of God, is another gospel, is not the righteousness of Christ, is a spoil to the church, and must no longer be allowed. Continued usefulness and reaching the standard of perfection require practicing this instruction and changing a proud, dictatorial, self-exalting attitude into self-denying humility, wearing Christ's yoke, keeping self under control, and drawing under His leading in union with brethren. Past success is not lost when its warning is heeded, perfection can be reached, and its grace is the grace of Christ held by intelligent, pure, cordial belief that brings salvation to all and places feet on the eternal Rock.

God hands out His gifts as He chooses, giving one gift to one person and another gift to another for the good of the whole body, and it is His order that some serve in one line of work and others in other lines while all work under the same Spirit. Recognizing this plan guards against rivalry, strife, pride, envy, carnal emulation and contempt for one another, and strengthens unity and mutual love. Faith that works through love purifies the soul from rivalry and strife, for the leaven of truth hidden in the heart becomes a vital working power that brings mind, affections, motives and all capabilities into conformity with itself, converting all powers to be worked by the same Spirit, since God is the author of peace and not confusion. Therefore those brought together in church capacity must strive to be one as Christ is one with the Father, united understandingly and intelligently, each serving in his own gift in love without hypocrisy that hates evil and holds to good, refusing to strengthen any evil work by pen or voice, acting unitedly in obedience to God's word, and in brotherly love preferring one another with kindness, courtesy, sympathy and patience. Leaving this out of practice brings discord and strife, dishonors God, withholds the power He would be pleased to impart, and keeps Him from glorifying His name before the world and before the heavenly universe, because members fail to do the work they should do and fail to be kindly affectioned one to another.

Purpose and Fruitful Outcome

The differing gifts are given by grace to every believer to fill an appointed place, with no gift above another because all are essential for advancing the cause and are to be appreciated as such. Connected with the gifts of others as one body in Christ where members belong to one another, they are to be used in their proper place according to faith. So joined, they make the church a light to the world, representing God and His cause in the midst of rebels and enemies by whom His will is neglected and His honor despised. God in infinite wisdom employs human beings to cooperate with Him by giving different gifts to different workers, each with a special God-given sphere to fill in harmonious united labor for the salvation of fellow men, not by judging them but by showing what the Lord has done in transforming character. Through willing large and small vessels He seeks and saves souls ready to perish, adorning His church as a garden with varied trees, plants, and flowers, where He does not expect the hyssop to assume the proportions of the cedar nor the olive to reach the height of the stately palm, yet gives work even to those of limited training who labor humbly in trust. These gifts contribute to preparing a people for Christ's coming and the day of the Lord.

Faithfully using each gift in its proper service with sincere love, diligent service, prayer, patience, and hope brings a great transformation in the church. Brought into daily life, this practical instruction makes true believers, transforming them by the renewing of their minds so they prove by experience what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, while spurious faith is exposed by the daily exhibition of character. When each stands in his lot and does with whole attention in humility, fidelity, simplicity of true faith, and earnest prayer the work given him, without tearing to pieces, questioning, criticizing, or condemning what his brother does, the different parts varied in kind and brought together by Christ the Master-worker fit perfectly and the work moves forward rapidly. When physicians and teachers thus unite and blend varied talents so that contact of mind with mind quickens thought and increases capability and the deficiency of one is made up by the special gift of another, youth under their training receive a symmetrical, well-balanced education for service, with success in winning souls. The command is of vital importance to everyone and must be practiced now above all other times, for leaving it out of practice brings discord and strife, dishonors God, withholds the power He would impart, and keeps Him from glorifying His name before the world and the heavenly universe through failure to do appointed work and to be kindly affectioned one to another.

The instruction calls the work to a higher plane and requires all who hold position as shepherds to represent the great Shepherd, forbidding dominating rule that dictates what the people shall do and shall not do as a dangerous strange element not of God, another gospel, not the righteousness of Christ, and a spoil to the church that must no longer be allowed. Publishing-house workers, physicians, nurses, and ministers need daily conversion to use their gifts rightly instead of cherishing inherited and cultivated tendencies to wrong. The principle assigns to every person work according to ability with individual responsibility to take up the work presenting itself in reliance on God, exercising prophecy according to the proportion of faith, which saves much perplexity in the difficult work of this age. Women who first learn meekness in Christ may thereby accomplish good work by benefiting humanity through presenting the all-sufficiency of Jesus. Varied gifts are needed in health-reform work and at camp meetings both to speak to those outside the faith and to teach members how to work effectively, with physicians using their abilities to bring light to others, while schools and sanitariums unite in training, and willing humble people of different abilities and levels of training serve and save others in needy communities.