Romans 12:16
Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.
Before a focus can be considered on the above verse we really have to consider the purpose of the book of Romans and the character of the day for these Roman Christians. In regard to the latter, the Roman culture, although the ascent "free man" was prevalent, there was a hierarchical disposition to the culture. People would know their station in life and it would be easy for one to want to climb the social ladder into a world of status and power. That is the background for Paul's letter to the Romans. That same status seeking and power posturing was evident in the way Paul wrote the first eleven chapters of the book. The Jewish believers believed they had a higher status because of their Jewishness. The Greek believers believed they had a higher standard because it was obvious God had turn to the Gentiles with His grace and their thought was that the Jews were now second-class citizens of the Kingdom. Paul explains to them all that they are all sinners (chapters 1-3) and that they were all saved by grace (chapters 4-6) and that they all struggled in the faith (chapters 7-8) and that, although the Jews were God's chosen people (and would be restored) they were given special privilege but the Gentiles have been grafted into the same tree (Christ). The combination of the Roman culture and this ethnic debate was a danger to the Church and Paul was setting it all straight. His purpose was to show them they are all in need of God's grace (chapters 1-11) and, as a result, should have a different MINDSET!!! Good Theology changes Bad Thinking!!! When we know our status in regard to our salvation we have a different mindset toward others within the church and world. Sinners, who know that they are saved by grace, do not become haughty and high minded. That is what Paul is saying in the above set of verses. Self-exaltation is not a ear-mark of the true believer. They know they are sinners (Romans 3:23) saved by grace (Romans 5:1-3) and therefore have a different outlook on life (Romans 12). Paul, in this chapter, is outlining the new thought structure someone re-birthed by God ought to have in regard to their relationships with this world. High-mindedness is not a fruit of the Spirit. We are not to think we are better than anyone else in the faith. We might have different giftedness (Romans 12:3-8), but we do not have different blood lines. How do we assure that we don't fall into this trap of "privileged-thinking?" Three times in this verse Paul uses a Greek word for "mind." It is a favorite word of Paul's writings. In Romans 8:5 Paul is writing about our previous life, before grace, and states that our "minds" were hostile toward God, thinking evil thoughts. When Christ saves us He begins to change us. In Romans 12:1-2 we are told not to allow our minds to be conformed to this world (in context he wants these Romans Christians to be different than the world around them). When we allow Christ to shape our mind and our Theology about our salvation to enter our minds (not just our hearts), we will, naturally, think differently about ourselves and our relationship with others. Those in the pews ahead and behind us are not to be considered inferior to us in our thinking based upon social status or position in life. We are to think the same toward one another ... we are all simply sinners saved by grace. We are to fellowship with those of like-mindedness ... the lowly! We are not to exalt ourselves in our own mind, thinking we are somehow better or more privileged than those around us, whether based upon our social status, or worse, our spiritual status in Christ. James and John, the two brother-disciples, (along with their mother) had an argument about who would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven and who would sit on the right hand of Jesus. Christ told them that the greatest would the leasts of all. No exaltation will and high-mindedness will get you favored status in the kingdom. The truth is, having a transformed mind based upon the theology of our salvation is the only mindset the Christian believer is to employ!!
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