What Serving Others in the Church Should Look Like

Use Your Gifts

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 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. —Romans 12:6–8

Each believer receives different gifts from God and is called by God to serve the local church in a unique way. These gifts are a grace, undeserved, freely bestowed by God. Paul says to use those gifts “according to the grace [God has] given to us.” Paul may mean we should use them in accordance with our own spiritual maturity (that is, one should not seek to teach beyond what she understands), or he might be indicating that one’s use of her gifts ought to be done in consistency with her faith (that is, one should never teach something contrary to God’s word).

Paul says that whatever our gifts may be, we ought to use them well. When we serve in the church, we serve God himself, as well as his household. The humility Paul calls us to in verse 3 propels us to serve one another wholeheartedly. The gifts listed here are not all the gifts God gives. There are other such lists in the New Testament, which include other gifts (1 Cor. 12:4–11; 1 Pet. 4:10–11).

Romans

Jen Oshman

In this volume in the Conversational Commentary series, Jen Oshman offers women a warm and clear verse-by-verse examination of the book of Romans. It’s an accessible resource for personal study, small-group discussions, teaching, and outreach.

Prophecy is speaking a message of truth and encouragement to the church. As we share such messages, they should align with what’s true and reflect our own maturity. Serving is the humble act of helping others. Jesus himself, who came to serve and not be served (Matt. 20:28), reminds us how much grace we’ve been given and how much grace through service we ought to then give. Teaching is the formal provision of instruction, especially from the word of God. May we who teach do so with integrity to both the Scriptures and our own maturity. To exhort is to encourage, motivate, console, or persuade. Paul himself offers a good example of one who exhorts. May we who are called to exhort do so with increasing boldness, in consistency with our growing faith, which God has given us. To contribute is to give freely and generously. The early church shows us the beauty of giving generously in Acts 2:44–47. The one who leads will influence and guide others, offering direction in the church. Paul says those who have the gift of leadership should practice it with zeal, working hard, giving it their best effort and attention. It’s not to be taken lightly! And finally, extending mercy, or helping others in need, should be done with all gladness (see also 2 Cor. 9:7).

Paul calls us to practice the gifts we’ve been given, to benefit others, according to the grace given to us. In other words, all that you and I have is a gift of grace from God. We should not hoard these gifts but should pour them out as they’ve been poured into us.

As verse 6 says, our gifts differ. Christian, what gifts has the Spirit given you, by his grace? Do you see yourself in this passage? Consider praying about which gift or gifts God has imparted to you and asking trusted and mature Christian friends what they see in you. These are good gifts from God, meant to be a blessing to the church. May we exercise the gifts God has given to each one of us, for his glory!

Cling to What Is Good

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. —Romans 12:9–13

These encouragements and commands are essential for any church body but would have been especially needed in first-century Rome. The young church at Rome was not only made up of diverse populations but faced increasing pressure and persecution from outside the church. Paul knows all relationships can be hard, but diversity plus persecution is a strong recipe for division, bitterness, and self-protection. He calls the early church, as well as you and me, to genuinely love one another. Quoting the Law (Lev. 19:18) and Jesus (Matt. 22:36–40), Paul will say in the next chapter, “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Rom. 13:10). This is not a superficial love that costs us nothing. Genuine love asks what we would want if we walked in someone else’s shoes and then offers nothing less.

We are called to hate evil and cling tightly to what is good.

Further, we are called to hate evil and cling tightly to what is good. We do well to consider whether we truly abhor evil and truly cling to what is good. Contrary to Paul’s command, we often tolerate it in ourselves, even nurse it along at times, in what we think about, watch, say, or participate in. Instead, we are to seek out what is good and hold tightly to it, making it the focus of our time, energy, and affection. As we love each other in the church, let’s do so as the siblings in Christ that we are, seeking to elevate each other above ourselves. Paul knows this is hard work, and he calls us to not grow lazy but to work hard in serving the Lord and his people.

No doubt, the early church in Rome received Paul’s call to hope, patience, and prayer like a cup of cold water on a hot summer’s day. One can imagine their need to rejoice in the midst of tribulation and persecution, their deep dependence on prayer, and their need to share sacrificially with one another as they faced all kinds of losses, pressure, and difficulties. Paul exhorts them and us to give generously to one another, to invite one another in, to share our homes, resources, and all that we have with our brothers and sisters in the faith. These are not just random acts of kindness for the early church; this is for their survival. And it’s no less a call for you and me. As you look back over this passage, prayerfully ask the Lord how you’re doing with genuinely loving others, fleeing evil, seeking good, showing honor, being zealous and fervent in serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, being patient in tribulations, constantly praying, giving to the saints, and opening your home and life to others. If you find yourself coming up short, remember the Spirit stands ready to help.

This article is adapted from Romans: Saved by Grace by Jen Oshman.

Jen Oshman is an author, speaker, church planter’s wife, and mom of four teen and young adult daughters. She has served as a missionary and church planter for over two decades on three continents. She currently resides in Colorado, where she is the director of women’s ministry at Redemption Parker, which her family planted in 2017. You can keep in touch with Jen at jenoshman.com.

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