Remember – live peaceably with all

Romans 12:14-18

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.
17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.
18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. – Romans 12:14-18

With a passage like this analysing and expounding on it in some ways is not necessary. It is forceful in its simplicity. But, we need to remember to do it. Bless people, rejoice with them, live in unity, avoid pride, don’t take revenge and live in peace with others. all summed up in the Lord’s command:

12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. – John 15:12-13

In many ways the Christian walk is one of remembering. God has told us how to behave and we need to remember His instruction. All the things Paul mentions above Jesus had taught:

22 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!
23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. – Luke 6:22-23

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. – Matthew 5:4

20 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him.
21 For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
22 coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.
23 All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” – Mark 7:20-23

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. – Matthew 5:7

“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, – Luke 6:27

Paul was not there when Jesus taught these things. But Paul got to know the heart of God. Those around him would have heard the teaching and talked about it. They would remember what was taught, have discuss it and meditated on it. Paul had studied the Jewish scriptures and learned through revelation the heart of God. God has always commanded us to remember His instruction:

God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. – Exodus 3:15

You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day. – Deuteronomy 5:15

Remember the word that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, ‘The LORD your God is providing you a place of rest and will give you this land.’ – Joshua 1:13

6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.
7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. – Deuteronomy 6:6-9

You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day. – Deuteronomy 8:18

I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore nations will praise you forever and ever. – Psalm 45:17