Romans 12:3

“ For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to aspire beyond that to which he ought to lay claim; but to aspire to regulate himself, according to the measure of faith which God hath allotted to every màn. ”

It is with this that he who forms part of the church ought to begin, the sacrifice of himself; instead of seeking to make himself great, as is done in the world, he should aspire to moderate and control himself in conformity with the standard traced for him by the new type which he consults, the will of God. Thus we see how this verse should be joined to the preceding by the word for. It is an application which confirms the principle.

The authority with which Paul traces this line of conduct rests on the grace given unto him. This grace is that of the apostleship and of the light accompanying it. In virtue of his office, he has not only the gift of teaching the way of salvation, as he has done in the doctrinal part of this Epistle (chaps. 1-9). He has also that of marking out the true direction for moral action, as he proceeds to do in this practical part.

The term λέγω, I say, I declare, has a more marked character of authority than the I exhort of Romans 12:1. Religious impulse ought to be regulated by a higher authority. 1 Corinthians 12-14 shows the necessity of apostolical direction on that very point which is about to occupy us, that of spiritual gifts. It is not without reason that Paul here calls to mind his office; comp. Romans 1:1-7. Apostle to the Gentiles, he had the task not only of founding churches among them, but also of guiding them when founded. This charge Paul had, in virtue of his apostleship also, in relation to the church of Rome.

The expression: παντὶ τῷ ὄντι ἐν ὑμῖν, to every man that is among you, would be superfluous, if it were merely intended to denote the members of the church present at Rome. It is necessary to give the words: every man that is, a more special and forcible meaning: “Every man that is in office, engaged in ministry in some form or other among you; every one that plays a part int he life of the church.” See the enumeration which follows. Perhaps the apostle is led to use this expression by his own absence from Rome. He who with his apostolic gift is absent, addresses all those who, being present, can exercise an influence on the progress of the church, to say to them on what condition this influence shall be a blessed one. ῾Υπερφρονεῖν : “ to aspire beyond one's measure. ” The measure of each man is denoted by the words: ὃ δεῖ φρονεῖν, that which he has a right to claim. In the believer's case it consists in his wishing only to be that which God, by the gift committed to him, calls him to be. The gift received should be the limit of every man's claim and action, for it is thereby that the will of God regarding him is revealed (Romans 12:2).

The following expression: φρονεῖν εἰς τὸ σωφρονεῖν, contains a sort of play on words: “to turn the φρονεῖν, the energy of the mind, into a σωφρονεῖν, to recognize its limits and respect them.” The man of the world enters into conflict with others, to exceed his measure, to make himself prominent, to rule. The Christian enters into conflict with himself, that he may gain self-rule and self-restraint. He aspires to continue within or return to his measure. Such is a wholly new type of conduct which appears with the gospel.

The rule of this voluntary limitation ought to be the measure of faith as it is imparted to each. Paul does not mean to speak of the quantity of faith which we possess; for this measure depends in part on human freedom. The genitive: of faith, should be regarded not as a partitive complement, but as denoting quality or cause: “the capacity assigned to each man in the domain of faith; the particular form of activity for which each has been fitted as a believer; the special gift which constitutes his appanage in virtue of his faith.” This gift, the measure of the action to which we are called, is a divine limit which the Christian's renewed mind should discern, and by which he should regulate his aspirations in regard to the part he has to play in the church.