12:14
This reflects Jesus’ teaching on loving our enemies. Part of kingdom living is doing things differently, not being different for the sake of it, but where God commands. So we are to bless those who persecute us. In Paul’s day Christians were periodically persecuted, and this continues in many parts of the world. It now also happens in the West, though at a lower level at present. Our natural instinct would be to curse the prosecutor, but we are to live by the Spirit, not by the flesh, so we are to bless, not curse.
12:15
We are to rejoice with those who rejoice, and to weep with those who weep. So we take account of where someone is. If one is blessed then all are blessed, if one is suffering then all suffer. We are to identify with each other. Rejoicing with those who rejoice can sometimes go against our human nature, for we may be tempted to be jealous of their success.
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