052420 The Grace to be Real

As we come to the end of Paul’s doctrinal instructions in chapters 1 through 11 we are called out to yield our lives, our very being, fully to God. Wasting no time, Paul begins his practical instruction in Rom. 12:1. I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

I have always considered Galatians to be “Romans lite” so I would naturally look for there to be some kind of parallel in Galatians. I think we find it in Gal. 2:20.  I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

In order to carry out this practical ministry we must depend fully on God for the power to live the Christian life Rom. 8:13-14 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. ¹⁴ For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

And in Gal 3:2–3 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? ³ Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

It is essential that we obey the Lord’s commands with our lives. It is important that all our ministry be done in the power of the Holy Spirit. To do that we must consciously dwell in an atmosphere created by the Holy Spirit! This atmosphere is expressed as the fruit of the Spirit. In Galatians 5:22-24 we see what the Holy Spirit releases in us: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” The Holy Spirit surrounds us with a sense of God’s manifested presence.

We must remember that God created mankind with a special purpose in mind. That purpose is recorded in the Westminster Shorter Catechism.

There, the first question is asked, “What is the chief end of man?” The question is answered: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and enjoy him forever.” I like what John Piper has done with this. “The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying him forever.” He adds, “God is most glorified in us when we are the most satisfied in him.” If we’re going to glorify God we do it best by resting in or being satisfied in him. After all the primary purpose God had in creating mankind, and all else he created, is that he be glorified. So, when the Holy Spirit does his work in us we are led to please God who saves us! God is not dependent on us for his glorification — it’s the other way around — we are dependent on him to be glorified.

This fruit list is similar to the steps of preparation mentioned in the discussion of common spiritual gifts teaching. In any case, to this fruit should certainly be added a prayer that the Holy Spirit would fill us in accordance with the will of God, as expressed in Eph. 5:18-21, And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, ²⁰ giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

There can be no objection to teaching Christians to pray daily that we may be filled with the Spirit in accordance with these principles. Based on the first 11 chapters in Romans, and the gifts of grace listed in 12:3-8, we are able to fulfill the 13 exhortations listed in Romans 12:9 – 13. Jesus had promised the Holy Spirit would come to glorify him. Now, the Holy Spirit in the life of the church distributes gifts according to our need and for his glory.

First, and foundationally, let love be genuine. Just as 1^st Corinthians chapter 12 and 14 have chapter 13 between them to maintain balance. It is easy to get caught up in a listing of the gifts of the Spirit as in 1 Corinthians 12, it is also very importantthat we not forget the more important things. Verse 12:31 “But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.”

That way is this: If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ² And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³ If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

⁴ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant ⁵ or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; ⁶ it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

⁸ Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. ¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. ¹² For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

¹³ So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Following that monumental chapter Paul exhorts the Corinthian church in chapter 14 concerning the place of spiritual gifts.

Next, we are to abhor what is evil. As Paul wrote to the Thessalonians we are to test everything; hold fast what is good. ²² Abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22. The culture we live in today is one that is saturated with evil. I’m so glad that the television has a remote control that allows muting, changing channels, and especially that it has an “off” button! With the arrival of the Internet homes all over the world have been invaded by potential evil.

The Internet does hold the potential of great good. But it has no conscience! You have to provide that yourself. While we avoid evil we are to hold fast to what is good. Philippians 4:8 tells us, Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

We are to love one another with brotherly affection. Remember, Jesus said that all men will know that we are his disciples if we have love for one another. (John 13:34-35) I am so happy that one of the most common references to our congregation is the evidence that we love one another. A number of times I’ve had people say that they immediately felt love when they came into the building. I remember one of our ladies who came into the building, looked at the people around her, and said, “I know that I am loved here”.

We are to honor one another. In fact we are to outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, instead be fervent in spirit, so that you can serve the Lord.

Rejoice in hope, and you can be patient in tribulation.

Be constant in prayer. As the Lord Jesus taught us, “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. ³⁵ For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶ But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36).

A prayerful attitude will be characterized by being alert so that we can escape all the terrible things coming on the world. I have friends that seem to know exactly when the Lord Jesus is coming back. I can confess honestly, “I do not know”! I do know this — He is coming again! And as we approach the day we need to be prepared! In the last days of his earthly life Jesus said, “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” (Matthew 25:13).

Of course, Jesus was talking about his second coming. At another point he said that only the Father knew the day or the hour of his return. Don’t get sucked into the speculation about the season. A search of the New Testament will turn up repeated statements that he is coming again but they never tell us when.

So we can rejoice in hope! We can be patient in trouble! For the past three months the patience of the entire world has been challenged by a virus so small it could not be seen without a microscope. Really? So small yet at the same time the lives of 100,000 or more have been sacrificed to it. This certainly is trouble and there is no joy in it. Humanly speaking our only encouragement is that without the extreme efforts in healthcare there may well have been millions of deaths. In the next year there may be millions of people who lose their lives to the virus. The patience we have learned will serve us well.

We are to contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. The writer of Hebrews connected brotherly love to hospitality. In chapter 13 we are told not to neglect opportunities to be hospitable to strangers. We need to remember that some have entertained angels without realizing who they were.

One of the things that has grown out of this viral attack on mankind is the generosity of people around the world. I went to the Internet to see what I can find in the way of stories about the generosity and commitment of people. What I found was dozens and dozens of articles focused on politics! Even in the so-called “church” sites very little was printed that was a real help. The brightest moment that I saw was a Jewish lady in Mississippi who tuned into the First Baptist Church Gulfport live streaming. As result of the Easter Sunday night service she called the pastor and insisted that he tell her about Jesus so she could be saved. Then she arranged to go to Gulfport and be baptized. I am sure there are many more examples but in a short time I could not find them. I did see a few stories that I wanted to check on but the pop-up ads kept blocking what I wanted to read.

Next week, God willing, we will look into Romans 12:14 and the verses following. There we are challenged to bless and not curse, join in rejoicing and take time for the weeping.

Harmony not haughtiness should mark our lives. Avoid hypocrisy! Never, never be the one that caused the problem.

Always, always be the peacemaker!

Remember, God said, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay.”

Feed your enemies and help meet their needs — they will never understand why you would do that!

You can be a tsunami of good that washes away the trash of evil.

In John chapter 3, Jesus told Nicodemus “You must be born again.” Our first birth made us sons and daughters of Adam and Eve. Meaning we were born separated from the loving Father. Our Father sent his Son, and our Saviour, to take our sins into his body and allow the Romans to nail that body to the cross. He took that sin to the grave. Jesus left it there so that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. Have you believed? This can be your day.

Again, God willing, see you next week.

All scriptures quotes are from: The Holy Bible: English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.