REBC Adult Bible Study - Romans 12
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Good evening church
Please turn your Bibles to
As we continue our study of the Book of Romans
This chapter will focus on how to live our life as a Christian in the world
A lot of what is mentioned in this chapter is completely counter culture
of God’s promises being fulfilled...A clarification that God did not throw Isreal to the side...In fact, Israel's rejection is a part of God’s greater plan...A plan for good
Paul discusses how to act with other believers and nonbelievers...
Including those who would be considered our enemies
Opening Prayer
Opening Prayer
Before we dive into the text...
Please join me one more time in prayer before we start
Reading:
Reading:
Verse 1: Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God,
As believers and followers of Christ...
We are called to sacrifice our bodies for God
We are called lay down our lives if ever called to do so
We are called to follow in the example of Jesus who sacrificed His life for our sake
Many martyrs have paid the ultimate price throughout history for the benefit of the church
Stephen was the first Christian martyr and Paul, the writer of these words...
Lead the Jewish people in their stoning
Even the Bible you hold in your hand, to be in a language you can understand...
Was made possible due to the sacrifice of people like William Tyndale
Many before him and many after him paid with their life to reform the church
Even people who didn’t get murdered for their faith where hunted down at times...
And at the risk of capture or death like Martin Luther and John Calvin
Physical death is not the only sacrifice a believer is called to do
Some have been tortured nearly to death like Richard Wurmbrand...
Who wrote the book Tortured for Christ and is the founder of Voice of the Martyrs...
He spent 14 years in a communist prison
John Bunyan also spent time in prison, 12 years for the crime of preaching...
During that time he wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress...
Which is the second best selling book of all time right after the Bible
Countless other have sacrificed their careers, friends, family, health, reputation, material possessions, etc.
We many be called at anytime to sacrifice but we can be reassured...
These sacrifices are acceptable to God
Verse 1: Which is your spiritual service of worship.
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
These sacrifices we pay in order to live a faithful Christian life is an act of worship to God
Remember Worship is not just singing along in church with the band or listening to the radio
Their are many ways to worship God and sacrifice is one of them
Verse 2: And do not be conformed to this world,
Church, stop trying to look like the world...
Stop trying so hard to “fit in”
If you are a follower of Christ then you will be an outcast
If you are a follower of Christ then you will not look like the world
In fact, the world will hate you...
Not because of who you are but solely because of who He is
This lack of accepting this truth has created these “seeker friendly” churches...
They sacrifice doctrine and biblical truth in order not to offend
The cost of not offending man...
Is offending God
You cannot serve two masters...
You cannot please both the goats and the sheep
The goats are part of the world and will never leave the world
The sheep on the other hand know their Master’s voice as it says in
27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
Verse 2: But be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
But we are not simply called to just be different for the sake of being different
We are to be transformed by our renewed mind
Our renewed mind in focused on the ways of God and is no longer in bondage to the flesh
made it clear that believers have two natures...
And as believers, we need to fight our body and be lead by our renewed mind
This renewing of the mind is when we become a new creation...
And once transformed, we go through a process of sanctification...
We become more Christ-like
Verse 2: So that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Following the will of God by following our renewed mind proves to the world (and ourselves)...
That God’s will is ultimately good, acceptable and perfect
So we should never have any worry or anxiety when following God’s will
Questions or Comments?
Reading:
Reading:
Verse 3: For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think;
Just because you recieved grace...
Do not this of yourself higher than anyone else
We all started off in darkness...
Not seeking after God as it says in
We have nothing t boast about since grace is a gift and it was not earned
We have nothing to boast about ourselves...
We can only really boast about the cross
14 But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Verse 3: but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.
We are however called to have sound judgement
We are called to understand sound doctrine
We need to be able to identify good and bad...
We need to to able to identify was is sin and what is not
We need to be able to identify heresy and solid theology
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,
Verses 4-5: For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
We are the one body of Christ...
We must remember we are not all the same part of the body
Some are hands and some are feet
Some are legs and some are arms
But we all make up the body...
The better each part is faithful about doing their role...
The more fluid the whole body will move
We don’t all have the same function but we ultimately should have the same goal
Verse 5: so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
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Verse 6: Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly:
We all have been given spiritual gifts as believers
We are each to execute that gift appropriately which will look different
Although we are called to do different tasks...
all these tasks will work together and depend on each other for the best effectiveness
Again, God does this so no one can boast
For example imagine a person who becomes a believer...
This is not the work of one person but many...
Imagine that a concerned friend invites a co worker to church...
He uses an attractive invite that was created by the church graphic designer...
This person’s first encounter at church is seeing the mercy and love of Christ in display in the forms of greeter who welcomes him to church...
Before church starts this person sits in on Sunday School...
And learned about some of the false misconceptions of Christ...
Leading to viewing Jesus completely differently
Later, sitting in church and hearing the pastor preach this person becomes convicted of the sin in their life...
And finally surrenders their life to God and becoming born-again
So, a creative church graphic designer, a concerned friend, a loving church greeter, an educated Sunday School teacher, and a passionate Pastor...
All contributed to these person’s life changing decision...
However, even with all this...
Nothing is possible without God softening the person’s heart
So we all have a responsibility to be good stewards of the spiritual gifts God gives us...
And we cannot boast of any of our achievements because they are not really our achievements
God gets all the credit and all the glory
Verse 6: If prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith;
The Greek word means “speaking forth”...
And does not necessarily include prediction of the future or any other mystical or supernatural aspects
Although some prophets in Acts did make predictions of future events...
Others made no predictions but spoke the truth of God to encourage and strengthen their hearers
Some have the gift of prophecy...
And the stronger one’s faith in God...
Then greater revelation of God’s truth that can then be shared with others...
To encourage then and strengthen their faith
Verse 7: If service, in his serving;
Some have the gift of serving others...
Just as Jesus washed the feet of the disciples and laid down His lift for His sheep
Verse 7: Or he who teaches, in his teaching;
Some have the gift of teaching...
Teaching Sunday School, leading Small Groups, or Preaching
Verse 8: Or he who exhorts, in his exhortation;
Some are called to exhort...
Which enables a believer to effectively call others to obey and follow God’s truth
It may also be used to admonish and correct regarding sin
Or to encourage, comfort, and strengthen struggling believers
Verse 8: He who gives, with liberality;
Some are called to give...
An to do so with generosity...
Funding ministries and helping the poor and needs
Verse 8: He who leads, with diligence;
Some are called to be leaders...
Individuals who are change agents and who lead other to God
Verse 8: He who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
Some are called to be merciful
modeling the grace of God to the world
Please note...
We are not called just do the one spiritual gift that is our strongest...
And just ignore the rest...
We need to do the others too but some gifts will be what we are known for...
Some gifts will be our “bread and butter” and you will find yourself serving in church...
in Areas that fit with your strongest spiritual gifts
Questions or Comments?
Reading:
Reading:
Verse 9: Let love be without hypocrisy.
Paul is stating to list the things a believer should be doing
So we need to pay attention
Here, we are told to remember that in order to show real genuine love...
We need to remove hypocrisy from our life
We have to remove the log in our own eye...
In order to see the spec in our brothers eye...
Then the loving this is to lovingly correct the person
1 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged.
2 “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.
3 “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
4 “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?
5 “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
2 “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.
3 “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
4 “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?
5 “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
3 “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
4 “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?
5 “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
Without the removing of hypocrisy first..
We are misrepresenting God and the truth found in Scripture
Verse 9: Abhor what is evil;
Make sure you hate evil...
Followers of Christ can’t just ignore evil...
Followers of Christ can’t enjoy evil...
It is to be something abhor and hate the very thought of it
Verse 9: Cling to what is good.
For the things that are good...
Hold tightly to them...
A lose grip is unacceptable...
These two statements in verse 9 shows we are not called to be lukewarm to evil or good
We hate evil and love good
We must be extreme in these two areas
The world will tell you you can compromise and be in the middle...
Welcome God hates lukewarmness
16 ‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.
So, cling to what is good
Verse 10: Be devoted to one another in brotherly love;
As His sheep...
We are to be completely commited to each other...
Taking care of each other’s needs...
And modeling the Kingdom of God to the world
Verse 10: Give preference to one another in honor;
We are to be selfless to each other...
And to treat them with honor and respect
Verse 11: Not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
We should not be lethargic in our service to each other as if it is a duty...
We are to be zealous in our service to one another
For we are, in fact, serving the Lord
Verse 12: Rejoicing in hope,
Rejoice in the hope...
Not hope that says “I hope this will happen”...
That is not what the Greek says...
Hope here is a absolute confidence in God’s promises...
There is no doubt...
The hope simply mean it will happen in the future...
But is is a matter of fact...
As good as done
This is why we rejoice...
The battle is as good as over...
Satan and his rebellion have lost and there is nothing they can do about it
Jesus is the conquering Lion of Judah and we will be with Him when His Kingdom comes into its fullness
This is why nothing can take away our joy!
Verse 12: Persevering in tribulation,
For those who are in Christ...
We will finish the race well...
He will preserve us to the end...
No amount of tribulation will separate us from Christ...
38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We just need to lean on Him...
Being in fellowship with Him
Verse 12: Devoted to prayer,
Prayer has to be a foundational point in our lives...
Being devoted to prayer is a devotion to communicating with God...
This is dependence on God and asking for His direction in life
No communication with God...
No direction from God...
Is proof of a life without fellowship with God
Verse 13: Contributing to the needs of the saints,
Are we practicing this?
Are we contributing the needs of the elect?
Are we doing anything for our brothers and sisters?
As Christians, the needs of those who are also in fellowship with Him must be a priority
When the needs of the saints seem to be at risk of not being met it because we have failed in being obedient to God’s commands
So remember the saints and remember as the hands and feet of Christ we have to be faithful representatives of God who always meets the needs of those who are His own
Verse 13: Practicing hospitality.
We must be hospitable to all...
God’s elect are not marked for us to know so we are to welcome all...
Additionally God’s sheep are going to be made up of all tribes...
So, it is imperative that we show hospitality to all...
Remember as a lost sheep, which we all where...
What is felt like to be judges by people who call themselves Christian
It took someone being welcoming to introduce us to the gospel truth found in Scripture
Questions or Comments?
Reading:
Reading:
Verse 14: Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
What are we to do to those who persecute you?
We are to bless them...
And never curse them
Richard Wurmbrand who was tortured for 14 years in a Romanian prison...
Was told by the guards that he was not allowed to pray...
If he did they would beat him
Well Wurmbrand prayed daily and every day, without exception...
They beat him severely...
for praying
As he was in prison his captures would lie and say they killed his wife and kids...
In reality the actually put his wife in a concentration camp and nearly killed her but she did survive
Anyways..
The guard who would beat him nearly started getting frustrated and screamed at him...
Everything has been taken away from you...
What is left for you to pray for...
Wurmbrand, broken and beaten, said to him...
I’m praying for you
Verse 15: Rejoice with those who rejoice,
Are your brothers and sisters in Christ celebrating?...
Celebrate with them in complete fellowship
Verse 15: And weep with those who weep.
Are your brothers and sisters in Christ mourning?...
Mourn with them in complete fellowship
Verse 16: Be of the same mind toward one another;
Be in fellowship with the true Body of Christ
We are one with Christ and we are one in His Body
So, our renewed mind should be similar to the community that are true believes
This is why it is necessary to distinguish false teachers and apostate churches
Fellowship with this poor imitation of Christianity is fellowship with the world
We are called to be discerning
So, we condemn the prosperity gospel and the wolves that preach its selfism
So, anyone who claims to be a gay pastor or a woman pastor...
These groups are proving the words found in
1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.
6 For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses,
7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,
4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.
The requirements of a preacher as as stated in
1 It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.
2 An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
3 not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money.
4 He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity
5 (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?),
6 and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil.
7 And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
We condemn them and the altered gospel message they preach
If you are not preaching the whole gospel...
If you compromise…
Then we can’t be of the same mind
That is why it is essential to fellowship with true believers...
Who do not neuter the Word of God
Verse 16: Do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly.
We can not have an attitude of pride...
As if we know better...
We only know the truth because of what the Bible says
We only know the truth because God led us to it
So let us not ignore those who are lowly
They are our brothers ans sisters and should be treated with honor
Verse 16: Do not be wise in your own estimation.
Lean not on your understanding...
Don’t twist Scripture with your logic and reason...
Satan did that when he tried to tempt Christ...
What you feel...
What you think...
Is completely irrelevant
What does Scripture say?
What does it say in the Word of God?
Do that
I have see the most brilliant minds do there best to explain their unorthodox beliefs...
By using many technical theological interpretation techniques
It is completely impressive to watch...
But it’s painful to watch...
Like watching some one drowning and fighting for their life...
They call themselves wise but they are utter fools
The “Bible says” and “It is written” should be the only thing that makes up your theology
I beg you...
Lean not on your own understanding...
You can’t understand God without His Word
Questions or Comments?
Reading:
Reading:
Verse 17: Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.
When someone serves you some evil..
Don’t return the favor...
Do not act as them…
For they are acting like their father...
And you are called to act like your Father
Verse 17: Respect what is right in the sight of all men.
Have a respect for all that is right...
In our core...
We know what is right and wrong...
So be respectful in your interaction with others
Verse 18: If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.
As best as you can help it on your end...
Be at peace with all...
Some situations you can’t help
God is concerned with what you can do on your end...
In being a peace maker
Verse 19: Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord.
Remove revenge from your mind...
It does not belong in the mind of those who are regenerated...
Leave room for God’s wrath...
Be assured...
Not one sin commited will go unpunished...
Every sin will be paid for...
Either by the individual who commited the sin...
Or Jesus for those who place their trust in Him
So when you desire to take revenge...
You are desiring something that is God’s
For the sin was ultimately commited against God...
And vengeance is His as it says in the Old Testament quote here
Verse 20: “BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK;
Paul is quoting
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
20 Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar on soda, Is he who sings songs to a troubled heart.
Not just the needs of your brothers and sisters...
But also the need of your enemy like hunger and thirst should be taken care of by us...
That is how we should treat our enemies
Verse 20: FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.”
Paul is quoting
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
22 For you will heap burning coals on his head, And the Lord will reward you.
Why are we called to treat our enemies in this manner?
It will be like hot coal on their heads...
It is going to hit them hard like a gut punch...
which will led to two options...
Either lead to his or her conscience’s being pricked, and thus to his or her conversion...
Or it could at least lead to such a sense of shame that evil behavior is modified
Verse 21: Do not be overcome by evil,
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Be aware that evil does not overtake you...
Take all your thoughts captive...
You must be intentional to not do evil
Verse 21:But overcome evil with good.
Be overtaken by goodness...
Meditate on God’s laws day and night
and
8 “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.
You must be intentional to do good
Questions or Comments?
Closing Prayer
Closing Prayer