Category: Weekly

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Romans 8:29

I know I’m a few chapters off and that Romans 8 was our topic of study several weeks back, but our discussion during the Bible study last week turned to thoughts that are relevant to the above verse.  As we dive into the study of Romans 14 this week, we’ll find these thoughts apply as well.  Our passage above is clear regarding Who our pattern is.  Christ is the mold that every Christian is pressed into!  He is the standard by which all others are measured.  We must be sure within the church that we’re not guilty of trying to press others into our mold!

Many years ago, an older couple visited our church for several months.  It took only a service or two to realize that they had some very strict beliefs concerning the types of music and kinds of instruments used within the church.  They allowed the use of a piano, but other instruments were forbidden.  In general, they accepted older hymns, but when the song leader would pick a newer song, they would sit in silence with stern looks on their faces to show their disapproval.  For the life of me, I can’t understand why they stayed as long as they did!  Whenever they were in attendance, there was a stifling spirit of judgment and condemnation among us.  It was difficult to bear!  We would try to be congenial and minister to their souls, even politely asking how they came to the conclusions they did regarding music.  We would try to read the literature they would pass along to defend their position, and we would question and point out passages of Scripture against their beliefs in the hopes that their hearts might be softened.  But it was clear that they would never be satisfied until all of us were pressed out into THEIR image.

That attitude does not agree with the word of God.  We are all to be “conformed to the image of His Son”.  Even the apostle Paul in his great faithfulness to the Lord would not encourage the church to be imitators of him unless he was imitating Christ: “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” (1 Cor 11:1) Christ is the pattern for us all!  The church is a diverse group of people brought together into one body in Christ.  With that diversity, we bring with us a variety of backgrounds, biases, customs, and traditions, but we can never base our fellowship with one another upon anything which the Lord does not specifically command or forbid in His word.  Our basis for fellowship and that which unites us must be our supreme love for Christ!  When we love Him above all, we will also love the brethren.  When we love Him, our end goal is described in 1 Jn 3:2: “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”  When we love the brethren, we will desire the same for them–that they be like Him, not us!  Remember, we are all fellow servants.  There is only one Master.  So then, “Who are you to judge another’s servant?  To his own master he stands or falls.” (Rom 14:4)

Jamie

Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.  And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.  The night is far spent, the day is at hand.  Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
Rom 13:10-12

I met a homeless guy earlier this week named Israel.  He wasn’t like most homeless people I meet.  He overheard me talking about the Lord to someone, and he needed to talk to me.  He relayed his present circumstances–a welder by trade who had been laid off from his job several months back, but it wasn’t the lack of employment that bothered him.  As he spoke to me, occassionally swearing and then apologizing for it, he would periodically break down into tears.  What had him so disturbed?  “He’s coming back soon, and I want to be ready.  I don’t want to go to hell!”  Israel knew that the night is far spent and that the day is at hand…

As I thought about my encounter with Israel, I realized that I had more hope for him than many I meet who regularly sit on church benches.  He seemed to have something that many of them lacked–the fear of the Lord!  If Christ is “the wisdom of God” (1 Cor 1:24, 30), then we can’t even begin a relationship with Him apart from the fear of the Lord because “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”! (Ps 111:10, Pr 9:10) Israel knew Christ was coming back in judgment soon, and that fact had him trembling.  How many professing Christians today though have ever been afraid of God?  The pulpits in America preach “God is love” so exclusively that there is no room for fearing him.  I’ve listened to preachers read a passage, skipping the more unsettling verses, and highlighting only the more comfortable ones.  How much damage is being done to men’s souls through such preaching?!!

What did Christ preach?  He preached the fear of the Lord!  “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Mt 10:28) A balanced gospel message will declare the love of God alongside the fear of God.  Our main text above teaches us that the reverential fear that accompanies an awareness of the Lord’s imminent return will prompt love for others in us.  When we live daily in that awareness that Christ will soon be revealed in the clouds in His glory, it puts things in perspective.  We will quit spending most of our energy in the pursuit of things that won’t last in eternity and start focusing on the things that will.

Our text tells us to love our neighbor which equates to fulfilling the law of God.  If we will love men fully, we must love them with eternity in mind.  We must love them enough to care for their eternal needs, not only their natural ones.  Guess what will prompt the urgency we so desperately need in our evangelism toward the lost?  It is the fear of the Lord!  “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.  Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.” (2 Cor 5:10-11) Wake up, Christians!  Cast off the works of darkness for the day is drawing near!  In that day, only those that have a reverential fear of the Lord will hear the comforting words, “Fear not…”. (Rev 1:17, Lk 12:32)

Jamie

 

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.  Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
Romans 13:1-2

“Let all things be done decently and in order.” (1 Cor 14:40) There is an established order in this life.  In every unit of society, there is a defined hierarchy.  It is a fact that all children should learn from their youth because the first experience with this concept occurs in the home.  That child is not born into an environment where he has free reign to do as he pleases.  There are rules and boundaries, and there are consequences if those limits are exceeded.  One of the first words a child will learn is “no”.  Why is that?  Because, that child is born with authority over him.  His fallen, sinful nature instructs him to rebel against that authority, but those that have the rule over him (a.k.a. his parents) are responsible to see that he submits.

It is a sad fact that in our society, parents are increasingly failing to teach their children to submit to authority.  They refuse to discipline when the child rebels.  Spanking has been categorized as unloving and abusive by many modern philosophers, but the truth is that in guiding parents away from proper discipline, they are actually teaching parents to despise their children!  Just listen to Pr 13:24: “He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.”  I don’t think that verse could be any clearer!  Loving parents disciplines!  They teach their children early that they must respect authority.  Our main text tells us why that teaching is so important.  It is because “there is no authority except from God”; therefore, to rebel against any authority over you is in actuality rebellion against God!  It’s no wonder then that Pr 23:13-14 says loving discipline has eternal consequences!  “Do not withhold correction from a child, For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.  You shall beat him with a rod, And deliver his soul from hell.”

So, submission to authority begins in the home.  “Children, obey your parents…” (Eph 6:1) “Wives, submit to your own husbands…” (Eph 5:22) It applies in the workplace.  “Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh…” (Eph 6:5) It applies in our relationships to our civil authorities.  “Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey…” (Tit 3:1) And, certainly, this concept of authority even applies within the congregation of the Lord.  “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account.” (Heb 13:17) Everywhere, God has established order, and the instruction is clear to those that claim to follow Him: obey the authority God has placed over you!

I don’t know that there could be a more fitting lesson during an election year.  What if your candidate isn’t elected?  The instruction remains to obey authority!  God put that individual in that place of power!  What if that person is wicked and ungodly?  Listen to the Lord’s instruction in 1 Pet 2:18: “Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.”  Why?  In the same chapter, we find the answer.  “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake…” (1 Pet 2:13) Again, because God established that authority over you, you must submit to it!  Jesus admitted this truth as He submitted to the one who had power to save His life or condemn Him to death.  He told Pilate, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above.”  He submitted knowing that God the Father had placed Pilate over Him!

Christians, we have a responsibility to show the world our love for our heavenly Father by submitting to authority.  And submission does not mean obeying while grumbling and complaining the entire time (even when paying our taxes–see Rom 13:6)!  It’s important that we submit completely–that is with our actions, words, and hearts–if we are to honor God in our submission.  “Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back, not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.” (Tit 2:9-10) Jesus lived under one of the most ungodly governments in history, yet He never organized a march on Rome!  His fight was in the spiritual realm.  Christian, don’t lose sight of where the battle actually is!  You can’t fight the real war with natural weapons!  “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (Eph 6:10)

Jamie

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Rom 12:2

Have you ever been faced with a big decision, and you didn’t know which way to go?  You wrestled with the possibilities, you bit your nails, and you cried out, “Lord, show me what to do!”  One word from His throne would bring the peace you so desperately needed, but can we really know the will of God for us?  This verse says, “Yes, we can!”

So, what is the key to dispelling the confusion in such circumstances?  According to our text, it is detaching ourselves from the world and daily refreshing our minds in the Lord.  He is not a God of confusion! (1 Cor 14:33) He is pure and perfect light that dispels the darkness.  When speaking of the coming of the Lord, Paul said that day would not catch the children of God unaware: “But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief” (1 Th 5:4) Why not?  Because “You are all sons of light and sons of the day.” (1 Th 5:5) So if we, as children of that Light, are in darkness, where must the problem lie?  With us, not with God!

In the familiar words of John Newton, “I once…was blind, but not I see!”  The children of God can see!  When Jesus came into the world, He came to give “recovery of sight to the blind”. (Lk 4:18) Yes, He did this physically, even healing a man that was blind from birth, but more importantly, he healed men of spiritual blindness!  He brought to light things that were hidden.  He revealed secrets to those He saved.  He told His disciples they had blessed eyes because He was showing them clearly things that were once only seen in shadow. (Mt 13:16) Part of the great blessing bestowed upon the saints of God per Eph 1:1-9 is that God has “made known to us the mystery of His will”.  So, if we are hindered at times from knowing that will, what has caused this temporary blindness?

Our text says that it is due to us being too involved with the things of the world.  We can’t fight the good fight of faith that way because, “No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life”. (2 Tim 2:4) “Evil company corrupts good habits.” (1 Cor 15:33) Conformity to the world WILL cloud our judgment.  If we would know the mind and will of God, we must be transformed (from the Greek word that we get our word “metamorphosis”) by the renewing of our minds.  One brother pointed out last week that the word  “renewing” reveals the constant need of this transformation.  It’s not a one time thing.  It is a daily renewal.  We don’t bathe once a month!  We must continually be cleansed “with the washing of water by the word”. (Eph 5:26) We must constantly war against this flesh while diligently seeking God every second!

And, where is the battleground?  It is the “renewing of your mind” that is necessary!  That’s why we are admonished as we are in Phili 4:8: “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”  It takes work to “meditate on these things”.  With the constant barrage of ungodliness in our day and age, everything seems to be pulling us to think on things that are just the opposite, but, is anything too hard for those that have God dwelling in them?  No, we are able because it is “God who always leads us in triumph in Christ”! (2 Cor 2:14) Set your affection on things above, not on things of the earth, and you’ll find that the will of God will be clear. (Col 3:2) You can do what you want because your desires and decisions will be in line with His mind.  “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He SHALL direct your paths.” (Pr 3:6)

Jamie

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“Let love be without hypocrisy.”
Romans 12:9

Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart! (1 Sam 16:7) God weighs the motives behind what we do. There is a fearful scene described for us in Mt 7:21-23. To read that some will hear the Lord’s judgment in this text is disturbing, but to find out that this story describes the experience of “many” should prompt us to carefully examine our own hearts:

 21 “Not everyone who says to Me,‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day,‘Lord,Lord,have we not prophesied in Your name,cast out demons in Your name,and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me,you who practice lawlessness!’

You understand that these aren’t the unbelieving do-gooders of the world like Bill Gates who was quoted as saying, “Just in terms of allocation of time resources, religion is not very efficient. There’s a lot more I could be doing on a Sunday morning.”  No.  The individuals Christ is referring to in this text ARE sitting in churches on Sunday morning.  These are professing Christians!  How can a man be so busy doing many works in the name of Christ and yet be told by the Lord he was only practicing lawlessness?  It’s because the motivation behind what he did was all wrong!  As David said in Ps 7:9, ” the righteous God tests the hearts and minds.”  God looks on the heart!

Why do we do what we do?  Practical Christianity is not conformity to a list of do’s and don’ts.  Judaism had turned into that in Christ’s day, and God was displeased with it.  If we’re just trying to keep a set of laws like they were in an attempt to please God, we’ve got the same problem they had, namely that, “by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight,for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”  The law will always condemn us if by it we seek for acceptance with God.  Our justification must be based on what Christ has done, not what we do.  Rom 10:4 tells us that “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”  He has satisfied the law’s requirements for all who believe in Him!  A Christian lives godly because he knows he IS accepted by God through Jesus Christ and loves God so much for that acceptance that he wants to do be obedient to His word.  Practical Christianity is a life of service to God motivated by love.  “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (Jn 14:15) Only through love, the proper motivation, can we rightly relate to the law for ” love is the fulfillment of the law” ( Rom 13:10)

So, what is the key to loving without hypocrisy, as our text instructs us?  How can we serve others in sincerity?  How can we obey God’s command to forgive someone that has taken advantage of us and do so from the heart as in Mt 18:35?  The preceding parable gives us some insight.  The servant should have been willing to forgive his fellow servant a small debt because his master had forgiven him a great one! (see Mt 18:21-35) When we are aware of the great mercy God has shown us, in spite of our unworthiness, we will show mercy to others from the heart!  The depth of our love depends on the depth of our awareness of our forgiveness.  If we aren’t aware of the great mercy of God, then we will love very little, and it will be accompanied with hypocrisy.  “…to whom little is forgiven,the same loves little.” (Lk 7:47) How can a man do many wonders in the name of Christ and one day hear, “I never knew you”?  Because, apart from love, every good work is of no profit.  “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,but have not love, it profits me nothing.” (1 Cor 13:3)

Jamie