Quick Start Guide To Christian Living
08/27/06 AM
Reading: Romans 12:1-21
Introduction
Ill: Using the Quick Start Guide from newly purchased software package.
When it comes to life, we often react the same way – we don’t want anyone telling us how to live, we just go out there and start living – making it up as we go. We have a manual, a book of directions – it’s the Bible. We should read it; understand it, live by it.
But it’s a pretty big manual – and many of us don’t take the time to read the whole thing. When I buy a program I don’t look for the manual, I reach for the little card labeled: “Quick Start.” It gives me just what I need to get by until I’m ready to delve in deeper.
I’m not suggesting that we not read the Bible – but today we’re going to look at Paul’s Quick Start Guide to Christian Living – it’s found in Romans, Chapter 12. Here we find the basic elements to help us live the Christian life – to see what’s expected of us.
This little quick start guide covers three areas of life: our relationship with the Father, our relationship with ourselves, and our relationships with others – both in the community of believers and in the world.
I. Our Relationship with the Father
A. Live a Worshipful Life dedicated to the Father
Romans 12:1 “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.”
1. A sacrifice is an offering made to God as atonement for sin; or any offering made to him and his service as an expression of thanksgiving or homage.
a. It implies that he who offers it presents it entirely, releases all claim or right to it, and leaves it to be disposed of for the honor of God. In the case of an animal, it was slain, and the blood offered; in the case of any other offering, as the first-fruits, etc., it was set apart to the service of God; and he who offered it released all claim on it, and submitted it to God, to be disposed of at his will.
b. This is the offering which the apostle entreats the Romans to make: to devote themselves to God, as if they had no longer any claim on themselves; to be disposed of by him; to suffer and bear all that he might appoint; and to promote his honor in any way which he might command.
c. Holy: This means properly without blemish or defect. No other sacrifice could be made to God. The Jews were expressly forbid to offer what was lame, or blind, or in anyway deformed. If offered without any of these defects, it was regarded as holy, that is, appropriately set apart, or consecrated to God. In like manner we are to consecrate to God our best faculties; the vigor of our minds, and talents, and time.
d. Acceptable: They are exhorted to offer such a sacrifice as will be acceptable to God; that is, such a one as he had just specified, one that was living and holy. Offerings uncommanded by God, cannot be acceptable to him. Those services will be acceptable to God, and those only, which he appoints; People are not to invent services; they are to do just what God requires of them, and that will be acceptable to God.
2. “Spiritual” here is the Greek word: logiken which denotes what pertains to the mind; what is mental, or pertaining to reason. It stands opposed, not to what is foolish or unreasonable, but to the external service of the Jews, and such as they relied on for salvation. The worship of the Christian is what pertains to the mind, or is spiritual; that of the Jew was external. From this verse we may learn:
a. That the proper worship of God is the free homage of the mind. It is not forced or constrained. The offering of ourselves is to be voluntary. No other can be a true offering, and none other can be acceptable.
b. We are to offer our entire selves, all that we have and are, to God. No other offering can be such as he will approve.
c. The character of God is a character of mercy; of long-continued and patient forbearance, and it should influence us to devote ourselves to him.
Now Paul doesn’t just leave it there – a picture of sacrifice of self – he goes on to get very specific. First he talks about our relationship with the Father – one of offering up, of laying down – then he talks about our relationship with ourselves.
But notice that it all starts with this – our relationship with God, our laying down our lives for His service – without that, none of the rest is possible
II. Our Relationship with Ourselves
A. Live a Life Transformed to His Will
Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
1. Sacrifices burned on the altar change – they are burned up – their literal chemical properties are different as the fire oxidizes the meat. We as living sacrifices should also be changed – no longer conforming (the word means “to put on the form, fashion, or appearance of another”) but transformed (from the word where we get “metamorphosis.”).
2. The world system around us sets a pattern for behavior and demands that we conform to that pattern. Instead, Paul says, we should be changed to a different pattern – how?
a. By the renewing of our minds. That word “renewing” comes from the Greek word for “renovation.”
3. God takes our living sacrifice and starts a remodeling project on our character and our behaviors – tearing out walls here, laying new carpet – infusing our lives to change us from the inside out.
a. It starts with the intellect – we take in from God – His wisdom, His precepts – and we incorporate it into our lives.
b. What is the result? By the renewing of our minds we are able to “test and approve” Paul says, God’s will. It’s the idea of discerning God’s will
B. Live a Life Transformed in Humility
Romans 12:3 “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; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.”
1. I think if everyone one of us took this verse to heart there would be so much less backbiting and jealousy and problems in the church – and in the world for that matter.
2. We need to look at our lives realistically – that means not riding ourselves down unduly, nor puffing ourselves up. Paul says we should do this according to the measure of faith God has given us. This could indicate that we should gauge our abilities realistically and the gifts God has given us and then act accordingly.
3. But what happens is that we do something and feel like we’re something pretty special – and then we look at others around us and we start thinking that we’re better than them and pretty soon we’re not judging ourselves by Christ’s example, but by comparing ourselves to others.
So we need to:
1. Give our lives over to serving God and let Him renew our corrupt minds, then:
2. Have an accurate assessment of our lives in light of what God desires – THAT is how we can then start to turn outward.
III. Our Relationship with Others
A. Live a Life Transformed to benefit Christ’s Church
Romans 12:4-5 “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.”
1. Each and every one of us has a function in the body of Christ. Do you know what yours is? It may not be glamorous or up front – but it is important. Maybe it’s visiting the sick, or cleaning the church, or just praying for those you know. The point here is that “each member belongs to all the others.” I can’t do it without you and you can’t do it without me. And who puts this system together, us? No, it’s God.
Romans 12:6-8 “Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”
2. Not everyone is a Paul or a Peter or even an Apollos. That’s okay with me. We have different gifts but all are given so we might better serve. Next Paul gives some examples.
3. What I want to point out here is that – it seems there is a positive and negative way to use the gifts God has given us. Prophecy can be encouraging and challenging – or it can be destroying and self serving. Giving can be done begrudgingly or with selfish motives (I’ll give since God will reward me in a specific way that I’m counting on). Don’t just take the gift – but look to how it should be given – again, as Jesus would have done it.
B. Live a Life Transformed in Sincerity
Romans 12:9 “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.”
1. Bottom line – Let it be sincere and unfeigned. Let it not consist in words or professions only, but let it be manifested in acts of kindness and in deeds of charity. Paul says “abhor” evil – it comes from a word that means “odious.” Ever smell a skunk? Evil, or that which is not of God, should repel us.
2. Contrast that with “cling” to what is good. It’s the word “glue.” That’s the way it should happen with us. We cling to God, praying, worshiping, reading His Word, and letting Him have access to our lives and to shape us. God wants us to remain so close that being like Him and doing good won’t be hard – we’ll stick to good like glue.
Romans 12:10 “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor.”
3. This goes right along with Paul has just said – be devoted to each other, especially since you are related in Christ. “Honor” means to show deference. Do we do that? Or do we seek people to show deference to us? In many ways this is a radical thought – as is the next:
Romans 12:11 “Not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.”
4. Having given ourselves as living sacrifices and been transformed by the renewing of our minds we need to put ourselves into action. Again – is what you are doing in concert with the character of Christ? Is your life fully ceded to Him – not thinking of yourself, but how to best serve others?
C. Live a Life Transformed in the presence of conflict
Romans 12:12-13 “Rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.”
1. These three ideas I think form a great simple guide to Christian living.
• Be joyful in hope – God is doing a good work in you – don’t fret.
• Persevere in tribulation – you’ll get through it because God is always with you, just hang tight
• Devoted to prayer – make your communion with God a priority.
2. If we would do these three things – then what follows comes much easier.
Romans 12:14-15 “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.”
3. As God begins to shape your character, you begin to act appropriately for the situation. I think too this means – don’t be a “cookie cutter” Christian. It’s okay to rejoice – and it’s okay to weep.
Romans 12:16-20 “Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 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. “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.””
4. We need to focus on the goal – serving God, being transformed into His image, then taking His love out to the world. That’s the mind we should have – not “what am I getting or not getting that I think I deserve.” Be willing to associate with people of low position – that’s the opposite of what we see in the world.
5. We ought to behave in a way that gains approval of those outside of the church – but not at the expense of Christ’s character in us. If by getting approval we must lie – then we cannot gain approval. But if it means we go the extra mile, then we should.
Paul sums it up nicely with one short sentence:
Romans 12:21 “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Conclusion
It’s actually pretty easy to be overcome by evil. The Lord is calling on us to have a different system – instead of “returning evil for evil” we bless instead of curse – fight back with good. I promise you this is not easy.
1. We have been called to be living sacrifices “transformed” into the image of Christ...
a. We have all the motivation we need (God’s mercies and Christ’s love)
b. We must allow our minds to be renewed by setting them on things above.
2. God wants to give us a complete “make over”...
a. We have the opportunity to start anew by the washing of baptism.
b. He has provided the means (Jesus’ blood) to remove the deformity of sin
c. He provides the tools (Bible study, prayer, fellowship) to fashion a new person.
In light of God’s wonderful grace, this is our “reasonable” service. Shall we not prove to the world that God’s will is “good, acceptable, and perfect”...?
Invitation
