Paul calls for unity in the church.
Click here for an online Bible. Romans 15:1-6
Paul is addressing the unity of the body of Christ. Some are spiritually strong and some are spiritually weak. He talked about those who struggle with the freedom of Christ versus legalism. Those who are comfortable with freedom should not allow their freedom to become a stumbling block for those who do not understand. The unity of the church is more important than my freedom.
Now he continues with the idea of unity. It is up to the people who are spiritually mature to work for unity. The mature are to lovingly bear with the shortcomings of the weak. What he is saying here is that we are to love each other and not criticize each other. We all have issues with trying to follow Christ and we must love each other and help each other along.
Notice he is not saying to put up with sin but to bear each other’s shortcomings. His concern is unity rather than pleasing ourselves. Unity comes from Christ. There should be unity as we follow Christ. If someone is being selfish instead of following Christ then the unity breaks down.
Christ Himself suffered for the sake of the mission. We must put the mission first. Unity among the believers is necessary to accomplish the mission. It is the mission that Christ has given us that leads to unity.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Friday, November 7, 2008
Friday Romans 14:13-23
Don’t condemn each other over non-essentials.
Click here for an online Bible. Romans 14:13-23
There were many pagan temples in Rome. Meat purchased at the local market may have been involved in a sacrifice to an idol. Some of the Christians in Rome were very distressed by this possibility. The thought of eating meat that had been involved in a pagan sacrifice was very offensive. They viewed is as violation of their Christian walk.
Paul says that buying meat from the market that may or may not have been involved in a pagan sacrifice was not like going to the pagan temple and participating in the sacrifice. It was just meat. A Christian is free in his following Christ to buy meat without having to have a pedigree on where it had come from. There is freedom in Christ.
However, as Christians, we also have a responsibility to others. We are not to flaunt our freedom so as to cause a problem with others. My actions are more important than my freedom. I am a slave to righteousness. I am a slave to God, so my responsibility to Him overshadows my freedom.
Paul is saying to the spiritually immature Roman, “Don’t get weirded out by the meat.” But he is also saying to the more spiritually mature Roman, “Stay away from meat if it is going to affect your fellow Christian.”
A prime example to us is the issue of alcohol. Many people were raised in church traditions with a strict prohibition against the use of alcohol. Girls grew up saying, “Lips that touch wine will never touch mine.” The problem is that the Bible does not prohibit drinking alcohol. It does prohibit drunkenness, but not drinking altogether. There is a freedom to drink responsibly. But there is a responsibility not to offend others. To drink irresponsibly is sin. To fear alcohol because of religious tradition is spiritually immature. To demand the freedom to drink is selfish. The spiritually mature person does not condemn those who fear drinking or those who chose to drink. However, the spiritually mature person voluntarily forfeits his or her freedom to drink for the sake of others.
Click here for an online Bible. Romans 14:13-23
There were many pagan temples in Rome. Meat purchased at the local market may have been involved in a sacrifice to an idol. Some of the Christians in Rome were very distressed by this possibility. The thought of eating meat that had been involved in a pagan sacrifice was very offensive. They viewed is as violation of their Christian walk.
Paul says that buying meat from the market that may or may not have been involved in a pagan sacrifice was not like going to the pagan temple and participating in the sacrifice. It was just meat. A Christian is free in his following Christ to buy meat without having to have a pedigree on where it had come from. There is freedom in Christ.
However, as Christians, we also have a responsibility to others. We are not to flaunt our freedom so as to cause a problem with others. My actions are more important than my freedom. I am a slave to righteousness. I am a slave to God, so my responsibility to Him overshadows my freedom.
Paul is saying to the spiritually immature Roman, “Don’t get weirded out by the meat.” But he is also saying to the more spiritually mature Roman, “Stay away from meat if it is going to affect your fellow Christian.”
A prime example to us is the issue of alcohol. Many people were raised in church traditions with a strict prohibition against the use of alcohol. Girls grew up saying, “Lips that touch wine will never touch mine.” The problem is that the Bible does not prohibit drinking alcohol. It does prohibit drunkenness, but not drinking altogether. There is a freedom to drink responsibly. But there is a responsibility not to offend others. To drink irresponsibly is sin. To fear alcohol because of religious tradition is spiritually immature. To demand the freedom to drink is selfish. The spiritually mature person does not condemn those who fear drinking or those who chose to drink. However, the spiritually mature person voluntarily forfeits his or her freedom to drink for the sake of others.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Thursday Romans 14:1-12
Do not divide over secondary issues.
Click here for an online Bible. Romans 14:1-12
The church in Rome had a mix of people. Some were Jews who had come to faith in Christ. Others were Gentiles. They had very different backgrounds. They were having trouble with how to be Christians together. They each carried a lot of baggage. The trouble is that we all have baggage and it’s all different. I don’t really notice my baggage. I just think it is normal. It is your baggage that really annoys me. Your baggage is not normal.
When Christians come together from different backgrounds come together, there can be friction. They each have their own “normal.” Traditions are often more fervently clung to than biblical truth. It is especially true when people are weak in their Bible knowledge and application. All that they know it tradition. They will defend tradition fiercely.
All the Roman church had was tradition. They had the gospel in oral form, but they did not have the New Testament. The Jewish Christians were still wanting to follow a lot of the Jewish tradition. They followed the dietary restrictions of the Old Testament and were observing special days. This created some friction between the Jewish and Gentile Christians.
Paul tells them not to let these secondary issues create divisions. He said that they should not judge each other. We must be careful and not take this to mean something other than what Paul meant. He was talking about the secondary traditional issues, not biblical commands. In other writings (1 Corinthians) Paul commanded us to judge each other on issues of morality.
Issues that we get worked up over are things like style of music, which Bible translation to use, or architectural styles, or types of furniture in the church. We know what is right and wrong based on our experience and tradition rather than biblical knowledge.
We must be very careful not to confuse like & dislike with right & wrong.
Click here for an online Bible. Romans 14:1-12
The church in Rome had a mix of people. Some were Jews who had come to faith in Christ. Others were Gentiles. They had very different backgrounds. They were having trouble with how to be Christians together. They each carried a lot of baggage. The trouble is that we all have baggage and it’s all different. I don’t really notice my baggage. I just think it is normal. It is your baggage that really annoys me. Your baggage is not normal.
When Christians come together from different backgrounds come together, there can be friction. They each have their own “normal.” Traditions are often more fervently clung to than biblical truth. It is especially true when people are weak in their Bible knowledge and application. All that they know it tradition. They will defend tradition fiercely.
All the Roman church had was tradition. They had the gospel in oral form, but they did not have the New Testament. The Jewish Christians were still wanting to follow a lot of the Jewish tradition. They followed the dietary restrictions of the Old Testament and were observing special days. This created some friction between the Jewish and Gentile Christians.
Paul tells them not to let these secondary issues create divisions. He said that they should not judge each other. We must be careful and not take this to mean something other than what Paul meant. He was talking about the secondary traditional issues, not biblical commands. In other writings (1 Corinthians) Paul commanded us to judge each other on issues of morality.
Issues that we get worked up over are things like style of music, which Bible translation to use, or architectural styles, or types of furniture in the church. We know what is right and wrong based on our experience and tradition rather than biblical knowledge.
We must be very careful not to confuse like & dislike with right & wrong.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Wednesday Romans 13:11-14
Live for Christ now!
Click here for an online Bible. Romans 13:11-14
Paul told the Romans to live as living sacrifices to God. That meant giving up their own selfish desires and making the mission of Christ the top priority.
He said to take note of the time. He felt that the time of Christ’s return would be soon. So they had better be busy about the mission in order to get as much done before the second coming.
So, here we are two thousand years later. We often lose sight of the urgency of the mission. Jesus has not come back in two thousand years. Why should I expect Him to come back now? Why should I expect Him to come back even during my lifetime?
We still have the mission. The only chance I have to do what God has assigned for me to do is during my lifetime. The only chance that those around me have to respond to the gospel is during their lifetimes. Even if Christ does not come back during my life, there is still so much for me to do for Him before I stand before Him in heaven.
Also, He may come back any time. We are told to live as if we knew He was coming back tomorrow. There are people that I know who are lost who may not live another year.
Paul says that we should not be focusing on the pleasures of the world, but instead clothing ourselves in the Lord Jesus Christ. That is how we live a living sacrifices which is our reasonable act of worship.
Click here for an online Bible. Romans 13:11-14
Paul told the Romans to live as living sacrifices to God. That meant giving up their own selfish desires and making the mission of Christ the top priority.
He said to take note of the time. He felt that the time of Christ’s return would be soon. So they had better be busy about the mission in order to get as much done before the second coming.
So, here we are two thousand years later. We often lose sight of the urgency of the mission. Jesus has not come back in two thousand years. Why should I expect Him to come back now? Why should I expect Him to come back even during my lifetime?
We still have the mission. The only chance I have to do what God has assigned for me to do is during my lifetime. The only chance that those around me have to respond to the gospel is during their lifetimes. Even if Christ does not come back during my life, there is still so much for me to do for Him before I stand before Him in heaven.
Also, He may come back any time. We are told to live as if we knew He was coming back tomorrow. There are people that I know who are lost who may not live another year.
Paul says that we should not be focusing on the pleasures of the world, but instead clothing ourselves in the Lord Jesus Christ. That is how we live a living sacrifices which is our reasonable act of worship.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Tuesday Romans 13:8-10
Love your neighbor as yourself.
Click here for an online Bible. Romans 13:8-10
We are to give ourselves wholly to God. In real life this means that we are saved to be part of the community of believers which is the church. We also live in relationships with our fellow believers. We must live in submission to the authority of the government. We also love other people.
Paul is looking beyond the boundaries of the church here. He refers to the other people as “fellow men” so he means all people, not just church people. As Christians who have died to self and now live as servants of God, we are to love all people.
Paul pictures love like a debt, except that this debt is never paid off. We must continue to love others in an ongoing way.
Moses summed up all of the Law with the ten commandments. If you followed the “big ten” you would probably not have any trouble with the rest of the Law. Jesus summed it all up with two commands: love God and love your neighbor. Paul has already addressed following God, now he is talking about other people. He sums up the rules for dealing with other people as, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
We are on a mission. We are not trying to make the world a better place. We are reaching the lost with the gospel and growing them as followers of Christ. We are making disciples. In order to do this, we must live in submission to the government and deal with the people around us in love. The goal is not to have pleasant lives, but to carry out the mission of the church.
Click here for an online Bible. Romans 13:8-10
We are to give ourselves wholly to God. In real life this means that we are saved to be part of the community of believers which is the church. We also live in relationships with our fellow believers. We must live in submission to the authority of the government. We also love other people.
Paul is looking beyond the boundaries of the church here. He refers to the other people as “fellow men” so he means all people, not just church people. As Christians who have died to self and now live as servants of God, we are to love all people.
Paul pictures love like a debt, except that this debt is never paid off. We must continue to love others in an ongoing way.
Moses summed up all of the Law with the ten commandments. If you followed the “big ten” you would probably not have any trouble with the rest of the Law. Jesus summed it all up with two commands: love God and love your neighbor. Paul has already addressed following God, now he is talking about other people. He sums up the rules for dealing with other people as, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
We are on a mission. We are not trying to make the world a better place. We are reaching the lost with the gospel and growing them as followers of Christ. We are making disciples. In order to do this, we must live in submission to the government and deal with the people around us in love. The goal is not to have pleasant lives, but to carry out the mission of the church.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Monday Romans 13:1-7
Live under the authority of the government.
Click here for an online Bible. Romans 13:1-7
Part of living in submission to God is living in submission to the government. The authority of government is given by God to provide order in the society since the world is a sinful fallen place. Most laws in most places are good moral laws. They exist to restrain evil. It is pretty universal that stealing and murder are illegal. The government has the authority granted by God to enforce order and basic morality.
It is the duty of all Christians to submit to the authority of the government. We are to obey the speed limits, pay taxes, follow building codes, obey noise ordinances, and all of the other laws that sometimes seem annoying.
Usually when we have trouble submitting to the authority of the government, it is a basic rebellion against authority. And rebellion against authority goes back to rebellion against God.
What about when the government is in conflict with God? Just because the government is hostile to God or His people does not give us an excuse to not submit to the government. Think about the government of Rome at the time Paul wrote this letter. The Roman government was not a friend of Christians. The emperor at that time was Nero who was the emperor who had Paul and Peter executed.
When submission the government conflicts with obedience to God, the law must be violated. Peter and John were ordered by the ruling authorities to stop preaching about Christ. They said, “We must obey God rather than man.” They disobeyed the rulers, but were also willing to suffer the consequences. Daniel said that the king’s authority was granted by God, but Daniel also disobeyed that king when is was forbidden for him to pray to the Lord. He disobeyed but was also willing to suffer the consequences.
For us, we are fortunate to live in America. We are free to obey God. Things could change and we could be forced to make hard choices in the future. If certain topic were declared to be “hate speech” and were determined to be illegal, then we must obey God. We must be willing to forfeit our tax-exempt status and risk jail rather than disobey God.
We also have the opportunity to participate in our system of government. We must vote with a biblical worldview.
Click here for an online Bible. Romans 13:1-7
Part of living in submission to God is living in submission to the government. The authority of government is given by God to provide order in the society since the world is a sinful fallen place. Most laws in most places are good moral laws. They exist to restrain evil. It is pretty universal that stealing and murder are illegal. The government has the authority granted by God to enforce order and basic morality.
It is the duty of all Christians to submit to the authority of the government. We are to obey the speed limits, pay taxes, follow building codes, obey noise ordinances, and all of the other laws that sometimes seem annoying.
Usually when we have trouble submitting to the authority of the government, it is a basic rebellion against authority. And rebellion against authority goes back to rebellion against God.
What about when the government is in conflict with God? Just because the government is hostile to God or His people does not give us an excuse to not submit to the government. Think about the government of Rome at the time Paul wrote this letter. The Roman government was not a friend of Christians. The emperor at that time was Nero who was the emperor who had Paul and Peter executed.
When submission the government conflicts with obedience to God, the law must be violated. Peter and John were ordered by the ruling authorities to stop preaching about Christ. They said, “We must obey God rather than man.” They disobeyed the rulers, but were also willing to suffer the consequences. Daniel said that the king’s authority was granted by God, but Daniel also disobeyed that king when is was forbidden for him to pray to the Lord. He disobeyed but was also willing to suffer the consequences.
For us, we are fortunate to live in America. We are free to obey God. Things could change and we could be forced to make hard choices in the future. If certain topic were declared to be “hate speech” and were determined to be illegal, then we must obey God. We must be willing to forfeit our tax-exempt status and risk jail rather than disobey God.
We also have the opportunity to participate in our system of government. We must vote with a biblical worldview.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Sunday Romans 12:3-21
The problem with a living sacrifice is that it can crawl off of the altar.
Click here for an online Bible. Romans 12:3-21
Paul told us that our proper response to the mercy of God in saving us who deserve condemnation is to offer ourselves as living sacrifices. This means giving ourselves wholly to God. Now he gives some real-life examples of how that works.
In verses 3-8, he talks about the church. If we are living for God rather than ourselves, then the way we exist as a church should reflect that. We are all integral parts of the church. The church is not a building or an organization; it is the people who make up to church. I don’t go to church. I am the church. When we gather together, we are the church gathered. When we leave, we are the church on mission. The absolute height of selfishness is to look at the church and ask what it can do for me. Similarly, if I think of the church as a place where my needs are met, then I am confused on two counts. One – the church is not a place, it is people. Two – my goal should not be to have my needs met, but to live my life for God by meeting the needs of others. As the church, we are in a relationship with each other. Any relationship where your primary goal is your own needs it unhealthy. A healthy relationship is where people come together and willingly met each others needs. My focus must be on others, not myself.
We often come to a church with the mindset of a consumer. I am here to consume the product that the church is selling. I am here for uplifting worship services, or great preaching (good luck!), or wonderful children’s activities, or whatever. We are not consumers of what the church offers, we are the church. Paul talks about several spiritual gifts that the Holy Spirit gives people. Spiritual gifts are for the purpose of building up the church. All Christians have at least one spiritual gift. There is some debate within Christianity about spiritual gifts. Are the miraculous gifts still active today or were they only for the apostolic era? Are the lists of gifts in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter 4 the only gifts or are there more? The bottom line to remember is that God supernaturally equips His people to do what He has called them to do. All of these passages that talk about gifts address the common theme of the people of the church coming together to jointly do what God has called the church to do. There are no spectator Christians or consumer Christians. There are only producers.
Some people ask how they can know their spiritual gift. There are surveys that you can take. They are a good indicator, but since you are answering the questions, there is a tendency to be too subjective. It is a good thing to take a survey, but others who know you and see you in ministry can often tell you what your giftedness is. A survey to try is available online HERE.
In verses 9-21, Paul addressees how living for God drives our relationships. We should not deal with other people the way that the world does. We should treat others in light of the fact that we have died to self and now live as servants of God. Our dealings with others should be characterized by love, humility, hospitable, patient, and many others. Other people should see the love of Christ in our lives.
Click here for an online Bible. Romans 12:3-21
Paul told us that our proper response to the mercy of God in saving us who deserve condemnation is to offer ourselves as living sacrifices. This means giving ourselves wholly to God. Now he gives some real-life examples of how that works.
In verses 3-8, he talks about the church. If we are living for God rather than ourselves, then the way we exist as a church should reflect that. We are all integral parts of the church. The church is not a building or an organization; it is the people who make up to church. I don’t go to church. I am the church. When we gather together, we are the church gathered. When we leave, we are the church on mission. The absolute height of selfishness is to look at the church and ask what it can do for me. Similarly, if I think of the church as a place where my needs are met, then I am confused on two counts. One – the church is not a place, it is people. Two – my goal should not be to have my needs met, but to live my life for God by meeting the needs of others. As the church, we are in a relationship with each other. Any relationship where your primary goal is your own needs it unhealthy. A healthy relationship is where people come together and willingly met each others needs. My focus must be on others, not myself.
We often come to a church with the mindset of a consumer. I am here to consume the product that the church is selling. I am here for uplifting worship services, or great preaching (good luck!), or wonderful children’s activities, or whatever. We are not consumers of what the church offers, we are the church. Paul talks about several spiritual gifts that the Holy Spirit gives people. Spiritual gifts are for the purpose of building up the church. All Christians have at least one spiritual gift. There is some debate within Christianity about spiritual gifts. Are the miraculous gifts still active today or were they only for the apostolic era? Are the lists of gifts in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter 4 the only gifts or are there more? The bottom line to remember is that God supernaturally equips His people to do what He has called them to do. All of these passages that talk about gifts address the common theme of the people of the church coming together to jointly do what God has called the church to do. There are no spectator Christians or consumer Christians. There are only producers.
Some people ask how they can know their spiritual gift. There are surveys that you can take. They are a good indicator, but since you are answering the questions, there is a tendency to be too subjective. It is a good thing to take a survey, but others who know you and see you in ministry can often tell you what your giftedness is. A survey to try is available online HERE.
In verses 9-21, Paul addressees how living for God drives our relationships. We should not deal with other people the way that the world does. We should treat others in light of the fact that we have died to self and now live as servants of God. Our dealings with others should be characterized by love, humility, hospitable, patient, and many others. Other people should see the love of Christ in our lives.
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