Romans 12:10-11 - 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
Message: I am to never be selfish in my love toward others, but always focused on serving the Lord with all of my heart.
Time: Written in AD 57 from Greece, to the Christians, both Gentile and Jewish in Rome.
What the Lord is Saying:
Here Paul gets a little more specific about the act of love. Verse 9 was more of a general statement about how are love should not be two-faced and we should abhor what is evil and cling to what is good.
Intimate, brotherly love
The Be devoted in verse 10 was added by the translators. The original Greek manuscript stated, in the love of brethren to one another kindly affectioned. And so the phrase, "kindly affectioned" has been changed to read be devoted. It is the Greek word philostorgos where philo is friend and storgos is natural love or tender affection. Storge speaks of instinctive affection, like that which parents and children feel toward one another. Paul is making a case that the love that we have toward one another should be intimate and a sort of family love. Family love is not based upon attraction or the condition of a person or how desirable they are. It is a love in spite of how any one loves or thinks. Our love toward one another is because we are family.
Verse 4 speaks of the fact that we are members of one Body. We have gifts that differ, but we are of the same body. Verse 3 states that we are not to think more highly of ourselves.
Christianity brought about a radical change in relationships because now, people of all different types and backgrounds, were forged together as one in the Body of Christ. It didn't matter where the person was from, what part of the country, whether Jew or Gentile, whether circumcised or not, whether chosen by God or not, whether slave or freeman. We are not brought together because of our performance. We are brought together because of Christ grafting us in.
This is the type of love that should make us distinctive to the world. We must be careful to always show our love to the sinner.
Outdo one another in showing honor
Honor is from the Greek word time or tio. It means to pay honor or respect. It is to show genuine appreciation or admiration to another person. It is others focused. Each person, in Christ, is to take the lead in showing appreciation and value in putting others first. How different is this view of people. We have a tendency to be so me focused.
Driving home last night, once again, I was thinking about the entertainment age in which we live in. Entertainment is selfish. It is self-seeking and wanting to bring excitement and retreat and rest to ourselves. It brings enjoyment. It is selfish. Sure, we can do this in a community setting where we all jointly our satisfying ourselves together.
But, in showing honor or paying respect to others our focus is not at all on ourselves.
Danger: We are lazy
Then in verse 11, Paul brings home the tendency of each of us. We each have a tendency to be lazy and to be self-seeking in our time. We are to practice being a servant.
I think one reason we have such a difficult time with this is, in our lives, the marketing message, is to get us to buy something, to have something for ourselves. It is focused on us and what the message tells us we need. And this pervades our lives continually. This is a message that attacks us throughout the day. And its focus over and over is on us. I think as we read God's word, and think about how the Spirit dwells in us, and that we are so weak to doing the things of God, that we must think about how we are trained continually by the world. Jesus calls us to be in the world, but not of the world. And we need His help. We need His strength. We need His guidance. We need His constant intervention in our lives if we are going to have the power to withstand the schemes of the enemy.
We are prone to be lazy and to be persistently lagging behind in this laziness.
Fervent in Spirit
Fervent is the Greek word Zeo and it means to bubble or boil. It can be viewed positively and negatively. One to have passion, one to have rage. It is to be enthusiastic (Petra "On Fire") or excited. It is a person that is so passionate about their tasks that they can hardly contain their excitement.
Rather than being lazy, I am to boil over in my zeal and desire in my spirit.
Serving the Lord
This is the reason I do what I do. This is the reason that I am to be devoted to one another in brotherly loves and to outdo one another in showing honor and lifting other people up, other than myself. The reason I do all of these things is because I am serving the Lord. The reason I do all things is my focus on the Lord and giving the Lord glory. It is not for my own selfish ambition or personal gain. I don't do it to make myself look better in other people's eyes or even in God's eyes. My goal in doing this is serving the Lord. My good works are not a condition for my salvation, they are a response to the great thing God has done in saving me. This is why I give God all the glory for all the deeds of my life.
A servant is a slave and a slave always does what the master wants him to do. Be a slave.
Promise: God's Holy Spirit does not work apart from the Word He inspired, and zeal that transgresses His revelation is not godly zeal. -- September 15, 2014 Tabletalk
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Romans 12:9 - Genuine Goodness and Love
Romans 12:9 - Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.
Message: We love based upon the Love given to us by God.
Time: Written in AD 57 from Greece, to the Christians, both Gentile and Jewish in Rome.
What the Lord is Saying:
Leading up
In Romans 5, it spoke of God's love pouring out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit (5:5). And Christ dying for us was a demonstration of God's love (5:8) toward us. Nothing, in our lives, can separate us from the love of Christ (8:35). And we can conquer things because of His Love (8:37). Nothing in life can separate us from the Love of God (8:39). This is our example of love. It is poured out or freely given. It is sacrificing, so it is not self-seeking. It is unconditional. It is not based upon a condition or act or performance of another person. And love gives us the power to accomplish anything. No matter what we ever will do or have done or currently are doing, that love is always there for us. There could be no greater example of love.
The message of this chapter has been on love. The previous three verses focused on gifts that we as believers in Christ, of the church, are to make sure we recognize that we have and we are serving these gifts to others in our lives. We are part of the body of Christ. We are unique and we are members of one another. We are to present ourselves to God and not be conformed to the ways of the world. The ways of the world are often self-seeking. They are selfish. They are about focusing on self. But, our mind is to be renewed each day to this act of looking outside of ourselves, to others.
Love
Now, in verse 9, we are to understand that in this service, in this sacrifice, it it to be a genuine love. It is not to be two-faced or about multiple selfish motives. The goal is not to get something, but it is to give something.
There was a break from verse 8 to verse 9. Verse 8 ended the description of the gifts. Verse 9 is not a gift, but it is a command to every believer. I am reminded of my children and when they have done something wrong, we tell them to shake hands or say you are sorry or hug your sister. In that moment, they are angry and upset and we are forcing their hand on being loving. They are in a state where they don't want to be loving and yet we are forcing them to love. This clearly is not what Paul is speaking about here. This love is not to be forced or based upon being coerced.
This verse must be the hallmark idea or feeling of all that we do in Christ as we serve others. In everything that we do, we do it with genuine love toward others. We are not trying to get the award or get the recognition or get the payback or a return. I am always amazed by those preachers that stand up and say, "if you will do this for God, then you will get something incredible in return." That is not the sentiment here. Our focus is not on ourselves. Our love is to be genuine and again, in no way, to be self seeking.
This is hard because so much in our life is focused on pleasing ourselves and getting things for ourselves. "Everybody is working for the weekend" was the popular song by Loverboy as I was in middle school. And it reminds me of what I see often at work. The work week begins with one goal in mind, the end of the week and the weekend so that we can have "me" time. And I often here at work about the great retirement that we have. So, beyond each day, every month and year is inching ourselves towards getting out and getting a retirement. But, I am to love my work and the fact that through it I get to help people and serve them.
Abhor evil, cling to good
Then, I think, here is a sort of separate thought. We are to hate evil. This is becoming harder and harder because the line between good and evil is becoming much more blurry. And as we begin to hate things that we view as evil, society now sees those same things as being practically good and so the Christian is then viewed as intolerant.
And yet we are called to not simply hate. The Greek word for hate is stugeo, but this word is apostugeo. It is used in the New Testament only in this verse. It is a continual vigilance to separate ourselves from that which is evil. Yes, it is to hate, but then it is to not want to be near it. We must daily surrender to the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. We don't possess the power on our own to stay away from evil. We will have victory's and we will be defeated at times. Thankfully, our standard is not perfection, though we strive for this.
Because we are abhorring what is evil, we cling to what is good. Cling is the Greek word kollao. In the same way that evil is expressed by having a complete hatred toward evil, good here literally means to glue, cement, join or fasten together. Just like abhor, cling is in the present tense which means this is to mark the believer's daily lifestyle. And once again, we are unable to do this on our own, we must daily surrender ourselves to the Holy Spirit, the one that speaks the truth of Jesus and His life in our lives.
The most familiar use of the word kollao (cling) in the New Testament is taught about the husband and wife relationship, that when one gets married, they leave their father and mother and cling together, the man clings to his wife, and the two become one flesh (Matthew 19:5).
We really must daily evaluate the connections we have made with the World and what it is offering to us. We must be very careful, even in our churches, whether we have brought into the church ideas and notions and beliefs from the outside world and are now calling them Christian. We must pray each day, "Lord, I want to be careful. I think of the great words of Psalm 139:23-24, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." This should be our daily cry to God. And then as we surrender to Him, we pray for a willingness in ourselves to accept what God has provided. For the Christian, we surrender to the Lord, realizing that often we have trained ourselves over time to be close to the things of the world, so as God shows us the right way, we are to pray that He gives us strength to accept what He provides.
Promise: Because love is one of God's attributes, any understanding of what it means to be made in His image and to live in a way that pleases Him must take into love into account.
Message: We love based upon the Love given to us by God.
Time: Written in AD 57 from Greece, to the Christians, both Gentile and Jewish in Rome.
What the Lord is Saying:
Leading up
In Romans 5, it spoke of God's love pouring out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit (5:5). And Christ dying for us was a demonstration of God's love (5:8) toward us. Nothing, in our lives, can separate us from the love of Christ (8:35). And we can conquer things because of His Love (8:37). Nothing in life can separate us from the Love of God (8:39). This is our example of love. It is poured out or freely given. It is sacrificing, so it is not self-seeking. It is unconditional. It is not based upon a condition or act or performance of another person. And love gives us the power to accomplish anything. No matter what we ever will do or have done or currently are doing, that love is always there for us. There could be no greater example of love.
The message of this chapter has been on love. The previous three verses focused on gifts that we as believers in Christ, of the church, are to make sure we recognize that we have and we are serving these gifts to others in our lives. We are part of the body of Christ. We are unique and we are members of one another. We are to present ourselves to God and not be conformed to the ways of the world. The ways of the world are often self-seeking. They are selfish. They are about focusing on self. But, our mind is to be renewed each day to this act of looking outside of ourselves, to others.
Love
Now, in verse 9, we are to understand that in this service, in this sacrifice, it it to be a genuine love. It is not to be two-faced or about multiple selfish motives. The goal is not to get something, but it is to give something.
There was a break from verse 8 to verse 9. Verse 8 ended the description of the gifts. Verse 9 is not a gift, but it is a command to every believer. I am reminded of my children and when they have done something wrong, we tell them to shake hands or say you are sorry or hug your sister. In that moment, they are angry and upset and we are forcing their hand on being loving. They are in a state where they don't want to be loving and yet we are forcing them to love. This clearly is not what Paul is speaking about here. This love is not to be forced or based upon being coerced.
This verse must be the hallmark idea or feeling of all that we do in Christ as we serve others. In everything that we do, we do it with genuine love toward others. We are not trying to get the award or get the recognition or get the payback or a return. I am always amazed by those preachers that stand up and say, "if you will do this for God, then you will get something incredible in return." That is not the sentiment here. Our focus is not on ourselves. Our love is to be genuine and again, in no way, to be self seeking.
This is hard because so much in our life is focused on pleasing ourselves and getting things for ourselves. "Everybody is working for the weekend" was the popular song by Loverboy as I was in middle school. And it reminds me of what I see often at work. The work week begins with one goal in mind, the end of the week and the weekend so that we can have "me" time. And I often here at work about the great retirement that we have. So, beyond each day, every month and year is inching ourselves towards getting out and getting a retirement. But, I am to love my work and the fact that through it I get to help people and serve them.
Abhor evil, cling to good
Then, I think, here is a sort of separate thought. We are to hate evil. This is becoming harder and harder because the line between good and evil is becoming much more blurry. And as we begin to hate things that we view as evil, society now sees those same things as being practically good and so the Christian is then viewed as intolerant.
And yet we are called to not simply hate. The Greek word for hate is stugeo, but this word is apostugeo. It is used in the New Testament only in this verse. It is a continual vigilance to separate ourselves from that which is evil. Yes, it is to hate, but then it is to not want to be near it. We must daily surrender to the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. We don't possess the power on our own to stay away from evil. We will have victory's and we will be defeated at times. Thankfully, our standard is not perfection, though we strive for this.
Because we are abhorring what is evil, we cling to what is good. Cling is the Greek word kollao. In the same way that evil is expressed by having a complete hatred toward evil, good here literally means to glue, cement, join or fasten together. Just like abhor, cling is in the present tense which means this is to mark the believer's daily lifestyle. And once again, we are unable to do this on our own, we must daily surrender ourselves to the Holy Spirit, the one that speaks the truth of Jesus and His life in our lives.
The most familiar use of the word kollao (cling) in the New Testament is taught about the husband and wife relationship, that when one gets married, they leave their father and mother and cling together, the man clings to his wife, and the two become one flesh (Matthew 19:5).
We really must daily evaluate the connections we have made with the World and what it is offering to us. We must be very careful, even in our churches, whether we have brought into the church ideas and notions and beliefs from the outside world and are now calling them Christian. We must pray each day, "Lord, I want to be careful. I think of the great words of Psalm 139:23-24, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." This should be our daily cry to God. And then as we surrender to Him, we pray for a willingness in ourselves to accept what God has provided. For the Christian, we surrender to the Lord, realizing that often we have trained ourselves over time to be close to the things of the world, so as God shows us the right way, we are to pray that He gives us strength to accept what He provides.
Promise: Because love is one of God's attributes, any understanding of what it means to be made in His image and to live in a way that pleases Him must take into love into account.
Monday, February 23, 2015
Romans 12:6-8 - Using our Gifts
Romans 12:6-8 -6 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; 7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
Message: Using the gifts God has given us
Time: Written in AD 57 from Greece, to the Christians, both Gentile and Jewish in Rome.
What the Lord is Saying:
Background
I have arrived here at the application part of Romans. Paul has presented the gospel. He has shown the Jews that they are all under sin and that man is accountable to God. There is no special heritage or special position of the Jew that will then make him/her acceptable to God. Yes, he is called, but his response to that calling isn't conditioned upon whether God has been faithful in calling them. And God's faithfulness isn't called into question because of the Jew's non-responsiveness. God is faithful, no matter what. He provided His Son as a substitution for us. And by trusting in Christ, God transfers or imputes God's righteousness to us. And so we have peace with God now. We have the same faith that our forefathers had. We have the same faith that Abraham and David had. Times have changed but God's ways have not. God calls and chooses people for Himself. Righteousness in our lives is faith based righteousness. It is not works based righteousness. Israel has been hardened. They do reject God, but there is a remnant coming.
Therefore, we are to present ourselves daily to God. I am not to be conformed to this world. I am transformed by God through the renewing of my mind. I am set apart for His service. But, let it be clear that the gift of grace and faith I have received is all because of God and not because of me. God gives us a measure of faith. He gives us what we need to sustain Him in our daily lives.
Exercise our Gifts
God has given each of His people gifts. Those gifts are to lie dormant. We are to use them. They are to be exercised in our life. Paul lists several gifts here: prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, mercy.
A spiritual gift is a means that the Holy Spirit provides to all His disciples to minister to the Body of Christ (the Church).
We each have a gift and we are to exercise that gift. Exercise is a practice that is to be done with consistency in order to be effective to our person. And since our gifts are to be used to minister to others, our gifts are to be exercised regularly in order to have a benefit on others. I know this because of the experience I have exercising physically or participating in a sport. The more I exercise or the more I practice, the more a product results. There is a very small marginal effect when a work out once a week or practice once a week but if it is more consistent it is more beneficial.
It is a gift. Often at Christmas time, when we are giving gifts, the receiver of the gift can at times unwrap their gift and then set it aside with "o thanks." We have a danger in gifts not meeting our expectations but we also have a danger with receiving a gift and then not using it. One Christmas, when I was in middle school, my mom got a gift for me for Christmas. My mom took her time to select gifts. She has always been thoughtful in selecting gifts. This particular Christmas she got me a science kit. It wasn't a very expensive item, but it was varied with many different parts. I think it had a plastic microscope and it has chemistry like parts to it. It looked kind of cool when I opened it, but I don't think I ever really used it. It kind of makes me sad that I didn't give it a try after I know my mom took time picking it out. Maybe she thought that it might result in something I enjoy and would one day even be a profession I would do. I'm sure she wasn't necessarily directing me in a certain direction but given me an opportunity to test those waters.
Maybe we try doing certain gifts that are not the ones God has given us. But, maybe the gift that God has given us we aren't doing anything with at all. We are so busy pleasing ourselves that we are forgetting the impact God wants us to have on others.
Different Gifts
God has also given us different gifts. We have been given grace, but our gifts are different. Our gifts have been given by God and God is fair. The gift that I have should not then result in me having pride about it or personal praise. I am not to think of myself as more special or significant or important than others because of the gift.
Paul lists these gifts:
Prophecy - propheteia from pro = before or forth + phemi = to say or tell. It is to speak to someone or tell someone something in the future or based upon the past. Is the meaning here, regarding a gift, someone that speaks about future events that have not occurred? I think we must be careful to distinguish each gift from another. The popular explanation of the prophet is one that foretells future events. They also interpret divine thoughts or words. The prophet has an intimate relationship with the Lord and thereby clearly communicates the message of God. But, it is important to see that the prophet is not going to contradict the word of God or God's previous words. I Corinthians 13:8 gives the idea that the gifts of prophecy will be done away with, at some time. And so since the scripture is complete, the need for a prophet has ceased. It is replaced with a teacher that explains the scriptures.
Service - diakonia is probably derived from dioko when means to be a follower of a person or attach oneself to a person. This is practical service. It is providing services, often of a humble or menial state It is mundane duties such as waiting on tables or caring for household needs. It is to have a servants heart. It is the ability to see things that need to be done and then to do them. This person is often not looking for any credit in the work that is done. In Greek life, diakonia is not very honorable or highly sought after. It is degrading. And so a person that goes to school and gets advanced learning and education does not generally do this with the goal of serving others, but to be served.
Teaches - didasko from dao is to know or teach. It is to provide instructions with the goal of understanding. It is systematic in its training. It is repeated. John MacArthur says it is the ability to pass on truth in a systematic progression so that someone receives it, implements it, and a change of behavior takes place. The prophet declares, but the teacher seeks to have the hearer understand completely.
Exhorts - parakaleo from para or side of, alongside, beside and kaleo a call. To come alongside calling. It is coupled with teaching. We receive good instruction and then we need encouragement or help in accomplishing or applying the teaching. This is Paul's point by somewhat repeating the gift after he introduces it. "He who exhorts, in his exhortation." If you have the gift of encouragement then exercise encouragement toward others. Phillips calls this the stimulating of faith in others. Exhortation is to encourage people to practice what they have been taught.
Giving - this is not the usual word for giving, didomi, but it is metadidomi which takes on the adding meaning of sharing or imparting what is one's own. Paul used this in Romans 1:11 when he said he would give and impart some spiritual gift to them. All believers are expected to give as they have been given, but some people, and it doesn't matter their economic status (it could be they are rich or poor) have the extra attitude in their heart to freely given what is theirs. There is never an ulterior motive when these people give.
Leads - proistemi or before, over a place, stand. This is one who is standing over or before. This is to preside over people or direct, conduct, govern, superintend. So, this is a separate gift to being a teacher and a separate gift as the teacher is focused on educated the hearer in order to bring to understanding. To lead is to take over the direction of people. It is to be a protector or guardian and to give aid, assist, to care for or to be active in helping. It is an administrator. It is the gift of standing before a group of people and saying, "This is what we are going to do." And this gift is carried out with diligence or spoude which is eagerness, earnestness, willingness, or zeal. It is the attitude of doing something hurriedly and with intensity.
Mercy - eleeo or to show mercy, compassion, or help. This is not simply to express a feeling for the misfortunes of others, but it is more active to remove those miseries. This person has the resources and the action of helping to remove or lessen a person's afflictions. This person knows the right attitude. We are each called to be merciful toward others, but some people have a special gift and are not following a command, but their heart. And this gift is carried out with cheerfulness or happiness or gladness. It is coming alongside another person with empathy and a gladness in helping.
So, we are to get to the task and understand our gifts and then work them out in our lives. I think of myself and mercy is something I know I have in part, but I also see myself being a leader and exhorting people or encouraging them to believe. I want to teach, but I am most focused on helping people believe.
Promise: Recognize your gift and work it out, for the glory of God. He has promised to use it. We are valued in Christ.
Message: Using the gifts God has given us
Time: Written in AD 57 from Greece, to the Christians, both Gentile and Jewish in Rome.
What the Lord is Saying:
Background
I have arrived here at the application part of Romans. Paul has presented the gospel. He has shown the Jews that they are all under sin and that man is accountable to God. There is no special heritage or special position of the Jew that will then make him/her acceptable to God. Yes, he is called, but his response to that calling isn't conditioned upon whether God has been faithful in calling them. And God's faithfulness isn't called into question because of the Jew's non-responsiveness. God is faithful, no matter what. He provided His Son as a substitution for us. And by trusting in Christ, God transfers or imputes God's righteousness to us. And so we have peace with God now. We have the same faith that our forefathers had. We have the same faith that Abraham and David had. Times have changed but God's ways have not. God calls and chooses people for Himself. Righteousness in our lives is faith based righteousness. It is not works based righteousness. Israel has been hardened. They do reject God, but there is a remnant coming.
Therefore, we are to present ourselves daily to God. I am not to be conformed to this world. I am transformed by God through the renewing of my mind. I am set apart for His service. But, let it be clear that the gift of grace and faith I have received is all because of God and not because of me. God gives us a measure of faith. He gives us what we need to sustain Him in our daily lives.
Exercise our Gifts
God has given each of His people gifts. Those gifts are to lie dormant. We are to use them. They are to be exercised in our life. Paul lists several gifts here: prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, mercy.
A spiritual gift is a means that the Holy Spirit provides to all His disciples to minister to the Body of Christ (the Church).
We each have a gift and we are to exercise that gift. Exercise is a practice that is to be done with consistency in order to be effective to our person. And since our gifts are to be used to minister to others, our gifts are to be exercised regularly in order to have a benefit on others. I know this because of the experience I have exercising physically or participating in a sport. The more I exercise or the more I practice, the more a product results. There is a very small marginal effect when a work out once a week or practice once a week but if it is more consistent it is more beneficial.
It is a gift. Often at Christmas time, when we are giving gifts, the receiver of the gift can at times unwrap their gift and then set it aside with "o thanks." We have a danger in gifts not meeting our expectations but we also have a danger with receiving a gift and then not using it. One Christmas, when I was in middle school, my mom got a gift for me for Christmas. My mom took her time to select gifts. She has always been thoughtful in selecting gifts. This particular Christmas she got me a science kit. It wasn't a very expensive item, but it was varied with many different parts. I think it had a plastic microscope and it has chemistry like parts to it. It looked kind of cool when I opened it, but I don't think I ever really used it. It kind of makes me sad that I didn't give it a try after I know my mom took time picking it out. Maybe she thought that it might result in something I enjoy and would one day even be a profession I would do. I'm sure she wasn't necessarily directing me in a certain direction but given me an opportunity to test those waters.
Maybe we try doing certain gifts that are not the ones God has given us. But, maybe the gift that God has given us we aren't doing anything with at all. We are so busy pleasing ourselves that we are forgetting the impact God wants us to have on others.
Different Gifts
God has also given us different gifts. We have been given grace, but our gifts are different. Our gifts have been given by God and God is fair. The gift that I have should not then result in me having pride about it or personal praise. I am not to think of myself as more special or significant or important than others because of the gift.
Paul lists these gifts:
- prophecy - according to the proportion of his faith
- service - in his serving
- he who teachers - in his teaching
- he who exhorts - in his exhortation
- he who gives - with liberality
- he who leads - with diligence
- he who shows mercy - with cheerfulness
Prophecy - propheteia from pro = before or forth + phemi = to say or tell. It is to speak to someone or tell someone something in the future or based upon the past. Is the meaning here, regarding a gift, someone that speaks about future events that have not occurred? I think we must be careful to distinguish each gift from another. The popular explanation of the prophet is one that foretells future events. They also interpret divine thoughts or words. The prophet has an intimate relationship with the Lord and thereby clearly communicates the message of God. But, it is important to see that the prophet is not going to contradict the word of God or God's previous words. I Corinthians 13:8 gives the idea that the gifts of prophecy will be done away with, at some time. And so since the scripture is complete, the need for a prophet has ceased. It is replaced with a teacher that explains the scriptures.
Service - diakonia is probably derived from dioko when means to be a follower of a person or attach oneself to a person. This is practical service. It is providing services, often of a humble or menial state It is mundane duties such as waiting on tables or caring for household needs. It is to have a servants heart. It is the ability to see things that need to be done and then to do them. This person is often not looking for any credit in the work that is done. In Greek life, diakonia is not very honorable or highly sought after. It is degrading. And so a person that goes to school and gets advanced learning and education does not generally do this with the goal of serving others, but to be served.
Teaches - didasko from dao is to know or teach. It is to provide instructions with the goal of understanding. It is systematic in its training. It is repeated. John MacArthur says it is the ability to pass on truth in a systematic progression so that someone receives it, implements it, and a change of behavior takes place. The prophet declares, but the teacher seeks to have the hearer understand completely.
Exhorts - parakaleo from para or side of, alongside, beside and kaleo a call. To come alongside calling. It is coupled with teaching. We receive good instruction and then we need encouragement or help in accomplishing or applying the teaching. This is Paul's point by somewhat repeating the gift after he introduces it. "He who exhorts, in his exhortation." If you have the gift of encouragement then exercise encouragement toward others. Phillips calls this the stimulating of faith in others. Exhortation is to encourage people to practice what they have been taught.
Giving - this is not the usual word for giving, didomi, but it is metadidomi which takes on the adding meaning of sharing or imparting what is one's own. Paul used this in Romans 1:11 when he said he would give and impart some spiritual gift to them. All believers are expected to give as they have been given, but some people, and it doesn't matter their economic status (it could be they are rich or poor) have the extra attitude in their heart to freely given what is theirs. There is never an ulterior motive when these people give.
Leads - proistemi or before, over a place, stand. This is one who is standing over or before. This is to preside over people or direct, conduct, govern, superintend. So, this is a separate gift to being a teacher and a separate gift as the teacher is focused on educated the hearer in order to bring to understanding. To lead is to take over the direction of people. It is to be a protector or guardian and to give aid, assist, to care for or to be active in helping. It is an administrator. It is the gift of standing before a group of people and saying, "This is what we are going to do." And this gift is carried out with diligence or spoude which is eagerness, earnestness, willingness, or zeal. It is the attitude of doing something hurriedly and with intensity.
Mercy - eleeo or to show mercy, compassion, or help. This is not simply to express a feeling for the misfortunes of others, but it is more active to remove those miseries. This person has the resources and the action of helping to remove or lessen a person's afflictions. This person knows the right attitude. We are each called to be merciful toward others, but some people have a special gift and are not following a command, but their heart. And this gift is carried out with cheerfulness or happiness or gladness. It is coming alongside another person with empathy and a gladness in helping.
So, we are to get to the task and understand our gifts and then work them out in our lives. I think of myself and mercy is something I know I have in part, but I also see myself being a leader and exhorting people or encouraging them to believe. I want to teach, but I am most focused on helping people believe.
Promise: Recognize your gift and work it out, for the glory of God. He has promised to use it. We are valued in Christ.
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Romans 12:3-5 - The Sober Judgment of the Members
Romans 12:3-5 - 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. 4 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
Message: Our response to being transformed: A sound mind
Time: Written in AD 57 from Greece, to the Christians, both Gentile and Jewish in Rome.
What the Lord is Saying:
Don't think more highly of oneself
Because of grace, and because I have a renewed mind, I am to realize that my condition in Christ is not due to my own special doing. Grace is a gift. Ephesians 2:8 says, "it is by grace you have been saved." Now here in Romans 12:3 is a similar message, "for through the grace given to me." Therefore, I need to be very careful not to think of myself, and my position in Christ, as something that I have earned or even deserve. Paul previously spoke out against the Jewish people. Paul spoke against the Jews declaration that it was their heritage or their lineage or their circumcision or their handling of the Scriptures, that then gave them some sort of special exemption before God. That because of these things anything God prescribed they did not necessarily have to adhere to. Yes, they were God's chosen people but this did not mean that they did not have to submit and surrender to Him.
This is a very difficult practice in life. I think it is very difficult for the Christian to see himself as higher than others either in the faith or out of the faith. As Christians, we are called to live in the world and yet not be of the world. The world sees this and sees how we separate ourselves from the world and therefore, they think we are making ourselves out to be better than anything in the world.
I think this is such a hard line to draw. Take the issue of homosexuality. The Christian, evangelical church has clearly put forth that homosexuality is a sin. Much has been made of this because the focus of homosexual activists is to conform people to the view that homosexuality is not only okay, but people are born like this. And therefore, any message that is contrary to this is viewed as narrow. And then when the Christian states disagreement in this, they are said to be judging these people. And there is also the feeling that the Christian sees there way as superior. And then suddenly the Christian looks at themselves as more highly positioned than those that don't agree with their ways.
With the issue of homosexuality there are huge problems on both sides of the fence.
I was speaking to my atheist friend recently and thought that my focus and position before him should be expressed that I don't believe I am any better than him. I need to believe and think that I don't think of myself as being any better than him. Sure, I might think I am better off for eternity, but I can't for a moment let it seep in that I think I am more of a person than he is.
A measure of faith
Now this is interesting because I wonder if we do think that faith is something we bring to the table with God. That I am saved by my faith through the grace of God. And therefore, God is somehow waiting for me to have faith in him. I think that is an application of this verse. God has allotted to each a measure of faith. He provides us with the faith that we need. He allows the temptation, but also provides the way out. He is the hand of providence in our life. In no way does he only have a certain amount of faith and I get one piece, but rather faith is allotted or given to me.
But, also faith has been given, now what will I do with it? And what stands out about me is the influence of faith on my minds. I am so quick to judge myself by the tangible things I have. I often thing, "Wow, I am glad God has placed me here rather than there." Is that because I feel blessed here and I wouldn't feel blessed if he had placed me in a hut in Africa with no running water, toilet, or refrigerator? Therefore, is my faith really in God or is it more in the creature comforts that I find all around me. Do I really have a faith in things?
So faith has been measured to me, but what have I done with it? How is that I really live by faith?
Members of the Body of Christ
Paul takes this message of being no better than anyone else and presents the Body of Christ. And i should see that what he is saying is no one person in the Body is better or more of a significant part than another member. I believe I have sometimes placed certain people like a lead pastor or elder above others in the church, but the body, whether it be a nursery worker, a person maintaining the church, a greeter, a teacher, all carry some level within the Body of Christ. In addition, "we are members one of another" and so there is a connection between all of us and what we are doing in the Body.
Sometimes I think the church really struggles with this as it differentiates between the work of paid staff and non-paid staff. Paid staff becomes the leaders that direct the flock and the non-paid staff become the support. There is just a danger in having ourselves look no different from the world where the ones getting made are making the decisions for the ones not getting paid.
As in many areas of scripture, we need to "be careful." We must be careful in how we apply this scripture, making sure the application is not just a mirror of the application in our worldly professions.
Promise: There are no disctinctions when it comes to our signifcance in the church and before God (Galatians 3:27-29) - Tabletalk, September 10, 2014
Message: Our response to being transformed: A sound mind
Time: Written in AD 57 from Greece, to the Christians, both Gentile and Jewish in Rome.
What the Lord is Saying:
Don't think more highly of oneself
Because of grace, and because I have a renewed mind, I am to realize that my condition in Christ is not due to my own special doing. Grace is a gift. Ephesians 2:8 says, "it is by grace you have been saved." Now here in Romans 12:3 is a similar message, "for through the grace given to me." Therefore, I need to be very careful not to think of myself, and my position in Christ, as something that I have earned or even deserve. Paul previously spoke out against the Jewish people. Paul spoke against the Jews declaration that it was their heritage or their lineage or their circumcision or their handling of the Scriptures, that then gave them some sort of special exemption before God. That because of these things anything God prescribed they did not necessarily have to adhere to. Yes, they were God's chosen people but this did not mean that they did not have to submit and surrender to Him.
This is a very difficult practice in life. I think it is very difficult for the Christian to see himself as higher than others either in the faith or out of the faith. As Christians, we are called to live in the world and yet not be of the world. The world sees this and sees how we separate ourselves from the world and therefore, they think we are making ourselves out to be better than anything in the world.
I think this is such a hard line to draw. Take the issue of homosexuality. The Christian, evangelical church has clearly put forth that homosexuality is a sin. Much has been made of this because the focus of homosexual activists is to conform people to the view that homosexuality is not only okay, but people are born like this. And therefore, any message that is contrary to this is viewed as narrow. And then when the Christian states disagreement in this, they are said to be judging these people. And there is also the feeling that the Christian sees there way as superior. And then suddenly the Christian looks at themselves as more highly positioned than those that don't agree with their ways.
With the issue of homosexuality there are huge problems on both sides of the fence.
I was speaking to my atheist friend recently and thought that my focus and position before him should be expressed that I don't believe I am any better than him. I need to believe and think that I don't think of myself as being any better than him. Sure, I might think I am better off for eternity, but I can't for a moment let it seep in that I think I am more of a person than he is.
A measure of faith
Now this is interesting because I wonder if we do think that faith is something we bring to the table with God. That I am saved by my faith through the grace of God. And therefore, God is somehow waiting for me to have faith in him. I think that is an application of this verse. God has allotted to each a measure of faith. He provides us with the faith that we need. He allows the temptation, but also provides the way out. He is the hand of providence in our life. In no way does he only have a certain amount of faith and I get one piece, but rather faith is allotted or given to me.
But, also faith has been given, now what will I do with it? And what stands out about me is the influence of faith on my minds. I am so quick to judge myself by the tangible things I have. I often thing, "Wow, I am glad God has placed me here rather than there." Is that because I feel blessed here and I wouldn't feel blessed if he had placed me in a hut in Africa with no running water, toilet, or refrigerator? Therefore, is my faith really in God or is it more in the creature comforts that I find all around me. Do I really have a faith in things?
So faith has been measured to me, but what have I done with it? How is that I really live by faith?
Members of the Body of Christ
Paul takes this message of being no better than anyone else and presents the Body of Christ. And i should see that what he is saying is no one person in the Body is better or more of a significant part than another member. I believe I have sometimes placed certain people like a lead pastor or elder above others in the church, but the body, whether it be a nursery worker, a person maintaining the church, a greeter, a teacher, all carry some level within the Body of Christ. In addition, "we are members one of another" and so there is a connection between all of us and what we are doing in the Body.
Sometimes I think the church really struggles with this as it differentiates between the work of paid staff and non-paid staff. Paid staff becomes the leaders that direct the flock and the non-paid staff become the support. There is just a danger in having ourselves look no different from the world where the ones getting made are making the decisions for the ones not getting paid.
As in many areas of scripture, we need to "be careful." We must be careful in how we apply this scripture, making sure the application is not just a mirror of the application in our worldly professions.
Promise: There are no disctinctions when it comes to our signifcance in the church and before God (Galatians 3:27-29) - Tabletalk, September 10, 2014
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