Category Romans

Justified Freely by His Grace

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“Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.“

Romans 3:19-20

We are all sinners before God. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). We are all, both Jews and Greeks, charged “under sin.” “As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom. 3:9-10). None of us can receive the gift of righteousness by the works of the law. We are all guilty before God. Since we have all sinned against God, we all therefore deserve death (Rom. 6:23a). We all are deserving of God’s wrath and judgment.

But, the good news now is that “the righteousness of God apart from the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference” (Rom. 3:21-22).

You cannot save yourself by your own good works, by “doing right.” For all the good that we think we do, that we do in our own flesh is considered “filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6). But, the good news is that “God [the Father] spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all” (Rom. 8:32). God’s wrath/judgment fell upon Christ Himself. It wasn’t because He knew any sin. For the Lord was and is perfect and sinless. But, he was “made to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). The Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross for all of our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day, so that you and I could have eternal life with God in Heaven! The way to receive this free gift of eternal life, the righteousness of God, is by faith. Titus 3:5 tells us that it is “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but by his mercy he saved us.” When we believe the gospel (Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection), God the Father then justifies or declares us righteous. He counts our faith as righteousness (Rom. 4:5). It is not that we become righteous in and of ourselves. But, instead we are made the righteousness of God in Christ! It is Christ who is our righteousness! We have been delivered from the law (Rom. 7:6) and are now joined to Him, to His own Body. We can now stand before God, because we are in Him. God looks at us and sees His Son.

“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:“

Romans 3:24

Every person that believes in Christ and His finished work on the cross is “justified freely by His grace.” The word “freely” means “without a cause.” There is nothing inside us that would cause us to be justified by our own good works. Rather, we are justified freely by His grace. It is entirely a free gift that God offers to all, but only those who believe will be justified. And all of this is “through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” It was made possible through his death and resurrection!

I thought I would end with a couple of excerpts from William R. Newell’s commentary on Romans, concerning chapter three. 

“Therefore, on seeing your failures, you should say, I am nothing but a failure; but God is dealing with me on another principle altogether than my works, good or bad,-a principle not involving my works, but based only on the work of Christ for me…Yet none of these things justifies me! I had justification from God as a sinner, not as a saint! My saintliness does not increase it, nor, praise God, do my failures decrease it!“1

William R. Newell

The things that we do in our own flesh, whether good or bad, does not justify us before God. While we were still sinners, we simply believed and therefore, received justification from God. In Romans 5:6 it says “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” And Romans 5:8 says that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Our justification is entirely based on the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. This is true of every believer. Nothing can separate us from the love of God and the love of Christ (Rom. 8:35-39). We stand before God as righteous, not in ourselves, but in the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior!

If you are an unbeliever and are reading this, I beg you that you would believe. Simply believe that Christ died on the cross for your sins, buried your sins away forever, and rose again the third day, so that you will have eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord! He satisfied God the Father’s wrath/judgment against sin by shedding His own blood on your behalf, so that you might be made the righteousness of God in Him!

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:“

1 Corinthians 15:1-4

Believe and you will be saved! You will be declared righteous in Christ! This is the best gift that you will ever receive!

Notes

  1. William R. Newell, “Romans: Verse by Verse,” (Chicago: Chicago Moody Press, 1938), 129.

All Lives Matter – Christ Died For All

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Galatians 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

We are living in a world that is evil. This world or age in which we live is called in Scripture “this present evil world.” There are good people and there are bad people. There are good cops and there are bad cops. There is good and there is evil. But, even those who are considered good from man’s perspective those same people are still not perfect. We are all human beings. From God’s perspective, we are all sinners.

Romans 3:9-10 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

The Jews who had the law (Rom. 3:2), who were God’s chosen nation, proved by their own works that they could not keep the law, and therefore their circumcision became uncircumcision (Rom. 2:25). They as a whole became unprofitable. The Gentiles (everybody else) who didn’t have the law and yet still “by nature do the things in the law (Rom. 2:14),” are guilty of breaking the law just as much as the Jews. So, we conclude as does the Apostle Paul in Romans 3:10 that “there is none righteous, no, not one.”

Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

The law wasn’t given to make us holy, but instead it was given to prove to us that we are all sinners. “For we have all sinned, and come short [continue to come short] of the glory of God (3:23).” It was given so that “every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God (3:19).”

What do we all deserve because of our sin? The answer is death.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (the 2nd half is, of course, the good news for those who will believe)

So, how many lives are in danger during this time in which we live? Is it just black lives? No. Is it just white lives? No. Every single person, no matter the color of their skin, is in danger of spending eternity in the Lake of Fire separated from God. The devil wants to cause division amongst us so that we forget who our true enemy is. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Eph. 6:12).” The devil, Satan, is our enemy.

But, the good news is that God does care for us! God loves all of us (John 3:16). He doesn’t see Jew or Gentile, bond or free, male or female (Gal. 3:28). And He also doesn’t see black or white either. We are all sinners, who deserve death, but by God’s grace He has provided a way out. God wants everybody to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4) (but sadly, not everyone will be). He has promised eternal life to all those who will believe on Him! If you believe that Christ died on the cross for you sins, was buried, and rose again the third day, then eternal life is given to you! Eternity in Heaven with the Lord is what we can look forward to if we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior!

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

The Lord Jesus Christ, died on the cross for all of our sins, while we were still enemies of God. 2 Corinthians 5:19 tells us that “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing (counting) their trespasses (sins) to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” Our ministry of reconciliation today concerns the entire world, not just a part of it. Christ died for all, so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (in Christ) (2 Cor. 5:20).

Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it (the gospel) is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein (in the gospel) is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

We are all the children of Adam the moment we are born into this world. In Romans 5:17, it reads that “by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)” The moment we believe in what Christ did for us on the cross, we are taken out of Adam and placed into Christ Himself and receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness. This gift is offered to everyone, not just a few. But, you have to make the choice whether you believe it or not. Do you believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on the cross and shed His own blood to pay the penalty for your sin, buried those sins away forever (completely forgiven), and has risen again the third day so that you can have eternal life in Him?

Your works will not save you. Christ’s work on the cross is what saves us. We are “justified freely by His grace (Rom. 3:24),” and “justified by His blood (Rom. 5:9).” But, you need to have faith in His work. God’s work is finished. Will you take God at His Word and believe?

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Romans 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

If you are reading this, and are not saved, I hope that you will come to believe this gospel (1 Cor. 15:1-4). For God loves you so much that He sent His only begotten Son to die in your place, so that you might be made the righteousness of God in Him! God wants you to be a member of His (Christ’s) Body. And for those who have already believed, please continue to share the gospel with your friends and family, so that they can believe and enjoy what we have in Christ Jesus!

Preach the Cross!

The Gospel

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1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Here it is! The Gospel (good news). As plainly as one could state it, “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that he was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” If we believe this gospel true, then we are given eternal life. But, sadly, many do not believe this. And it is our job as ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor. 5:20) to preach the gospel (1 Cor. 1:18). It is the responsibility of each individual person to make the choice whether they will believe it or not. Faith is the only requirement to receive salvation and the gift of righteousness.

Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 

Romans 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Romans 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Romans 4:3-5 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Romans chapter 4 continues in verse 13 to say that the promise that was made with Abraham was not to him or his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith (Gal. 3:18). Later in Romans (Romans 9 and 10), Paul explains how Israel was not able to attain righteousness. It was because they sought for it by the works of the law and not by faith. They tried to establish their own righteousness, instead of submitting to the righteousness of God (10:3).

Romans 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all.

Before salvation, we are included with the rest of the world as being identified with Adam (the first man or the first Adam mentioned in chapter 5 of Romans and 1 Cor. 15). Since Adam’s fall, the whole human race is born with the old nature, which is sinful. Only sin can be produced through this old nature. We learn in Romans 5 that many died, death reigns, and therefore the sinner deserves judgment and condemnation. But, as we believe the gospel we are then placed into Christ Jesus Himself. And the results of being identified with Christ is eternal life and righteousness. We are made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21) the moment we believe that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day!

First Adam (Adam)Last Adam (Christ)
By Adam’s sin, many died (Rom. 5:15)By the grace of Christ, the grace of God and the gift abounded to many (Rom. 5:15)
judgment resulting in condemnation (Rom. 5:16)But, the free gift results in justification (5:16)
death reigned (5:17; 6:23)those who receive abundance of grace and gift of righteousness will reign in life through Jesus Christ (5:17)
judgment resulting in condemnation (5:18)free gift resulting in justification of life (5:18)
made sinners (5:19)made righteous (5:19)

Romans 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Our old man is now crucified with him, so that we can now serve Him instead of sin. The death that Christ died, He died once for all, but the life that He lives, He lives unto God (God the Father). Likewise, we too are to reckon or count ourselves dead to sin or dead to that old man/nature, and instead count ourselves as alive unto God. (Rom. 6:10,11). So, we now have a new nature. We are now alive unto God. We are placed into Christ Himself. We are members of His Body (1 Cor. 12:12-13, 27; Eph. 2:16).

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

All of this happens (justification, etc.) to the one who simply has faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross. The person who believes that He died for their sins, took those sins away by the sacrifice of Himself, and rose again is made righteous in God’s sight.

Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Philippians 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Salvation is not obtained by our own good works, but instead it is obtained by simply believing that Christ did all of the work necessary to pay for our sins. We are then found in Him, not having our own righteousness, but instead it is through the faith of Christ (through His work on the cross). That is the righteousness which is of God. And we obtain it simply, by faith. That is, by faith alone!

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved (Acts 16:31).”

Romans – Practical Living

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In chapter 12, we read that we are to present our bodies as “living sacrifices, holy, and acceptable to God (Rom. 12:1).” It is our reasonable service to serve the One who saved us. We do this by being transformed by the renewing of our mind (Rom. 12:2).

We also learned that we each have different offices or functions within the Body of Christ and that we are to use those gifts given to us to help edify the Body. We are to love another with brotherly love, rejoice in hope, bless those that persecute us and curse not, and other things as well (Rom. 12:9-16).

The Apostle Paul will continue on with the rest of Romans with our Christian walk in mind. He will discuss how we are to conduct ourselves with human government, and how we are to conduct ourselves with other members of the Body of Christ.

The Christian and Human Government

Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

As a Christian, we are still subject to the laws of the government in which we happen to live under. If we resist their authority, then we are actually resisting the ordinance of God, and therefore will bring judgment upon ourselves (Rom. 13:2). They are God’s minister to us for good. Their two primary responsibilities are to punish the evildoers and to reward those who do good (Rom. 13:3,4). It is our responsibility to obey the government, even if we don’t happen to like their decisions. There is one exception to this, and that is if the government tells you to do something that would be going against what God has told us to do in His Word, then we are to obey God rather than men.

Acts 5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. (Acts 4:19,20; 23:5)

Since we are under certain governing authorities and are subject to them, we are instructed to pay taxes. We are to render “taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, and honor to whom honor (Rom. 13:6,7).”

Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

Paul is now transitioning from our responsibility to the government to our responsibility to our neighbor (both saved and unsaved). The only thing we should owe anyone is love. We can still get loans from the bank for business or personal reasons. However, when the time comes to pay your bills, then you need to pay them. It’s the same with taxes. But, the one debt that should go unpaid is love for one another.

The one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. All of the commandments can be summed up into two commandments.

Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Paul focuses here in Romans 13 on the second greatest commandment, because here he is dealing with our relationship with fellow man. Our relationship with God isn’t based on how much we love Him, but instead based on how much He loved us. For He loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son (John 3:16). The Lord Jesus Christ came and died for all of our sins upon the cross. All we have to do is believe in His finished work. As we believe on Him, we are found not in ourselves having our own righteousness, but instead we are found in Him having the righteousness which is by the faith of Christ (Phil. 3:9). We are justified by faith apart from the law (Rom. 3:28).

The person who loves another fulfills the law, because as verse 10 says “love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” If you love another person, you won’t intentionally do harm to that person like stealing from them or committing adultery against them.

Paul then goes on to tell us that we should put off the works of darkness, and instead put on the armor of light. As believers, we are sons of the light and of the day. We are not of the night nor are we of the darkness. (1 Thess. 5:5) We are to walk properly by putting on the armor of light or as verse 14 says by putting “on the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Romans 13:12-14 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

The Christian and fellow believers

How does this affect our relationship with other members of the Body? As we put on the Lord Jesus Christ and love one another as we love ourselves, we are instructed to receive those who are weak in the faith (Rom. 14:1). Since you would not intentionally do harm to yourself, then you shouldn’t do any harm to another believer either, because they are of the same Body (the Body of Christ) as you. If you do harm another believer, then you would just be hurting yourself as well. For when one member rejoices, we rejoice with them and when one member suffers, we then all suffer with them (1 Cor. 12:26). Instead, we are to receive those weak in the faith, and we are to edify (or build up) one another.

  • One member believes he can eat all things and the weaker brother eats only vegetables (Rom. 14:2).
  • One esteems one day above another and the other esteems everyday alike (Rom. 14:5).
  • He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord. And He who doesn’t observe it, doesn’t observe it to the Lord (Rom. 14:6).

The stronger brother is to help edify the weaker brother. They are not to cause that brother to stumble or fall (Rom. 14:13). As the stronger brother in Christ, we are also to bear the infirmities of the weak, not to please ourselves (Rom. 15:1).

Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Romans 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

Romans 15:1-3 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

So, just as Christ bore the reproaches of them that reproached you, you are to bear the infirmities of the weaker brother. Both of you are in Christ! Both of you are made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21)! So help each other and love one another. For we are members of the same Body, one Body, which Christ is the Head.

Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Romans 12

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Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

As believers in Christ Jesus, we are now separated from the world unto God. We are now to live our lives unto the one who created us. Ephesians 2:10 tells us that after we’re saved, “we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” The Apostle Paul addresses how each member of the Body should conduct themselves in their daily walk with the Lord.

Paul is beseeching us or calling us to come alongside him and with other members of the Body “by the mercies of God” to present our bodies as living sacrifices unto God. Why is he calling us to do this? It is because it is our reasonable (or logical) service to God.

God has done so much for us that it is only logical that we would want to serve Him. What has God done for us?

  • He has revealed His righteousness to us apart from the law, so that all those who simply believe in His Son’s finished work on the cross can receive justification unto eternal life (Rom. 3:21-28; 4:5)
  • Since we have been justified by faith, we now also have peace with God through Christ (Rom. 5:1)
  • We now have “access by faith into this grace in which we stand (Rom. 5:2).”
  • As believers, we are baptized into Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. This is done by the Holy Spirit. (Rom. 6:1-5; Col. 2:11,12)
  • We are no longer under the law, but under grace (Rom. 6:14)
  • There is no condemnation to those who are in Him (Rom. 8:1, 35-39)
  • God has concluded us all in unbelief, both Jew and Gentile, that He might have mercy upon us all (Rom. 11:32)
  • this list could go on forever…

For all that God has done for us, it is only reasonable or logical that we should now serve Him. We are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable (or well-pleasing) to Him.

Romans 6:10-11 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

How do we do present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy, and acceptable to God? By being “transformed by the renewing of your mind (12:2).”

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

God’s will is good, acceptable, and perfect. On the other hand, the world and how it operates is the exact opposite. The world is bad, not well-pleasing to God, and not perfect. The world wants us to follow and be like them. The world wants us to “tolerate” everybody else, but they won’t tolerate us and the one true God. They think that they are good. They think that man can earn salvation through their own works, and bring peace to the earth through their own efforts. Only the Prince of Peace can bring true peace to the earth, and He will someday.

We are not to be conformed, but transformed. How? By the renewing of our mind. We do that by studying the Word of God, rightly divided (2 Tim. 2:15). We are told to put on the new man. Colossians 3:10 says that we have already put on the new man. The difference is between positional and practical sanctification. Positionally, we are already seated in Christ in the heavenlies. Practically, we are instructed to apply what we have in Christ by faith as we walk in the Lord in our daily lives.

Ephesians 4:22-24 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

We are to put off our old man, or old nature, or old Adam and put on the new man. As members of the new man (Body of Christ), we are created in righteousness and true holiness. Therefore, we should conduct ourselves accordingly.

Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation [calling] wherewith ye are called.

When we walk worthy of that calling, put on the new man, renew our minds by studying God’s Word, and “walk by faith, not by sight,” verse two of Romans 12 says that we prove what is that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God. We are proving that God’s way, His will, is the right way! When we actually do the things which God created us to do (12:3-15) and we present our lives as living sacrifices to Him, the result is an edified Body. As we serve Christ as His ambassadors (2 Cor. 5:20), setting ourselves apart from the world, our own personal testimony can be used of God to bring the message of salvation to lost sinners, so that they too can believe the gospel and partake of the same Body. It also helps with the edification of existing members to help them grow and mature in Christ.

We are all members of one Body (12:4,5), but have a different function within that Body. Some are given the gift of prophecy (can be foretelling which is predicting the future, but can also be forthtelling which is simply proclaiming something (no one today can predict the future, because the Word of God is complete now (Col. 1:25)), some the gift of ministry, the gift of teaching, the gift of exhortation, the gift of giving, the gift of leadership, and some are given the gift of mercy. We are to each use our gifts to help other members in the Body. We are to edify one another.

  • Our love for one another should be without dissimulation or hypocrisy (12:9)
  • We should be kindly affectionate to each other with brotherly love (12:10)
  • Not slothful in business or lagging in diligence (12:11). This is especially applicable to teachers of God’s Word.
  • We should rejoice in hope, patient in tribulation, be instant in prayer (12:12)
  • We should distribute to the needs of others and given to hospitality
  • And Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them. God will repay for any wrongdoing done to you (12:17-21).

So, in conclusion, we may live in this world, but we are not of this world (John 8:23). Therefore, present your own body as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable unto God so that He can use you to edify the church, which is His Body (Eph. 1:22,23) and use you to preach the cross to those who still have not yet believed.

2 Corinthians 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.