“The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.” (ESV)
When we are on our own, our ideas almost always seem great. We can convince ourselves of anything. This does not, however, mean our ideas are always good. In fact, if we are thinking entirely on our own, the likelihood that we are thinking off track runs pretty high. Read the rest…
“Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.” (ESV)
Paul plays a mean trick on us here. He starts listing off sins that those evil people (whoever they happen to be) commit under the cover of darkness. And right from the start we’re tempted to cheer along with him. Down with those evil people engaging in orgies! Down with those drunks who are wrecking their lives and the lives of their families! Down with those sexually immoral perverts! Read the rest…
One of the things every follower of Jesus wants at some point along the journey is a checklist of things that if we do all of these, we will be on the right track in our Christian walk. Well, here in Romans 12:9-21, Paul offers us about as close to this kind of a list as we will find anywhere in the Scriptures. This isn’t a list that gets a lot of attention, and it certainly isn’t exhaustive, but it does cover an awful lot of ground. So here’s my encouragement: Print this list. Make it a checklist. Read the rest…
“For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.” (ESV)
The church was not designed to be an operation of one. It runs like a human body. There are many different parts that all play an important role in the proper functioning of the body. In order for things to work like they should, every part has to play its part. If you are a part of the body of Christ, you have a role to play. Absent you playing that role, the whole thing will not work like it should.
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (ESV)
While there have been volumes written on these two verses, these are quick takes and so I have two quick thoughts. Read the rest…
