BIBLE STUDY: ROMANS 12:1 STRIVING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS In view of what God has done through Jesus the Anointed One, Paul urged the church in Rome to be different. The same Word still talks to us today urging us also to be of difference. Therefore it is Gods desire that we offer our bodies as living sacrifices. In view of Gods mercy, God has done something marvelous for us. Instead of being charged for our sins, He declared us not guilty. By putting our confidence in Christ to forgive our sins, He declared us not guilty. He justified us. All of us (Christians), by grace we have received something indescribably wonderful from Him -JUSTIFICATION - That if u confess with ur mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, u will be saved. For it is with ur heart that u believe and are JUSTIFIED, and it is with ur mouth that u confess and are saved. (Pls read about JUSTIFICATION - Rom. 10:9-10. /Romans 8:28-30). This indescribably gift, JUSTIFICATION, has been freely bestowed upon us the full status of sons/daughters (Rom. 8:14). WE ARE CALLED SONS & DAUGHTERS Whoa! How wonderful it is to called sons/daughters of the Most High God!!! In other words we have entered into a new relationship with God. Listen saints, in the Roman culture, the adopted person lost all rights in his/her old family and gained all the rights of a legitimate child in his/her new family. He became a full heir to his new fathers estate. Likewise, when a person becomes a Christian, he/she gains all the privileges and responsibilities of a child in Gods family. One of these outstanding privileges is to be led by the Holy Spirit. The Bible says: ... to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because u are sons/daughters, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out ABBA, Father. (Galatians 4:5, 6). Therefore if the Spirit of the Living God is in our hearts, we should be able to produce the fruits of the Spirit, which is - Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control... so those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with all its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:22-24). And since we have been given a new identity, as sons and daughters of the Most High, we must strive for righteousness by being obedient to our heavenly Parent, our Father God Almighty. LIVING SACRIFICES: In the Old Testament, people used to offer animal sacrifices, but now there is no sacrifice greater than self-sacrifice - a living sacrifice. Even so, the most important thing that God wants from His sons and daughters, is obedience from the heart. God wants us to offer ourselves, not animal sacrifices, as living sacrifices. This simply means- Daily laying aside our own desires to follow Him - Putting all our energy and resources at His disposal -trusting Him to guide us The Lord God Almighty has called us into holiness. He want us to be pleasing to Him. He wants us to totally move away from being instruments of wickedness. Remember, our skills, our capabilities and bodies can serve many purposes, good or bad. In sin, all of our bodies are vulnerable. In Christ, every part can be instrument for service. It is the one to whom we offer our service that makes the difference. But Paul is urging us today that ... in view of Gods mercy, to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - ... STRIVING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS The questions are - ■■■Are u pleasing to God? ■■■Are u still serving your old master, which is sin? ■■■Are u really a living sacrifice to God or is just a lip service? ■■■Are there any behavioral changes since becoming a new creation? Its never too late for u to come and ask for forgiveness of sins. He knows your weaknesses. He knows your shortfalls. Come mom, come daddy, come my brother, come my sister and u my child, the Lord is waiting for u. Repent while u r still breathing, before silence took over. Now is the time. What if tomorrow never comes??? Jesus is calling u right now - Come to me, all u who are weary and burdened, and I will give u rest. (Matthew 11:28)
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 00:05:23 +0000
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