Bible League: Living His Word Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.In Romans 12:1 the Apostle Paul beseeches the members of the church at Rome to present their bodies as a "living sacrifice." A living sacrifice is a life lived in surrender to the will of Jesus Christ, rather than a life lived for its own sake. Most of the rest of the book of Romans gives us some idea of what it means to be a living sacrifice. Our verse for today, for example, gives us three items that should be part and parcel of the sacrificial life of a Christian. First, our sacrificial life should be a life of love without hypocrisy. Hypocritical love is love that is two-faced. On the one hand, there is the feigning to be what one is not – a false impression of love given to another person. On the other hand, however, there is the real motivation of the heart – a hatred and contempt for the other person. Paul's teaching is that our love should not be like that. It should be sincere, not fake. The sacrificial life of love surrenders its masks. Second, our sacrificial life should be a life that abhors evil. Perhaps this seems to some as an "It goes without saying" proposition. Of course the true Christian should abhor evil. However, we live in a world where that which is good is said to be evil and that which is evil is said to be good. It's not always easy to go against the spirit of the times and abhor evil. Our sacrificial life of love, therefore, must conform itself to the word of God and the mind of Christ so that we will have the courage of right conviction to help us obey Paul's command. Finally, our sacrificial life should be a life that clings to what is good. We must not just abhor evil; we must also cling to that which is good. Once we conform ourselves to the word of God and the mind of Christ and come to know the difference between evil and good, we should abhor the former and cling to the latter. The sacrificial life of love is not allowed to be half-hearted in these matters. The sacrificial life is, indeed, sacrificial. We don't get to do what we want, but what Jesus Christ the King wants. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingPsalm 75, 76, 77 Psalm 75 -- We give thanks to you, God. We give thanks, for your Name is near. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 76 -- In Judah, God is known. His name is great in Israel. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 77 -- My cry goes to God! Indeed, I cry to God for help NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Romans 6 Romans 6 -- The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion “Though his ministry follows mine, I'm not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal.”Insight John the Baptist said he was not even worthy to be Christ's slave, to perform the humble task of unfastening his shoes. But according to Luke 7:28, Jesus said that John was the greatest of all prophets. If such a great person felt inadequate even to be Christ's slave, how much more should we lay aside our pride to serve Christ! Challenge When we truly understand who Christ is, our pride and self-importance melt away. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Romans 8:28 We know that all things work together for good to them that love God.Upon some points a believer is absolutely sure. He knows, for instance, that God sits in the stern-sheets of the vessel when it rocks most. He believes that an invisible hand is always on the world's tiller, and that wherever providence may drift, Jehovah steers it. That re-assuring knowledge prepares him for everything. He looks over the raging waters and sees the spirit of Jesus treading the billows, and he hears a voice saying, "It is I, be not afraid." He knows too that God is always wise, and, knowing this, he is confident that there can be no accidents, no mistakes; that nothing can occur which ought not to arise. He can say, "If I should lose all I have, it is better that I should lose than have, if God so wills: the worst calamity is the wisest and the kindest thing that could befall to me if God ordains it." "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God." The Christian does not merely hold this as a theory, but he knows it as a matter of fact. Everything has worked for good as yet; the poisonous drugs mixed in fit proportions have worked the cure; the sharp cuts of the lancet have cleansed out the proud flesh and facilitated the healing. Every event as yet has worked out the most divinely blessed results; and so, believing that God rules all, that he governs wisely, that he brings good out of evil, the believer's heart is assured, and he is enabled calmly to meet each trial as it comes. The believer can in the spirit of true resignation pray, "Send me what thou wilt, my God, so long as it comes from thee; never came there an ill portion from thy table to any of thy children." "Say not my soul, From whence can God relieve my care?' Remember that Omnipotence has servants everywhere. His method is sublime, his heart profoundly kind, God never is before his time, and never is behind." Daily Light on the Daily Path Romans 6:4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.Romans 6:19 I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. Romans 12:1,2 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. • And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Galatians 6:15,16 For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. • And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. Ephesians 4:17 So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, Ephesians 4:20,21,24 But you did not learn Christ in this way, • if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, • and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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