Living Sacrifice Lived Out
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Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. 3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
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Last week we spent a lot of time hitting verses 1 and 2; we are not trying to cover the same ground; However there is a turning point in the letter to the Romans. It begins here in Romans 12:1. Paul has laid many foundational truths up to this point. The just shall live by faith, the object of your faith must ever be Jesus Christ and Him crucified, men are justified exclusively by faith in Jesus Christ, it is faith in Jesus Christ and not of works, One Man’s obedience is the source of all righteousness, one dies to sin when they come to Jesus, one must reckon himself dead to sin and alive unto God, true believers are slaves of righteousness, we are not under law but have been married to Jesus, there is a no condemnation, if God be for us no one can be against us, and many more lessons that teach us to rely upon the finished work of Christ. Romans 12 turning point begins to bring practical applications of truths we have learned.
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We have been called to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. Now we see Paul turning his attention to our calling. Because we have this free gift of righteousness we have been empowered to live for God. God’s divine influence causes us to look at things differently. Grace causes us to walk soberly with the measure of faith God has given to us. If you have grace to such a great degree that it causes you to walk with a high opinion of yourself; be careful you are on slippery ground. True grace causes us to lose the “me” mentality. If you are that living sacrifice you are ready to minister and care for the members of the body.
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Romans 12:4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
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We are one body! The head of this body is Jesus Christ Himself! Grace has been given so that we can function in the purpose God has set for us. An individual or group who isolate themselves has forgotten the head of the body is Christ.
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Proverbs 18:1 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment.
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They may think they have some special understanding that the whole body of Christ needs, yet they find it necessary to separate themselves. This one is thinking more highly of themselves than they should. The fact that one is completely isolated is a sign that one is endanger of being disconnected from the head.
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Colossians 2:18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.
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If someone is teaching Jesus Christ is not the exclusive source of righteousness and victory over sin has not been completely accomplished at the cross, they are not holding fast to the Head Jesus Christ. There is one body and Jesus Christ is the head! Staying connected to the head is all important. Being connected gives room for service to the body.
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Romans 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
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When we are walking in grace we need to open our hearts to minister the grace given to us. If it is prophecy do it! If it is ministry do it! If it is teaching do it. Whatever the gift exhortation, giving, leading, or being merciful do it with the faith God has given. When one has truly comes to grace there is a care for the body of Christ that brings them into service.
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Romans 12:9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.
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Here is more practical application of coming to Jesus through grace. One does not have to have a pretense of love. Let love be genuine! The command is so clear abhor what is evil! Some believers get caught up in a snare of sin simply because they don’t agree with God. If God calls it evil abhor it! If God calls it good cling to it. Abhor is a strong word. It is my prayer that the saints of God will hate and abhor the evil and cling to the good.
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Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;
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This all flows from the grace that has been given. Grace brings you to practically care for the brethren preferring one another.
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Romans 12:11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
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Grace is so empowering it brings diligence and passion in serving the Lord. In grace presenting your body a living sacrifice becomes a desire and privilege because God’s mercy is in view. In religious practice it is drudgery and an inability to perform properly to obtain the favor of God. The difference is from the source of the connection. Are we connected to the Head Jesus Christ or has it become a list of do’s and don’t with the connection of performing under law? If you are connected to Jesus Christ you have the victory.
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1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world; our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
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Romans 12:12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
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Grace empowers us to serve in the kingdom of God . Steadfast in prayer, giving, hoping, blessing, rejoicing, caring. Being the living sacrifice is fulfilling; being the living sacrifice will cause you to complete the purpose and destiny God has called you to.
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Romans 12:17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. 20 Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head."
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True grace teaches us to live Godly in Christ Jesus. We learn to live in the new creation God has created us to be. If we have truly grown in grace we give grace in the same strength we received it. Love when men hate; do good when other men have done evil. One knows they have been matured in the grace of God when they find their self doing good to those who have done them evil.
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Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
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When you are connected to the head you allow grace to teach you to deny and hate the evil and love and cling to the good. If you are connected your expectation is in Jesus Christ our Lord. True grace has you looking and longing for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Any doctrine that does not have you looking for the great appearing of Jesus is a false doctrine not founded in the grace that Jesus brought.
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2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. 16 Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
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True grace teaches us to live as that newly created being. Salvation brings us to living for the one who died and rose again. Renewing our soul with God’s truth allows us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. If we have come to the righteousness of God by faith in Jesus Christ, His love compels us to walk as a living sacrifice!
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