Practical Christlike Living

Romans 12:9-21

Huxley, the great English novelist, made an interesting statement one time.  He said, "It doesn't take much of a man to be a Christian.  It just takes all of him.”  And Henry Drummond, who was a very dear friend of D.L. Moody, put it like this, in one of his messages he said, "Ladies and gentlemen, the entrance fee to God's kingdom is nothing, but the annual dues are everything."

“Living Sacrifice”

Living out the sacrifice!

Christian living is following God, in Christ.....This is what makes us strangers in this present world!

The way of Jesus Christ is completely opposite of the way of the flesh. the way of the flesh is self-absorbed and completely covered in self-love.

The way of Christ is a “Living Sacrifice”!

When Jesus said, "You come on through a narrow gate and you walk a narrow way," that's precisely what He meant.  Christian living is very defined.

This next part of this chapter speaks of “practical” Christian living! A life set apart for Christ and the Father!

I read after a preacher that said this list is not negotiable! Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Paul has written to the Roman church about the realities of Who God is and Who we are to God (sinners) and what God has done to bring remedy to our cursed lives (Jesus).....This section of Romans is based on the previous knowledge, how we live out our faith!

Vs. 9........Has 3 to start.....

Let your love be without hypocrisy or let it be genuine!

I have Bro James written by this verse.......

Next week we might get to Romans 13:8 “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”

Love is the supreme theme/ heart of God......The Gospel is based on love....God is love!

The first fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5 is love!

Peter and Paul speaks on unfeigned love......it is not forced or pretend......love that is sincere and true.

What would be worse than hate? Pretending to love someone or being forced to love without any genuine compassion!

Christians will demonstrate the genuineness of their Christianity to the world by the genuineness of their love.  Is that not true?  "By this shall all men know that you are My disciples," Jesus said in John 13, “if you have love one for another."

This is a story I read from a preacher: “I'll never forget a woman coming to this church.  She went to the synagogue down the street to be counseled, and they wouldn't counsel her in her marital problem because she hadn't paid her dues and so she was upset.  This is some years back, and she came down the street to the nearest religious building to get some help, and we were the nearest one.  That was before the Buddhist people had parked down on the corner And so she came this way and wandered in. It was Sunday, and she was coming along the sidewalk.  I truly don't know whether she wanted to come in or not, but by the time she knew where she was, she was in a group, found herself in the place.  She came to Christ.  She may be here tonight.  She came to Christ, and later on, she told me her testimony.  She said, "I was so upset that they wouldn't counsel me.  I just came in here.”  She said, "I'm telling you, it changed my life."  I said, "Well, did you enjoy that service that day?"  And I said – she said, "I don't even know what you said.  I wouldn't even have known you were there.  I was overwhelmed by the love of these people for each other.  It was so foreign to anything I'd ever experienced, and it was that that drew me to my Messiah."”

Abhor that which is evil......Loathe....one interpretation has it as “Cast away or defy”

Psalm 101:3 “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.”

Hebrews 1:9 “Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.”

Psalm 97:10 “Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: He preserveth the souls of his saints; He delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.”

And so God is a God of total and absolute and utter purity and sinlessness.  Consequently, He cannot look on evil, cannot tolerate evil, and one who truly knows the love of God and loves God in return would have to hate evil. 

And I want you to note that it says there, because of the use of the imperative in the present tense, "Be continuously or be constantly hating that which is evil."  Be constantly hating that which is evil.  It's a very strong term.

Proverbs 8:13 “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, And the froward mouth, do I hate.”

Cleave to what is good....... “Stick”........ “Cling”

Psalm 1:1–3 “Blessed is the man That walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; And in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That bringeth forth his fruit in his season; His leaf also shall not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

What is good? Everything about God....Truly Jesus said that there is none good but God!

So, good is God’s way!

Vs. 10.......Kindly affectionate, with brotherly love, in honor preferring on another.....

Be devoted to people with sincere brotherly love......fellow believer....

That love is “Philadelphia”

It is a “family” word.

We are members of “one” family born out of the greatest love of all!

Romans 5:5 “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

Loving with a tender gracious affection!

Preferring one another.......Philippians 2:3–5 “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:”

Quick to give honor, quick to give reward, quick to give respect, quick to give love, quick to meet a need.  That is the truest test of humility that I know about. 

Some people,, on the other hand, when someone else is honored get very angry and jealous, right?  And envious. 

Just the opposite should mark a believer.  We prefer others, and we lead the parade in bringing honor to others in meeting the needs of others. 

Vs. 11.......Not slothful in business.....but fervent in spirit....serving the Lord....

“Business” is not the best translation. “do not be slothful in your zeal”

Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 9:10 “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.”

Isaiah 56:10 “His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, They are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; Sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.”

But be fervent.......Now, this is very good because you cannot be lazy, but you can have a rotten attitude about it.  You can say, "Well, I'm going to do it because it has to be done, but I certainly don't like it.  I'd like to get out of this whole thing."  No.  This is — I like this.  The word "Fervent" means to boil with heat, boiling.  And the spirit is the human spirit, your own inner man.  And what it says is "Be a boiling point believer."  I mean, just be boiling all the time, raring to go, anything but lukewarm or cold. 

The Christian life ought to be filled with enthusiasm, with zeal, with excitement, with joy, with total effort..

Acts 18:24–25 “And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.”

As we serve the Lord.......Serving the Lord........When Paul started this book he wrote:

Romans 1:8–9 “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;”

Verse 12.......Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, and continuing instant in prayer.....

Rejoicing in hope…the latter part of 1 Corinthians 15 speaks of the corruptible putting on incorruption, the mortal putting on immortality.......the death not having any sting and therefore the grave not having victory.....

1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

Your Labor is not in vain!!!!! Hope to hear “well done thy good and faithful servant......!”

Patient in the tribulation.....Patient does not mean a passive attitude but a steadfast endurance!

Tribulation, affliction, deep serious trouble....

Standing fast in our Christian living and serving the Lord in these afflictions!

Continuing instant in prayer.......diligently/persistently in prayer!!!

A preacher broke out in this statement during a sermon: “I believe one of the reasons the Lord keeps the pressure on is to keep us in communion with him.  Do you believe that?  If you don't spend time communing with the Lord, it may be because you're not under the pressure, and you may not be under the pressure because you're not in the service.  And if you're in the service, maybe you're not doing it with great zeal and a fervent spirit.  I'll promise you this.  If you're in the service of the Lord Jesus Christ, as a bond slave to him, and you're doing it with all your heart, and you're doing it with excitement and enthusiasm, you're going to be in the midst of trouble and in the midst of pressure.  And in the midst of that you can stay under it and rejoice and hope because, you know, what's coming.  And I'll tell you, in the midst of that you're going to spend time bringing those things to the Lord and being sustained by him.  The idea there in the phrase "Diligently in prayer" is to continue steadily or, literally, to continue instantly, constantly in prayer.  Life becomes sort of an open communion with God.  It's just open all the time.”

Vs. 13.......Meeting the needs of the saints and pursue care to strangers........

Galatians 6:10 “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”

Hebrews 13:2 “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”

Vs. 14.......Paul repeats bless here.....when you are persecuted it is probably good to repeat to bless them which persecute you....do not curse

This is not just curse words......it is to speak negatively or destructively, but bless them offer good!

This will be repeated toward the end.

Jesus says in Matthew 5:44 “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”

Vs. 15......This is a powerful verse for us in the family of Christ....

Be genuinely joyful with those who have a reason to rejoice.

Weep with those that are sorrowful.....

1 Corinthians 12:26 “And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.”

Vs. 16......Paul is advocating for genuine unity, but this has a meaning of “Having the same concern for everyone.”

Do not treat one different than another.......regardless of their situations.

Be willing to associate with people of low position, just as you would those who are better off.

Luke 14:12–13 “Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:”

Vs. 17.....Do not pay back......live out the Christian character for all men to see.

1 Peter 3:16 “Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.”

Vs. 18......realizing the difficulty in this action, Paul states that as much that is within you, live peaceably among men!

Colossians 3:14–15 “And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.”

Vs. 19.......Do not seek revenge!

Deuteronomy 32:35 “To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; Their foot shall slide in due time: For the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things that shall come upon them make haste.”

Give place unto wrath.....meaning let the Lord’s wrath do the recompensing!

Vs. 20.....Feed your enemy......

Instead of seeking revenge, bless your enemy!

Don’t fix them your worst but feed them your best!

Heap coals of fire......there’s an old Egyptian ritual that was known in the old world.  When a man in the Egyptian culture wanted to demonstrate his public shame, his public guilt, when he wanted to show his spirit of repentance, he would carry on his head a pan of burning coals, which were supposed to represent the burning pain of shame, the burning pain of guilt.

Vs. 21......Overcome evil with good!

Overcome is the from the Greek word “Nikao”........ “Nike” meaning to triumph or to prevail!

1 Peter 3:9 “Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.”

Good, God’s way is the way to victory! Jesus Christ!