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God’s Grace Leads to Active Participation

Last week we talked about the frist two verses of Romans 12. We talked about how Paul was reminding the first century chruch in Rome about the gift of salvation, as pointed to by his satement “by the mercies of God,” in Romans 12:1. We also talked about the conjunctive phrase, “I appeal (urge, beseech, or beg) you therefore,” as pointing to chapter 11, but this conjunctive phrase is much broader, it points to the entirety of Paul’s teaching in Romans up to this point.

We also talked about how Chapter 11, for the most part, concludes Paul’s building his most complete theology, now chapter 12 and forward he begins to teach how to put feet to theology, rubber to the road, and practical application to his foundational teachings.

I was reading an Adrian Rogers sermon this week and he asked a unique question...”Can you do what you can do?” He said this point to Mary Magnalene’s actions of anointing the feet of Jesus, anointing Him with the ointment in the alabaster box, while some of Jesus’ followers criticized her, Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She has done what she could.” So the question is, “Can you do what you can do?” Lets restate that, “Have you done what you can do?”

Salvation is a free gift from God that is offered through the actions of Christ on Calvary’s cross and not based on our being good enough, holy enough, or righteouness enough by our own efforts (Isaiah 64:6). Salvation is God’s free gift. After the moment of justification after salvation, the new follower (Christian) is to then activly participate in the Gospel ministry, in some form or fashion. Have you ever read through the Bible and pulled out the action words, God calls us to action, He doesn’t call us to sit and simmer. We are not to be passive participants, but rather active participants, just as Christ commissioned us to be in His “Great Commission.”