DO NOT CONFORM TO THE WORLD

PROCLAMATION

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is, His good, pleasing, and perfect will.”  Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the believers in Rome.  Here Paul encourages the believers to live a different life than the people around them.  He wanted them to live in a manner that was pleasing to God.  He wanted them to refresh their mind with The Word of God.  He ended this chapter by telling them not to repay evil for evil. (Romans 12:17)  Vengeance belongs to The Lord God and He will repay those who have wronged them. (Romans 12:19)  They were to treat their enemies with kindness, and The Lord God would deal with them. (Romans 12:20)

 

APPLICATION

As believers we are to behave and conduct ourselves in a Christ-like manner.  Just as Christ was, we are in this world but not of it. (John 8:23)  We are to act differently from the unsaved people of the world.  We are not to act pious or put on a false perfect face.  We are to let the light of Christ which is within us shine so that the world can see The Christ in us. (Matthew 5:16)  We need to renew our mind daily with The Word of God.  Do not think that you know The Bible so well that you don’t have to reread it.  Humble yourself, (Romans 12:3) the more you read it, the more you will get out of it, especially if you pray first.

 

ALL OF US NEED GOD'S MERCY

PROCLAMATION

“As far as the gospel is concerned … God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable.  Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you.  For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that He may have mercy on them all.”  Romans 11:28-32 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the believers in Rome.  There were and still are those in Israel who reject Jesus, The Christ, but He will not reject His chosen people. (Romans 11:1-6)  Because of their rejection and transgressions, salvation was offered to the Gentiles. (Romans 11:11)  Paul presented the example of a twig, the Gentiles, being grafted onto an olive tree and thriving because of the nourishment from the tree’s root. (Romans 11:17-21)  The Jews are God’s chosen people.  Just because some of them are non-believers and disobedient does not mean that God will turn His back on them. (Romans 11:28-32)  At one time all believers were also disobedient.

 

APPLICATION

We are part of the elect of God.  The grace of God and His calling us out of darkness into His marvelous light are without repentance.  God does not change His mind about us.  He dislikes our sins, but He still loves us.  God made a promise to Abraham (Romans 4:16 and Galatians 3:18) and if we believe in Christ, then we are heirs with Abraham to the promise of God. (Galatians 3:29)  Jesus, The Christ, said that I have sheep which are not of this sheep fold, referring to the Jews, which I will bring in and there will be just one fold. (John 10:16)  He also said I am the vine, and you are the branches. (John 15:5)  A branch cannot survive by itself; it must be connected to the vine and the root. (John 15:4-6)  Just as we were grafted in because of our faith in Him, so may many others, who are now disobedient, be grafted in.  Pray for those who are currently lost.  We who have received mercy should pray for mercy to be extended to others. (Matthew 5:7)

 

 

IF YOU BELIEVE IN CHRIST YOU WILL BE SAVED

PROCLAMATION

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”  Romans 10:9-10 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the believers in Rome.  Here Paul said that the essence of the gospel is that whoever believes in Christ and confesses Him will be saved.  Everyone who truly believes and calls on the name of The Lord will be saved. (Romans 10:13)  Unfortunately, not all who hear will believe. (Romans 10:16)

 

APPLICATION

We are saved by our faith by what we believe and not by what we do. (Ephesians 2:8-9)   Faith comes by first hearing The Word of God and then believing it. (Romans 10:17)  Salvation is not something that we work for or earn.  It is a gift from The Lord God to those who believe.  It is not for those who give Him lip service.  It is only for those who sincerely and truly believe.  God can see our heart and He knows our intentions. (Luke 16:15)

 

 

EACH OF US WAS MADE FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE

 

PROCLAMATION

“Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?”  Romans 9:21 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the believers in Rome.  In this chapter Paul discusses God’s sovereign choice to do as He pleases.  God said to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” (Romans 9:15)  God raised Pharaoh up and hardened his heart for the purpose of displaying His power. (Romans 9:17-18)  Who is the pot to ask the potter, “Why did you make me like this?” (Romans 9:20)  The potter can make the pots for whatever purpose he chooses. (Romans 9:21)  The Lord God is the potter, and we are the clay. (Isaiah 64:8)  As the potter, He has the power over the clay.

 

APPLICATION

The Lord God is our creator and our maker.  It is He who determines the purpose for each of our lives.  Some people come into our lives for a reason, and some for a season.  Some people are a blessing to us, and others are a lesson.  Those who are not believers come into our lives to test us or to bless us.  We all have a purpose for being here, and that purpose is according to God’s plan.  We each have a unique God given purpose for our existence.  Let us choose to be a blessing to those that we encounter.  Let us choose to live our lives so that we give God glory.

ALL THINGS TURN OUT FOR OUR GOOD

PROCLAMATION

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”  Romans 8:28 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the believers in Rome.  In this chapter Paul begins by stating the privilege that believers have in Christ by virtue of their union with Him. (Romans 8:1)  For as many as are led by The Holy Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Romans 8:14)  They are joint heirs with Christ, and if they walk with Him, they will be glorified with Him. (Romans 8:17)  Whatever happens in this life, we know that God works things out for the good of them who love Him and who have been called according to His purpose from darkness into His marvelous light. (Romans 8:28 and 1 Peter 2:9)

 

APPLICATION

We may not see it at the time or right away, but even in or following every storm there is a blessing.  Things which appear to be bad, God will work them out for our benefit.  However, this verse applies only to those believers who truly love The Lord.  Unfortunately, many people claim to love Him.  They say the words but do not live by them and in the end, He will say that He never knew those people. (Matthew 7:23 and 25:41)  Jesus, The Christ, said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)  If you love The Lord, then you will believe in and obey His Holy Word.

 

THE GOOD THAT I WOULD DO I DO NOT DO

PROCLAMATION

“For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do, this I keep doing. … For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.”  Romans 7:19-23 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the believers in Rome.  Paul stated that he was at war with himself, a constant inner struggle between his sinful nature and his knowledge of The Word of God.  (Romans 7:15 and 19)  He stated that he delighted in God’s law but still found himself at times doing the things which were wrong.  He knew that he was a wretched man and that only Jesus, The Christ, could deliver him. (Romans 7:24-25)

 

APPLICATION

When we become believers and accept Jesus, The Christ, as our personal savior, we do not become perfect sin-free people.  Unfortunately, our old sinful nature is still within us.  We need to understand that on our own we do not have the power to defeat our sinful nature.  We need God’s help in order to resist the temptation to do wrong.  Sin no longer has complete control over our behavior, but we need God’s help to fight off the urge so that we do not yield to influence of sinful temptation.  The more committed we are to walking God’s way, the more attacks we can expect to get from the devil.  That is why we need to put on the whole armor of God in order to withstand the attacks of the devil. (Ephesians 6:11-13)  The more wrapped up we are in the whole armor of God, (Ephesians 6:14-18) and in The Word of God, the more likely we are to resist the temptation to fall into sinful behavior.  We cannot win this war on our own, we need His help.

 

WHO DO YOU LISTEN TO AND OBEY

PROCLAMATION

“Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey; whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?”  Romans 6:16 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the believers in Rome.  His point here was that believers should be dead to sin and alive in Christ. (Romans 6:11)  He said that every man is the servant of the master to whose commands he yields himself to. (Romans 6:16)  He ends this chapter by saying that the result of sin is death, temporal, spiritual, and eternal, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. (Romans 6:21-23)

 

APPLICATION

If we frequently give in to sin, then we are slaves of the devil.  However, if we frequently obey The Word of God, then we belong to Him.  If we love The Lord God, then we will keep His commandments. (John 14:15)  Believers are not perfect, we are ashamed of the times when we used to sin and when we slip and fall back into it. (Romans 6:21)  We should not use our bodies as instruments of unrighteousness and sin.  We should be instruments of righteousness, doing those things which are pleasing to The Lord and that give Him glory. (Romans 6:13 and 12:1)