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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/jim-beattie/romans-12-part-b/
Well, I wasn't trying to push the assembly thought through. I was I was probably the thought no I was just trying to get an understanding this question.
Well, even the present is singular the verb present is singular. Okay. Now, would you allow this brother BD and Hopefully I won't get sidetracked. God never overrules a man's will. So that is why when an individual bows their will and presents their body it is well pleasing to God.
It is really the one thing we have to give to God, isn't it? I mean really it's the one thing that he allows us to hold Possession of that we can hand back to him and it brings him tremendous pleasure when we do that.
Brother BD the the word present. I know you've mentioned this a little already. Could you give us a more. Background as to the the tense and so on and the significance of that.
Well, I think it's an heiress there. But I like the doctor Smith from Master Seminary's wrote about years ago. He's passed away. He talked about the abused heiress. Yeah. Yeah.
You read that brother? III. I'm very concerned about this. Put it the other way around. Maybe we press this too far. An heiress tense means something done at a point in time. Simplest and then a permanent result, but I wonder if you're presenting your body's a living sacrifice to God.
What other tense could it be? You can't. It's not to say keep on. It's not a continuous tense couldn't be that. What other tense could it be? Without pressing the point tense and saying it's one point forever in time never done again.
That's it.
No, I think that's unreal just now. That's it. Would you allow brother Barnes? Can I ask him a question? In line with what you're saying, would you accept the idea of a presentation? Then from that There's the process.
That's the transformation of verse 2 the renewing of the mind. Someone has said if the mind of the master is the master of my mind I'll be the master of any circumstance in life. So it's the mind and then that leads to the process the idea of Transformation and then the purposes.
That you may prove what is that good and acceptable perfect will of God. Would you accept that? Yeah Brother skates going back to you for a moment. I wasn't putting you on the spot, but I'm looking for more light that you have.
You ask the question about presentation. What are your own thought about it?
No, I take water brother. Barnes has said it's helpful. It's been helpful to me to see that same tense used in 1st Corinthians 11 take eat. So that our approach to the Lord's Supper each week is as though this is for the last time.
That's right. Right, and we're going to enjoy it. And until he come he could come at any moment. Yeah, we do it as though we're not going to repeat what we might. Yes, and we will the next exact exact if the Lord tarry.
Yeah.
So this is not to be something that you do on a particular occasion. No, but as Being the point tense. It's looked upon as a complete act. We call it a timeless verb. It's only an indicative really is it past but here it's in the infinitive.
But you you present your body and you should continually be never ceasing to Present your body not something you do on Sunday morning. No, and then let it go for the rest of the week. Should be a continuous act in our life.
Let's.
Give it. I know we have and indirectly give it a very practical spin then. For every one of us here. We should be asking ourselves. Am I committed completely to the will of God? That's to bring it right down to each younger believer and older believer.
It's fine to be theoretical and it's been good. Excellent. Appreciate all that we are doing but we do have to get to that point now with that in mind. Let's move to verse 2 for a moment because time's gonna slip by quickly.
I want to make sure we have enough time for the rest. This is a beautiful chapter.
Verse 2 brother Dunsire give us some help on verse 2 be you're not conformed but be you transformed. That's the complete change. We like to be conformed sometimes because at school you like to be one of the boys.
At work you like to be one of the group. You don't like to stand out. But it's conformer. I think it's the sage if I remember we don't want to be conformed to it. But we're going to be occupied with the Lord Jesus.
You see in first Peter 2 were holy priests and We're royal priests were holy priesthood and we're a royal priesthood. Now, that's not Sunday morning and Sunday night. I know some suggest that's what we do in the breaking a bread.
Well, hopefully isn't priesthood exercise. Holy priesthood exercise. 24 -7 we should be offering up spiritual sacrifices. 24 -7 we should be showing forth and you may never say a word. Could be in your life your testimony.
Showing forth the praises of him who hath called you of darkness into his marvelous light if you're going to be conformed. What are you demonstrating? What are you showing to the world? What are they seeing in Dunsire?
Someone who just just disagrees with with Jim Beattie a disagreeable guy. Grumpy guy, is that what they see or do they see something of Christ? That's what we've got to do. So it's all about now.
How does that take place. And that's the renewing of the mind brother? Yes.
Conformed is external. That's right. Transformed is internal to be not conformed to this world. We could all dress up as nuns and monks. Wouldn't mean a thing in itself if that's the end. That's nothing.
We can all look different out external. Not that we should be conformed. That's the beginning only. We're not here to be conformed to this world. The Lord Jesus died to save us from this evil age. Because of the things conformity, but if it's only external we haven't got there yet and it should be transformed is internal.
By the renewing and this little note. It's through and through. That's the idea. Through and through. It's external and internal change as well. And it's therefore the thing right in the middle is the mind.
The old illustration most will remember from school days the idea of metamorphosis. That's what's here, isn't it? Yeah, the change of that lava into the butterfly eventually same Insect but a different form.
Amen. That's what's here. Amen. A renewing of the mind a transformation as brother Barnes has said inwardly and The confirmation is outwardly. The world should see and know what I am by how I appeared and how I live and I think it's important that.
How that takes place. Brother, that's exactly what I asked for the sake of young believers. How does a believer renew their mind?
That's what I was thinking too about that first of all We have to read the Word of God. Not reading it because I should do my reading for today so that it my conscience is eased. We need to read this book So that it becomes our whole Council our way of thinking.
And I have seen believers as they have become older that when they actually speak not in an old-fashioned forum. But when they're actually speaking you can hear scripture in the way they're wording things because it has become so much a saturation that that's who they are.
And so we read the Word of God to get different ideas from what the world would give us. And Then in prayer in the presence of God we get to know who God is. Because ultimately It's only the revelation of God to our hearts either through prayer and or the word that actually Transforms us into a different person.
See the Galatians had the problem that they were trying to Live the Christian life in the energy of the flesh. And Paul says to them Have you are you so foolish having begun in the spirit when you were saved?
Are you now made perfect by the flesh? It's not by legislation. But it's by internalizing divine principle brother Higgins.
You know exactly and I think this would be an entire conference on itself talking about the importance of the Christian mind but What I am thinking will eventually be what I become. Yeah, and that. Again, just to mention it and leave it.
That means I've got to be careful what I watch What I listen to what I read what I see. Because even though people talk about things not having moral values or or or a moral message everything has some message that contains values of the world or of society and As the more I immerse myself in that and buy into it The less my mind is being renewed by spiritual things.
So I don't mean we only read our Bibles. But there needs to be caution as to what I allow my mind to feed on because it is shaping my thinking.
Which will determine my life. Yeah, let me give you an example of that. For all of us that I don't think we are even realizing what's happening to us. We are so visual today and watching videos and Watching all kinds of stuff that we have lost the ability to concentrate if it isn't instant.
Instant messaging and text messaging and I text message occasionally to our grandchildren. But so I'm not condemning that. I'm just saying we are so visual that now. People are wanting to bring into the assembly life visual AIDS.
Because of that the very world around us and we would think that's benign, but it's not in fact. There was a study done years ago. It showed up on CNN and I read it and I was very impressed. They said PowerPoint Presentations make people dumber.
That's right. They have proven that and I'm not going to go into why but there's an interesting book. There's an interesting book called amusing ourselves to death by a professor at New York University Neil Postman and he He points that out that North America is becoming dumber By the week because we watch far too much of anything even the good stuff brother have to think.
You don't have to think.
When you watch brother Jim tell us, how do I renew my mind? What am I doing to do that?
Brother Higgins know exactly what you said. Nothing else. It is immersing myself in Scripture. I think the idea of renewing my mind is seeing things as God sees them. That's it. Exactly. Okay seeing things as God sees them and the only place I'm gonna find that is in the Word of God when we were.
When I was born again, your mind was okay. I was brought into a new state of things and the Bible calls that regeneration. I was made a new creature a new creation in Christ Jesus. Sometimes I don't feel like that me either right but When we're in the Word of God and enjoying the things of God, our thoughts are being conformed to God's thoughts.
And it is as so could I use the expression as though we have been brought up to speed with what God has made us a new creation and our thoughts take on the pattern of The new creation. Yeah, and we get God's mind on things.
God's view of things. He matters molding.
Through his Word God's mind is to mold us in conformity to himself. I like what Phillips says about this JB Phillips. He says don't let the world around you Squeeze you into its mold.
That's what's happening an Englishman. And now you understand that to get that I've got to go over Hadrian's wall. But there was an Englishman called Walter Norris. Yeah, I only heard about him Welshman.
God bless him. Amen. Amen. He said this today read his Bible and he looked he looked to learn two things. Something fresh not you. You're not going to find anything you something fresh about the Lord Jesus.
Do you do that? My meditation of him shall be sweet. You go to bed thinking about him. You'll wake up thinking about him. And he looked to see something he could correct in his life. So what was happening?
Well, we heard this morning from Philippians to let this mind be a new which is in Christ Jesus. His mind was continually being refreshed by thoughts about him and Things they could correct about self.
You see the more I think about him the more I'll learn about my own failure and try to correct it.
So that will harmonize our thoughts and our lives with the Lord. Absolutely, and then it will harmonize our lives with the Saints. Yes, and then it'll lead on to harmonize or harmonizing our lives with all men.
Amen, so that'll lead right into the chapter. You know, it's a wonderful prayer in John 17. Lord speaking about the disciples now, I don't think it's the future. That they may be one three times. I think in that chapter that they may be one as we are one.
So the conditions that existed between the Father and the Son the Lord Jesus wanted to exist among his own. The unity harmony. Now, how do you get that the Word of God?
And I want to just underscore for a moment what brother Higgins has mentioned. Psalm 29, I believe it is where it says Everything speaks of his glory. I think it's Psalm 29 and it says in his temple. Now the temple there is the whole universe.
I believe it's not in the Solomon's temple or another temple. I believe it's the whole universe. If you look at the psalm, I think it's Psalm 29. I Don't think there is such a thing as sacred and secular.
I think that every single thing in this universe leaves its impression on us. And so I would say to every believer Don't separate your life into things you think you can do that are not related to God because everything is.
You were going to say something. Yes, this is.
Whatever we say about verse 1 as point dance or anything else verse 2 is an ongoing process. Renewing and if it isn't ongoing then it goes the other way. There's a constant tension between the two. If we're not renewing the mind then the world will the world will draw us towards itself.
And if and if this not and if we don't and of course the Downside of this is that we'll never prove the will of God. We'll never know it and it will be totally confused and we'll know not what to lead.
But the renewing constantly of the mind is this ongoing process?
I would say this to just for especially younger believers that they don't have a wrong impression. We're not saying that every moment you have to have your nose in the Word of God, but there is such a thing as Pleasurable experiences that God has given us first.
Timothy chapter 6 God who has given us all things richly to enjoy. So it's good to have relaxing time. But all time should still promote a forward motion in the Christian life. So if you need to have Recreation make sure it is recreation that renews you.
I've seen believers and recreation turns into wreck. And that's not what it should be all about if you come back more tired from your vacation Because you're going all the time then you've missed the point.
Everything should lead to something better. But if you need downtime for your mind. Excellent. Everybody needs that God never made us perpetual motion machines. Somebody said to Vance Havener that quaint Baptist pastor in the south he was going on a holiday as you call it and somebody said to him the devil never takes a holiday.
He said well, I don't work for the devil. I work for the Lord and he says coming yourselves apart.
That's good. So that's the idea. So you'd say brother Jim that there's no stagnancy in the life of the believer. No stagnancy, you're never stagnant. No, you're either going to pardon. You can't stand still.
No, you're either going forward. You're not Jeremiah says that you're either going forward or backward. I think it's somewhere. It doesn't matter in our life. We're either going forward or we're going backward.
We're never just.
So, why don't we move on To verses 3 to 8 and Brother Dunsire, why don't you give us some of your thoughts on? Three date. We've talked a lot about it together. You really want to get me going here.
I'd love to hear what you have to say. Well first is one proper thinking about self in verse 3 Sorry is one proper thinking proper thoughts about self not to think of himself more highly than you ought to think now.
You know, yeah, you've got to recognize that when we come to flippance to you. Look, not every man on his own things about every man on the things of others. That doesn't mean to say if you're a teacher off the scriptures that you sit back and say well I'll let this young brother just save six months.
I'll let him do the teaching. That's not what's in view. If I'm an electrician by trade and there's no way I'd ask some some people to do electrical. One of my boys electrical contractor I get him to do it the other ones aren't and I wouldn't ask them.
So there's nothing to do with that. It's looking off. It's looking for worth looking for value. You're looking on your other brother as being more worthy of honor. So you're not setting yourself up to high and I think that's that's verse 3 because we're going to come into the members and the body and remember that the truth of the body is dealt with very well in first Corinthians chapter 12 the manifold members in a body each one having a different function and so with a little bit of that here and to remember your Place and your function in your Christian life.
Too often you see my feet might want to take over what my hands do. Well, there's people called acrobats do that and they run around on their hands. My feet were meant for walking and I never put my shoes on my hands.
And my hands never want to go in my shoes. If they do they wash themselves after because it's not the place to be. So everything in its order and that's what Paul is teaching here. So if you recognize sorry, Jim, you're not going to like this the gift that God has given you.
You'll want to function within that sphere. So that's what I see here.
Could you give us some help just before we get into the individual things? You've mentioned helpfully in your outline the three main chapters dealing with gift. Could you give us something on the chronology of of this order and the significance of that chronology and the Decreasing number of gifts mentioned in each chapter.
In first Corinthians 12 Which we I think would agree was the earliest and then the next is Romans 12 and any Ephesians for the gifts decrease in number. If we keep in mind the book of Acts the Jews require a sign and so miraculous gifts were given in the early days for the benefit of the Jewish nation.
But the Greeks did not need that and so when God set aside The nation as we've been talking about in the last few days to me the miraculous gifts ceased altogether. But then there were other gifts apostles and prophets.
Now if we keep in mind that In the New Testament when there was a problem arose about New Testament things. They did not have the New Testament. Therefore they had to have someone to reveal the mind of God.
Now the Apostles could do it by divine Revelation the prophets did it. I believe at a moment when there was need and they just stood up and they would say thus saith the Lord or something like that and Then they would say what the mind of God was.
Now you would say well, of course that could be dangerous and it could. Therefore in 1st Corinthians, it says let the prophets speak but the others Same others the same ones judge. So one prophet would speak and the other prophets would confirm that this was from God.
But as as the full revelation was given. Then the need for prophets diminished and in fact in chapter 13 of 1st Corinthians It says verse 8 Love never faileth charity never failed, but whether they be prophecies they shall fail whether they be tongues.
They shall cease whether there be knowledge it shall vanish away now the word faileth. Or the word fail Concerning prophecies means to slowly disappear like a fading leaf in the fall of the year. Also the same word at the end whether it be knowledge it shall fade away, too.
But the word for tongues has suddenly stopped and that's why my own feeling is that acts 28. Verse 28 Where Paul says lo we turn to the Gentiles. My own thought I won't be dogmatic. But I believe that if someone was speaking in tongues at that moment They would quit in mid-sentence because that was a divine Pronouncement that just stopped all the miraculous gifts at that time.
But the prophecies would continue until the full revelation of Scripture was given. So little by little the miraculous gifts gone first and then even the prophetic gift and the apolish Apostolic gift ceased and now we're left with evangelist pastor and teacher and spiritual manifestations.
So as you've said very helpful this second of the three Chapters we have just seen Israel Temporarily set aside so we come to Romans 12. There's no sign gifts. Amen, right. Sign gifts are gone. Sign gifts are gone because Israel has been set aside.
Come to Ephesians chapter 4 Which is written as you mentioned acts 28 God has turned to the Gentiles. So now that gifts are even fewer evangelists pastor teacher and so on so the chronology is important to see and to recognize that the Charismatic gifts that are now heralded in much of Christendom ceased when God set Israel aside because they were for Israel as a Testimony that God had moved to Gentiles.
And I would say one other thing and then brother McCullough. One other thing is some younger believers again may say well, how do I know what date these? These were and you could say well you find it in a commentary.
That's not good enough. What you need to do is read the book of Acts. Compare what Paul says where he was going and when he was going and as you begin to do that. You'll begin to see where the books fit in and even some of the language for example James in his book.
He does not be we in our English translation. It says come to your assembly, but the word there is synagogue. And so at that time it seems it was very early when assembly testimony. Maybe was it in its infancy?
So you need to study to be able to find out when these letters were written brother McCullough. It's interesting isn't he turns now from speaking about the body? The natural body now he's talking about the spiritual body.
He talks about gifts that are given to what he calls one body in Christ and in chapter 12. The gifts are given by God and as you told us in the Ephesian epistle. They're men and they're given by the Lord himself.
But in first Corinthians the gifts are from the Spirit. Yeah, man. So the Trinity's involved with the bestowing of these gifts and would the context be different as well here in Romans 12.
It's the man looking at himself in Corinthians. It's the assembly assembly and in Ephesians 4. It's the body body gifts.
So it's it's bigger than the same question about that for all you brethren. And I know brothers skates has something to say but Just a question do we consider this an illustration as it seems to be in first Corinthians or is a Body in view here at all.
What what is your feeling about it? Well, I think he's indicating the body and he's talking about a company and He's emphasizing the idea of unity in the gifts. He says that they all might be one Members one of another then there's a dignity here Recognizing that Christ is Lord and then there's mutual dependence one upon another.
Just says in first Corinthians the hand the foot They're all Interdependent one upon another brother, but a general picture.
General, I think that's what you're saying a general picture rather than the body of Christ with Christ is the head. We're not in Ephesians, you know, so you think this is it's whatever is whatever it is where the person is exercising.
The Epistles Ephesians and Colossians speaks of a body in relation to every believer. Yes. When you come to Corinthians 12, the assembly is pictured as a body. Illustration in a way functions as a body with manifold members.
Yes with manifold. Responsibilities and activities, that's what we have here. I think you think it's an illustrate illustration. Wherever the and the thing that you're one of many. Okay, so whether there be one or more assemblies, I think as there should be in in in Rome then that's where their exercise.
Yeah, that's the way I've looked at it, but I was looking for help on a brother's skates.
You were gonna say something earlier earlier. It was in relation to verse 3, but that's okay. You can go back it was in relation to the warning there at the end of verse 3 but to think soberly According as God has dealt to every man Or each one the measure of faith.
Why why would that why is that warning given?
So you don't get lifted up with pride that the gift that you've been given it's what God has given you. It's what God has fitted you for. So don't go, you know, don't think yourself more highly than you're.
I'm a teacher. But if it's a momentary gift We'll deal with that later. Leave that word though. I don't really want to hear it again. It all starts in verse 2 with the will of God. Yeah, right. And verse number 3 says you've got to know what the will of God is.
You won't get to know it until your mind's transformed when you are thinking about yourself now with your with your renewed mind. You can know what the measure of your gift is how much quality you've got quantitatively is later.
What gift you've got is different to what extent you've got that gift the measure we're talking of here. So it's you know, is it a lot or a little to exercise it full-time or part-time or whatever? Do I do it?
Momentarily.
With that renewed mind there will be a spiritual sensitivity.
Yes as to when and how to function I think so and I think there are two things connected with that That you have in verse 3. Verse 3 where it says that Is it verse 3 I'm thinking of no. Looking at verse 6 having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given and then in verse 6 the Proportion of faith there has to be and I'm jumping ahead a little bit here, but there has to be two things.
If I'm going to exercise gift whether it's Permanent or temporary doesn't matter. What matters is I need the grace of God to function and I need to be dependent upon God to function that to me where the faith is and I Should not go beyond What in any way what God has given me so that.
It's the measure of faith that keeps me limited to work within what God has given me brother. Higgins.
You have something. No, I agree with you and I guess the two dangers going beyond my gift falling short of my gift. You just want to mention one other thing and that is. I know you're not saying this but the danger is a man the best judge of his own gift is my question.
Okay. So what is the responsibility of shepherds in the assembly? I know that's not here word-for-word. But what is the responsibility of shepherds in the assembly as they see young men and young women developing for God?
You know, what is our responding. I'm in responsibility where I am locally. So I'm speaking now as a local person. Other men are here who are local have local responsibility. What's our responsibility towards young believers as we see them and begin to see.
Perhaps God has given that person ability and.
So on I think the important thing is to create opportunities where the person can show or yes or no. Without without damaging the assembly but creating opportunities where this person can be seen. Operating and then you with your spiritual insight can see.
Yeah, that's that's the gift. He's got.
Yeah, and would you say brother Barnes also restraining some? I mean we want to be careful, but I've seen young men who stepped way beyond. I think of one conference where a person that hardly anyone knew and had never heard and they had never done Really very much and they were the first one to get up at a conference.
Yes and Everybody's sitting there shaking their heads and they had no ability. So I would say encouraging those to move forward who have gift. Helping to restrain those for their own benefit not because you're mad at them for getting up But just because you want them to develop properly so shepherding.
And Encourages people to move forward and encourages people to hold back. So brother Jim what he's saying here is not ability. It's given. It's the grace that's given and to be exercised about what that is.
Now I have a question when his gifts given. You have to ask brother Dunsire that one.
Given given well Jim and I disagree. So we'll start off there. Well, that's somebody else. No, no, it's okay. I'm quite prepared to go public on it. I Personally believe that day. I got saved. God had a purpose for me.
Yes. Yeah, it'll work for me to do. Yeah. Now what I teach is that the master who gives me my command who gives him on my my charge. Provides me with the ability to carry it out and the wherewithal to do it.
If he calls me to go to Africa, he'll make sure I can get there. Mm-hmm, and he'll provide for me when I'm there. That's right. I'm moving in faith. On the other hand you could let that gift be dormant.
Yes, and it needs stirring. I could waste it exactly. So you're the Lord is is responsible for giving it to you. You're responsible for making sure with others that you use it. So let me make a statement now.
There are men here who I consider teachers. I'm speaking to the young men now. If you want to be a teacher of the scriptures and if God's fitting you. It means you're not going out with the other kids at night.
You're in your book. You're not going for extra courses necessarily at school. Except you're prepared to give up an awful lot of time a great teacher in. I think it was England. Someone that's okay. Don't worry.
Of course. He's English. I will forgive him. Someone said to him I would give everything. To have what you have? Said that's what I did. So if you Harald Singen, so if you want to be a man or a woman for God you have to put your time.
Thousands and thousands of hours in the book. So anyway, you'll get there. Well AMS Gooding that lots of us revered.
Said as a young man He was going to give six hours a day to the study of the Word of God and some of his chums would be out kicking a ball and he would see them and he'd be thinking about going and then he Thought about what he promised God and it was evident when you heard him speak.
So gift is given at conversion. That's what I believe. I would agree with you.
And I used the word with Jim and he saw a. I had a while to get the bruises off me.
Maybe he'd like you to go to Africa again. Yeah.
I believe you get the gift an embryo and it starts to develop. Yeah as you come on first verse 6.
The opening of verse 6. Having. Having then gifts. Yeah differing according to the grace that hath been given to us. Is that the force of that? Yeah.
Yeah, yeah was given but it's a grace that is given not the gift.
According to the grace that according to the given so I take that with the grace there came to give.
Now first with the gift came first Peter 4 has got the same. Yeah, and Jim is gift here charisma. Yeah as every man Received the gift even so minister the same one to another. Now just another word. Because in this fear I moved in Scotland.
I almost thought as a young boy that spiritual gifts were only for men. They're not no and every time you get the word everyone it's each one and it's non-gender. Now the function of the gifts is taught very clearly in Corinthians.
And so I would judge that the Ephesian Gifts are gifted men not gifted woman to the body. Yeah, that's their function the public function of the gift. It's men only. But there's many sisters got some of these some of these gifts and the function very well in that sphere.
So sisters don't let any man tell you that woman do not have spiritual gifts. It's not in this Bible.
I have let me just say something and then we should be moving a little further. Whether we look at it as something Momentarily, or whether we look at it as a permanent gift that has to be developed. Every believer is responsible to function in the assembly both men and women like brother Dunsire says.
For example Titus chapter 2 the older women are to be teachers of good things. Now people have said that's a different word. It's the same root word for teacher that you have in Ephesians for the only thing is it's added A prefix to it Kalos, which it means beautiful.
It's where we get our word calligraphy from. It's Kalos Tadaskalos whereas in Ephesians 4 it's just Tadaskalos. But it's the same word and so our sisters older ones are to teach the younger ones. I believe Crete was a pretty slummy place.
I mean just to call it the way Paul does. Cretans are always liars evil beasts and slow bellies. You could always tell a Cretan when they were lying when their lips moved and That's what Paul is basically saying and he if he can say it so can I I'm not talking about Cretans today.
I don't know any but that's what he was saying. Therefore the women were likely rotten housekeepers. And he's teaching them how to do good the women are to go in there. Instruct them in Scripture and that kind of thing so every sister here has a work to do younger and older.
Every brother, and it doesn't matter whether we consider them permanent or temporary momentary or long-term. The thing is God has gifted every individual. And we need to keep in a spiritual state so that we can be prompted by the Holy Spirit to do our work.
Jim would I be correct in saying that worship and prayer are not spiritual gifts. Amen. Function activity. Yeah.
We have this list now that you brought us to from verse 6 to verse number 8. So I'm a young believer, and I read this and I ask myself I wonder what my gift is. So do I sit back affected by the paralysis of analysis and do nothing.
Or. How do I approach this whole issue of how can I be useful for God. Well brother?
I know you have the answer you go ahead. No. No really okay? You're leading well I would say the thing is going back to Ecclesiastes. Whatever thy hand findeth to do Do with all thy might is where I would start not be exercised about Finding out the gift, but rather being in a spiritual state and then the Holy Spirit can develop that brother Barnes.
Yeah, absolutely right, and we're not and we're not looking on listen ticking it off and saying I'm this and this and this I'm doing. What God gives me to do at the time and if something develops and I'm encouraged by others good.
I developed that and that again goes back to elders encouraging gifts people. I went by a city. I went through a city. Went by a gospel hall. And there was an 80 year old plus man up on a tall ladder.
Changing the letters on the sign so a different Bible verse. Could be up there, and I just shook my head. And I thought where can they get a young man. Because my wife won't even let me go up a ladder.
And I'm still young yet. And here's a man over 80 and he's up there. And he could fall off and hurt himself. Get the young men get and the young women and get them. Feeling like they're useful. Because my wife won't let me.
So this is a high-pitched voice like I said.
So if we could just summarize then this just if I could number one is to be aware of need. Number two is to be available. I'm not so busy so involved with other things. I'm available to be active then get doing it and fourthly be approachable.
Allow yourself to be approached by others to encourage discourage guide teach and so on.
There's a little picture of the overseer I use in this kind of thing. I'm only using it as an analogy. I Believe that the overseer is covered under governments and administrations in Romans 12 and Corinthians 12.
So it's one of the listed spiritual gifts in Acts chapter 20. Paul speaks to the Ephesian elders over whom the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers. First Timothy chapter 3 if a man desire overseership he desireth a good work.
Thessalonians chapter 5 know them that have the rule over you. So number one, it's recognized by the Word of God. It's not outside the sphere of the scriptures. Number two. It's administered by the Spirit of God.
That's the Corinthians 12 less. Number three, you have a personal desire for it. It's not just your duty. You have a love for the work. And number four. It's recognized by your brethren. Yeah, that's.
Solomon says a man's gift maketh room for himself. So it's not an individual that pushes himself.
Brethren see The purpose and the prospect and encourage it. What we've done in West End as we've provided More ministry meetings. We used to have two Bible readings. So we cut one out and made it ministry and we're encouraging our younger brethren who are able to Minister and it's working and that's what we have to do.
I think somebody said it earlier. We have a responsibility to provide a forum for our younger men. To develop their gift. If we don't do that I'm sorry. Yeah, we're going to be in trouble. The next generation of the Lord carries.
We must move on to. Can you say something about these seven gifts? I think we should leave that brother McCullough and move to 9 to 21 or we're not going to get through there. No, and that's why I have difficulty seeing them as permanent because I believe that Anything that we do for God is a gift in other words any of the graces we show.
Yeah, because some of these are very general now, for instance, the first one ministry we talked. This is a ministry meeting. Wait a minute. That word ministry is deacon service, which is not just looking after the money or rearranging the chairs.
It's widespread. Paul talks about his deacons of the Lord. Preaching him a deacon service. It's anything and it's just the the aspect of the service. So this is a general thing. Then next for instance, you can pick up he that giveth or.
You can think of giving with liberality or showing mercy. These are very widespread and and these gifts can be critical to many. And they're not and these things as well can be done almost in secret. These are not all public gifts.
Giving should never be in public. Left hand doesn't know what the right hand is giving. You're giving in secret. So these these Set of things allow enough generality for us to fit more than you'd think in there.
Maybe maybe that answers your question brother. So we should move on then to the last section where I think the what you would say is the graces that should cause these gifts to operate if I am Wanting to show mercy or love or whatever it is.
Let it be real and genuine not hypocritical. So we can start moving into anything in that section verses 9 to 21.
Is this the first mention of our love in this epistle. Prior to this it's all been the love of God. Amen. So this is the first mention now of that love now flowing through us to others.
Isn't that love brother Sandy? The love of God at the beginning of verse 9. Yeah, that is the yeah.
I got a love not to differentiate in terms of inferiority, but just going to come to that and that two brotherly love. But just was mentioned this is we have a love of God in chapter 5 and so on chapter 8.
Now this is the first mention of our love towards others and it's reaching out beyond.
Believers up to this point. It's been dealing with believers. Yeah, but now it's to others just out there. Yeah. Yeah, I think.
That it can. Start out with believers, but certainly there it goes beyond that. To everyone brother. Do you have some more to say about this section that you want to go ahead with right now?
No, I would you see the two following statements. Love without dissimulation. Abhorring what is evil cleaving to what is good. Those two following statements actually qualifying or describing? What it means to love without hypocrisy man so that we are to love actually involves hatred doesn't it?
Hating what is evil. So love without the simulation hating what is evil cleaving to what is good? That what that's the description then of love without hypocrisy. Yeah, these are very strong words. This.
Shrink from what's evil and cleave to that which is good. Is it very strong things? There's no hypocrisy here. It's real.
It's very very strong like you say and It's it's demanding thing that that's the direction we look. In fact it ends that way again. Yeah, the whole letter seems like the first statement or two are kind of like a an opening paragraph.
And the last verse is kind of summarizing the whole section as well.
He's lost it. This word is often called God's. God's love Is used many times for rather than God's love one of the thoughts in it. It's you see the other word filial, you know, well, I hate using Greek.
But those are common ones. Filial is the thought of brotherly love brotherly affection, but this is a love with knowledge. That's right. That's what it is. God knows us through and through and he loves us in the same way.
That kind of love and it's used of the Apostles and it's used of others and it's got here. It's a love with knowledge and you have to have no dissimulation in your love. Let your love be without dissimilar just because I know you well, I shouldn't love you.
Necessarily or because I know bad things about you. I should not love you. Love should be on a common power and it shouldn't be biased. It should be towards all men and that's really what it's going to do.
That's we should explain dissimulation means hypocrisy or play acting. That's good. That's the important thing. Most people don't know what dissimulation right and you couldn't you could never act out.
Shrinking from evil or cleaving which you couldn't do that.
No, I would say this about love. The the filial word is also used between the father and the son as you know. So in the in John I to me it's a friendship love. Whereas the other is what brother? Dunsire has said because it's the same word compound words are used right after that where it talks about brotherly love and also Hospitality in verse 13 actually is a compound which means love of strangers.
And so that word is used in a not in an inferior sense, but just in a different sense. Paul has used this earlier in the epistle. You remember chapter 8? He talks about who shall separate us from the love of Christ and at the end of the chapter who shall separate us from the love of God.
So this is that same love isn't it?
One of the biggest problems in any community is interpersonal relationships. I don't care what it is in the world. Group at work a group at school. Whatever. And then the assembly we are no different.
And so you take your concordance and look up the word one another and you will find a whole page Of one another's because the Bible is teaching us about Interpersonal Relationships, right? I took a psychology course at the University and in my exam I quoted half the scriptures.
Because what they were teaching the principles were in my Bible and I got an A. And the professor was not a Christian. I got an A because what they were teaching is taught in the scriptures. So really I learned I didn't have to go to a psychology course to learn.
I should just read more of my Bible. So your Bible is going to teach you how to get on one with another.
That goes into verse 10 doesn't it be kindly affection. How do we understand that. Is that not? Going beyond just kind of standing aside looking at an individual, but actually be Appreciating or how would you look at that?
Father Barnes, do you have a thought about it?
Well to me it all it all goes back to basic definition of you said about love. Two kinds of love agape love. Love that needs no reason. Filial love is love that's got a reason because you're related to someone.
Yeah. Yeah, so this is family love. Filial love it's got a reason. I got a love doesn't need a reason. Yeah, this is God's love. And so here this is kindly affection to one another. So here I'm loving someone even though I know as we say maybe things about them, which would Should not lovable right.
Love to the level of shown that they might lovely be we're not all lovable.
But we should be kindly affection and should we not again to bring it down in a very practical terms. When we have difficulty with a person Would it not be a good idea to go out of our way to look at the good things they do and begin to focus on them.
So that we value what is valuable in that person and it'll get our eyes off the faults that we see.
And he says here the way you can display this is by an honor preferring one another. Now I think all of us know that that is not the idea that I say. Oh, you're a better person. I'm just a failure. You're wonderful.
The idea is putting your welfare ahead of mine. Amen. Promoting other believers. Now that is a heist that goes back to our brothers ministry from Philippians to the welfare of others putting the that's what the Lord Jesus did he esteemed others Better than himself.
It's not the idea that he gave us a higher ranking, but rather he put my welfare above his own. Likewise, I should be seeking to promote the welfare of every other believer in the assembly.
Pushing them to the fore rather than pushing myself to the fore. Amen. This is Barnabas going looking for. Yeah. Yeah, exactly says I've reached the level of my competence. There's a man who can do better than me.
You know, there's no vine for the platform brother. Wait one on another.
It's easy. Yeah, I think that really explains it very well. It's it's seeking the well-being of others and as we do that and seek their good then we will be able to love easier. Now verse 11, I want to move us on a little bit not slothful in business I don't think is related to my work habits.
Is it? No. How do we understand that? So what for zeal? In my diligence not slothful. I think isn't it still related to what we've been talking about? Like brother Barnes mentioned about the this intense Seeking the good and cleaving to the good.
This is a kind of reinforcing that further by saying be zealous in that. How would you define zeal brother just for the sake of some believers? Well, you define it for me brother. Well, it's a it's an honest earnest effort Seeking the blessing of God for others.
That's the idea. It's not business you as you say. Mm-hmm. It's the good of others Being zealous trying to meet their need to help them. Whatever it may be. Would you call it an energetic response?
What you're putting your energies into? Yeah, the level of energy that you're using. Yeah, he's going to use words here. Isn't he that suggest?
Total commitment as you've mentioned already not slothful zealous fervent boiling over Given to hospitality the words used for persecution elsewhere the idea of pursuing this as as much as you possibly can.
So these are committed believers. Going back to the verse number one and two.
Amen, and it goes on then because I'm still pushing us forward a little bit goes on to rejoicing in hope. And patient and tribulation it would seem to me that at least. When things are difficult, that's when we tend to get down and we begin to focus on the faults and failings of others.
Therefore if our spirits are kept up by the Holy Spirit We are less likely to be fault finders and have difficulty with other believers. It's the old idea. I don't know if they use this in Wales or not brother, but we have an expression here kicking the cat.
Yeah, you had a hard day at work and you come home and the cats in the door and you give it a good kick. And it's not its fault at all. We get kicking one another when something else is bothering us you only kick the bucket.
That's that's a little more serious.
What would be your thought on the idea that we that you just mentioned already rejoicing in hope? What is the hope there that amidst the? Tribulation and so on. The believer is to be you know, specifically here in this context.
Isn't this Romans 5 and verse 3? Not only so but we glory in tribulations also knowing the tribulation work of patience. Patience experience experience. Hope. It's getting at hope through experience. We've got hope through the scriptures, but there's there's an aspect of hope that comes as well through hard experience.
Chapter 15 he mentions it again now the God of hope. Yeah, fill you with all joy and peace and believing that you may abound in hope.
It has to be an object and you're rejoicing as you go through tribulation. Not just being one of those persons who loves pain or difficulty, but there's an object beyond it all. And it's what we're having Christ.
And Sorry, brother. I was going back to where our brother read that rejoicing in hope of the glory of God once week. Chapter 3 We fall short of the glory of God. Chapter 4 were brought in at the end of chapter 3.
Chapter 4 were brought in made right with God chapter 5 now We're rejoicing in hope of the glory of God. And this hope I would take it here is in keeping with the whole epistle of God's righteousness one day being displayed and everything being set right.
I don't think this is so much just the Lord's coming. I don't want to minimize that but the idea of Righteousness reigning that's right and everything being adjusted by God amidst all of that.
Hope you'd never rejoice. Yeah. And as I go through this stuff as we have that the whole glory of God and his righteousness before us it actually Pushes us to seek to maintain that presently that we glorify God in everything We do.
I was gonna say Jim that hope in the New Testament always implies absolute confidence. Not the way we use hope something it may or may not be. Hope gives assurance. His brother Sandy says it's what's in the future it's expectation and anticipation.
Yeah. Yeah, and of course that will lead us to Seeking the good of others and we won't. I don't think we should comment on it. But verse 13 distributing to the necessity of Saints and given to hospitality this kind of attitude has Practical consequences, it's not just sitting back saying these things but actually Making an effort to meet the needs of other believers.
Now. We should move on to the verses 14 to the end time is going to still go quickly on us. Bless them which persecute you bless and curse not. And I I noticed that in verse 15, I'll just say this before I Ask for some help here.
The word rejoice and weep is an infinitive here an Infinitive can be used as a command. But almost never there's only one known one in the whole New Testament and that's in Philippians. So I'm suggesting it's not likely so much a command, but it's saying this bless them.
The which persecute you bless and curse not rejoicing With them that do rejoice and weeping with them that weep in other words. Verses 14 and 15 are possibly one and it's telling us how to bless those which persecute us by looking again at their well-being which is we come back to and if even if someone is Hurtful to us and we see a good thing happen to them.
Well be thankful for that instead of saying when something bad goes when something bad happens to them, we say well they deserve that and I have to be honest and say I've done that occasionally.
Have we moved outside the the sphere of testimony now? We've got the the Saints distributed to in verse 13 them that persecute you. Have we moved outside now. I mean a general picture in the world as we do get in verse 17.
It's no man verse and then all men and then verse 18 all men. Are we outside?
I think so brother Barnes. The only one difficulty I have is what about verse 16? Does is that going back or do you consider that somehow it's still staying with the rest of them?
I would take it first. 15 as well would include the believers. If you're rejoicing with them that do rejoice and weeping with them that weep. That would be entering into their experience. So you must know them and it's going to generate trust and engender respect.
Amongst the Saints if that's being practiced. I'm just thinking of the persecutor. I know yeah, I'm going going back. They actively persecuting him.
Yeah, going back to verse 14 is where you're coming from brother Barnes where it does seem to be Outsiders and we seem to have moved into a new sphere moving moving moving moving.
Persecution doesn't always come from the outside. All had it from the inside.
But I would hope I would hope that a believer Would never curse another believer. Well, that's no. No, I would I would like to think too that it's it's Easier to weep with those that weep than to rejoice with those that do rejoice.
We would tend to show sympathy Sooner than rejoicing with someone that God has been blessing. That's human nature. Yeah, yeah, so I would say it is moving as you said brother Barnes into the sphere of the world and generally the whole sphere Without limitations.
Now when it comes again I'm moving it down because I'd love to get down to the very last section about the heaping coals of fire and so on. Because that's a much misunderstood Condescend a man of low estate.
What does that really saying is it means that I know I'm smarter than the rest But I have to be careful how I show it brother. Skates.
No, I thought that was humorous. And the word man is in italics, of course and very often people suggesting this is Things of low estate so we mustn't get I minded about things and be taken up with The things of what appear high high things in this world.
So we have to come down to that level. That was in view. I think yes, that's.
Think about coming down. Yeah.
I think this is this is a concern that some have and you've brought it up brother skates if it if. It's saying I'm going to I'm willing to come down to your level. Then I'm saying I'm already better than you are.
It seems almost. Occupying ourselves with ordinary and lowly things so that we never rise.
Brother Barnes you have a. I think that's that's right. And that would fit with the next. Be not wise in your own conceits.
Brother, I see you look puzzled about something.
From those people which the Pharisees would have not had anything The Pharisees were separate because they were lifting themselves up But the Lord was marked by true humility.
Wasn't that he consciously made himself down, but we have. I don't what we're not in the same wavelength and coming down. It's. Don't take a high attitude. Regardless of your level of knowledge intelligence education wealth, whatever.
Don't set yourself up above people. But just be an ordinary person. Sure of what you're going to do so you can relate to men and women around you.
I think brother Dutton has more to tell us. No, no. The Lord's example is right through this chapter, isn't it? He was the one that wept with those that wept and he could condescend to those of low estate.
His mind was on others constantly. Yeah in that sense. I mean, this is a distinction I think brother Dunsire is bringing it out, too That the Lord was above and he came down. He came down. Whereas these people were holding themselves up higher as if they were above and they really weren't but we are to Level ourselves with every person the thing that I have loved.
I have seen Some of my I call them still my older brethren But men like mr. Crawford and mr. Paisley who definitely Are doing less than they used to and brother McCullough. The Lord has blessed you with good health up till now.
You're in that you're in that same age bracket we talked about that brother. Brother McCullough is 85. He told me the other day and he doesn't look like it. I'm gonna get some of whatever he's eating But what I'm what I'm saying is What I'm saying is I have seen these brethren at a conference and Some of people that some of us would tend to not spend any time with.
I have seen these two brethren Give them the ultimate Concentrated attention and Treated them with dignity while other people might even pass them by and that is a spirit that is seen. That is being encouraged here.
Hmm. Our brother. I don't know if others would have heard that but said that strife and vain glory strife. It puts the other person down and vain glory lifts me up. It's the same. It's the same principle that's being operated.
There's a standard for the life of the believer. That should not be marked with the standard of the world. All these things here. That's what the world is. If you kick them, they'll kick you back. If you do them wrong, they'll do you wrong.
If you hate if they hate someone you hate them, they'll hate you. That's not the standard of the believer. Our standard is as I heard this morning Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.
In verse 18. Brother, are we there that not far yet?
I 18 I was hoping that we would go to 17 and 18 right now so that we can leave the last few minutes for 19 to 21.
Well both together recompense no man evil for evil. And then verse 18 if it be possible as much as lieth in you live peaceably With all men if it be possible. At the very least don't make a bad situation worse.
Don't aggravate the thing. Is that the idea? Yeah, the word is if it is possible. There's no Seems very clear. So we know it's not possible to live peaceably with everybody, but you like you say brother skates.
You don't have to make matters worse. Soft answer turneth away wrath. Sometimes it's better In a kindly way to walk away from a situation. You don't hang up the phone on them but you Kind of let them know that you're not going to be hanging on much longer and just so that you don't aggravate a situation.
We've had people come to the hall looking for money. We're in the city and we're in an area with a lot of people who enjoy The things that make you light and heady and they come in and they get angry.
When you won't give the lady wanted bus fare for Toronto 200 odd dollars and there she was refused and she was mad. No way we could be at peace with her. It wasn't our fault. So there are times when you can do nothing about it and people will walk out of here.
You're building angry, they're not at peace with you. Yeah as much as lies within you want $20. We'll give them it but not 200.
The other thing is to bringing it to other believers. There are some believers and when God saved them they really had for whatever reason in their background a Bad attitude. It could have been that they were hurt when they were younger.
We always try to give the benefit of the doubt and it's going to take them a while. To come around and develop a more Chris Christ like spirit so we have to kind of help them do that and sometimes when they get aggravated just Walk away from them help them grow.
You can't always live peaceably even with everyone within assembly fellowship. Now let's go to the last because there's a lot. I know there's a lot of thought about this. Verse 19 to 21. We'll take that as a section.
Avenge not yourself. Let's go to verse 20 because that'll bring us back to 19 as well. What is this heaping coals of fire upon a person's head? There's a lot of different ideas about that.
Brother Barnes, do you have some thought about it? Well, I take it. It's an explanation of recompensing evil for evil. It's not physically obviously, I mean, it's it's causing another person hurt. Deliberately intense pain.
I mean literally the effect of having coals put on your head, especially your head in my head. Intense pain. That you've got to cause and and and the point being that there's scripture for this. This is these are quotes quotes from the Old Testament and and giving the reason for 17 through 19.
These are the quotes. This is why it's scriptural.
There's another thing here brother if I can interject it. I Know I read this. There's an old man in Ireland used to say I don't know if I heard this or read it or made it up. But I did read this that an old Egyptian custom was.
If I had been guilty of some offense to show Contrition shame for what I had done. Carry coals of fire on my head. I Would hope there'd be a pad in between. Well, it was the idea. Indicating shame and the heat would make me feel worse.
Well, so an Egyptian custom the other dungeon has a different thought I can tell. I think I'm quoting. Mr. Stubbs in his.
Card his booklet on scriptures hard scriptures but anyway that it was a positive thing your fire went out and you needed coals to start your fire because you didn't have matches and You went to your neighbor and you gave him plenty to restart his fire.
You wouldn't put on his head. I Have haven't forgot that. But be probably in the clay so is this thought of as a negative thing.
Well The the only problem I have is when you go to the Old Testament and you have coals of fire. It is God bringing vengeance down. Yeah. And so I have wondered is it simply that this whole section saying you hold back and Let God look after the problem.
Oh, yeah, I think that's it.
I was always taught that the sense without the tense can often be nonsense. Yeah, and this is the future tense here the the word that won't heap on the head of him. That's the future. So the net effect of what you're doing will have the effect of coals of fire.
In other words, it will bring repentance and it should bring reconciliation when everything said and done. So that would be the net effect you're showing that kindness you're showing that love with the with the object that that person will Will recognize what things are like what they've done.
There'll be repentance and I'll bring about reconciliation. Now that's one thought the other is as a brother I said that you go in with a with a potty coal fires and yet you put his fire on again. His fires out you can develop this fire.
So there's two different thoughts there. Yeah, and I think the picture here though It starts off vengeance is mine. We don't demand just I want justice. Yeah any cost leave it to the Lord. If you do so the person who is your enemy is your enemy.
Yeah, you'll get justice, but it's at the Lord's hand.
Not yours. I have known situations where I'll let you know. Right away brother McCullough, I have known situations where believers were wronged and when they accepted the wrong they they a good outcome came.
And I remember even one time I was accused of something that I had never done and I went to the home of the person and The person went after me for an hour it wasn't the most interesting visit I ever had and when they were done I apologized for everything they said.
About me that I had done when I left the home. One of the elders and that assembly said to me. So what did you do? I said, I apologized for everything. They he said well, you didn't do any of those things.
I said, I know. Well, he said it's not right to take blame for things you've never done. I said, I'm glad someone did it for me and That's the standard is the cross. The Lord Jesus took my blame. Yeah.
You know, I just say and I what brother Barnes has suggested that Leaving it with God and the result will be I'm rendering good for evil.
As his Prerogative as he well thinking of Joseph's brothers. You bet it for evil God meant it for good. Every wrong that's done to you May never be settled this side of eternity. But it's not for you to go on having a vendetta Against the one who's done you wrong.
So if you could restore relationships without clearing up the wrong without ever being discussed again do it. It's not Necessary that you get an apology from the one who's done you wrong. To continue a relationship be careful because what you do is you continue a sphere of strife enmity and.
Trouble and you can destroy an assembly over that. Be kind one to another Paul tenderhearted forgiving one another even even as.
God for Christ's sake has forgiven you man. I'll give you a little illustration. I don't like using illustrations too much in a Bible study, but brother Murray MacLeod passed this on one time he talked about two brethren who were at odds with one another and Finally one brother came up and I'm not sure if it was the best way for him to do it.
But he came up to the other brother and he said are you willing to apologize to me for what you've done? And the other brother said no. Well, he said I am I'm sorry and they both wept in each other's arms.
Mm-hmm. It can be done. Amen, I think if we are willing to show a spirit of forgiveness and that's really overcoming Evil with good, isn't it? Yeah. And I would say even if we can do something Positive for an individual who has hurt us without worrying about justice but just Doing something good.
So bring it we'll bring it right down to practical for all of us here today if there's any one of us sitting here with a spirit of Feeling the need of vengeance to anybody this would be a good time to give it up.
Brother Jim in spite of all that you've said about me today publicly. I want to say you've done a great job. Thank you. And we forgive you. Well, we stopped there brother.