Book of Romans - Ch. 12, Vs. 7-Ch. 13, Vs. 4 (04/23/2000)

Gifts Given for the Good of the Church Body

Don't bury it, the gift given makes possible the good works that we can do, whatever we have, whatever we have received of God, we have received it not for ourselves, but for the good of the church body.

The best and most useful man in the world is no better or no worse than the Spirit of God makes in each day. Prophecy is not foretelling, it is the declaring that which cannot be known by natural means.

Ministry, Exhortation, and Giving with Simplicity

Verse 7, Our ministry, or ministry, let us wait on our ministry, for he that teaches on teaching, now the key word here is wait, for he that exhorteth on exhortation. What does exhort mean, Clarence? I would take exhort would mean to, it's not a close, but it's to expound upon, to pronounce or to clarify, make a statement about.

Alright, it has a little bit more to it, that's good. Bill, can you elaborate on that any? The intent is to correct or to instruct. By a strong, often stirring argument, exhort somebody. He that exhorteth on exhortation, he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity.

Always work for the Lord on the very most unnoticeable city. With diligence, he that showeth mercy with cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good.

Dissimulation, Greg, that's a $10 word, what's it mean?

An idea. That's good. I'm trying to put it in the right words. It's kind of like saying let it be the true kind and not a false one or a fake one.

Alright, anyone else? Debbie, dissimulation.

I agree with Greg, and let it be real from the heart, and real love from the heart is constant and never failing.

Alright. Without any deceitfulness, to disguise under an insincere appearance, to conceal one's true fitting or intentions, always be honest. Honest is being on the outside exactly what you are on the inside.

And you both were right. Verse 10. Be kindly affectionate one to another with brotherly love in honor preferring one another. Well, it's not hard to understand to be kindly affectionate one to another, brother to brother.

But what does this mean, preferring one another? Is David with us at home? Do you prefer one another? Yes, I do. Explain that term. Well, I think it means preferring one another to people of the world.

Give me an example. Well, let's say we had a family in our church that had some hard economic times for whatever reason. Whatever monies were available in the church should go to help that family as opposed to some street person that you don't know that may not even be saved.

I mean, if you had those two choices, it should go to the brother or sister first. And then secondly, you should prefer to fellowship and spend time with Christian brothers and sisters as opposed to lost people.

That's right. The church is to take care of its own family first and then the church family. And you're exactly right. I'd rather be in the presence of another Christian than in the presence of some evil person someplace.

Diligence, Cheerfulness, and Living to the Glory of God

Not slothful in business. Firm in the spirit, serving the Lord. Slothful, even the word almost tells you what it is. What does slothful mean, Debbie? Lazy. Lazy. Careless. Careless. Anything else? Selfish.

Selfish. Indulgent. What? Indulgent. Go to 1 Corinthians 10 .31, please.

Diane, would you read that? 1 Corinthians 10 .31. Whether therefore you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God. What's that mean to you? That means everything that I do should be done unto God.

All right.

Then everything you do, how many times during the day are you doing something? All the time. You talking to me still? Talking to you. Okay, all day long. All day long. What about the night?

Well, if you get up in the middle of the night, you do that unto God. What if you're sleeping?

Can you sleep to the glory of God?

I think you can sleep a peaceful sleep to the glory of God. That would be the glory of God.

You cannot start to sleep if your heart is uneasy or if a sin needs to be confessed. So a peaceful sleep is glory to God. So, Russell, all of our life, everything about us should be in relationship to the Lord.

Patience in Tribulation and Hospitality to Saints

Verse 12, rejoice and then hope. Patient in tribulation. Now that's where Greg and I fall out. In tribulation. I think Greg was one of the most patient men I ever met. Dennis, patient in tribulation means what to you?

To persevere.

Commentary here. I agree with that. To just be patient, stand firm, and wait on the Lord. Hard times. How do you wait on Him? Because you're trusting Him and you know Him. Is that all you do? It's willful, being patient.

Do you go sit down someplace and wait on Him? Continue with where you're at. Just never take your eye off the goal, no matter how long it takes. We have developed a world of people that are not patient.

Maybe when it becomes lazy, we don't like to wind the watch anymore. We don't like to take time to go through a revolving door. It must open in front of me. Do and say everything as in the very presence of the Lord.

Since we have never literally been there, then we have to do it spiritually and in our mind to the very best of our ability. But I guarantee that when we're in the presence of the Lord, it's going to be in an altogether different quality.

13. Distributing to the necessity of saints, giving to hospitality. In the eastern world, even today, the people are more hospitable than they are here. The further north you go here, the less hospitality you have.

If you go into the eastern country, and especially back at the time Paul was living, if you were traveling across the country, then more than likely you were walking. And it would come time to eat or come time to rest.

You'd go to the nearest dwelling place where people lived, and they would give you food and a place to sleep. No questions asked? Well, it was almost like that when I was young. But it's not anymore. Bless them which persecute you.

Bless and not curse them. Why did he say, do not curse those that persecute you? Bill? That's not your job. Your job is to bless them. If he wants to curse, he'll do it. What's the normal reaction to someone that curses you?

You want to curse them back twice as hard. So you do, and then they do, and then you do, and then where does it end up? We do. Where? She said, we do. All right. Why would they persecute you? John? Because you're a Christian.

They don't believe the same way that you do. All right. Then if they persecute you for that reason, what does that prove to you? You're doing something right. All right. The reason to bless is that their cursing proves that we belong to the Lord.

Fifteen. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Now, Roger, is there a time we're supposed to cry with somebody else? Yes, sir. What does it mean? Literally, what do you think that means?

We go through sorrowing times upon the earth, and we need to encourage those people that this is not the end, and this all will be over with. Upon the earth this will be over with at one point in time, and we need to encourage them.

All right. But if somebody is very dejected, very low, very much in need of some loving, tender words, you don't go in slapping them on the back and talking about how great a day it is. Correct. Yes, sir.

Nor do you.

You have to have tact in that you don't go in there and say, oh, come on, buck up. Yeah. You weep with them and shed the tears, put your arms around them, and just be something for them to lean upon through that difficult time.

In any situation, to help someone, even to sell something to a person, you have to start where they are. If you're trying to discuss a subject with a person, first you have to find out what is their thinking about the subject.

You cannot just present your views and expect them to automatically believe it. You have to start where they are. To do that, you have to be very sensitive. So always be sensitive to other people. But, Brother Otis, when you love someone, as we love each other here, when they hurt, we hurt as well.

And it's not any problem if they are hurting for us to have tears about it. That's exactly right. And we should. The way it is. That's right. If your feet hurt, you hurt all over, don't you, Judy? Yeah, I know about this football.

Humility, Condescension, and the Danger of Pride

Be of the same mind, one toward another. Mind of not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Condescend. To descend to the level of one considered inferior to you.

Now, you certainly do not go around saying, well, you're inferior to me, but I'm going to get down on your level. It's very dangerous, John. Very dangerous. So often, people that you might think outwardly look like that they would be, and less than you might be, if you're not careful, you'll find that they overshadow you in a million ways.

That's right. I know two men in this world that are brilliant men. They can carry on a very confident conversation with anyone on any subject or any level that they want. They can speak to the scientist.

They can speak to the janitor. To be able to do that requires a godlike spirit. It requires a way of life like that you cannot wait until it's needed for it to appear. It has to become a way of life. And I think that is great for someone that is so well-educated and knows all of the upper things in science or medicine or whatever and still can converse with me on the most mundane subject and make me feel important.

I knew of another man like that. He's dead now. He was very brilliant, but I was never in a conversation with him, but what he made me feel like I knew a whole lot more about the subject than he did when I knew I didn't.

It's a gift. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. Now, in the sight of all men and we have in the sight of God, I want us to understand something this morning that has been repeated several times, but I want to be sure that you hear it.

We're justified before men by what? Works. By our works. We're justified before God by what? Faith. By our faith. And we call it our faith, but whose faith is it really? Jesus Christ. He gave it to us, didn't he?

He imputed it to us. What's imputed? Fred knows that. He makes you think it's the way you are. He gave you credit for it, but it's actually his. All right. Do we have any responsibility in it? No. We don't?

No. Did you say no? Yes, sir. We did not have any responsibility in the acquiring of it. What about the use of it? Absolutely. Okay. You scared me for a moment. It is that that is given to you that belongs to another.

Only you're held responsible for it and will have to answer for it. But it never was yours. That's our salvation. That's our faith. That's everything that we have. We own nothing. We're not capable of owning anything.

Like the old Indian said when he was in Canada showing a piece of property to newsmen. He said, we think we own this land, but we die. Dearly beloved. Take a look. What? Eighteen. Eighteen. Oh, good. If it be possible, if it be possible, as much as lies in you, live peaceably with all men.

Vengeance Belongs to the Lord

Now, they'll explain those words to me so that I can understand. I guess that implies that there's a time when it is acceptable not to be peaceable, but that should be the last thing before it, not the first.

Whatever that you can do to live peaceably with your brethren, you should do that. All right. John, you have any thoughts on this? I agree with what he said. He can't do that. I know you do. But I like it where it says as much as lies in you, if it is possible, be peaceable.

But also, I guess it takes two people to war, so you could be peaceable. You possibly can't have the party to bring you into the conflict, right? That's right. Live peaceably with all men as much as they will allow you to be.

Some people just will not allow you to be peaceable with them. Some people thrive on arguments. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourself. Debbie, what does the word avenge mean before we go any further?

It means to get back what was given.

But rather give place unto wrath. David, what does wrath mean? Anger. Anger. For it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. It is written in times past. It is written which is imperative, perfect, meaning it was written one time with the results that it's still written.

Do not avenge yourself for the average person. I'm not speaking of you, but for the average person. When someone does wrong to them or insults them or anything, what's the normal reaction?

First thing to do is to strike out or strike back, to react. Either physically or verbally. One or the other.

So we need to grow in our Christian life, Dennis, to where that's not the first impulse. As you go through your daily life, different things occur. Then before you go to sleep that night, think back over the day and inspect your first thought after an event.

That is one of the best ways for you to check your growth in Christianity. If the first one was to get even or to do something not right, then you need to grow more in that area. Now, this is, do not avenge yourself.

Why can't I get even with somebody? Clarence, why can't I get even with somebody? Well, I think it does two things. One, it harms you. And two, you're trying to play God and the vengeance is His. He can inflict all the vengeance that needs to be on that person.

Okay. And we never could really get even. No. Because one side or the other would always be ahead. Well, to get even would imply that you put things back like they were. Yes. And we can't do that. No.

Once done, forever. But isn't this a case where you repay someone with goodness who has done you bad, so to speak, and thereby he calls the fire upon their heads? Yes, and that's being more than a victor by doing that.

That's good. Well, vengeance is not about getting even. It is payment for what they have earned. And that's the only one that knows the sum of that payment is God. We do not. Because we're biased. Therefore, in that enemy hunger meeting, was it Lincoln that said the best way to get rid of the enemy is to make friends out of them?

If he thirsts, give him a drink. For in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. That's a strange statement. David, can you help me out a little with what does it literally mean and from where did it come?

The thought here that to heap coals of fire on their head is not something that you do at all. The thing you do is you're returning an evil deed with a good deed. And it's something that happens as a result of that.

Either God causes it or their own conscience causes it. But all of a sudden you take the higher ground and it becomes evident to them. What should you do if you're in a situation and people are mistreating you, arguing with you?

What should you do?

Do the unexpected. What is that? It's the opposite of what they're thinking because they're expecting a harsh reaction. And you diffuse the situation by doing something nice. And now they're back on their heels and they have no way to counter it.

And what will they do? They will stand there in awe.

The moment you do that, you take all the fun out of it. Yes. Proverbs say something about giving a soft answer. Yes. Brother Ellis, I'm not apologizing. I'm not trying to pre-read what you're going to say just as it sounded like.

I had not read that this morning. And I did not remember that it was in Romans. But the good Lord knows that's the truth. And He knows that this is the truth. I didn't read it. What did you say? I didn't read it.

No, I really didn't know it was there. I would have given it to you in a better way than I did had I just read it. But you couldn't. Because that's what you did. I didn't respond. Not to overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Can you do that? How many say you can do that? How many say you cannot? Well, you're all wrong. Do not overcome. Do not. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. What makes you all think you can do anything?

We can't do it, but the power of God can. And He is the one that does it. That's right.

He does it in us. We're the mouthpiece. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Couldn't you? Wouldn't that be right if you read it this way? Overcome evil with God. Yes. Who said that? Brother David.

I think it was me. He needed a point. The right answer. Did you all realize, with Fred making that remark, that we're almost back to normal? All right, come to chapter 13. That's a good one to stop on this morning.

Submission to Governing Authorities and God’s Sovereignty

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, for there is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God. Now, Greg, does that mean what I think it means? That's right. How do you know what I think it means?

I'm psychic, too.

I knew that. Now, we've actually gone over this before. We have? Yeah. In other ways. He's talking about things like the governor of this state, the president of this country. We ought to be subject to them.

We don't have to like them, but they're in that office because God put them in there.

All right. Let's be sure we understand one thing. We're not subject to them. We're subject to the office. Right. When a judge comes into a courtroom, and I suppose some of you have been in a courtroom when a judge enters and the audience stands, why do they stand?

Because they're in contempt of court. What? They're threatened to. It's the office that you're honoring, not the man. We had a judge here for a while, and he wouldn't even let you stand. Neither did he wear his robes.

Well, it says here, let every soul, every soul, every person in the church we're talking about now. It means even the leaders, including the preacher. This is a problem in some churches. The old paraseical syndrome is still alive and well.

Higher powers, those that are above you in government, of the church or civil offices, is there anyone that does not answer to someone? I can't hear you. Our founding pastor did. He told us we all answered to him, but he answered God.

Was it Catholic? God was invisible, so that was convenient. But Deborah was right. He answered to his wife. Well, then who did she answer to? No one. No man. Everyone answers to someone someplace, and eventually to God.

Powers that be are ordained of God. Is there an office, any place to your knowledge, in the world, that is not authorized by the Heavenly Father? No. You really mean that? Yes, sir. Even the office of the president of this country?

Absolutely. Is God disturbed by what is happening here on earth? Looks to me like He ought to be. That's our point of view. That's what? That's our point of view. David, do you really think God's not disturbed by any of this?

Well, I think that's a question where you really do have to look at it from which point of view you're asking. Because from the human viewpoint, when He looked down before the flood, He was often disturbed.

He said, It repented me that I've made a man. It makes my heart sick that I've made a man. And yet, if you're asking if it surprised Him or if He's worried about it, no, He's not. Well, in the sense that I was thinking about it, He's not disturbed by it.

Knowing what man is going to do is different than being heartbroken over what man does. We have the same relationship with our children. We know what they're going to do sometimes. It breaks our heart.

But it doesn't disturb us to the fact that we want to throw them away. So He's really not disturbed in the sense I was thinking about for He is sovereign. He controls it all. And it's true now that the world system belongs to Satan, but according to Proverbs 16 .33, God is the one that has ordained all things and is continually guiding all things.

We must remember that Christianity is not a movement to improve government. It is not a movement to help society or to clean up a town. That's not the purpose of Christianity. What is the purpose? To glorify God.

To glorify God. Glorify God. And to become more Christ-like. The gospel is the power of God and the salvation of the called ones. Paul never preached about the deplorable conditions in the Roman jails, did he?

He didn't remember anything in his writing. Could he have expounded upon that? Not Paul. Others could. Others did. Well, I've talked about it from his experience. He could have told you about it. Oh, we could have told you about it.

I don't think he'd be criticizing God for it. No, that's not what I mean. Okay. We just do not find him referring to anything that was not pertinent unto God. Our business is to get the word out. Our business is not to save souls.

America is to enhance those who do not understand the spiritual heritage that we have. Spiritual truth cannot be reasoned out to an understanding. It must first be what? A truth must first be revealed.

Believed. Believed. Then comes the understanding. Russell, do you understand that understanding? In school we had to understand something before we could believe in it. It's not that way in God's world.

We have to believe, and then he reveals the understanding to us. And he will reveal it in word or action. It may go through an experience or an event or something that brings it home to you. Do you understand?

He was a wonderful teacher. Verse 2. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, and the power we just decided did not exist by the authority of God, resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation for judgment.

I've just seen that verse over there. To complain about the weather is fine and all, but not of those weathering. The word damnation here actually means judgment either here by God, God's use of earthly laws, and most certainly eventually before him for judgment.

The rulers are not a terror to good works but to the evil. Will thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same. The rulers, talking about the law enforcement people, governors, presidents, whatever, they're not put here to terrorize people that are obeying the law.

They're put here to correct. How many times have you ever received a citation from the city because you stopped at a stop sign in the town? How many ever received a citation from the city if you did not stop at a stop sign?

The law is to keep us from breaking it. Those do not affect you as long as you obey the law, but for those that go against the law, they are a terror. For he is the minister of God for good, talking about his rulers, but if thou do that which is evil, then you should be afraid.

For he beareth not the sword in vain, for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. How did that man ever get in office? God's been angry. What? God's been angry.

That's right. We thought we elected him, but only those that are ordained of God are there. Now, do they have to be saved to be there? No. No. This is a very hard thing, especially under some presidents of this country, and even the president alone.

It's even more difficult for me when I realize that the man in the office is doing exactly that which he was ordained to do in that office.

Brother Otis, also, we have to understand, too, we live in the United States and we actually have it a lot easier. Well, true. People that live in socialist and communist and dictatorships, obviously they're in all the time of the Roman rule.

It's very difficult to understand that a Hitler or a Mussolini or a Stalin, a multi-tongue, are all part of God's plan. We cannot understand it.

The belief is unacceptable. In the news, of course, the kind of newspaper, sometime last week, do you ever read Cal Thomas' article? Anybody? Yes. Do you remember one that he was talking about? The Mormon, Florida, about the national churches.

Do you remember that? Evidently not. Not really, but it's... I started to rank the article, and then it's too long to read here. But if you can go back and find that, I wish you would. Do you remember what day it was on?

A few years later, I believe. Well, try to find that and read it. If you... We think we know a lot about the National Council of Churches, but we know nothing. And they were very, very instrumental in all of this that has occurred between Cuba and the United States.

You'll hear about it on the news when it's there. Well, we need to stop here. We'll start with verse 5 of chapter 13. Is there anything anybody would like to mention? That must end. And Russell, I'll ask you if you'll just finish, please.

Sure thing, son. Father, we thank you for this great day and another opportunity to be in your house as a brother. We thank you for your love for us and our salvation, the resurrection power which dwells in us.

We thank you for this work we've heard. We ask your strength to send it. As we go in at the time of the message, you can speak to our hearts and change their lives more like you've done Jesus Christ. Thank you, Father.

Thank you.