The answer is, that this will not do one whit better; for when we come down to the next generation, it is apparent that the two sons of Isaac were sons of the same mother; nay, they were twins. Come on, let's be serious. "Why so?" We need 2 cookies to store this setting. Because God has dealt out gifts to others as well as to us: Dealt to every man. [2.] We are reminded that prophecy, in the Biblical understanding, isnt necessarily fore-telling in a strictly predictive sense. We must offer up that desire to God, by prayer for them. If we do but know how to get in contact with the Eternal and and Omnipotent, we shall be joyful and patient in all tribulations, and bravely endure even the keen edge of death. The wisdom that is from above is first pure and then peaceable, ; James 3:17. The fruits of it are not expanded here; but, in point of fact, to joy in God is necessarily that which makes praise and adoration to be the simple and spontaneous exercise of the heart. Precisely the same, for now when the wind is favourable you should hoist all sail. Slothful servants will be reckoned with us wicked servants. He that exhorteth needs to wait upon his exhortation. Don't be conformed to this world, and yet, that is exactly what the world is pressing for, and that is exactly what peer pressure is pressing towards. But this seems to be meant of the business of serving the Lord, our Father's business, Luke 2:49. The mind is the acting ruling part of us; so that the renewing of the mind is the renewing of the whole man, for out of it are the issues of life, ; Proverbs 4:23. A living principle of grace is in the soul, as far as it prevails, an unbiassed unprejudiced judgment concerning the things of God. The soul is brought into peace with God, as it finds its standing in the grace of God, and, more than that, rejoices in hope of the glory of God. This reminds us that the gift of showing mercy is a supernatural gift of the Spirit. Never return evil for evil. Adoption begets prayer, for it brings us the spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father. So don't feel condemned and guilty and a second-rate Christian and defeated because I get so scared to hand out a track. And may you be doers of the Word and not hearers only. Surely because this is intended for the composing of angry spirits, that are hot in the resentment of a provocation. WebVerse 12. And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it. Gods prescription for Cains depression and anger was obedience. As for "patience," how can we be patient if we cannot pray? Hence it is essentially founded on the gift not only of a Saviour who would interpose, in the mercy of God, to bear our sins, but of One who is already revealed, and the work done and accepted, and this known in the fact that God Himself has interposed to raise Him from among the dead a bright and momentous thing to press on souls, as indeed we find the apostles insisting on it throughout the Acts. That we may not then be wearied, the best remedy is diligence in prayer. Consider the child whose family is in great difficulty, but who has a kind and gentle father in the home. Have not holy men of old always sustained themselves in their worst times of grief and depression by betaking themselves to prayer? Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing stedfastly in prayer. [ See verse text ] Paul continues to describe our lives in There is enough of the natural man in most of us to like to get our rights; but the Christian man has no rights--he has only duties. A respectful love: In honour preferring one another. #2 in hope, Isaiah 40:31 says, But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. "Will you sit there please?" f. Do not avenge yourselves: The one who trusts in God will not think it necessary to avenge themselves. Not so, says the apostle; it is because of the evil of the nature, not of the law. Note the same progression from hope to perseverance to prayer in Romans 8:24-27. When you have found the promise lay your finger on it. Everything in 12:9-21 assumes that you have personally experienced the many mercies of God that are spelled out in chapters 1-11. [1.] It is not enough to draw out the soul, but we must draw out the purse, to the hungry. If it be some absolutely indispensable spiritual blessing, picture to thyself where thou wilt be if God should withhold it, what evils will spring of thy continuing in want of it, and what further wants may yet beset thee. Learn to defeat their ill designs against you, and either to change them, or at least to preserve your own peace." They should show brotherly affection and honor For many will come in a day saying, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? For instance, a man could be said latreuein kallei, which means to give his life to the service of beauty. He that hath this rule over his spirit is better than the mighty. God does not impose upon us any thing hard or unreasonable, but that which is altogether agreeable to the principles of right reason. Instead of meditating how to revenge one wrong, prepare to receive another. That is, it is the power of God unto salvation, not because it is victory (which at the beginning of the soul's career would only give importance to man even if possible, which it is not), but because it is "the righteousness of God." The idea is to pursue people you dont know with hospitality. This is to love our brethren as ourselves, desiring their welfare as our own. When we see ourselves as we really are, it is impossible to be given over to pride. Here, again, the apostle takes up what he had but announced in chapter 1 the righteousness of God. As Abraham, who sat at the tent-door (, Where there is a mutual love between the members of the mystical body, there will be such a fellow-feeling. a. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep: This is how we can fulfill the command to be of the same mind toward one another. Prayer is our great resource whenever we feel stress and strain (cf. Christianity is the religion of the open hand, the open heart, and the open door. Is not a disinclination to prayer one of the saddest marks of your soul's condition, one of those reasons which ought above all others to drive you to the mercy-seat? Sloth and indifference not only prevent good, but allow evil to prosper. To wait on our work is to bestow the best of our time and thoughts upon it, to lay hold of all opportunities for it, and to study not only to do it, but to do it well. The word in Romans 12:1 which we along with the Revised Standard Version have translated worship, has an interesting history. Let me call your attention again to its force. Besides this, which seems to be a most comprehensive expression for embracing every sort and degree of human iniquity, we have one very specifically named. However man, in the depravity of his heart, finds a way to be proud about spiritual gifts and insists on exalting men for how God has gifted them. If prophecy: Prophecy must be practiced in proportion to our faith. It is not expressed so as to oblige us to impossibilities: If it be possible, as much as lies in you. that is, suit yourselves to them, stoop to them for their good; as Paul, be not confident of the sufficiency of your own wisdom, so as to despise others, or think you have no need of them (, remembering it is the merchandise of wisdom that we profess; now merchandise consists in commerce, receiving and returning.". (iv) Fourth, whatever gift a man has, he must use it and the motive of use must be, not his personal prestige, but the conviction that it is at one and the same time his duty and his privilege to make his own contribution to the common good. Repay no one evil for evil. 11:23-28). We must not be ambitious of honour and preferment, nor look upon worldly pomp and dignity with any inordinate value or desire but rather with a holy contempt. As to the manner of our prophesying, it must be according to the proportion of the grace of faith. Shall God be expected to give to us that which we do not value? If we have no impetuous earnestness of spirit, can we expect that we shall be accepted? Try it. This is to do as God does, who not only has pleasure in the prosperity of his servants (; Psalms 35:27), but is likewise afflicted in all their afflictions, Isaiah 63:9. #1 Be joyful Joy is part of our birthright at Gods children. (vii) Paul's seventh injunction may be one of two things. It is not here a question of how a man is to be saved, but of God's indispensable moral judgment, which the gospel, instead of weakening asserts according to the holiness and truth of God. Because in so doing thou shalt heap. Constant, Instant, Expectant ----- A Sermon (No. We must make a business of it, and not be slothful in that business. Christianity is not an easy-going tolerance which will accept anything and shut its eyes to everything. The apostle is therefore plainly in presence of the broadest possible grounds of comparison, though we shall find more too. It is often more good to us to mourn like doves than to sing like nightingales. patient under it, not murmuring against God, on the one hand, nor Of it nothing has been heard till now. It is the same with making a new heart and a new spiritnew dispositions and inclinations, new sympathies and antipathies; the understanding enlightened, the conscience softened, the thoughts rectified; the will bowed to the will of God, and the affections made spiritual and heavenly: so that the man is not what he wasold things are passed away, all things are become new; he acts from new principles, by new rules, with new designs. Thereby is identification with His death. As we must not on the one hand be proud of our talents, so on the other hand we must not bury them. Man is only so much the worse for knowing the truth, if he holds it ever so fast with unrighteousness. Now the reasons why we must have such a sober opinion of ourselves, our own abilities and attainments, are these:. But if it were so, He had not done with them. "So cleave to it as not to be allured nor affrighted from it, cleave, Living By Faith: Commentary on Romans & 1st Corinthians, Spurgeon's Verse Expositions of the Bible, Obsolete or obscure words in the english av bible. Nay, if persons wronged in seeking the defence of the law, and magistrates in granting it, act from any particular personal pique or quarrel, and not from a concern that public peace and order be maintained and right done, even such proceedings, though seemingly regular, will fall under this prohibited self-revenging. Horribly offensive as sin is to God, and inexcusable in the creature, it is sin which has given occasion to the astonishing display of divine righteousness in justifying believers. It's all down the tubes. Paul would say that left to ourselves we live a life kata ( G2596) sarka ( G4561) , dominated by human nature at its lowest; in Christ we live a life kata ( G2596) Christon ( G5547) or kata ( G2596) pneuma ( G4151) , dominated by Christ or by the Spirit. But now, to meet the question that was raised, they pleaded the distinguishing promises to Israel. If I am thus pitied of God, if so truly and completely a justified man, if I am really an object of God's eternal favour, how can I have such a sense of continual evil? However this may be, (for it matters not much whether you regard them as connected or separated,) he first; forbids us to acquiesce in present blessings, and to ground our joy on earth and on earthly things, as though our happiness were based on them; and he bids us to raise our minds up to heaven, that we may possess solid and full joy. So with the Christian. B. (vi) We must keep our spirit at boiling point. But those who hope in God and his promises will have an unlimited supply of hope and have their strength renewed. There has been nothing grandly great or good in your spiritual life, but Jabbok has flowed near it, and the top of Carmel has been near to view, where you have wrestled with God and have prevailed. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. Give me grace to ask for thy grace! Thus Latimer: "I preached at the instant request of a curate." Numbers of prayers are of that kind: we are praying God to do what we ought to do ourselves, and that is sheer impertinence. But Paul prayed that believers would be strengthened with Gods power so that we could endure trials with joy and thankfulness (Col. 1:9-12): For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. Patience for God's sake, and with an eye to his will and glory, is true piety. Nothing of this is intended in the class that is here brought before us. It was undeniable that the Gentiles did not seek the Lord, nor ask after Him; and the prophet says that Jehovah was found of them that sought Him not, and was made manifest to them that asked not after Him. Its root is morphe ( G3444) , which means the essential unchanging shape or element of anything. Though he might with authority command, yet for love's sake he rather beseeches, Philemon 1:8; Philemon 1:9. It is "the power of God unto salvation." Romans 13:1-14; Romans 13:1-14 urges their duties towards what was outside them, more particularly to the powers that be, but also to men in general. We must not be self-conceited, nor esteem too much our own wisdom and other attainments, not think ourselves to be something. Not to our own wrath; to give place to this is to give place to the devil, ; Ephesians 4:26-27. This is explained. Paul may be cautioning that prophecy must be according to the faith, in accord with the accepted body of doctrine held among believers. There never can be solid peace with God without both. You can check these in your browser security settings. iii. Persecution without hope and patience conveyed to us through prayer would certainly defeat us (Psalms 28). I like that beautiful, though sad, picture of the Norwich martyr, Hudson, of whom Foxe tells us that, when he stood at the stake with the chain about him to be burnt, he fell under a cloud. There is entrance into favour, and nothing but favour. Dissimulation is an imitation. We did many marvelous works." There is no hope for man otherwise; for the gospel is not all that is now made known. If we are called upon to share, let us do it with simple kindliness. What were the principles of it? It is His righteousness, or, in other words, His perfect consistency with Himself, which is always involved in the notion of righteousness. It is a simple command to be considerate of the feelings of others instead of waiting for them to be considerate of your feelings. It is not forbidden to the magistrate to do justice to those that are wronged, by punishing the wrong-doer; nor to make and execute just and wholesome laws against malefactors; but it forbids private revenge, which flows from anger and ill-will; and this is fitly forbidden, for it is presumed that we are incompetent judges in our own case. Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer ( Romans 12:11-12 ); Not the last thing, but the first thing. Rejoicing in hope is how you persevere in tribulation. ". What is the great effect of this renewing, which we must labour after: That you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. We must not only not to hurt to our enemies, but our religion goes higher, and teaches us to do them all the good we can. As soon as youre able, spend some time in Gods presence through His Word. your whole selves; so expressed because under the law the bodies of beasts were offered in sacrifice. Three things I shall speak upon which will be remembered the better by being linked with three words Instant, constant, expectant. Next, he enters upon another branch of the truth the Spirit not as a condition contrasted with flesh (these two, as we know, being always contrasted in Scripture), but as a power, a divine person that dwells in and bears His witness to the believer. But biblical joy comes from walking in the power of the Holy Spirit, not by natural temperament. Christ, who had gifts without measure, was meek and lowly; and shall we, that are stinted, be proud and self-conceited? Cranfield says this translation is too weak; he suggests hold out steadfastly. Continuing instant in prayer . Our hope is built on nothing less than trusting in the Cross of Christ and taking God at His Word. Now that God has revealed Himself in the gospel, it is not what will suit man on earth, but what is worthy of the presence of the glory of God. He takes their own books, and proves from one of them (Deuteronomy) that in the ruin of Israel the resource is not going into the depths, nor going up to heaven. Loving Father, thank You for the Word of God and the godly instructions that are laid out for the Church in the epistles of Paul. "That is difficult" says one. His nature never changes. After all, the great fact of the incarnation basically means that God did not grudge to take a human body upon himself, to live in it and to work through it. "It is a personal individual thing, and something we should all be quite interested in that God would do His work in our hearts. Law works wrath because it provokes transgression; grace makes the promise sure to all the seed, not only because faith is open to the Gentile and Jew alike, but because God is looked to as a quickener of the dead. Two senses are given of this, which I think are both to be taken in disjunctively. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. [2.] We may observe here, according to the scheme mentioned in the contents, the apostle's exhortations. But, since Paul is always so deliberately logical (especially in Romans) a few try to establish a flow of thought (Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Romans: Christian Conduct [Banner of Truth], pp. The judgments of God will fall on man as man, but the heaviest blows are reserved for Christendom. Nay, Fourthly, We must offer up that desire to God, by prayer for them. Many a persecutor has become a follower of the faith he once sought to destroy, because he has seen how a Christian can forgive. "God in worms?" The ground taken by a Jew for supposing God exclusively for Israel was, that they had the law, which was the measure of what God claimed from man; and this the Gentile had not. This maintains both the glory and the moral universality of Him who will justify the circumcision by faith, not law, and the uncircumcision through their faith, if they believe the gospel. The apostle refers to Isaiah to show that God would "lay in Zion a stumbling-stone." But man can't live in a state of no hope. "But unto Israel he saith, All day long have I stretched out my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.". Because it had been fed before. Even those that seek a place of separation to the Lord outside that which is now hurrying on souls to destruction are, nevertheless, deeply affected by the condition of that Christendom in which we find ourselves. It intimates that our poor brethren have a kind of interest in that which God hath given us; and that our reliving them should come from a sense and fellow-feeling of their wants, as though we suffered with them. He may have an earnest desire to have communion with God; his heart pants for it; and he cannot resist the propensity to seek him, and pour out his desires before him. Im reading the Bible every day. Proskarterountes. But I may admire the work of the finger or the thumb. And as that little remnant is ever sustained by the grace of God, it is the standing pledge of their final blessedness through His mercy, whereon the apostle breaks out into raptures of thanksgiving to God. Is not this right? Prayer as a mere form is but a mockery; prayer in a languid, half-hearted manner may be more dishonouring to God than honouring to him; we ourselves may be rather injured by lukewarm prayer than benefited by it. The bond of tears is the strongest of all. In the body of Christ there is unity but not uniformity. Take the case of a church or a cathedral. First, then, Instant "Continuing instant in prayer." Accordingly the apostle says that boast and works are completely set aside by this principle which affirms faith, apart from deeds of law, to be the means of relationship with God (verses 27, 28). In this text, his hope is the cause or ground of his joy. Learn to defeat ill designs against you, either to change them, or to preserve your own peace. One of the commonest ways of abbreviating was to miss out the vowels--as shorthand does--and to place a stroke along the top of the remaining letters. Condescend; that is, suit yourselves to them, stoop to them for their good; as Paul, ; 1 Corinthians 9:19, &c. Some think the original word is a metaphor taken from travellers, when those that are stronger and swifter of foot stay for those that are weak and slow, make a halt, and take them with them; thus must Christians be tender towards their fellow travellers. The circumstances under which the epistle to the Romans was written gave occasion to the most thorough and comprehensive unfolding, not of the church, but of Christianity. God has called some to street evangelism and these various things, but don't feel that God has called everyone to say street evangelism and thus feel guilty because you can't do street evangelism. b. Spicqs comment on this word (2:576-577) is quite good. Article download . But, on the other hand, we should think soberly, that is, we must have a low and modest opinion of ourselves and our own abilities, our gifts and graces, according to what we have received from God, and not otherwise. Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. A reason against it: We may not do it. It disposes the soul to receive and entertain the revelations of the divine will. He must have thought he was out on some pleasure excursion along the coast, and that the yacht would anchor when the sun went down; but he was in an ocean clipper which was out for work and not for play. (x) We are to persevere in prayer. Existential philosophy has taught us that realism is despair. If, by agreement between the ministers of a congregation, this work be divided, either constantly or interchangeably, so that one teaches and the other exhorts (that is, in our modern dialect, one expounds and the other preaches), let each do his work according to the proportion of faith. Ministry. What they deal with are basic to effective Christian living." The consequences spiritually are blessed to the soul; how much more is it to Teach the source from which all flows! Abhor what is evil. Compare Acts 26:22; Galatians 1:9. The wisdom from above is pure and peaceable. They told him it was so. It pronounced on the Jew then. It was Nelson who, after one of his great victories, sent back a despatch in which he gave us the reason for it: "I had the happiness to command a band of brothers." If there be any thing in them that is commendable and praiseworthy, take notice of it, and mention it to their honour." Condescend to men of low estateTois tapeinois synapagomenoi. This may in the end make the persecutors feel so ashamed that they will repent of their wrongdoing (19-21). (1.) There's no help. Now faith, and other spiritual gifts with it, are dealt by measure, according as Infinite Wisdom sees meet for us. There is a relative holiness in every sacrifice, as dedicated to God. There is no hope is what they are saying. Whatever it is that thou are asking for, it is nor trifle. Justification is not from works of law. (6) In addition to all this, Christians may be in the habit of praying to God without the formality of retirement, God locks upon the heart; and the heart may pour forth its secret desires to Him even when in business, when conversing with a friend, when walking, when alone, and when in society. Finally he brings in Isaiah, showing that, far from retaining their blessing as an unbroken people, a remnant alone would be saved. It is not a question of creature-standing. The righteousness of God is revealed from faith; and consequently, if there be faith in any soul, to this it is revealed, to faith wherever it may be. Those that would approve themselves Christians indeed must make religion their businessmust choose it, and learn it, and give themselves to it; they must love it, and employ themselves in it, and abide by it, as their great and main business. "Speak respectfully to them, according as their place is, not rendering railing for railing, and bitterness for bitterness." And mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Joy and patience are curative essences, but they must be dropped into a glass full of supplication, and then they will be wonderfully efficient. The weak are not to judge the strong, and the strong are not to despise the weak. The promise is (; John 7:17), If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine. The apostle allows this privilege to be great, specially in having the Scriptures, but turns the argument against the boasters. 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