August, 1936
308
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
in transformation into Christ’s image. The believer is not merely to shun the fashion but also the spirit o f the age; he is not simply to follow a different mode of living but also to be actuated by a different mo tive. By “the renewing” is suggested a continuous process, that is, allowing the Holy Spirit to operate by revealing and reproducing Christ within the life (cf. 2 Cor. 3 :17,18). II. T he E ffect of C h ristian L iving (2 ). The effect will be to show that the will of God is good, acceptable, and perfect in practical experience. To many Christians, the will of God is something to be avoided, or at best to be endured. But the one who lives closest to the center of the will of God is the one who lives nearest to heaven where the will o f God is the delight o f all the inhabitants. The degree of holiness in a Christian’s life can be measured by the extent to which the will of God is accepted as being the supreme good. Holiness is to be an experimental thing, not just a theory. The word used in this passage for “prove” really means “shown to be” or “to make manifest.” Usually Christians speak o.f bowing to the will of God when loss or sorrow comes, not when gain or joy is theirs; in both cases, however—in sorrow or in joy-—God’s will should be supreme. God asks for nothing that would mar or lessen the true joy o f His people. But He wants that joy to be a thing o f perma nency, resting upon solid foundations. To that end, He beseeches for complete yield- edness of the whole' person unto G od : “Present your bodies a living sacrifice.” III. T he M anifestation of C h ristian L iving (3, 9-21). First, there will be a spirit of humility (v. 3). Some one has said that humility is “the most beautiful flower in the garden of ' Christ,” and another writer describes it as being “unconscious self-forgetful ness.” All we are or have comes from the Lord by grace alone; therefore we are to be humble in the possession o f these things. Our powers are not attainments, but gifts. The Lord has no self-made peo ple. Not the measure of intellect, or learn ing, or wealth, or social position indicates one’s true standing, but the measure of faith (cf. 2 Cor. 10:17, 18). Humility is the fitting attitude o f one who walks in the light, because there one beholds things in their proper proportion and thus is aware of what one really is at heart. The darkness o f the ancient days may be un derstood by the fact that humility was then looked upon as the deepest vice, whereas Christianity lifts it into the position of the highest virtue. Second, love will be manifest in all the deliberations of the Christian—a love re vealed in sincerity (vs. 9-13). In true Christian living there will be an exempli fication of any number o f virtues: hum bleness, “in honor preferring one an other” ; faithfulness, “ not slothful in busi ness” ; ' - earnestness, “fervent in spirit” ; diligence, “ serving the Lord” ; joyfulness, “rejoicing in hope” ; endurance, “patient in tribulation” ; devotion, “continuing in stant in prayer” ; and finally thoughtful ness, “ distributing to the necessity of the saints; given to hospitality.” Third, there will be a spirit of helpful ness (vs. 14-21). This helpfulness will be revealed in every sphere. There will be such reliance upon the Lord that all perse cution will be taken as coming within His will; rejoicing will be entered into in His
had wanted to become Christians, and now here was everybody quarreling about it. So they all met at Jerusalem to discuss the matter. This time it was Peter who rose up and helped them decide what was right. He said something like this: “God knoweth the hearts. If the people believe, that is the important thing.” Peter was remembering about his vision. Then Paul and Barnabas stood and told of the won derful times that they had had in the cities preaching to the Gentiles. The church leaders began to see that Peter was right. When we disagree about something, it is a good thing to meet together and talk about it and pray about it and wait for God’s answer. Object Lesson L iberty and L icense Object: A fishing license. Lesson: How would you like to go fish ing with me ? The boys seem quite anxious to go, but the girls are not so sure. Girls, I think you would enjoy going, as it is not an ordinary trip. If we are to go fishing, what must we take? “ Pole, line, and bait.” That is a pretty good answer, but you have forgotten something. What about a license ? “ Oh, yes, we forgot.” I am ready to go. I have my license. Here it is. When you get a license, are you permit ted to catch fish anywhere you might choose? N o! You would not be allowed to fish in a private fishpond or to catch goldfish out o f a bowl. If you thought your fishing license gave you liberty to Lesson T ext: Romans 12:1-3, 9-21. Golden T ext: “ Christ liveth in me” (Gal. 2:20). _ _ _ _ _ Outline and Exposition I. T h e F oundation of C h ristian L iving ( 1 , 2 ). F irst , there must be an assured knowl edge of the mercies of God. These mercies are fully set forth in the pre vious portion of this epistle, and they re veal that, as far as salvation is concerned, God does everything for the believer. What God does with and in the believer is designed to accomplish holiness in the life. First He gives the doctrine and then the duty, not vice versa. Unless it be recog nized that everything necessary for salva tion has already been accomplished by the Lord, there will be always the attempt to earn salvation by what the sinner does. The “mercies of God” must be remem bered. Second, there must be a definite sur render to the Lord. The word “present” is a temple term indicating something wholly devoted to the Lord. In the case o f believers, the sacrifice is to be a com plete one, and is suggested by the word “ bodies”—meaning the whole person. It is a comprehensive term. The body is re garded as the instrument o f manifestation, and includes body, soul, and spirit. Such a sacrifice will be “holy,” that is, entirely separated unto God, and as such will be ac ceptable to Him and reasonable to the o f ferer. God wants nothing which He must
catch fish anywhere you find them, it would not be long until you would get into trouble. In thinking o f having a license to fish, I am reminded o f Paul’s words in Gala tians S:13: “Ye have been called unto lib erty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” Paul was writing to people who had ac cepted Christ as Saviour, and who, there fore, had liberty. He warned them not to think that just because they had liberty, they had a license to do anything they wanted to do. They were told that they should serve one another by love. Instead of serving one another by love, they were disputing. There are many Christian people who think and act this same way today. If asked whether they had taken Christ as Saviour, they would say, “Yes,” but the way they act would indicate that they were using their liberty to live a selfish life. Just as you would not be allowed to fish in every place even though you have a fish ing license, so the liberty which we have in Christ does not permit us to live a self ish life, but we should “by love serve one another.” Third, there must be a definite practice. “ Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Nonconformity to this present age is one of the principal stones in the foun dation o f true Christian living. The reason for the necessity of the believer’s separa tion from the world is fivefold: because of the character o f this age, which is evil, being ruled by Satan (cf. Gal. 1 :4; 2 Cor. 4:4; John 12:31) ; because of the conduct of this age, which is folly, living for time and sense alone; the end of this age, which is destruction; the spirit o f this age, which is selfishness; and the pursuit o f this age, which is self-pleasing. It is not surprising that the injunction should be given: “Be not conformed to this world.” But, on the positive side, let there be the renewing of the mind by the Holy Spirit which issues BLACKBOARD LESSON force from the saint, but He accepts every thing presented unto Him in this sacrificial manner.
SEPTEMBER 20, 1936 CHRISTIAN LIVING R om an s , C hapter 12
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