Incentives for Christian Living

MEMORY SELECTION: “Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.” —Romans 12:11

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Romans 12:1-5,9-13; Philippians 4:8

ATTENTION is drawn to some very practical lessons in connection with our Christian walk and endeavor to faithfulness. We should strive to use the spirit of a sound mind in all that we do, not being slothful in our affairs, especially in matters concerning the business of the Lord. Fervency of spirit illustrates that mark of character that is eager to know the will of the Heavenly Father in all that we do. And let us serve the Lord in whatever manner he may open unto us.

The 12th chapter of Paul’s letter to the Romans opens with a well-known and often quoted passage of scripture: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” (Rom. 12:1) This is an exhortation to those followers of Jesus who are justified by the Redeemer’s blood and are, therefore, referred to by Paul as “brethren.” The brethren are members of the household of faith who have entered into a relationship with God on a higher plane of existence than that of the world. They have been called by the Heavenly Father to a new nature on the highest spiritual plane—the divine nature. These new creatures in Christ Jesus have entered into covenant relationship with the Father and will, if faithful unto death, share as joint-heirs with our lord in the millennial kingdom.

The way of this exalted position is pointed out as a way of sacrifice: “Present your bodies a living sacrifice.” To do this is to do as did our Lord Jesus, who said, “I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.” (John 6:38) This points out the necessity of giving up our own will and instead doing the will of the Heavenly Father. It includes the setting aside of the hopes, ambitions, and aims of the fallen flesh and its appetites, whether they may be respectable or not. Our energies and talents must be redirected to the doing of the Master’s work. Such sacrifice is accepted by God as holy because of the merit of our Redeemer’s blood, which has been imputed unto us. It is our reasonable service and indeed would be even if no such reward as our calling to the new creation were promised.

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Rom. 12:2) The consecrated are admonished not to conform their lives after the pattern of the world and its ambitions but to remodel their thinking by keeping the perfect standard of righteousness before them. We should endeavor to do and think as our Lord did.

Paul foresaw that one of the greatest temptations among the Lord’s people would be along the lines of ambition. This suggests the desire among some to be highly esteemed, if not by the world, then by members of our own fellowship. The temptation could come along the lines of attracting attention by doing some particular service. And for this reason Paul says (vs. 3), “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”

All who are thus called of God should strive to keep unity in the body, remembering that each member of the body of Christ has a particular purpose and function. “For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”—vss. 4,5

Our selected scriptural reading passes over to verses 9 to 13, where the apostle urges us to be aware of the pure love of Christ which should fill our hearts, abhorring that spirit which is of the world. Being “kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love” (vs. 10) points out the relationship that should be evident among the Lord’s people. Undue familiarity, especially between brothers and sisters in the Lord, should give way to the purity of thought which would grant each his rightful position of dignity in the body of Christ. Let us mature as Christians.

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