To the Point - Christianity

Romans 12:1-21


To the Point – Christianity

All of us know a person that for the most part when telling a story they tend to take the long way around to get to the point. For those of us like me we want to just tell the person, “Get to the point!” Paul in Romans 12 has what seems like bullet points for the Christian life. The issues that he is going to address are lead by a foundational call to bring all of you to the table. Many Christians unfortunately only come half heartedly in their efforts of service to God. God’s acceptable and perfect will for service is nothing short of an “all in” attitude if you want maximum effectiveness. Besides bringing your all you also need to have a brain transplant. We need to lay aside all preconceived ideas of what the world has taught us and come empty so we can be filled with complete understanding of God’s perfect will for our lives.

“(22) that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, (23) and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, (24) and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24)

Before Paul gets into the differing of gifts he wants us to put a bullet into the heart of pride so we come open to whatever role God has for us in the body of Christ instead of thinking we possess certain qualities that denote high position because He alone portions everyone a measure of faith.

If everyone was a Pastor there would be no congregation and conversely if everyone sat in the pews there would be no one to teach. Everyone has their own separate function in the church. God in His all knowing wisdom and grace delivers with tremendous accuracy the gifts needed to make a complete and whole body of believers.

“from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:16)

The command is to use your gift. If you do not use the gifts that God has given you then you are sinning! If your hand decided to no longer do what it was made to do then you would be incomplete and lacking. If you know what your gifts are then ask God to give opportunity to use them.

When the gifts are in full swing Love is always the motivator. If you want people to love one another then you yourself need to love others. If you want people to be diligent and not lazy then you need to be self sacrificing and prioritize your life around your service to God so people can rely on you. Never forget the basics in your relationship with God, which is what strengthens you for service and for trials.

If there is one truth that you must know it is that where there are people there will be people problems. Paul knew that and encourages us to do whatever possible to make peace among men and women. Chances are there will always be those that refuse to be peaceable with you and God tells to you and me that He will avenge and repay the wrongs. Our responsibility is to continue to meet the needs of our enemies and in doing so we heap coals of fire on their heads. Some of us like this verse because of our own vengeful tendencies but I must burst your bubble. In the culture of the day there were people so poor they couldn’t even acquire the materials needed for a fire. In order to start a fire people would help others by giving someone burning coals that would be cared in a vessel on the head of the person back to the place they needed to make their fire. So heaping coals on someone’s head was also an act of kindness not vengeance. That makes sense because the next statement Paul makes is to overcome evil with good not evil for evil. If heaping coals on someone’s head was bad then Paul would have contradicted himself.

“(43) “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ (44) But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, (45a) that you may be sons of your Father in heaven;” (Matthew 5:43-45a)