Let's ask the Lord's blessing
again. Our Father, we thank You for what we've heard, and we
thank You for what we will hear. Bless it, we pray. Help us. Truly, it is a desperate cry.
We need You. Blessed, we pray this word to
Your glory and our good. Amen. Having been exhorted, that's
what Paul said, I beseech you, verse 1, Romans 12, 1, by the
mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Boy, you know, that's a serious
thought. Acceptable to God. Men can fool other men. They don't fool God. The evidence of that presentation, that's
what I want to preach on this morning. Paul had said last week,
present your bodies. I beseech you by the mercies
of God, present your bodies. And you know that the only presentation
before God is to stand in a substitute, in a representative. How will
I present anything to Him that He will accept? How will I do
that? I won't except I have a substitute,
a representative that will answer for me. But with that presentation standing
in him, I'm going to tell you that there's
going to be an evidence of that presentation. You're going to
see something. that evidences life. It is not what a man says he
believes that carries any weight if there is no evidence outwardly
of that life. What a man says, if it doesn't
correspond with what he does, There's nothing there. Write
that down. There's nothing there. The Lord said, He said, With their lips they do honor
me, but their heart is far from me. What does a man truly believe? I'll tell you what he truly believes.
What he does. what He does, because everybody
does what they want to do. Scripture says in Matthew 7,
16, Ye shall know them. You shall recognize them, what
that word means. You'll recognize them by their
fruits, by their works, by their acts, by their results. That's
how you'll know them. Four things are set forth. in the passage that we'll look
at today in Romans 12, starting in verse 2. Four things. Two of them are negative. Two
of them are positive. Here is the result. Here is the
evidence. Here is the outward manifestation. If Almighty God has given a man
or a woman life and they stand before God presenting their bodies
standing in Christ. I'm telling you, there's no other
way that you're acceptable unto God except in Christ. He said, this
is my beloved Son in whom I'm well pleased. Who else does that leave that
will stand on their own merit? Who's left? None. There's none that doeth good. Not one. Not one. Not holy and acceptable unto
God. Only in Christ. But, write it
down, with that standing, having been sanctified, set apart, with
new life imparted, There is an evidence of that salvation. Don't you ever think that men
are secret closet believers. Oh, I believe. I bet you, Brother
Scott, I bet you've had people tell you this. I believe what
you're preaching. But if I preached that, they'd
run me out of the pulpit. No, you don't believe it. You
don't believe it. I'd preach that. I had one man
tell me one time, he said, I believe what you're preaching. But he
said, I'm going to kind of give it a few years to kind of work
the people into it. You don't work anybody to anything.
You preach the gospel and you let God do what God wants to
do. What do you think you're going to do? You're going to
kind of prepare somebody and you're going to kind of ease
them a long kneel and kind of give them a little, you know,
I'll feed them this and feed them that and I'll eventually
teach them. No, you won't. You think that you're the one
that's governing this thing. You know what sets a man free?
Truth. Truth. Truth. If you want to
see the evidence of someone that doesn't love you, you let them
tell you a lie. You lie. You lie to somebody. Let me tell you what you just
told them. I don't care for you. I don't love you. Your feelings
don't matter to me. Your presence doesn't matter
to me. They lied. You're a liar. John Gill made
this statement. He said, any man that can lie
about anything without reserve, he just lied to you. He lied
to you. He said, you write this down.
That man is of his father, the devil, who is the prince of liars. There is an evidence of salvation. I know we are saved by grace.
But James says faith without the evidence, without works,
is dead. Dead. Well, let's look at it
for a few minutes. Four signs. Number one, Paul
says in verse 2, ìAnd be not conformed to this world.î Actually, what it what it don't
fashion yourself. Don't assume the habit of this
age. Now, I know this boy, you could
just start right here and men could start giving you a long
list of subjects or habits that this world performs, and I mean,
they could just start naming things. You know, don't do this
and don't do that and don't do this. And I mean, we just stand
here the rest of the day. And just, you know, a long list
of stuff. Be not conformed to this world.
Don't dress like them. Don't talk like them. But Paul
is speaking primarily, firstly, concerning the religion of this
world, the salvation or the attempted salvation. Be not conformed to
this world's religion. Titus 2. Turn with me there.
Titus chapter 2. Titus 2.11. Titus 2.11. Be not conformed
to this world, Paul says in Titus 2.11, for the grace of God that
bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that
denying ungodliness, salvation that is not conformed
to God's Word, ungodliness, and worldly lusts, we should live
soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. The grace
of God has appeared to all men. All
men? That's right. Jew and Gentile
is what that says. Ephesians 3. Just flip over there. We've got a few scriptures we'll
look at. Ephesians 3. Ephesians 3, 5, which in other
ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now
revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, that
the Gentiles should be fellow heirs and of the same body and
partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel. The gospel of
God's grace has appeared, Paul says, to all men. I understand
that men die every day, right now, from the time that this
was written until this day right here. Men die never having heard
the gospel. But the scripture says salvation
has to appear to Jew and Gentile, all men. No one is accepted. All have heard. Obviously, then,
those regenerated by the Spirit of God, they're educated and
they're taught by the Spirit of God, according to Titus 2,
to deny ungodliness. They reject all things. This is what it means to deny
ungodliness. A believer rejects, he refuses
everything that is not conformed to the sovereignty of God in
creation, in providence, and salvation. A believer will not
bow. He will not submit to. He will
not hear that which denies God's sovereignty. He won't do it. You will not. You will not. And
worldly lust. What is that? Corrupted desires
that choke the Word. Worldly lust. Denying ungodliness
and worldly lust. Let me just bring it down to
where the rubber meets the road. Paddle meets the water. You know
the parable that we bring up often here? The parable of the
sower. The Word of God fell on four
types of ground. It fell by the wayside and said
the birds that came in there, which is Satan. If Almighty God
allows a man or a woman to hear the gospel, and it just, nothing,
I mean, it just didn't make any difference to them, you know.
They heard it, but Almighty God allowed it. Some of it fell on stony ground,
sprang up quickly. But it says that whenever persecution,
the sun, persecution for the sake of the gospel came out,
it wilted. Why? There was no root to it.
If someone can talk you out of the gospel, you didn't believe
it. God didn't forgive you. He didn't
give you heart. Some of it fell on thorny ground. As I've said before, this is
the one that to me is the most for the one you watch. It says that it began to grow. It appeared. But it says that
the thorns came and it choked the Word. Sometimes, Things eventually
do cause a man to be drawn away. He's drawn away in his heart
first. But these things that take a
man away, the cares of this world, worldly lust, that's what he's
talking about. Sometimes a man leaves the gospel,
sometimes he doesn't. I'm talking about the sitting
and hearing of it. He already left it in his heart
because it was never there. But thorny ground hearers, what
happens? Things of this world that are
more important than the hearing of the gospel. Who said that? The Lord said
it. But some of it fell on good ground.
30, 60. Paul says, denying ungodliness,
that which refuses to believe God's sovereignty and worldly
lusts, corrupted desires that are more important than the Word
of God and His glory. Paul says that we should live
discreetly, soberly, under the government of God's people, righteously,
Or that is awake to the righteousness of God, that we live righteously. Well, I mean, you know, somebody
said, you ought to live righteously. What does that mean? I mean,
if I've done everything I know to do, I mean, does anything
that I've done make me more righteous? Right. What does it mean? It
means that I'm awake, spiritually awake to the righteousness of
God. You don't have to tell a believer.
that they're righteous only in Christ. They know they're not
righteous in themselves. There's none righteous. They
know that. 1 Thessalonians 2.10. You're witnesses
in God also how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves
among you that believed. Paul says also that we should
live godly in this present age. Godly. Oh, there's another word. What do you mean, live godly? I mean, these are all words or
terms that appear to give you a set of instructions. And I'm
telling you, a believer is going to have a consistent walk. But this is what they're thinking.
This is how we live godly. A jealousy for God. in this present age. They're
jealous for Him. They're jealous for Him. They're
jealous for His gospel. They're jealous for the Christ.
They're jealous for His honor. They're jealous. They're jealous.
And they don't take it lightly. Godly believers live soberly
to ourselves and to our conscience and righteously with a a wickedness
to the righteousness of God and a jealousy toward God's glory.
And it's evidenced in their walk. They're consistent. They just don't have a flippant
attitude about the way they walk. They don't. I don't want to offend
anybody unnecessarily. I don't want to do something
that will cause a disgraceful thoughts in your mind about the
God I serve. I don't want to do that. But
I do realize this. I mean, when I've done all that
I could possibly do, I didn't add one thing to my standing
before God. But that does not excuse inconsistency
in the gospel. I mean, here's a believer knowing
that everything he does, he's just an unprofitable servant.
When we've done all we can do, what does that mean? Unprofitable
service. That means that I didn't add any profit to it. But it
doesn't mean that I walk with inconsistency either. I don't
want to lie to you. I don't want to cheat you. I
don't want to be mean to you. I want to be fair with you. I want to be honorable with you. I want to preach the gospel because
I need to hear what it's got to say. A believer is Consistent. They're gracious people. They're
gracious people. And they know all the while.
I am what I am by the grace of God. All that I am. So, be not conformed to this
world. That's what Paul says. Secondly,
here's the second sign. But be transformed by the renewing
of your mind. Actually, transfigured. Transformed
when the Lord was on the mountain of transfiguration. This is the
same word. Same word. He was transfigured. That's what the scripture says.
He was he beheld that his apostles saw just an inkling of his majesty,
and he was brighter than the noonday sun. That's what he said.
Transfigured. That's what this word is. Be
transformed. Changed to the evidence of being
new is what it actually means. That is a spiritual work. And
that is a spiritual attitude that is only accomplished by
the regeneration of God Almighty, the work of the Spirit of God
in the mind and in the soul. I'm telling you this. I mean,
these are amazing. See, a believer knows he knows
That he can, of himself, he knows he can do nothing. He knows that.
He knows it. Paul says, in me, that is in
my flesh, I can do nothing. There's nothing in me. And a
believer acknowledges his inability. He knows it. He knows it. I'm not trying to fool anybody,
but I'm telling you there's a new nature there that evidences itself
to. The flesh does and the Spirit
does. Transformed by the renewing of
your mind. It means that there is a work
in you that is contrary to the nature of our flesh. Transformed
by the renewing of our new mind. Evidenced that it's new. The
world thinks of its body for the present. And a believer thinks
of his eternal soul. That's what you think about. The flesh thinks only for the
provision of right now. And a believer thinks of eternity. How do you think that? The Spirit
of God has given you a new mind, the renewing of your mind. The world thinks of things that
are seen. This is what I need, this is
what I want, this is what I'll have, this is what I'll get.
And a believer thinks of those things that are not seen. That's
what faith is. Faith is the evidence, the substance
of things not seen. It's the evidence, the substance,
the reality of it. The world thinks It's what I got to have today
to eat. It's what I have to have where I've got to have this.
I've got I've got this. I've got responsibilities. I've
got this, that and the other. And a believer is responsible.
Don't get me wrong. A believer is responsible. He's responsible. He's fair. He owes you something. He's going
to do whatever he can. Oh, no, man, nothing. Love him. He's not going to cheat you. An unbeliever thinks of things
today, and a believer sets his mind and seeks first the kingdom
of God. What does that mean? He knows
that there's a king, and a king has subjects, has a kingdom,
and he's concerned with the kingdom of God. He loves God's people. Don't be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the power and grace of God, by the renewing,
the complete change for the better. That's what it means, renewing.
Complete change. That you may prove what is that
good and acceptable and perfect will of God. You know, when a regenerated sinner, a
saint, an object of God's mercy, is not conformed to this world. When he's not conformed to this
world's religion, this world's thoughts, desires, cares, when
his attitude is changed because of his new mind, the Lord said,
I'll give him a new heart, I'll give him a new mind, new will,
new spirit. When that man is made new, The
good and acceptable and perfect will of God has been proven.
That's what Paul says. Verse 2, Be not conformed to
this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that you may prove, that you may set forth. Think of a car
or a rocket out there on the proving grounds. What's that
thing got in it? Hang on, I'll show you. Let's fire it up. They
get out there and get that car, you know. 400 miles an hour. What did you do? You proved what it was made of. Whenever God's people, renewed
by the grace of God, changed, created, knew in Christ, when
they're not conformed to this world's religion, and they're
transformed by the renewing of their mind, and they're concerned
with God's honor, God's Word, God's Christ, They prove the
good and acceptable and perfect will of God. That's what they
do. It's evidenced by the grace of God. Here's the third sign.
Verse 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. Don't esteem yourself in an arrogant
way. Now, the only way that a man
is not going to do that is if God gives him a heart to keep
him. Don't go beyond a state of modesty. Oh, I tell you, we have such
a high opinion of ourselves. But it's going to take Almighty
God in mercy and grace to accomplish this. Turn to 2 Corinthians 12.
2 Corinthians 12. Don't think of
yourself more highly. 2 Corinthians 12, verse 2. Paul said, I knew a man in Christ
about 14 years ago. 2 Corinthians 12, 2. Whether
in the body, I cannot tell. Whether out of the body, I cannot
tell. God knoweth. Such in one caught up to the
third heaven. I knew such a man, whether in
the body or out of the body, I cannot tell, God knoweth, how
that he was caught up into paradise. You know, the Lord told that
thief on the cross, when that thief says, Lord, when you enter
into your kingdom, would you remember me? Would you think
on me in mercy and grace? And he says, today, you'll be
with me in paradise. Paul said there was a man in
the body, out of the body. God knows, I don't know. He was
caught up into paradise and heard unspeakable words. Words not
able to be explained, uttered in their fullness, unspeakable.
How do you relate God's sovereign grace For God to do what God
is pleased to do. How do you explain that to somebody?
Unspeakable. Which is not lawful for a man
to utter, of such and one will I glory, yet of myself I will
not glory, but in mine infirmities. For though I would desire the
glory. Paul said, you leave me to myself. That's what he said. God taught
me some things that I'm telling you. Buddy, I could get some
mileage out of. Man, I could be making the circuit. Man, I could go around and I
could start laying some stuff on you that I was taught by God
Himself that I heard and saw in paradise. Man, you talk about
somebody that would be well spoken of. Though I would desire the
glory, I shall not be a fool. For I will say the truth, but
now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which
he seeth me, or be, or that which he heareth of me. And lest I
should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the
revelations there was given to me of thorn in the flesh, the
messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted
above measure for this thing, I besought the Lord thrice. that
it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace
is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect, and
weakness most gladly. Therefore will I rather glory
in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." Boy, this is a tough thing. This
is a tough thing to have to say and think because my flesh would
shirk what I have I'm about to say. But you'll find often that
those that God has been pleased to teach much to, lest they should
be exalted above measure. God abases them. Why? Because they're going to think
too highly of themselves. They're going to think, I've really Paul
says, I say in Romans 12, verse 3, 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. How should he think, Paul? Here is the fourth sign, latter
part of verse 3. Let him think soberly. Let him
think in a word, in an attitude that is settled. sober, to think soberly according
as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." Put a
moderate, sound estimation on yourself. That is what he said.
What does that mean? You remember, and this is by
the grace of God, remember that by the grace of God we are what
we are. And boasting or to be arrogant
in our wisdom or understanding of Christ, don't do that. But never think lightly or disrespectfully
of what the Lord has done for you either. Think soberly. I thank the Lord for what He
has taught me, and you do too. But Paul says we shouldn't think
more highly than we ought to think. But I tell you what, concerning
His grace to me, I think highly of that. I think highly of Him. But that I have attained something
by my own ability or work or soundness, no, I don't. I have
a sound, moderate estimation of what God has been pleased
to do for us and in us for Christ's sake. Paul says to every man,
God has dealt the measure of faith. Now, does that mean that
every man or every woman in this world has got a measure of faith
in them and they're supposed to just exercise? Is that what
that means? Well, obviously, you know it
doesn't because all men have not faith. But it means that to every one
given faith, God has given the portion or the measure of faith
to believe Him And two, by faith. We walk by faith. We're not robots. Here we are. We're regenerated
sinners. Saints. Holy. Two natures. One of them completely
evil and the other one holy and without blame before Him in love.
And we do walk. We're in a real world walking. And Almighty God has given to
everyone that He's called out of darkness the measure, the
portion of faith. Ephesians 4, 7 says, Unto every
one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of
Christ. 1 Corinthians 12, 4. Now there
are diversities, divisions of gift, but it's the same spirit. Every believer has an appointed
work. within him and without him, an
internal work that manifests itself outwardly. You know, some
may think that they have not received anything to do anything
and have no worth. God, Paul says, hath dealt to
every man the measure of faith. What is your work? You know. I know, for example,
Paul, the apostle, sent the very epistle that we're reading right
now to the church at Rome. I want you to flip over a few
pages. Look over at Romans 16. Romans 16, verse 22. Who wrote the epistle? Well, you say Paul did. Well,
Paul, the Spirit of God, taught Paul these things. But look at
Romans 16, 22. I, Tertius, who wrote this official,
salute you in the Lord. What was this young fellow, this
helper of Paul? What did he do? As far as I know,
the only thing I know is that man right there, did, as far
as I know, he actually penned down what Paul said. To every man was given the measure
of faith. Almighty God used that man to
write down exactly, verse 4 and 5 of Romans 12, 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 member one of another. This human body, I've got a body
and you've got a body and we all have two ears and eyes and
nose and the spiritual body of Christ, the Spirit of God moved
it upon the Apostle Paul to write that analogy. You know how over
in the book of Corinthians it says, you know, we have, you
know, can the hand say to the eye, because I'm not an eye,
that I'm not a member of the body? No. I appreciate my hands. I appreciate that thumb right
there. I appreciate this little finger. Can one part of the body
say, because I'm not, that I'm not part of the body? Look at
verse 6. Having been gifts, differing according to the grace that is
given to us were the prophecy, let us prophesy according to
the proportion of faith. The gifts, the precious, gracious
endowments given by God. with no merit in themselves for
those gifts. They're given, developed by Almighty
God. Whether it's by birth, by education,
any other means of providence, it's for the glory of God. Whether
it's prophecy, prophecy. That word right there means the
gift of understanding and proclaiming or explaining the Scriptures. Do you think God has got to call
a man to preach and then gift that man to preach and teach
that man to preach? Do you think a man can do that
of himself? No. He can't do that of himself.
A measure of faith. If God has given a man the gift
of prophecy or preaching or explaining the truth then he prophesies
according to the proportion of faith, according to his understanding. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13,
2, Though I have the gift of prophecy, I understand all mysteries,
all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so I could move mountains,
and I have not love. I might be able to read something
and read words and look them up and understand them, but if
God has not given me a love for Him, for His people, for His
gospel, for His kingdom. It's just words. It's just words. Verse 7, "...or ministry..."
Let us wait on our ministering. "...or he that teacheth on teaching."
Ministry. Any office of service. That's
what it means. On the ministry. Are you in the
ministry? All believers are in the ministry. They're all needful for the body
of Christ. Whatever God has set you up. Glen, thank you for taking care
of the finances all these years. Linda, Linda, Robin, thank you
guys for taking care of that taping. Fred, thanks for recording
this today. I appreciate it. Neil, thank you for doing, fixing,
Glenn, coming around, guys working. Thank you. Thank you for reading,
calling me. Ministry, wait on your ministry.
For he that teacheth, one that is fit to teach, to expound,
though God may not have put him in a position as a pastor. Get
up, read a passage of Scripture, say a word, God. You say, I don't
see how that can be important. Let me tell you something. There's
not one thing that's insignificant concerning the body of Christ
and the working. It's a divine unit that God has
raised up and He's placed every member exactly where He has. for the glory of God and for
the good of the body. I thank God for you. Thank the
Lord for you. Verse 8 and the last verse right
here. Are he that exhorteth on exhortation, those that console, exhorteth. This is what it means. Those
that strive to appease the hurt of others, he that exhorteth."
The striving to appease. Sensitive. You know, there's
just some people that just got away. I mean, they're just sensitive. Sensitive. Everybody is. I know,
you know. But I think of Margaret Wilson
is who I think about. You know, she's just sensitive,
isn't she? Bless her heart. I appreciate, you know, many
of you on exhorting. He that exhorteth, he that giveth. Let him do it with simplicity.
Actually, it means liberally. You know, all believers give. That ain't up for debate. You
know, all believers give. Some are able to give more than
others, but still, Let it be done without fanfare. Let it
be done according as God has prospered a man. How much should I give? That's
somebody asking one time. Do I give according to gross
or net? Well, if that's the issue, then
just don't fool with it. Don't even fool with it. I mean,
if you're so concerned about whether or not, you know, am
I supposed to give it? You're doing it according to
law. Let me tell you something. Give because you want to give.
Give because you love Christ. You ain't taking it with you. I guarantee you 99.999% of the
people that leave this world is going to leave with a whole
lot more than they needed. How should I know when to give?
If you see a brother or sister, and they're destitute, and you
can do it, and you don't, to you it's sin. How do I know? You know. Well, I've got bills. Everybody's got bills. Do you
think God's not going to take care of you? Have you missed
a meal till today? Did you miss breakfast today?
If you did, it's just because you didn't want to eat, because
you could have eaten. The Lord is not going to forsake you.
He that ruleth with diligence. That means whatever position
one holds concerning authority, whatever it is, whether it's
taping, whether it's the Internet, whether it's taking care of the
finances, whether it's calling somebody and exhorting them with
kindness of words, What He that ruleth, one position that you
hold biblically with authority, preside over that office as a
protector of its dignity. Do it earnestly. Do it earnestly. Whatever a man does, let him
do it to the glory of God. And he that showeth mercy, let
him do it with cheerfulness." Believers possess the grace of
Almighty God in mercy. They are gracious people. They
are gracious. Do it kindly. That is what He
said. We present our bodies before
God as living sacrifices. holy and acceptable unto God,
which is our reasonable service." Reasonable. But with that presentation, standing
in Christ, standing in our substitute before God, before men, there's
going to be an evidence of it. Don't be conformed to this world.
Be transformed. by the renewing of your mind
that you may prove what is that good and acceptable holy will
of God. Our Father, this day we thank You for Your
kindness and Your mercy. Lord, we are thankful that we
do know that standing before you in the Lord Jesus Christ,
we are accepted, accepted in the Beloved. Lord, we know that
in this world there is the evidence of that being accepted. We walk as believers with honor,
striving after honor. realizing all the while that
we are unprofitable servants. Help us. Forgive us where we
failed you. Lord, we know we have. And these
things we ask for Christ's sake. Amen.