Glad to see everyone out this
holiday weekend. Glad the Lord encouraged you to take time out
to come and hear the gospel, listen to Winston talk about
earlier years where the gospel was brought here to Albany, Georgia. God saw fit in the fullness of
time to send it to this place. And that as I look out over all
the individuals that are here right now, all of y'all were
pretty much here for the most part in those early years. And God has kept us here. He's
kept us here. You know we have friendship within
in the church. We have friends and relatives
and within the body here, but God has kept us here because
of this gospel this gospel message that's preached out in this pulpit
week after week the same gospel message that we had early on
and when Bill came here. It continues on today. And the
love for that gospel. Only God can do this. Only God can give us that desire
to come and listen to this gospel because we love it. We love the
God of this gospel, the Christ of this gospel, that God sent
in time to do all those things necessary on our behalf, work
out a righteousness, that you need to stand before God at judgment. You got to have it. Christ is
that standard of judgment that the scripture talks about in
Acts 17, by which God's going to judge the world. And you must
have this righteousness. And the only place that it can
be found is in Christ, in his righteousness alone. That perfect
satisfaction to God's holy law and justice. You can't add anything
to it or take anything away from it. It's perfect. And that's
what we must have. And the only way you're gonna
get it is God has to charge it to your account. Has to impute
it and charge it to your account. Because you can't work it out.
I can't work it out. We fall way short of that demand. And so, the title of our message
this morning is One Body in Christ. One Body in Christ. Now, Paul
had spent, he spent a lot of time in the book of Romans, as
he wrote to the church there at Rome. He spent a lot of time
in all the verses leading up to chapter 12, and all the, what
they call the doctrinal section of these scriptures here. And
this section of scripture, which makes clear that if we're gonna
be justified before God, that it has to be based on Christ's
righteousness alone. This is how God justifies the
ungodly. And he did all of this, bringing
everything up to this point. He said God doesn't, he doesn't
just save Jews. He doesn't just save the nation
Israel. He saved Jews and Gentiles out
of every kindred and nation and tongue. all people from all nationalities,
made clear all these things. And then we come to chapter 12
here that we're gonna pick back up in our study. Our last message that we went over, the first
two verses here in chapter 12, Romans 12, one and two, Paul
says, I beseech you, therefore, brethren. He's talking to brethren
here in that church at Rome. By the mercies of God that you
present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto
God, which is your reasonable service, and be not conformed
to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind
that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect
will of God. The Apostle Paul, as I said,
having finished the doctrinal part of the epistle he begins
here in chapter 12, speaking of the service of a believer.
Not to gain or not to maintain your salvation, but because we're
convinced that we're already saved based on Christ's righteousness
alone, being freely charged to our account. Paul in the next
verses here in chapter 12 will point out that the church is
made up of many different members, with each member having a specific
function according to the grace and faith that's given to them
by God. And because of this, each member
is vital to the makeup of the church. One member is no more
or no less important than the other. Imagine how it would be
if I came here this morning to deliver a message and I didn't
have anybody out here to listen to it. Every member is vital
in one way or another to this body. The reason Paul speaks
on this subject is because God's church is made up of sinners. And because we're sinners, we're
still prone to think more highly of ourselves than we should. Paul gives us these instructions,
not only, he gives these instructions not only to the church there
at Rome, but he gives it to us as well, believers, throughout
all generations. And he gives these instructions
according to the principles that he's already laid out, these
previous chapters, as I said, having to do with the main principle
being that we're justified based on Christ's righteousness alone.
Now, to our first verse here we're gonna deal with this morning,
verse three of Romans 12. It says, for I say through the
grace given to 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 has dealt to every man the measure
of faith. After Paul had told them in Romans
12, one, that you present yourself bodies, present your bodies to
live in sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable
service, he now seems to be telling them not to be carried away with
these gifts and these graces, and begin to think more highly
of yourself than you should. The reason being, it's God that
has given these graces to each member of his church, and he's
given them a measure of faith. These gifts that you have are
from God, and he distributes these gifts as he sees fit, that
the church as a whole should benefit from them. Along with
the distribution of these gifts and graces, a great part of the
work of the Holy Spirit within us is the transforming of us,
which is the renewing of our minds in order to make us truly
humble before God and our brethren. Self-righteousness and pride
are so contrary to reality of salvation by God's grace, God's
free and sovereign grace in Christ. When the Holy Spirit shows us
our sinfulness, shows us that we're sinners, and our depravity,
he shows us these things in the light of God's holiness and his
justice. It should truly humble us and
make us submissive to Christ and his righteousness as our
only hope of salvation, of justification before God. We've been convinced
that we're hopeless, helpless sinners, and unless God shows
mercy on us, we'd perish. This God-given faith that is
dealt to each one of God's elect in measure also creates within
us a desire for the salvation of others. Look at the Apostle
Paul's desire for his fellow kinsmen as far as their salvation in
Romans 10, verses one through four. Paul said, brethren, my
heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might
be saved. For I bear them record that they
have a zeal of God, but it's not according to knowledge. For
they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about
to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves
unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the
law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. along with giving
us the desire for the salvation of others, as Paul shows there
that we just got through reading. God also shows us that whatever
we have by way of a spiritual grace and all these gifts that
God gives us, they're all the product of the undeserved and
unmerited grace and goodness of God. And it's not based on
anything that we deserve. in order to receive these graces.
Now, when these truths of the full, free salvation by the grace
of God are delivered to our minds and our hearts, our minds, affections,
and will, we will not think of ourselves, as it says here, more
highly than we ought to think. We will think soberly, which
means that we'll have a right estimate of ourselves. as sinners
saved by the grace of God. Now this soberly kind of thinking
is based on God's word, and it's rational thinking rather than
thinking based on speculation, which would be thinking according
to sinful human logic. We see this ability to think
soberly expressed in our relationship with God in these verses here
that we're gonna look at. Psalm 32 beginning verse one.
King David said, blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom
the Lord imputed not iniquity, and whose spirit there is no
guile. This no guile simply means that
the sinner who's been convinced by God the spirit of his own
sinful condition, And the only remedy for this condition, which
is Christ and his righteousness alone, he stops trying to fool
himself. He stops trying to fool other
people in this matter of justification before God. And as one old preacher
used to say, we become honest with ourselves.
Only honest people go to heaven, he said. Honest with God. honest with themselves, and honest
with other people. We have to be honest with people.
This thing is serious, as Leon said a little earlier this morning.
This is serious. This is a serious matter. Also
in Psalms 130 verse 3, it says, If thou, Lord, should have marked
iniquities, O Lord, who should stand? If God's gonna charge
anybody with sin, none of us would stand. King David, by faith,
was thinking soberly when he said that. He was convinced that
no man could ever stand without blame if God would ever charge
him with his sin. We're sinners. We need grace. Paul also saw this about himself
in Romans 7, beginning at verse 24. Paul said, O wretched man
that I am, Who shall deliver me from this body of this death?
I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So then with the mind,
I serve the law of God, but with the flesh, the law of sin. Paul
was thinking soberly once again. He was being honest with himself,
with God and with all men. Paul speaks of this confidence. of those whom God the Spirit
has done a work of faith, and of course, this God-given faith
comes in measure according to the will of God. He speaks of
his confidence, as these scriptures here we're about to read in Romans
8, beginning at verse 32, where he says, he spared not his own
son, but delivered him up for us all, that is, all whom Christ
represented. How shall he not with him also
freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? They're not chargeable. God has
not charged them with sin. It is God that justifieth. Who
is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather,
that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who
also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from
the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress,
or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword,
as it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long,
we are counted as sheep for the slaughter, nay, in all these
things, we are more than conquerors through him, through Christ,
that loveth us. For I am persuaded that neither
death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers,
nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth,
nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the
love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Now, I can't
think of anything else you could add to what Paul just got through
saying here, that if it was possible, could separate us from the love
of God. Nothing can separate us. The love of God is in Christ
Jesus. He's already came and he's already
met all the conditions that God requires. in the place of his
people, worked out a righteousness that God accepts. Nothing can
separate us from the love of Christ our Lord. Here we see
both the reality of our sinfulness, back in Romans 7, 24 through
25, where Paul says, oh wretched man that I am, and the greatness
and assurance of God's mercy and grace in Christ in these
scriptures we just got through with here. As we lead up to some
of our next verses here in Romans 12, dealing with the different
gifts that God gives each member of his church and our relationship
within the body of Christ, let's continue to see the Holy Spirit's
work in the believer as it is expressed in our relationship
with our brethren in Christ. We see these matters discussed
in verses such as Ephesians 4, beginning at verse 1. Paul says,
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you
walk worthy of the vocation wherein you are called. With all loneliness
and meekness and long-suffering, forbearing one another in love,
endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of
peace, there is one body and one spirit. Even as you are called
in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all
and in you all. That's all those that are in
Christ. But unto every one of us is given grace according to
the measure of the gift of Christ. Our relationship with our brethren
in Christ is also expressed in Philippians 2, beginning at verse
1. If therefore If there be, therefore, any consolation in
Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit,
if any bounds of mercy, fulfill you my joy that you be like-minded,
having the same love being of one accord and of one mind. Let
nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in lowliness
of mind. Let each esteem other better
than themselves. Look not every man on his own
things, but every man also on the things of others. And then
he tells us in our next verses here, why believers should strive
to love the brethren. Look at Philippians two, beginning
of verse five. Let this mind be in you, which was also in
Christ Jesus, he tells these brethren, who being in the form
of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made
himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant,
Christ being a servant, and was made in the likeness of men and
being found in fashion as a man, Christ humbled himself and became
obedient unto death, even death of the cross. Paul begins these
verses here with, let this mind be in you, which was also in
Christ Jesus. No matter what position God has
placed us in, within this body here, we should strive to have
the mindset of a servant. We as believers should desire
not to be served, but to be servants in the body of Christ, the church. And we should do all of these
things, not to gain salvation or a better position with God,
but we should do all to the praise of God's glory. as we do these
things within the body of Christ. The last part of verse three
says, according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.
The measure of faith here has to do with various spiritual
gifts and degrees of spiritual gifts that is given to us to
be used in the ministry of Christ Church. What is meant by every
man here is every believer. Every believer has an equal standing
before God in Christ. We're all equally saved. We're
all equally justified before God and redeemed all through
the blood and righteousness of Christ alone. And all are equally
born again by the Spirit. There's no difference. All of
God's elect stand before God clothed in the same righteousness.
which is the righteousness of Christ, that righteousness that
God charges to our account. However, God dispenses gifts
to every believer according to his sovereign will and purpose.
No believer is to use any spiritual gift for selfish purposes or
self-promotion. All gifts are to be used for
the glory of God in Christ, the salvation of sinners, and edification
of the body of Christ. Paul, through the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit, tells us this in 1 Corinthians 4, verse
7. Paul says, for who maketh thee
to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou
didst not receive? Now, if thou didst receive it,
why dost thou glory as if thou hast not received it? God alone
makes the difference. He alone makes every individual
to differ in one way or the other. He alone should receive all the
glory and honor. We should never take these gifts
in some way thinking somehow or another that God is just somehow
or another showing a little bit more favor to us because of our
gifts that God's given us. Romans 12, 4, our next verse
here says, for as we have many members in one body, and all
members have not the same office, we who were saved by God's grace
are individuals with our different personalities and different gifts. We have many members, but we're
all one body in Christ. Just as our human body has many
members, head, arms, legs, so forth, But it's one unit, one
body, in the same way Christ's church has many individuals that
make up the one body, the one body of Christ. Then it says
in Romans, the last part of verse four here, and all members have
not the same office. Each member of the body of Christ
has gifts for ministry, but these gifts differ. Some are for evangelizing
the world, some for edifying the church. Some gifts are for
spiritual warfare of the church or for preaching the gospel,
while others are for the physical welfare of the church. Like the
human body functions properly as each part does its appointed
task, the church functions properly as each member does his or her
appointed task. Not all members have the same
office. are the same function in the body of Christ. Now, after
we're told in verse four that the church has many members in
one body, but that all members don't have the same office in
the church, Paul goes on in verse five here, says, so we, being
many, are one body in Christ, and every one member's one of
another. Christ uses all the members of
his body, the church, and all their diversity of guilt, work,
and in harmony to be and to do as he directs and enables them
for his glory, the salvation of sinners, and for the good
of the whole body. In the body of Christ, there
is unity. There is one body. There is diversity, many members,
and there is interdependency. members one of another. Any gifts we have are not for
selfish use or display, but for good of the body. No gift is
self-sufficient and none is unnecessary. It is God's people working in
unity and in harmony that enables Christ's body to be and to do
what he directs it to be and to do. No matter how humble or
small the gift may be, Every other member of the body depends
on it. Even as the eye that sees danger needs to feet to flee
from danger. Now, and no matter how honorable
the gift may be, we are dependent upon and blessed by even the
humblest contribution of every other member of the body. Then
in our next three verses here, Paul is gonna give us some examples
of various gifts and graces given to the body of Christ. Now, Paul
lists some of the various gifts here of the ministry. The ministry that Christ gives
to individual members. And these gifts are given for
his glory and for the good of the church. In verse six here,
it says, well, the prophecy. let us prophesy according to
the proportion of faith. This is the gift of understanding
and preaching the scriptures. It is to be done only as God
gives a man the ability to do it. Speaking for God is an awesome
responsibility and shouldn't be entered into lightly. Here
in verse seven, it also says our ministry. Let us wait on
our ministering, it says. This is the gift of serving or
ministering to the needs of others, or even the physical needs of
the church. It would apply to deacons, but it would not be
restricted to an office. It is for anyone who is devoted
to the needs of the church. Also here in verse seven, it
says, are he that teaches on teaching. This is the gift of
providing instructions from the word of God It can either be
in a formal setting, as we have here, or informal setting, and
the teaching would be in the matters of life and godliness. In verse eight here that we see,
having to do with the gifts that are mentioned here, it says,
are he that exhorteth on exhortation. This is the gift of speaking
words of encouragement, comfort, and warning. meant to strengthen
individuals and promote unity in the body of Christ. I know
for myself, and I can speak for all these other speakers that
you have here, we enjoy hearing that you get something out of
the message that we deliver here. And when you do this, when you
give us that encouragement, it's good to receive encouragement.
as we present the word of God. We're not gonna get it outside
the church, that's for sure, as you talk with other individuals. And then it says, he that giveth,
let him do it with its simplicity. All members are to give to support
the ministry of the church, but some are gifted of God with more
and are to give more. A believer who is rich in this
world should give willingly, liberally, and simply without
drawing attention to themselves. I believe this is one reason
why here we don't pass an offering plate or anything. We have a
place where you can put your offering, and I think that's
between you and God. It should be kept that way. I know that our brother Mark
told me something back a few years back that happened to him
when he was in his former religion and how that boy they went to
extreme trying to find out who's giving what and as you give this
and he he said he'd do things just to hide it to make them
guess and everything because they just come out well who gave
this in your class you know And this is not good. This is not
good. When individuals give, they give. And I know we as believers, we
don't want everybody to know what we're giving or whatever.
Your giving should be between you and God. And 1 Timothy chapter
6 beginning at verse 17 says, charge them that are rich in
this world. That they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain
riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things
to enjoy. That they do good, that they
be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate,
lay enough in store for themselves, a good foundation against the
time to come. That they may lay hold on eternal
life, not that their giving is going to somehow or another reward
them with eternal life. But that's what they're looking
at. They're looking at the gospel.
They're looking at Christ. They're looking at eternal life
based on Christ's righteousness alone. And they know that the
church has to be supported in some way. And so they give accordingly. Also in 1 Corinthians 16 too,
upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him
in store as God hath prospered him. that there be no gathering
when I come. That's what Paul told him here
at the church of Corinth. Now, then Paul says in the latter
part of verse eight, he that ruleth with diligence. This is
any place or responsibility of leadership in the church, in
the home or at work. We are to lead according to God's
word and with wisdom, love, and compassion. Some of you might
remember this, but one individual said of a pastor that we all
know, that he was a benevolent dictator. Well, if you're going
to rule or have someone in a leadership position, I think you would probably
like to have one who is benevolent toward those he rules and leads
in a loving way. Then this last gift spoken of
here in these verses that we're dealing with this morning, it
says, He that showeth mercy with cheerfulness. All believers are
to show mercy and kindness, but some are especially gifted in
this area and are to express mercy and compassion toward those
in sorrow and need, and they are to do it cheerfully, not
in sadness or reluctantly. And I know And we could all look
at ourselves and know that we fall so short in a lot of these
gifts. But God gives these gifts according
to the way he determines to do it. And I know so many times I'm not
as cheerful as I ought to be. Randy's laughing in the back. I need more grace in that area.
Remember that our Lord shows mercy to us readily and willingly,
and we need to show mercy toward others in that same way. In closing,
I'm not going to read all of the scriptures in 1 Corinthians
12, but if you would, mark that down. That's an important area. When you get a chance, take time
to read all of those verses there. some verses that There's a good
cross reference to these verses that we're dealing with in chapter
12 here They speak about the body of Christ His church and
all of the diversities and all of the gifts that God gives each
member of his body And in closing may God give each of us the grace
that we need in order to be able to identify those gifts and that
God has bestowed upon us freely by his grace and his mercy. And
may these gifts be used to benefit the entire church, the body of
Christ, not ourselves. And may we also have the same
mind that was in Christ, that even though he was God in human
flesh, he became a servant. Rather than being served, may
we learn more how to be servants in the body of Christ. one body
in Christ. Amen.