I want to read that verse Brian
just read again. The Lord rewarded me according
to my righteousness. According to the cleanness of
my hands. Have he recompensed me? That
verse of scripture used to terrify me. And now it fills me with
joy. Because that lets us know how
truly Christ's righteousness belongs to me. It speaks to the
cleanness of my hands and my righteousness. His righteousness
truly is my righteousness. And that's why we can look at
Judgment Day without fear. Truly, that describes me. That describes every believer. Clean hands and a pure heart. That's never lifted up their
soul to vanity. Now, the only way that can be
understood is in light of the gospel. But it's real, isn't
it? Turn back to Romans chapter 12,
if you would. The two most important questions
that you and I could ever consider is first, What is the gospel? What is God's gospel? And the second important question
I need to consider is what is my response to the gospel? What is the gospel and what is
my personal response to the gospel. I believe that Romans chapter
12 is one of the most important chapters in the Bible. And the
reason I say that is it tells us what our response to the gospel
is to be. And if I don't have this response,
I prove by that that I really don't know anything about the
gospel of God or the mercies of God. Now, Paul had spent the
first 11 chapters of this book presenting the mercies of God. Remember, he says, I beseech
you by the mercies of God, and Chapter 12 is about our response
to those mercies. Now, if you've ever done any
public speaking, You realize that when you are speaking to
an audience, you're looking at their response. And I'm looking
at the response all the time of the people that I'm speaking
to and preaching to. And the responses are varied.
Most of them are good. But sometimes the response is
sleep. I never get too discouraged about
that because they slept on the Lord. So why would I think they
wouldn't sleep on me? Sometimes the response is boring. This is indifferent. Sometimes
the response is anger. I've seen that plenty of times.
But quite often the response is someone hearing this is the
best news they've ever heard and rejoicing in it. I love to
look at pleasant countenances. while I'm preaching. Now, I realize
you can look pleasant and fake me out. I realize that. But still,
for the most part, I enjoy seeing people enjoy the gospel. I love seeing that response. Now, notice Paul says, I beseech
you. He doesn't say I command you.
He says, I beseech you. He doesn't say I instruct you.
He says, I beseech you, now let me show you a passage of scripture
that will tell you what this means. Turn with me to the book
of Philemon. Philemon, right before the book
of Hebrews. Verse 8, Paul is speaking to
Philemon, and he says in verse 8, Wherefore, though I might
be much bold in Christ to enjoin you, or command you, demand that
which is convenient, yet for love's sake I rather beseech
thee, not command you, not demand of you, but beseech you, being
such a one as Paul the aged, now also a prisoner of Jesus
Christ, I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, of whom I have
begotten in my bond, which in times past was to thee unprofitable,
remember he had run away from Philemon. but now profitable
to thee and to me, whom I sin again, thou therefore receive
him, that is, mine own bowels, whom I would have retained with
me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto me in the
bond of the gospel, but without thy mind would I do nothing,
that thy benefit should not be, as it were, of necessity, doing
it out of duty, because you had to, but because you wanted to."
Now that's what he means when he talks about beseeching. I
beseech you because this is what I want you to want to do. I want this to be the true desire
of your heart. I'm not giving you a commandment
regarding this. I'm beseeching you. I want this
to be what you do willingly. What you do because you want
to do. I want this to be your willing
response. to the gospel. And he says, I'm
calling you to do this. Not because you're forced to.
Not because you'll fear of what will happen if you don't. Not
because of what you are afraid you'll lose if you don't. I'm
beseeching you, not out of hope for reward, not out of threat
of punishment, I'm beseeching you by the mercies of God." That's
my entire argument. I beseech you by the mercies
of God, the saving mercies of God. Now, in this book of Romans,
after establishing the sinfulness of man in those first three chapters,
how clearly Paul sets forth the mercies of God. Is it the mercy
of God that causes Him to justify somebody? You know it is. It's not by works. Oh, the mercies
of God that are revealed in His grace. in his redemption, in
all the things that he set forth in this book, the imputation
of righteousness. And we just read about that imputation
of righteousness when David said, you've rewarded me according
to my righteousness and according to the cleanness of my hands.
What a mercy that Christ makes his righteousness ours so much
that we can say he's rewarding me for my righteousness and for
the cleanness of my hands. What mercies. What mercies that
God has loved me? What mercies that God has elected
me? What mercies that He's for me?
And he said, I beseech you by the mercies of God. I'm not holding
out a fear of punishment or loss. I'm not holding out some kind
of hope for a greater reward. If you do this, you'll be rewarded
higher and you'll be better. No, I'm simply beseeching you
by the mercies of God. What power does that have with
me? I think several scriptures came to my mind. Let this mind
be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the
form of God, thought it not robbery, thought it not to be a thing
to be grasped for, to be equal with God. But he made himself
of no reputation. You know what that word means?
He made himself empty. Now, he didn't empty himself
of being God. He didn't empty himself of being
the perfect man. He didn't empty himself in that
sense. He didn't quit being what he was. But he emptied himself
of all favor with God on the cross. He emptied Himself of
any comfort, of any joy, of the praise. He did that for your
sakes. You know the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes,
He became poor. Oh, who can describe the depth
of His poverty? That you, through His poverty,
might be rich. Paul said, Be ye kind, tenderhearted,
forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake. That's the only reason he needed
it. Even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Now,
I beseech you by the saving mercies of God. What argument does that
have with you? Does that make you say, love
so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all? Now, this is those only argument.
I beseech you by the mercies of God that you present your
bodies a living sacrifice. Now, think of this word present.
And we're called upon in light of the mercies of God to present.
That means you're not telling him what to do. Lord, here's
what I want you to do with me. Here's what I'm going to do for you.
No, nothing like that. You present your body like this.
Lord, here am I. Not dictating to him what to
do. You just present yourself. Here am I. Would you have me
clean toilets? That's great. Would you have
me rule an empire? That's great. It doesn't matter
what you call me to do. Here am I. Just like Isaiah said,
here am I. Send me. And you really don't
care what it is he calls upon you to do. It doesn't make any
difference. It really doesn't. You say, well,
that's impossible for the flesh. Well, yeah, but for the new man.
The new man does not care. If I'm to be a doormat for the
saints to wipe their feet on, that's fine if that's what the
Lord would have me do. There's a true desire. You present
yourself. Not dictate to him what to do,
but you present yourself. What? A living sacrifice. You present your bodies a living
sacrifice. Now, I like the way he says bodies.
That's more than the mind. That's more than the soul. That's
the whole man, mind, body and soul. Your head, your hands,
your feet. You present yourself to the Lord. And I hope that's
what I'm doing right now while I'm preaching to you. I hope
I'm presenting myself to the Lord. Whatever He does is right.
I don't understand. I don't need to understand. If He calls me to do it, that's
fine. It doesn't matter. I present myself. I present my
body to the Lord. a living sacrifice. Now, this is not a reference
to a sacrifice for sin. You see, that's already been
presented. Thank God for that. The Lord Jesus Christ presented
himself to the Father. He presented His own blood to
the Father, and I have been saved by that presentation. Not by
some presentation I make. My presentation to the Lord doesn't
save me. His presentation to the Lord. When He presented His
own blood before the Father as the great high priest of His
people, every believer was saved. And that's my salvation. So when
He's saying, present your bodies a living sacrifice, This doesn't
have anything to do with a sin sacrifice. That's already been
made. But the living sacrifice is the living sacrifice the believer
offers up to the Lord for his great mercies. Love, so amazing,
so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all. We're the whole
realm of nature, mind. That we're an offering far too
small. Love so amazing, so divine, demands
my soul, my life, my all. Now, in sacrifice, death is involved. In sacrifice, death is involved,
and we are called upon to crucify the flesh, to deny To take up
our cross, what's a cross for? Crucifixion. To take up our cross
and to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, this is not a one-time
thing, but a continual thing. And I think that's exactly what
Paul meant when he said, I die daily. You know, I'm called upon
to put my flesh to death every day, and the next morning when
I wake up, it's just as alive and just as powerful, and I have
to put it together to death again. Over and over and over again.
This isn't a one-time thing. This is something that we're
called upon, a battle we're called to fight for the rest of our
life. Deny yourself. Take up your cross daily and
follow the Lord Jesus Christ. And there's cost involved in
a sacrifice, isn't there? Remember when David said, I will
not offer up to the Lord that which costs me nothing? If it's
not valuable enough to you to cost you something, it's less
valuable to God, I guarantee you that. There is cost involved
in this sacrifice. And notice what Paul calls it.
He says in chapter 12, verse one, I beseech you, therefore,
brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies
a living sacrifice. And in doing this, he says, this
is holy. You know why it's holy? Because it's Christ in you. Because
it's the work of the new man. That's why it's holy. It's not
the old man. There's nothing holy about him.
He's nothing but evil. But it's the new man. Holy. Acceptable. Well-pleasing to God. When, by the grace of God, I
present my body, a living sacrifice, God is well pleased with that. And you know what else? It's
your reasonable service, isn't it? Anything short of this is completely
unreasonable. This is our reasonable service. Verse 2, he says, Be not conformed
to this world. Now, this is the same world Of
which John said, love not the world, neither the things that
are in the world. This is the same world of which
the Lord refused to pray for. Remember, he said, I pray not
for the world, but for them which you've given me. All that's of
the world, the lust of the flesh, the desires of sinful nature,
the lust of the eyes, being concerned with what men see rather than
what God sees. The pride of life, self-righteousness
is not of the Father, but of the world. He that will love
the world, James said, is the enemy of God. Now, that's the
world he's talking about. Don't be conformed to this world. Don't be like this world in her
values, in her goals, in her religion. I love what James says,
that pure religion and undefiled before the Father is this, to
keep yourself, is to visit the fatherless and widows in their
affliction and to keep yourself unspotted from the world. He said, don't be conformed to
this world, but be ye transformed. Literally, that's where we get
the word metamorphosis from. When the ugly moth becomes a
beautiful butterfly. Be transformed by the renewing
of your mind. And here's what that renewed
mind is. Turn to Colossians chapter three. You know, the New Testament,
the only time this word Greek word renewing is used is in the
New Testament. It's not found in other language in the scripture.
Look here in Colossians chapter three. This will tell us what
this renewed mind is. Verse nine. Lie not one to another. That's
good counsel. Seeing that you put off the old
man with his deeds and put on the new man, which is renewed
in knowledge. Now, here's this renewed mind
where he says, be not conformed to this world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind, which is renewed in knowledge
after the image of him that created him, where there's neither Greek
nor Jew, circumcision or uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bond or
free, but Christ is all. That is a renewed mind. Christ
is all. What does that make everything
else? Nothing. Christ is all in scriptures.
He's all the God. He's all in salvation. He's all
to me. Now that's a renewed mind. And
if anybody believes Christ is all, they're not going to be
conformed to this world. They're going to be transformed
by the renewing of their mind. Back to our text in Romans 12.
Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing
of your mind that you may prove, that you may demonstrate, that
you may approve of what is that good and acceptable and perfect
will of God. God is a person. He's not an
influence. He's a person. With a personality. And he has a will. There is such
a thing as the will of God. His will is eternal. We read
of the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our
Lord. Whatever it is now, it always has been and always will
be. It's immutable. He said, I'm the Lord, I change
not, therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. It's efficacious. He said, I purposed it, I will
also do it. And it's sovereign whatsoever
the Lord pleased that did he. He doeth according to his will
in the armies of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth.
None can stay his hand or say unto him, what doest thou? The
will of God. Paul calls it that. goodwill. It's good because it's God's
will. Whatever He wills is good. I
think of what our Lord rejoiced in the Spirit. That's the only
time it's ever said that the Lord rejoiced. When He said He
rejoiced in the Spirit, He said, I thank Thee, O Father, Lord
of heaven and earth, because You have hid these things from
the wise and prudent and revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father,
for so it seemed good in thy sight." It's the good will of
God. And it is the acceptable, well-pleasing
will of God. It's well-pleasing. You know
what I want? I want the will of God. Whatever
it is. Do you know what God's will for
your life is? Whatever it is, that's what I want. Do you have
it all mapped out for you? Well, he does, but I don't. I
can't see it. But I am plumb satisfied with his will. That's
all I want. His will. Take my will and make
it thine. It shall be no longer mine. Take my heart, it is thy own.
It shall be thy royal throne. It's well-pleasing. And even
if it crosses my natural will, it's still well-placing, isn't
it? We want his will to be done. Isn't that what you want? You
want the will of God to be done. And he calls it also that perfect
will. Perfect and complete. Now, when he speaks of us proving
and demonstrating that good and acceptable and perfect will of
God, look at the first thing he says in verse 30. For I say,
through the grace given unto me to every man that's among
you, not to think of himself more
highly than he ought to think. That's the first thing he says
when he tells us to demonstrate, to prove, to approve of that
good and acceptable and perfect will of God. The first thing
he says is don't think of yourself more highly than you ought to
think. but to think soberly. How ought you to think about
yourself? Well, you ought to think about
yourself as the chief of sinners. Isn't that so? Isn't that what
you ought to think? You ought to think everybody
is better than yourself. That's how we ought to think.
Here's how we ought to think. Humility. This is when he talks
about Proving that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God, the
first thing he speaks of is true, genuine humility. I love what
Calvin says. Somebody said, what's the three
greatest Christian graces? He said, first, humility. Second,
humility. And third, humility. Here's humility. Turn to 1 Corinthians
15. Hold your finger there. Here's
true humility. Verse 9, For I am the least of
the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because
I persecuted the church of God. But, here's humility, by the
grace of God, I am what I am. What are you, Paul? Well, let
me speak for Paul. First of all, I'm a sinner. That's
what I am. And it's only by the grace of
God that I know that. I'd be blind to it, and I'd be
as self-righteous as anybody else. It's only by the grace
of God that I know I'm a sinner. I am what I am by the grace of
God. But I'm a justified sinner. I'm somebody that God saved,
and He saved me by His grace. I have the righteousness of Christ.
I'm the righteousness of God. That's by the grace of God. I'm
a new creature in Christ Jesus. That's by the grace of God. All
those things. I am what I am. Whatever it is
I am, I am by the grace of God. I can't give the flesh any credit. I can't give free will any credit. I am what I am by the grace of
God. That's the first thing He says. Back to Romans 12. I say to the
grace given unto me, to every man that's 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. For we, remember this is proving
that good and acceptable and perfect will of God, for as we
have many members in one body, we're all members of the same
body. I might be a finger, you might be a thumb. I might be
an eye, you might be an ear, but it's the same body. Members
of the same body. And you think of the care members
of the body have for one another. If one of the members of my body
is hurting, which member of my body am I thinking about the
most and taking care of the most? The one that's hurting. Members
of the same body. So we being many are one body
in Christ and everyone members one of another, having been gifts. differing according to the grace
that's given to us. And here he names seven gifts. Now, people talk about the gifts
and they talk about the gifts of the spirit and gifts and so
on, you know, the gifts of tongues and so on. Those are ceased.
Those are ceased. Somebody says, how do you know
that? Well, I separate. Philip goes down to preach the
gospel. People here. They believe. They rejoice. Peter and John
come down. Remember, Philip was not an apostle.
Philip was a deacon, wasn't he? He wasn't an apostle. Peter and
John come down. And they lay their hands on people
and then the people started speaking in other languages and miracles
took place when they laid their hands on the people. And Simon
Magus, the scripture says, when he saw that by the laying on
of the apostles hands, the Holy Ghost was given. He said, he
offered him money, he said, give me this gift too. But the point
is, only the apostles could transfer these gifts. When the last apostle
died, it died out. When that which is perfect has
come, that which is in parts should be done away with. So
all the emphasis, Charismatics and Pentecostals and so on, make
emphasis on these gifts is phony. I mean, when they talk about
healing people, it's phony. If there was anything to them,
they'd go in the hospital and heal people. And they don't do
that. So they're phonies. That's all they are. There's
no truth to it. But these gifts are in operation
that he's speaking of here in Romans chapter 12. Look what
he says. Verse 6. Having gifts, therefore,
according to the grace that's given us, whether prophecy, preaching,
preaching, Let us prophesy according to the proportion or the analogy
of faith. In other words, if you're preaching,
you better be preaching according to the word of God. Do you have
the gift to preach? Preach the word. If you don't
preach the word, don't preach. Preach according to the analogy,
according to the faith. What he says next, verse seven,
ministry. Being a servant. I don't have
that gift. Why not? Being a servant. Being a servant. Oh, may God
make me a true servant. A servant to people. Take the
lowest seat. Ministry. Let him wait on his
ministry. He that teacheth. Being able to explain something
from the scriptures so that somebody understands. Well, let him wait
on his teaching. He that exhorteth. You know what
that is? That's encouraging. Encouraging. Oh, what a gift
that is to be an encouragement. I love that When Paul talks about
Onesiphorus, he said he oft refreshed me and he was not ashamed of
my chain. But when I was in Rome, he went
out and sought me out diligently until he found me. I mean, he
didn't have a phone and address books. I mean, he was just all
over Rome looking for him and he didn't quit until he found
me. And also, he oft refreshed me. What an encouragement this
man was. He that giveth, let him do it
with simplicity or generosity, singleness of motive. He that
ruleth or takes leadership in anything with diligence. I wanted to say something about
that. A position of leadership, that means you give earnest care
to it. Diligence, earnest care. Don't ever be complacent about
it. And what's the best way to lead? By example. That's the most effective leadership.
By example. But if you have that. Do it diligently. I love this
next one. He that showeth mercy with cheerfulness. Cheerfulness. What a gift that
is to show mercy. Oh, God, make us merciful men
and women. And cheerfully show mercy, not
with a grudge, not because we have to, but do it because it's
a pleasure knowing how God has been merciful to us. He says
in verse 9, remember this is about proving what is that good
and acceptable and perfect will of God. He said, let love be
without acting and pretense. And the rest of this chapter
is about love without acting. Let's go on reading. Let love
be without hypocrisy, without pretense, without acting. Abhor
that which is evil. Now, you can't love without hating.
Abhor that which is evil and cleave to that which is good.
Do you want to prove that's good and perfect and acceptable will
of God? Be, verse 10, kindly affection one to another with
brotherly love. In honor, preferring one another,
taking the back seat willingly, always taking the lowest seat
in the house, esteeming your brother as better than yourself. Can you do that? You can if you
know who you are. If you know who you are, you
truly do esteem your brother as better than yourself if you
know who you are. He says in verse 11, not slothful
in business, but fervent in spirit. Wide hot. Nothing is more disgusting
than lukewarmness. Be fervent in spirit, be zealous
regarding the things of the Lord in every respect, be fervent
in spirit. Serving the Lord, is there any
other way to serve him than with fervency? He's the Lord. He says in verse 12, rejoicing
in hope, you think of the hope you have. The hope of standing
before God accepted. Isn't that a reason to rejoice?
Rejoicing in the perfect hope that you have. Patient in tribulation,
knowing who sent the trial. Well, that's a hard one, isn't
it? But whatever trial comes your way, who sent it? In everything give thanks, Paul
said, for this is the will of God and Christ Jesus concerning
you. Whatever it is, God sent it. Be patient in tribulation. Continuing instant in prayer,
be like that importunate widow, give the Lord no rest. Whatever
it is you're seeking, continually asking for, continuing instant
in prayer, verse 13, distributing to the necessity of saints. Don't
be saying, well, if there's if there's a if you hear about any
need, I'll take no, do it. Do it. Distributing to the necessary. Given to hospitality in your
home. Bless them which persecute you. Bless and curse not. Now
remember, this is that good and acceptable and perfect will of
God for you. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, just as if you're
rejoicing. If they're honored, you're honored.
If they're happy, you're happy. And weep with them that weep.
You're so united to them that when they're in pain, you're
in pain. Now, this is God's good and acceptable, perfect will
for you. That's how much we're to identify
with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Rejoice with those
that rejoice. When they're honored, you're
honored. And when they're hurting, you're
hurting. Weep with those that weep. I
love this verse 16. Be of the same mind, one toward
another. I know what my mind is. I need
grace. And that's my mind for you, too.
You need the grace of God. I know I'm the chief of sinners
and I know you think the same thing about yourself. I feel
sorry for you. You're a lot like me. We have the same mind, one
toward another. He says in verse 16, mind not
high things. Don't be uppity. But condescend
to men of low estate, and my marginal reading says, be content
with mean things. Be content with lowly things. It doesn't mean that you're going
to condescend to get down on somebody's level. That's a wretchedly
bad, if you even think you can do that. I'm going to condescend
to get down on their level. Well, don't bother. That's not
real. But be content with mean things. And what I think about, when
I think about this, I think about John Bunyan telling the story
of sitting down with a poor old widow to eat. And all they had
to eat was bread and water. And she said, Christ and all
this too? Wouldn't that be a blessing to
always have that attitude? And then he says in verse 16,
be not wise in your own conceits. Proverbs 26, 12, 26, 12, says,
See thou a man wise in his own conceits? There's more hope for
a fool than for him. Don't have a high opinion of
your own conceits. He says in verse 17, recompense
to no man evil for evil, don't ever try to pay anybody back.
Provide things honest in the sight of all men. Be careful
to let your integrity before all men be seen. Don't give them
a reason to think you're not trustworthy or you're not honest.
This is a part of proving that good and acceptable and perfect
will of God. He says in verse 18, if it be
possible, as much as life in you is, live peaceably with all
men. Sometimes it's not possible,
but if it is, you'd be a peacemaker. Dearly beloved, verse 19, avenge
not yourselves, but give rather place unto wrath, for it is written,
Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore, if
thine enemy hunger, feed him. If he thirst, give him something
to drink. For in so doing thou shalt heap
coals of fire on his head. Here is God's will for you. Be
not overcome of evil, but overcome evil. with good. Now, I beseech you, therefore,
brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies
in all of these things we've just been reading about, a living
sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable
service. And don't be conformed to this
world, this world that hates God, this world that has no love
for the Lord Jesus Christ, but be transformed by the renewing
of your mind that you might prove, that you might approve of, that
good and that acceptable and that perfect will of God. May this be our response to the
mercies of God. Now, if this is not my response
to the mercies of God, I don't really know anything about the
mercies of God. Two most important things. What
is the gospel? What is the gospel? Not what
do I think it is, but what is it? What is God's gospel? What is the gospel of the scriptures?
And two, what is my personal response to the gospel? Let's pray.