I hope to cover all these verses
in our lesson today, Romans 12 verse 9 down to verse 21, and
I could spend probably the whole time we have together just on
the first two verses. But if we don't get very far,
we'll come back and look at it again next week. Now oftentimes,
those that are opposed to the gospel of salvation by the grace
of God would accuse grace preachers of promoting careless living
or having a light view of any sinful deed, but that's just
a straw man that the enemies of the gospel hurl and throw
at us. Those who were saved by the grace
of God, they are gracious people, kind and loving people. who live to the glory of God,
motivated by his love for us. They are not mean, harsh, cruel
people, but loving, kind, and gentle. That's the description
of God's people. They are long-suffering toward
others as God has been long-suffering toward us. Now, that does not
mean that we compromise the gospel to get along or that we deny
the gospel to get along. We stand firm on the gospel,
but rather we promote peace and harmony around the gospel of
the grace of God. Now, these verses found in Romans
12 verse 9 down through verse 21, these verses found in this
closing part of this chapter lay out for us a guide and a
rule for believers to live by in this life. Now, if you want
to know what your conduct and what your behavior and what your
attitude ought to be, right there it is. Right here it is. These are things that you all
need to work on. We all need to work on, especially
right here. I need to work on these things
and also we all need to put them into practice every day. We should love one another, forgive
one another. Every day we need to work on
this. Every day we need to put it into practice. Every day we
need to ask the Lord to help us, to bless us, and to enable
us. Wouldn't you like to forgive
everyone that has wronged you? I mean, just totally love them
and forgive them? That's a blessing. You know,
it's much easier for a believer Or it should be. Now, not for
an unbeliever, it's not. What comes natural to us is hate,
spite, and envy, jealousy, cruelty. Those things are natural to the
flesh. But to a believer, it should
be much easier to love than to hate, to be happy than to be
angry all the time. Look at verse 9. Now this is
not talking about that physical love, this is talking about that
love that's the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit
is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness. This is that love
of God that Paul writes about in Romans 5, this love of God
that shed abroad in your hearts by the Holy Spirit. Let love
be without dissimulation. Now that word simply means hypocrisy. Let your love be genuine and
real. Genuine and real. Let it be genuine
and real. Turn back to John. Hold your place there and look
at John 13. John 13 verse 34. This is something the Lord commands
us to do. John 13 verse 34. A new commandment. I give unto you that you love
one another as I have loved you." Having loved his own, he loved
them to the end, he laid down his life for us, that you should
also love one another. By this shall all men know that
you are my disciples if you love one another. This is something that this love
of God that he's talking about here is not something that blooms
in us naturally. This is the gift of the Spirit
of God in our heart. And it is genuine and it is real. The Apostle John says, let us
not love in word, but in deed and in truth. Let us love one another. Now
don't turn, let me just read this to you. You're most familiar
with this. We know that we pass from death
unto life because we love the brethren. He that loveth not
abides in death. And then he says in verse 18,
this is 1 John 3, 18. My little children, let us love
not in word, neither in tongue, But indeed, and in truth, I was
easy to say, well, I love you. Show me. Demonstrate it. Demonstrate
that you love the Lord's people. This is that love of God that
shed abroad in our heart. By God, the Holy Spirit is not
something that's there and does not bloom naturally. Now, how
important is this love of God? Let love be without Apocrisy,
find 1 Corinthians 13. This whole chapter here, he gives
on about this love of God. A man without this love is a
man without... I'm talking about spiritual love
now, not talking about a mama's love for her baby. That's something
that's there naturally. It's talking about that supernatural
love God puts in our heart for one another. And a man that is
without this love is a man without Christ, without salvation. 1
Corinthians 13, though I speak with the tongue of men and of
angels, and have not charity, that means love, I become a sounding
brass or a tinkling cymbal. Though I have the gift of prophecy,
understand all mysteries, have all knowledge, I have the right
doctrine. And though I have all faith,
so that I can remove mountains and have not love, I'm nothing. I'm nothing. Though I bestow
all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to
be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing. This
love suffers long, and is kind. This love envieth not. This love
vonneth not itself, is not puffed up, it does not behave itself
unseemly. Seeketh not her own, is not easily
provoked. This love does not rejoice in
iniquity, it rejoices in the truth. This love of God beareth
all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all
things, and this love never fails. Now, you know why it never fails?
Because it's a gift of God. It's a gift of God that He gives
unto us. Now, the second part of that
verse Romans 12 verse 9 the second part of that verse he says let
her love be genuine and real and then the next thing he talks
about is hate. It kind of seems like a paradox
here. He says hate that which is evil. Hate that which is contrary to
the gospel and that word cleave That means get a death grip.
Get a hold upon this as if your life depends upon it. Abhor,
hate that which is evil, that which is contrary to God in the
gospel, and then cleave to that which is good. Cleave to that
which is good. There is none good but God. Hate that which is contrary to
the gospel. Now, you remember the psalmist
wrote in Psalm 119, Through thy precepts I get understanding.
Through thy precepts, his word, his testimonies. Through thy
precepts I get understanding, therefore I hate every false
way. We are to love God's people and
love one another, but we are not to embrace that which is
contrary to the gospel false doctrine. shun evil, cleave to
that which is good. And as I said, there's none good
but God. His way is good. His will is
good. Shall not the judge of all the
earth do right? His word is good. Everything
about Him is good. The word says God is good. Lay hold upon Him. lay hold upon
Him who is our goodness, who is our righteousness. Now, verse
10 kind of goes along with what he started out with in verse
9. Be affectionate one toward another, be kindly affectioned
one to another with brotherly love, in love of the brethren,
in honor preferring preferring one another, be kind
to one another. Those who are born of God are
loved by God, loved by those who are born of God. Now this is talking about intimate
family love, and in this love of God in the believer's heart
that's regenerated by the power and grace of God, There is no
room for hate, grudges, and bigotry. I'm not saying that those things
do not dwell in that old, rotten, sinful nature that we have to
deal with, and that we drag around with this all the time, this
old man. That's what is natural to the
flesh, is hate, grudges, and bigotry. But in that regenerated
heart, In that new nature, that divine nature that's given of
God, there is no room for hate because it's all love. There's
no room for grudges, is there? Or jealousy, not in that new
heart, not in that new nature. Or bigotry. Be kindly, affection one to another
with brotherly love. Making others happy, we find
happiness. In promoting the welfare and
good of others, we are blessed in that effort to do so. One old wise preacher of the
past said, a man's character is not so much revealed about
what he says about himself, but what he says about others in
private. We all think too highly of ourselves. We should think more highly of
others than we do ourselves. So be kindly affectionate one
to another in honor, preferring, preferring one another, preferring
one another. Now that gets us down to verse
11. He tells us what not to do. Let's
not be slothful or lazy in business. Let us be fervent in spirit,
and let us always be serving the Lord. Now, serving the Lord,
that goes all the way back to verse 1, Romans 12. I beseech you therefore, brethren,
by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living
sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable
service, not slothful, lazy in business. not lazy in our zeal
or in our business, and it can be talking about secular things,
and most especially spiritual things. But rather let us be
fervent, fervent in spirit. Let us be zealous always. Now
if you hold your place there and find the book of Titus over
here, right before the book of Hebrews, right after 2nd Timothy, Well, you got Philemon before
Hebrews, but right before Philemon, 2 Timothy, Titus. Look at verse 13, chapter 2,
looking for that blessed hope, glorious appearing of our great
God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us that
he might redeem us from all iniquity, purify unto himself a peculiar
people, zealous of good works. Zealous of good works. Now, turn
to one page, find Titus chapter 3, were justified by his grace,
were made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Verse
seven, look at verse eight now. This is a faithful saying, and
these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they
which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable
unto men, unto his people. Now, we know that We're not justified
by good works, nor do we maintain our salvation by good works,
but the Lord, we are His workmanship. You remember that verse over
in Ephesians chapter two, where it says, for by grace are you
saved, through faith in that and not of yourselves. It's the
gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. And then
in verse 10, it says, we are His workmanship created unto
good works which God had before ordained that we should walk
in them. And this verse comes to mind
also, and don't turn them, it's really to John 15, 16, the Lord
said, you've not chosen me, but I've chosen you and ordained
you that you should go and bring forth fruit that your fruit should
remain, that whatsoever shall ask the Father in my name, he
may give it to you." God has ordained these things that we
should walk in them. And I believe that's what it
is to walk by faith. To the just shall live by faith. Serving the Lord. Serving the
Lord. Look at verse 11. Not slothful,
but rather fervent in spirit. zealous in spirit, burning with
a desire in your spirit to do what? To serve myself. That's
what the old nature wants to do. But it says here, serving
the Lord. Serving the Lord. Now, how do
we serve the Lord? I had a young man that came here
a week or so ago and said he got a hold of the doctrine of
grace. and wanted to come and listen to the true preaching
of the gospel, one of the things he said, he said, I want to serve
the Lord. I said, well, yeah, that's a good thing. I love what
Brother Barnard says, that young man said, I want to serve the
Lord. You know what he said? Do it.
Do it. Serve the Lord. Now, how do we
serve the Lord? How do we serve the Lord? I tell you how, by serving his
people, by serving one another. And that's what he said in Matthew
25. Remember when the Lord said to those people, when I was in
prison, you visited me. When I was sick, you came to
me. And when I was hungry, you fed me. When I was naked, you
clothed me. And I know that's referring to the gospel and those
things provided in the gospel. And they said, Lord, when did
we do these things to you? And as much as you've done it
to the least of these, my brethren, you've done it to me. You see,
we're members. You remember we talked about
last week. We are members one of another. We are, as believers,
we make up the body of Christ. And we serve the head. This hand
serves this hand. This hand serves that hand. I'd
hate to do without either one of them. This little finger needs
that thumb. That thumb Needs that little
finger. You see, we're members one of
another. And we serve the head, this whole body, my hands, my
feet, my arms, my legs, everything about me, serve this head. Christ
is our head. And we serve one another, serve
the Lord by serving one another in Him. Now, that gets us down
to verse 12. Now, you need more to do? You
want some more to do? People all the time, well, what
should I do? Well, the Word of God tells us
what to do. Now, none of these things, again,
you know better than I'm not saying we do these things to
be justified. You understand that. These things
are the fruit of the Spirit. It's love, joy, peace, long-suffering,
gentleness, meekness, kindness, temperance, faith, these things.
And then it gets us down to verse 12, where it says here, He gives
us rejoicing in hope, Patient in tribulation, continuing instant
in prayer. Now, those three things. I mean, rejoicing in hope. Now, what is our hope? Believers rejoice, they are rejoicing
in hope. Now, I think that word here,
let's turn back to Romans 5. Rejoicing in hope. Yes. Therefore, Romans 5, 1,
therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God
to our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith
into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory
of God. And then we glory in tribulation
also, knowing that tribulation work is patient. Patient experience,
experience hope. Hope make us not ashamed, because
this love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. So it all goes together. Rejoicing
in hope. Now, whenever I read the word
rejoicing in Scripture, I always think of the book of Philippians.
If you read through the book of Philippians, about 10 or 12
times, it says in that book there, it always talks about rejoicing,
rejoicing, rejoicing. And what's amazing about that
is when Paul writes those things, he's in prison. He's in prison. I mean, he's on death row waiting
to have his head removed because of the gospel. And when he writes
back to the believer, he said rejoice always And again, I say
unto you, rejoice. Rejoice in the Lord. We have
so much to be thankful for. We are the true Israel of God,
which worship God in His Spirit, that rejoice in Christ Jesus.
And we have no confidence in the flesh. Rejoicing in the Lord. We have so much to be thankful
for. We rejoice in His mercy. We rejoice... Hey, just think about this for
a minute. All your sin is put away. Now, what does that
cause you to do? Oh, rejoice in the Lord's blood
atonement for us. Rejoice in hope. And the hope
we have, it's a good hope through grace. It's a good hope, it's
what Paul writes, In 2 Thessalonians 2.16, it's a good hope. We have
a good hope through grace and everlasting consolation in Christ.
Rejoicing, rejoicing, rejoicing. If not that I did, I rejoiced,
I am. I am believing and if I am believing,
I am rejoicing in Christ. I thought you said in hope. Christ
is our hope. Christ is our hope. He is our
hope. Christ is our hope. It says that over here. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
by the commandment of God our Savior, and Lord Jesus Christ,
our hope. 1 Timothy 1.1, he is our hope. Now, can you rejoice in him? Oh yeah. You see all these things
run and go together. Rejoicing in hope. And then the
next thing here, patience in tribulation. Now, the apostle
Paul also writes, I've learned in whatsoever state I am to be
content, but I have to add a little bit to it, I am learning. Paul
said he's already learned this. I'm trying to learn this. I am
learning this, I hope, in whatsoever state I am to be content. Now, he's not talking about being
in the state of Kentucky or the state of Ohio or the state of
in whatever station in life or place that God by His good providence
has put you, the trials that He brings upon
you, these trials that God brings into our life, they just don't
happen. trials are from the hand of our
Father, whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth and scourgeth every
son whom he loved." Patient in trials. Now, I've got to be the
first to confess that oftentimes, and most of the time, at first
when something happens to me, it's, why is this happening to
me? This is something I'm learning
to be patient. When God reaches out His afflicting
rod, you know, it's good for us. David said, it's good for
me. It's good for me that I've been afflicted of the Lord. And
then the Apostle writes this, don't turn, let me just read
it to you. In 1 Peter 1, 1, wherein you
greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, You are
in heaviness through manifold trials, that the trial of your
faith being much more precious than of gold that perishes. Though it be tried with fire,
might be found unto the praise and honor and glory at the appearing
of our Lord Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love, and
whom though now you see him not yet believing, you rejoice with
joy unspeakable, full of glory, receiving the end of your faith,
even the salvation of your soul. And we know that all things work
together for good. To them who love God, to them
who are the called according to His purpose, the called according
to His purpose. So rejoicing in hope, patient
in tribulation. And then it talks here, the next
thing, now just think about these three things. Rejoicing always
in the Lord, If you are rejoicing always in the Lord, I believe
you would have patience in tribulation. If you are rejoicing in the Lord,
that would give you patience in tribulation, will it not?
And then continuing instant in prayer. Instant in prayer. ought always to pray, our Lord
said that, and His people do. And this is not, I know just
this last week they had a national day of prayer, remember? What
was it, Thursday? And I'm sure they all held hands
around the flagpole over at the courthouse. And that's not what
He's talking about here. Prayer to the believer is the
very life breath of his soul. You can't tell a believer not
to pray. You can't legislate or make rules. They say, well, we've taken prayer
out of school. Well, you can take it out of
the school, but you can't take it out of the believer's heart.
That's what's in his heart. And prayer is a cry of a soul
unto the Lord. It's something real intimate
and personal. It's between you and your Father. Our Father which art in heaven.
And then he says here in 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 16 about the same thing. He says, Rejoice evermore. 1
Thessalonians 5 verse 16. Rejoice evermore. He's saying
the same thing over here. Rejoicing in hope. And then pray
without ceasing. Be instant in prayer, and then
he says, verse 18, in everything give thanks. This is the will of God in Christ
Jesus concerning you. Wait a minute now. In most things
we should be thankful. That's not what that says. In everything give thanks. and
everything, everything, give thanks. This is a will of God
in Christ Jesus concerning you. Rejoicing in hope, patient, let's
work on these things. Let's work on these things together.
We'll have a meeting next week and we'll have the checklist
to see, we'll measure how far your progress is. We won't do something like that,
but that's the way organized religion wants to do. Rejoicing
in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer. Prayer. Lord, be merciful to
me, the sinner. That's my prayer. Lord, be merciful
to me, the sinner. That's my prayer. And that's
what I pray constantly.