Sabbath: Overcoming Evil With Good
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Read for This Week’s Study: Romans 12, Romans 13.
Memory Text: “Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2).
Powever much Paul is seeking to disabuse the Romans of their false notions of the law, he also calls all Christians to a high standard of obedience. This obedience comes from an inward change in our heart and mind, a change that comes only through the power of God working in a person surrendered to Him.
Romans contains no hint that this obedience comes automatically. The Christian needs to be enlightened as to what the requirements are; he or she must desire to obey those requirements; and, finally, the Christian should seek the power without which that obedience is impossible.
What this means is that works are part of the Christian faith. Paul never meant to depreciate works; in chapters 13 to 15 he gives them strong emphasis. This is no denial of what he has said earlier about righteousness by faith. On the contrary, works are the true expression of what it means to live by faith. One could even argue that because of the added revelation after Jesus came, the New Testament requirements are more difficult than what was required in the Old. New Testament believers have been given an example of proper moral behavior in Jesus Christ. He and no one else shows the pattern we are to follow. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in” [not Moses, not Daniel, not David, not Solomon, not Enoch, not Deborah, not Elijah] “Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5).
The standard doesn’t – can’t! – get higher than that.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, December 23.
(44)
No the standard can’t get any higher and is only achieved through the power of the Holy Spirit. Thank God the father for His Son’s scrafice! We I apply this principal to my daily affairs I can live victoriously in Christ.
As I pray, give me lord the mind of Jesus, make me holy as He is, may I prove I have been with Jesus, who is all my righteousness, I am asking the Lord to transform me by the renewing of my mind therefore proving I have been with Jesus, who is the reason I am good, acceptable, and perficately following the will of God. Elaborating, I put my hand on the one who is Omnipotent, I appropriate His merits, which is my remedy for sin. Can be your too.
Absolutely, yes, Jesus, "The Standard," cannot get any higher and the closer we come to him the more we see how far we still have to go to be exactly like him? Probably not until HE gives us incorruptible and glorified bodies after he returns. But even the little that we do attain to IN HIM here, people can and will see that we have been with him and some will want to get to know Him like we have come to know Him because of it.
As human being well all have goals and the history book that we study from gives us goals in love or as someone stated standard. Sometime our thinking and our character are mistaken, so we need a conversion inward to outward in love.
Faith and works, one must support the other. Whilst works is the outward show of our faith, it is conceived and sustained by faith, the lifeline between man & God trinity. But works is motivated by one’s intent and desires of which are outputs of conviction of heart and comprehension of the mind. Romans 8:7 - Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. But praise Jesus that His Holy Spirit can and does renew our minds [Ephesians 4:23] when we are saved and by faith claim his promises of Salvation and a new life in Him.
As children of God we are to live like Christ in obedience to His commands. In the former life, consumed and driven by sinful lusts, it would have been a struggle to even try to live in obedience to God. But with the renewed mind and a heart that reciprocates the love of God, it is easier with the empowering of the Holy Spirit daily. Mathew 22:37,39 - Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (39) …love your neighbor as yourself.
Obedience is loving God back and sharing that love to others, with all that is in you and all that you have.
Another revelation in this wonderful book of Romans, righteous by faith also requires us to do and live like those who love and depend on Jesus nothing less and nothing more.