ROMANS 27


     We will begin this lesson in Romans 12:1 "I beseech you
therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your
bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your
reasonable service."

     I Peter 2:5 "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual
house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices,
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."  Psalms 19:14 "Let the words of my
mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O
LORD, my strength, and my redeemer."   We can see from this that God
expects our loyalty. We have been bought and paid for with the
precious blood of Jesus Christ.  The least we can do is live for Him
since He ransomed us from death.

     Romans 12:2 "And 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."

     Deuteronomy 18:10 "There shall not be found among you [any one]
that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, [or]
that useth divination, [or] an observer of times, or an enchanter, or
a witch," Deuteronomy 18:11 "Or a charmer, or a consulter with
familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer." Deuteronomy 18:12
"For all that do these things [are] an abomination unto the LORD: and
because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out
from before thee."  Divination is witchcraft. An observer of times has
to do with studying your horoscope. An enchanter is someone who
practices hypnotism or practices magic. A charmer casts spells. A
wizard conjures up spirits.  A necromancer is someone who has an
affair with a dead body or it can mean someone who is always searching
for the truth and never finds it. The things that displeased God in
the Old Testament are still what displeases Him today. God wants us to
be holy as He is holy. Jesus is coming back for those who are without
spot or wrinkle. If , you have sin in your life, repent and ask God to
help you live free of sin.

     Romans 12:3 "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; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to
every man the measure of faith."

     We read in the very words of our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew
18:3 "And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and
become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of
heaven." Matthew 18:4 "Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as
this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." It
seems so strange to some people how one person seems to have more
faith than the other, if we have all received our measure of faith.
The truth is that our faith grows as we use it and as we read the word
of God. Romans 10:17 "So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing
by the word of God."  We have said over and over in these lessons that
the two great powers in this world are the spoken and the written
Word.  I Corinthians 12:7 "But the manifestation of the Spirit is
given to every man to profit withal." I Corinthians 12:8 "For to one
is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of
knowledge by the same Spirit;" I Corinthians 12:9 "To another faith by
the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;"
We can see from these Scriptures that there is a gift of faith that we
can pray and receive. This is not a normal amount of faith, but a
supernatural faith; which is actually a gift of the Spirit.

     Romans 12:4 "For as we have many members in one body, and all
members have not the same office:" Romans 12:5 "So we, [being] many,
are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another."

     I Corinthians 12:12 "For as the body is one, and hath many
members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one
body: so also [is] Christ." I Corinthians 12:13 "For by one Spirit are
we all baptized into one body, whether [we be] Jews or Gentiles,
whether [we be] bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one
Spirit." I Corinthians 12:14 "For the body is not one member, but
many." I Corinthians 12:20 "But now [are they] many members, yet but
one body." I Corinthians 12:27 "Now ye are the body of Christ, and
members in particular."   A TRUE CHURCH IS MANY MEMBERS MAKING UP ONE
BODY.  We see in that body that there are many different offices.
I Corinthians 12:28 "And God hath set some in the church, first
apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles,
then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues."

     Romans 12:5 "So we, [being] many, are one body in Christ, and
every one members one of another."

     Ephesians 5:30 "For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and
of his bones." We can see how important it is for us to be in one
accord in the church. If we are one body as the Scripture says, then
when we tear at someone else in the church we are tearing up the body.

     Romans 12:6 "Having then gifts differing according to the grace
that is given to us, whether prophecy, [let us prophesy] according to
the proportion of faith;" Romans 12:7 "Or ministry, [let us wait] on
[our] ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;" Romans 12:8 "Or
he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, [let him do it]
with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth
mercy, with cheerfulness."

     We see in all of this that God calls each of us to do a specific
job. Whether God has called you to be pastor of a church or a teacher
in a Christian school, God will not call you to do a job that He will
not equip you to do. What the Scriptures above are saying is that any
job God calls you to do, you should do it through the power of the
Holy Spirit and not in your own strength. Ephesians 4:11 "And he gave
some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some,
pastors and teachers;"

     Romans 12:9 "[Let] love be without dissimulation. Abhor that
which is evil; cleave to that which is good."

     Without dissimulation means to be sincere or to not be a
hypocrite. We see from this then, that it is very important for our
love to be sincere. Abhor means to detest utterly. This would be an
extreme dislike for something or someone. We can see from the
following Scripture just how important it is to God for us to love our
brothers and sisters in Christ and to love Him. Hebrews 1:9 "Thou hast
loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, [even] thy
God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows."

     Romans 12:10 "[Be] kindly affectioned one to another with
brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;"

     John 13:34 "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one
another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." John
13:35 "By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye
have love one to another."  All Christians are brothers and sisters in
Christ. I Thessalonians 4:9 "But as touching brotherly love ye need
not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love
one another."  You see, regardless where the Scripture is we are
taught the same thing; to love as we would want to be loved .

     Romans 12:11 "Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit;
serving the Lord;"

     In 1988, we saw a strange thing happen. Many people thinking that
the Lord was coming back that year; sold everything they had and
gave up their jobs to go and wait for the return of the Lord. We can
easily see in the Scripture above that that is not what God would want
us to do, even if He were coming back right now. When He does come
back [and I believe He is coming soon] we are to be found working.
Hebrews 13:21 "Make you perfect in every good work to do his will,
working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus
Christ; to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen."

     Romans 12:12 "Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation;
continuing instant in prayer;"

     The hope that we are to rejoice in is the hope of the
resurrection. We are warned not to be like those that have no hope of
the resurrection. I Thessalonians 4:13 "But I would not have you to be
ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow
not, even as others which have no hope." I Thessalonians 4:14 "For if
we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which
sleep in Jesus will God bring with him."  We, also, know that in this
life there will be tribulation. Tribulation comes to make us strong.
John 16:33 "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might
have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good
cheer; I have overcome the world." We see from this that we certainly
do face tribulation. Romans 5:3  " And not only [so], but we glory in
tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;"
Ephesians 6:18 "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the
Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication
for all saints;"  Prayer is the power available to the Christian.
Prayer is so important that even Jesus went aside and prayed to the
Father. The disciples that walked with Jesus, saw the importance of
prayer and asked Jesus to teach them to pray. When we pray, we pray to
the Father in the name of Jesus. We are told that anything we ask in
the name of Jesus will be done.  John 14:13 "And whatsoever ye shall
ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in
the Son."

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                             Questions 27

1.  How are we Christians to present our bodies to God?
2.  In 1 Peter ch.2 v.5 we are lively stones which are built up into
    what?
3.  In Psalms ch.19 v.14, what 2 things are we asking to be acceptable
    in God's sight?
4.  We have been bought and paid for by what?
5.  Be not ___________ to this world.
6.  Be ye transformed by the renewing of your ____.
7.  What does Deuteronomy ch.18 v.10 warn against?
8.  What are these sins called in Deuteronomy ch.18 v.12?
9.  What is divination?
10. What does an observer of times study?
11. What does an enchanter practice?
12. What does a charmer do?
13. What does a wizard do?
14. Who is a necromancer?
15. God has dealt to every man the measure of _____.
16. We read in Matthew ch.18 v.3 Except ye become as ______ ________,
    ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
17. Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
18. In Romans ch.10 v.17, we read that faith comes how?
19. What are the 2 great powers in the world?
20. In 1 Corinthians chapter 12, we read of an extra amount of faith
    that we can receive by what?
21. So we being many, are one ____.
22. In 1 Corinthians ch.12 v.28, we read of the offices in the church,
    what are they?
23. In Romans ch.12 vs.[6-7] how are we to operate in these offices
    that God has trusted us with?
24. What is the 5 fold ministry mentioned in Ephesians ch.4 v.11?
25. What does without dissimulation mean?
26. What does abhor mean?
27. Quote Romans ch.12 v.10.
28. How will all men know that you are His disciples?
29. We are told to not be slothful in what?
30. What is the hope that we are to rejoice in?
31. Why does tribulation come?
32. Tribulation worketh what?
33. How are we instructed to pray?
34. What did the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to do?
35. What is the promise Jesus gave us in John ch.14 v.13?

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