A Living Faith Chapter Four
Romans 12:9-21
In the 17th century, Scottish preacher John Welsh was imprisoned in Rochelle, France for proclaiming the Gospel. During his time in prison, his wife tirelessly sought his release. After many months, she finally received an audience with King James I.
1 When she came into the King's presence and was announced as being John Knox's daughter and John Welsh's wife, the King staggered."What do you want?" asked the King.
"I want his freedom; give him his native air!" was her reply.
"Give him the devil!" he said.
But then the king softened for a moment and told her that if she could persuade her husband to submit to the bishops, then her husband would be allowed to return to Scotland. In response, she lifted up her apron and said, "I'd rather have his head in this!"
This is but one of many accounts of God's people throughout history who, before some of the most powerful men and women in their day, boldly stood for the truth! In fact while the Christian faith has frequently been attacked, criticized, and argued against throughout church history, its life-changing effects remain an indisputable fact of history.
Indeed! When one enters into a saving relationship with God, he undergoes a radical transformation.
2 When one is saved by God he experiences a resurrection from the dead.3 Salvation brings a living faith – a faith that results in a redeemed life!
Presently, we are examining a passage which calls the child of God to a life of obedience. This is a life that is commensurate with their salvation. It is a life of a living faith! This morning I want you to notice the results of this living faith with regard to our service in the kingdom of God. This living faith calls us to not only to not be spiritually lazy and to maintain our spiritual vigor but also calls us to serve God on His terms.
A Living Faith Serves the Lord on His Terms.
Romans 12:11, "Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord."
The phrase serving the Lord
4 points us to the focus of this verse – service. 5 Now, in light of the fact that Paul has already twice called us to serve the Lord in this chapter, it is significant that here Paul uses an entirely different word to denote the service of the living faith. In Romans 12:1, Paul calls us to spiritual service. 6 This is a word associated with the worship of God!7 Thus, the emphasis in this word is on the attitude of "reverence and awe." In Romans 12:7, Paul references those with the gift of service. 8 The emphasis with this word is on practical service- what we do, our action. Thus as we have seen, the gift of service is the ability to do any service in the kingdom- whether lowly or grand. And yet again Paul says to "serve the Lord." 9 This word is used to describe of the service of a bond-slave. The emphasis of this word falls both on our action 10and our attitude. 11 Matthew uses this same term in the story of the centurion who comes to Christ for his daughter’s healing.Matthew 8:9, "For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it."
Christ uses this term in Matthew 24:45-46:
Matthew 24:45-46, "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing."
In Luke 17:7-9 we find that Christ also uses this same term as this:
Luke 17:7-9, "But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not."
Indeed, the servant
12 spoken of in these New Testament passages is what we would term a slave. These servants were under the authority of another, bound to unconditional submission. And based upon this we conclude that the living faith is one that serves the Lord as a slave-The individual with the living faith is a one that ministers according to the will of God. This man serves with complete submission to the Lord. It is this kind of service that defines the living faith!
Now let me exhort you in the area in which we typically are the weakest. It is common for God's children to busy themselves with all kinds of work: studies, ministries, outreach, quiet times, and doing various other good deeds. Yet, if what we are doing does NOT constitute ALL that God has called us to – but merely what we like, want, or are comfortable with- WE REALLY ARE NOT SERVING THE LORD! Martin Luther put it this way:
"If I profess with the loudest voice and the clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God, except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battle-fields besides is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point."
To what field has God called you this day? Where is the battle raging in your life? Is it in the realm of a particular sin? Is it in the realm of an unhealthy attitude? Is it in the realm of slothfulness? Is it in the realm of your thought-life? Is it in the realm of being satisfied with the place God has placed you? The important thing today may not be that you can quote a multitude of passages as a result of your diligence in Scripture memory. It is not the most important thing to say that you haven't missed a quiet time in three years. Nor is it going to benefit you much that you have perfect church attendance and have arranged you life so that you appear godly to those around you when your service in the kingdom of God bellies out at the point to which you have been called. You are simply not serving the Lord today! Again, Luther penned these words:
"This command is directed . . . against those who stubbornly adhere to their own good works, instead of doing other [commanded] tasks in obedience [to God]. Therefore they serve themselves rather than God. . . . What fools! They refuse obedience to God in order to obey God."
Indeed! The man with a living faith serves God on ALL fronts! This does not mean that we are victorious on all fronts. Rather, it means that in all areas and at all times we are seeking the rule and reign of Christ in our lives. It means that at all times we are seeking to serve in the kingdom. It means that we are laboring for our King and not our own will! Now brothers and sisters, this is a radical call; yet, it also is a GLORIOUS CALL!
During the time right before the Reformation the Roman Catholic Church taught that unless you were a priest serving in the church, you were NOT serving the Lord. And thus, any and all work associated with this world was demeaned. The work of the farmer, logger, miller, housewife, craftsman, engineer, blacksmith, shepherd, or laborer all concerned themselves with things destined to perish, and thus were considered as worldly and passing.
Amazingly, though nearly four hundred years separate us from those "Dark Ages" very little has changed! The laity all busy themselves with things destined to perish. The bridges built, the fields plowed, the houses cleaned, the diapers changed all are destined to be burned on the day of judgment.
15 Yet few if any of the above, when they wake up on Monday morning and go to work recognize that all they do that day as Christians is KINGDOM WORK –no matter how insignificant and menial. Listen to the words of a man who understood that the living faith is a faith that serves the Kingdom of God:"Alas! Must I walk the baby, wash its diapers, make its bed, smell its stench, stay up nights with it, take care of it when it cries, heal its rashes and soars? And on top of that care for my spouse, provide, labor at my trade, take care of this, and take care of that? Do this and do that, endure this and endure that, and whatever else of bitterness and drudgery married life involves? Why should I make such a prisoner of myself?
"What then does Christian faith say to this? It opens its eyes, looks upon all these insignificant, distasteful, and despised duties in the Spirit. And is aware that they are all adorned with divine approval as with the costliest golden jewels. It says, 'O God! I confess today that I am not worthy to rock the little babe or wash its diapers or to be entrusted with the care of the child and its mother. How is it that I without any merit have come to this distinction of being certain that I am serving Thy creature and Thy most precious will. Oh how gladly will I do so though the duty should be even more insignificant and despised. Neither frost nor heat, neither drudgery nor labor will distress and dissuade me, for I am certain that it is thus pleasing in Thy sight."
Tomorrow morning as you hustle off to work recognize the work you do is the work of God. Remember when you do the laundry, clean the children, change those diapers, go to school that the work you do is the work of God. Remember that when you fill out those forms, call those clients, sell that widget, talk with your employer, till the soil that the work you are doing is the work of God. Recognize that the work you do is the work of God, and thus it is noble, eternal, precious in God’s sight. It is a privilege to do the work that is set before you!
17The Living Faith Maintains a Joyful Expectancy.
Romans 12:12, "Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer."
The phrase rejoicing in hope
18 once again focuses us on the phrase is "in hope."19 As most of you know, hope is a uniquely Christian virtue. While the world may hope for many things, theirs is an empty hope: unsure and groundless. The world hopes for "good weather," a cure for cancer, a "better job," or a lucky break. Yet none of these things are guaranteed to any man.In contrast, Biblical hope is NOT the prospect of what might happen, BUT the expectation of what is already guaranteed. One of my favorite examples of this – once again – is found in Jeremiah 32. Jeremiah lived just prior to the captivity of Judah. His ministry from beginning to end was one of warning a people who wouldn't listen -- in fact Jeremiah would eventually be murdered in Egypt by the very people he sought to help. Jeremiah had a cousin named Hanamel who owned some land.
Hanamel was worried about this property since the Babylonian soldiers presently occupied it – they were camped upon it. Knowing that the fate of Judah looked quite dim, Hanamel wanted to sell this property before Israel was conquered and his land forever taken from him. So he looked for a "sucker," and approached his cousin Jeremiah.
20Jeremiah bought this land! Why? Because he was crazy? Many thought so in his day. And yet that wasn't the reason! Rather, Jeremiah bought the land because of the faith he had in God's promises. He had confidence and hope in God’s plan for the future.
Jeremiah 29:10, "For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place."
Jeremiah 32:13-15, "And I charged Baruch before them, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is open; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days. For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land."
Though an enemy nation would soon occupy the land, thus making the land worthless, Jeremiah had the confident expectation, the HOPE – grounded in the holy Scriptures – that God would restore His people at which time the land would be Jeremiah's, GUARANTEED! This is Biblical hope! It is a confident expectation. It is a reliance upon that which is guaranteed.
In the context of hope, what is it that is guaranteed for the believer? Our maturation in Christ is guaranteed.
21 God's working all things for our good is assured.22 The second coming of Christ at which time God will confer upon us the fullness of our salvation is certain.23 The advent of God's rule and reign in which all sin and misery shall be done away with is going to come to pass.24The living faith is a hoping faith. It is a faith that lives today in light of tomorrow's graces. And that is why Paul qualifies the living faith as one which "rejoices in hope." To "rejoice in hope" is an amazing and altogether incredible calling. In Paul's day, there was very little over which to be joyful. Remember Rome ruled God's people. Death and disease were everywhere. One's Jewish faith brought with it persecution, suffering, difficulty, and hardship. And thus, joy and rejoicing were altogether alien, and quite rare. Yet, when the sinner was brought to Christ, immediately he was "relieved of ten thousand temporal problems."
25 Indeed, his FAITH in Christ brought with it a consequent JOY.Joy is brought to the Christian because he knows that a wise God rules the heaven, earth and sea and all therein. The believer is confident that an omnipotent God controls Satan and his host. The regenerated man knows that a loving God has forgiven him of all his sin. The child of God knows that God is faithful and will come again to set up His kingdom in which all His children will rule and reign with Him! Indeed! The living faith "rejoices in hope" because the object of its hope is a living, eternal, omnipotent, omnipresent, all gracious and holy God! Calvin wrote these words:
"Although believers are now pilgrims on earth, yet by their confidence they surmount the heavens, so that they cherish their future inheritance in their bosoms with tranquillity."
Now here we must make a DISTINCTION: happiness and joy are not the same, and must never be confused. HAPPINESS is an earthly emotion evoked by favorable circumstances. When we get the pay raise we say we are happy. When we score an "A" on that test we were so worried about we are happy. When he or she says "Yes!" We are happy. During these times, it truly can be said that we are happy. But allow difficulty to come our way, and that happiness melts into worry, sadness, and grief.
JOY, on the other hand, is described as a Christian virtue produced by the Spirit of God.
Romans 14:17, "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."
Galatians 5:22, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith."
And so, joy is a stable and deep-rooted virtue that says, "it is well" even in the most difficult of circumstances! In fact often times it is IN the difficult circumstance that the child of God is most joyful. Why? Because it is then that all they have is Christ, the object of their hope!
1 Peter 1:8, "Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory."
Romans 5:3, "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;"
The living faith is a rejoicing faith because the object of its hope is Christ! As the child of God looks NOT at what God has done BUT at what He will do, he "rejoices in hope!" That is what living faith is all about! Yet so often that is not what we are about! We lust and do not have, and so we pout. We are envious and do not obtain, and so we fight and quarrel. We make plans that go unfulfilled, and so we grumble and complain. We strive for the praise of man, are insulted, and so we are bitter. Rather than participating in the joy of salvation we conclude that life is too complicated and too tragic for joy. We conclude that if others do not appreciate us and exalt us that we have a right to complain. We believe that joy is a virtue reserved only for the young and naïve in Christ. We know that it is only the immature and those who have yet to live life that believe they have joy in Christ. To deny joy or reject joy is to deny not only the ability to say "it is well" in the midst of difficulty, but it also denies your Christian maturity.
27 It says that you have not experienced the redemptive work of Christ.28 It says that you deny that God is love.29 It means that you do not have a living faith.30 To deny "rejoicing in hope" is to betray salvation itself.Romans 8:24, "For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?"
Indeed! If your life is characterized by a lack of joy and an absence of "rejoicing in hope" know that it is not because you have grown up in Christ, but you are woefully back-slidden! Rest assured that you do not have a living faith, but you have a living death.
As I close, I want to speak to the one who has lost the joy of their salvation. Recall that God is our creator and maker. God deserves our worship and praise. God is holy, true and just. God is a consuming fire and demands perfection from everyone of us. Before Him the nations are a drop in the bucket.
31 In God’s eyes our lives are but a vapor.32 Before God all of our righteousness is but filthy rags.33 In God’s sight we are a rebellious, evil and wretched people.34 Yet this same God who should be angry with us, has nevertheless chosen us to be His child. He has taken us from the domain of darkness and brought us to His glorious light. He has given us a new name. He has sent forth His Spirit to comfort us and aid us. God has loved us with an everlasting love. God has given us an inheritance which cannot be defiled nor perish. God has granted us His word by which we may be comforted and guided. God has promised to never leave nor forsake us. What an amazing God! What an amazing future awaits us all!In the words of John:
1 John 3:1, "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not."
How can we be anything other than people who "rejoice in hope" when we realize the incredible plans that God has for us?
35 How can we be anything other than a people that exudes forth a joy "unspeakable and full of glory?"36Conclusion
This past week on the Focus on the Family radio program they had a pastor and his wife on who lost all six of their children in a car fire two years ago.
37 As this pastor and his wife spoke, they demonstrated their complete submission to the Master's will. The showed forth the love of their Savior. They rested confidently in God’s timing.At one point, Dr. Dobson asked if they were ever angry. They responded, "By God's grace, 'No! How could we be angry with a God who has promised to reunite our family?'"
Brothers and sisters, that is a living faith. It is a faith that serves the Lord on His terms.
38 It is a faith that maintains a joyful expectancy in the Kingdom of God.39___________________________
1
King James I of England is also known as King James VI of Scotland.2
Compare 2 Corinthians.5:17; John 1:12-133
Compare Romans 6:4-84
to kurio douleuontes5
The word translated serve comes from the Greek, douleuo.6
The Greek latreia7
To latreia is to worship God8
Paul uses the Greek word diakonia from which we derive the word deacon.9
Here he is using the Greek word douleuo.10
The doulos serves according to his master's will.11
The doulos serves with the attitude of complete submission.12
doulos13
Chuck and Donna McIlhenny, When The Wicked Seize A City, page 8514
Martin Luther, Commentary on Romans, page 175, emphasis added15
Compare 2 Peter 3:1016
Martin Luther, quoted in a sermon by Rev. Geoffrey Thomas titled, The Minister's Wife17
The corollary to this is that the work that you are doing is God’s work. One who is living by faith should see all work in this light—even those jobs that we dislike. It is often in the chores that we find distasteful and unpleasant that God can use us best because there our pride and prejudices are dissolved for God’s glory. This is part of the attitude of serving the Lord.18
ta elpidi chairontes19
Literally, .With regard to hope20
Jeremiah 32:8, Jeremiah actually had the "right of possession."21
Philippians 1:622
Romans 8:28; Jeremiah 29:1123
Philippians 3:20-2124
Revelation 21:3-4; 1 Corinthians 15:50-57.25
A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy, page 1026
Calvin's Commentary on Romans 5:227
Galatians 5:1228
Romans 5:2; 8:1829
Romans 5:530
Romans 12:12a31
Isaiah 40:1532
James 4:1433
Isaiah 40:1434
Romans 3:10-1835
Jeremiah. 29:1136
1 Peter 1:837
This is the Willis family of Chicago, IL who lost six children in an accident in November 1994.38
Romans 12:1139
Romans 12:12