QT 23/06/2024 Sun. Romans 12. Unity: United in service and worship. 合一：在服事和敬拜中团结一致

QT 23/06/2024 Sun. Romans 12. Unity: United in service and worship.
READ http://www.esvbible.org/rom12
LISTEN
https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/mclean/esv/Romans.12

Rom 12:1-21 is the LOGICAL consequence of Romans 1-11, linked by the "Therefore" in Rom 12:1. Let your actions today be BASED on WHO you are in God's eyes, rather than conformation "to this world" (Rom 12:2).

Romans 1-11 describes God's mercies (Rom 12:1). It is because of these mercies that Paul now finds the BASIS to urge them "to present your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God".

REFLECTION: So WHO are we?

All are under God's wrath (Rom 1). No one is righteous, neither Jews nor Gentiles (Rom 2). All have sinned but can be saved by the substitutionary work of Christ (Rom 3). Righteousness is obtained through faith (Rom 4). Both Jews and Gentiles have links with Abraham (Rom 4) - through faith. We have peace and joy through Christ (Rom 5).

Believers should be dead to sin because we are alive in Christ (Rom 6), like being married to Christ only (Rom 7), having life through the Spirit (Rom 8). God is sovereign to bring some Jewish and some Gentile believers to Christ (the "true" Israel) in His own way and time, something which can be investigated but quite unfathomable now (Rom 9-11).

Therefore, Paul urges the "renewing of your mind" if this will of God is to be absorbed and understood (Rom 12:2). Coming back to the theme of unity and acceptance of believers in Christ, Paul reminds the believers :-

BE HUMBLE: "Not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think" (Rom 12:3). "Outdo one another in showing honor" (Rom 12:10). "Do not be haughty... Never be wise in your own sight" (Rom 12:16). REFLECTION: Do I frequently play the supervisor's role even though I am NOT the supervisor?

BE COMMUNITY MINDED: "So we, though many, are one body in Christ" (Rom 12:5). This includes bringing to the COMMUNITY what God has given DIVERSELY (Rom 12:6-8), living "in harmony with one another" (Roms 12:16).

PERSEVERE IN EDIFYING OTHERS: In love (Rom 12:9), in holding fast to good rather than evil (Rom 12:9), being zealous (Rom 12:11), sharing with those in need with hospitality (Rom 12:13).

BLESS, DON'T CURSE: This includes blessing "those who persecute you" (Rom 12:14), not revengeful (Rom 12:17,19) but leave it to God (Rom 12:19). Live peaceably to the best of our abilities (Rom 12:18), even doing good towards enemies (Rom 12:20), overcoming "evil with good" (Rom 12:21).

星期日 2024年6月23日 今日读经：罗马书12章. 合一：在服事和敬拜中团结一致
http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/Rom/12/
听音频罗马书12章
https://www.bible.com/bible/41/rom.12.cnvs

罗马书12:1-21是罗马书1-11章的逻辑性后果，由罗12:1的“所以”所连接起来。让你今天的一举一动是按着你在神眼中的形象呈现出来的,而不是模仿“这个世代”(罗12:2)。

罗马书1-11章描述了神的怜悯(罗12:1)。正是因为这些怜悯，保罗现在找到了呼吁他们“要把身体献上，作圣洁而蒙　神悦纳的活祭”的根基。

反思：所以我们到底是什么人？

我们全都在神的震怒下(罗马书1章)。没有人是义人，无论是犹太人或外族人(罗马书2章)。所有人都犯了罪但基督代替我们死的作为能够拯救我们(罗马书3章)。义是从信心而来的(罗马书4章)。犹太人和外族人两者都与亚伯拉罕有关(罗马书4章)--透过信心。我们在基督里得到了平安和喜乐(罗马书5章)。

信徒应该对罪而死因为在基督里我们是复活的(罗马书6章)，就如单单与基督结婚一样(罗马书7章)，借着圣灵得生命(罗马书8章)。在神的掌权下，祂以祂的方式、祂的时间带领了一些犹太人和外族人信基督(那“真以色列”),这是可以考察的但却是无法叵测的(罗9-11)。

所以，保罗呼吁信徒要“借着心意的更新”，如果想要察验出神的旨意并吸收理解它(罗12:2)。回到合一和接纳基督的信徒的主题，保罗提醒信徒：-

要谦卑：“不可自视太高”(罗12:3)。“用恭敬的心互相礼让”(罗12:10)。“不可心高气傲...不可自以为聪明”(罗12:16)。反思：我是否常常管着其他人，虽然自己不是他们的上司？

要有群体意识：“我们大家在基督里成为一个身体”(罗12:5)。这包括把神给我们的不同的恩赐用于服事群体(罗12:6-8)，过着“彼此同心”的生活(罗12:16)。

要不断建立他人:常常在爱里(罗12:9)，持守善而厌恶恶(罗12:9)，心灵要火热(罗12:11)，有缺乏的，就要接济；客旅要热诚地款待(罗12:13)。

只可祝福，不可诅咒:这包括祝福那些“迫害你的人”(罗12:14)，不可以恶报恶(罗12:17，19),而是将一切交托给主(罗12:19)。要尽我们的所能与人和睦(罗12:18)，甚至是善待自己的仇敌(罗12:20)，“以善胜恶”(罗12:21)。