Title: The Saints of One Body
(Explanation of Romans = 90)
Saints who make up one body
Romans 12:3 - 5
Introduction: In the Bible, the relationship between the church and Christians is compared to the body and the members. Christians are those who are united to Christ (Romans 6:5). Therefore, the root of everything is Christ, and we are only members united there. The words 'the church is his body' and 'he is the head of the body, the church', etc., show the position of the saints in the church. We are giving (Ephesians 1:23, Colossians 1:18). Paul said, “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ (1 Corinthians 6:15)? Each member has a function assigned to it, and the member must move according to that function. This is the gift of God given to the saints in the church.
1. Christian Temperance of Thought
First of all, if we want to be faithful and serve according to the gifts each of us has received in the church of God, there is one thing we need to keep in mind. Paul said about this, “Do not think beyond what you ought to think, but do it wisely according to the measure of faith that God has given to each person. Think about it.” If a person does not think wisely, life will be ruined. Faith is shipwrecked. However, two things presuppose a Christian to think wisely.
(1) One is, “Do not cherish more thoughts than you ought to think.” It is the same in all things, but leaps of thought are the direct cause of failure. If you can't control your thoughts and move according to those thoughts, you will be faced with an unspeakable disappointment. Not everyone has the same abilities, wisdom, or business capabilities. Just because someone else is successful doesn't mean you can be successful too. Moreover, a thought is more important than the thought itself, the motive of the mind that provoked the thought. Suppose that the motive of a business is lust. Such a person's thoughts, no matter how wonderful and ideal, cannot be realized. He says, “You do not have, because you ask not; you ask and do not receive, because you ask erroneously, that you may spend it on your lusts” (James 4:3).
(2) Next, Paul said, “Think wisely according to the measure of faith that God has given to each person.” What we need to pay attention to in this verse is “the measure of faith that God has given to each person.” It is a fact that every member of the church, the body of Christ, has a measure of faith that God has given to each of them. The measure of one's faith is not determined by one's own discretion, nor is it something that one can possess according to one's thoughts. He said that there is a certain amount given by God. If Christians think more than this measure, they are prone to spiritual pride, and if they do not reach this measure, they become unbelievers. The life of Christians who think wisely according to the measure of their faith is the only way to achieve a life of faith that is pleasing to God.
In order for us to properly judge the measure of our faith, there are a few things we need to take into account before we begin to act by making a prayerful decision to “believe”.
First, is this kind of thinking for the glory of God? is that We must be free from falsehood in the mirror of our religious conscience on this essential issue. It is a wrong idea to try to force the thoughts of one's lust or covetousness into the glory of God.
Second, you should carefully examine whether the thoughts you are holding are from some temporary emotion or impulse of your own emotions. The thought of faith that God has given must be the work of the Holy Spirit constantly springing up in my heart. There are two kinds of beliefs that are growing in our hearts. One is the belief in one's thoughts that arises from one's feelings. The other is the irresistible faith the Holy Spirit places in my heart. In this way, you must be able to control the thoughts of your heart that spring up in two ways by wisely coping with the measure of your faith. Such beliefs are not for everyone. The reason that Job was able to overcome the difficult test was because of Job's great faith that he could overcome the test. No one can withstand such a difficult test as Job.
2. Relationship between members and offices
Paul said that Christians should think wisely according to the measure of faith that God has given to each person in this way, because self-control of such thoughts is primarily essential for fulfilling the mission as members of the body of Christ.
(2) It is said that not all members have one office. Each member has a different task to do. Not all members do one thing. Likewise, even for Christians who are members of the church, each of them has a different office. We need to know that it is very important to serve the church rightly and faithfully carry out our mission, knowing what kind of office we have been given in the Church of God and the reason why we have been given that office is to make us a member of the body of Christ, the church. . Keeping this in mind, we need to know that when we are not faithful in our work in the church and fail to fulfill our responsibilities, it has a huge impact on our entire body. That's why Paul says, "Do not cherish more thoughts than you ought to think, but think wisely according to the measure of faith that God has given to each of you."
Conclusion: The structure of man is extremely mysterious. The appendix has not yet been elucidated as to why it is attached to our body. However, even if the appendix of a necessary evil is considered unnecessary, if its member malfunctions, it becomes appendicitis, and when it spreads, it becomes peritonitis and even life-threatening. Therefore, we should cherish all the members that make up the body of Christ, know only our own members first, and refrain from revealing ourselves. Christians should be mindful of the fact that the members exist only for the sake of the body and the mission of the members is to glorify the body.