"Goodbye Saints" Romans Pt 23 Series

“Goodbye Saints”

Romans pt. 23

Thesis: Roman’s 16 challenges us to develop relationships within the Body of Christ with other Saints and to build them up in Christ. We also learn that we must be alert and watching to make sure that no one is allowed to cause division within the Kingdom of God. We also learned that the God of peace is just about ready to crush the head of Satan so we need to be ready!

Introduction:

Let’s recall what I shared with you months ago when we started the Romans series.

Jon Stensrud stated this about the Historical impact of the book of Romans in the history of the world from His sermon introduction to the book of Romans on sermoncentral.com:

Martin Luther in his book “Preface to the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans” argues that:

“This letter is truly the most important piece in the New Testament. It is purest Gospel. It is well worth a Christian’s while not only to memorize it word for word but also to occupy himself with it daily, as though it were the daily bread of the soul. It is impossible to read or to meditate on this letter too much or too well. The more one deals with it, the more precious it becomes and the better it tastes. Therefore I want to carry out my service and, with this preface, provide an introduction to the letter, insofar as God gives me the ability, so that every one can gain the fullest possible understanding of it. . . . it is in itself a bright light, almost bright enough to illumine the entire Scripture.”

John Calvin said that, "When anyone gains a knowledge of this Epistle he has an entrance opened to him to all the most hidden treasures of Scripture."

F.F. Bruce is quoted as saying "Time and again in the course of human history {Romans} has liberated the minds of men, brought them back to an understanding of the essential gospel of Christ, and started spiritual revolutions.”

Warren W. Wiersbe: in his commentary on the book of Romans tells the story of a man whose life was changed by this book and who in turn changed the lives of literally millions of men and women:

"On May 24, 1738, a discouraged missionary went ’very unwillingly’ to a religious meeting in London. There a miracle took place. ’About a quarter before nine,’ he wrote in his journal, ’I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.’

That missionary was John Wesley. The message he heard that evening was the preface to Martin Luther’s commentary on Romans. Just a few months before, Wesley wrote in his journal: ’I went to America to convert the Indians; but Oh! who shall convert me?’ That evening in Aldersgate Street, his question was answered. And the result was the great Wesleyan Revival that swept England and transformed the nation."

The book of Romans is to Christianity what the Declaration of Independence is to America and the Magna Charta is to Great Britain! It can set you free if you study it and believe it.

We have spent the last few months learning what a Saint is and isn’t! Have we not? This book has challenged us to become living sacrifices for the Kingdom of God. It has given us instructions on how a Saint should be living. It has painted a picture for us of what a Saint is to look like. Their actions , attitudes, character traits, and lifestyle.

Do you remember my catch phrase: A saint is not an “aint,” because the Spirit of Christ adds “S” to “aint” and makes the “aint” a “saint.”

If you recall when I started this series months ago I shared how I had looked up the word “saint” and discovered this definition: ONE SEPARATED FROM THE WORLD AND CONSECRATED TO GOD; ONE HOLY BY PROFESSION AND BY COVENANT; A BELIEVER IN CHRIST!

I summarized my findings this way, “Biblically, the term saint is correctly applied to anyone who believes Jesus Christ is Lord. To believe in Jesus demands obedience and conformity to His will. A saint bears true and faithful witness to Christ in speech and in life-style. To be a saint is a present reality when a believer seeks to let the Spirit form Christ within their hearts and inner spirit.”

Questions: Do you feel that the Romans road has lived up to its reputation? How has the truths revealed in this book changed your life? How are you going to live the rest of your life – like a saint or like and aint? Do you better understand what the Lord expects of you a “Saint”?