The Believer’s Duty in relation to Other Believers
Romans 12:9-13
Over the last few weeks we have looked at the duty of believers.
Some things we were to add to our salvation…
Some things we are to take away from our lives…
Tonight we are going to look at how we are to treat each other.
Jesus taught a lot about how having Him in our lives should change us…and we are for the most part well aware of HOW we should treat others…it’s just that we rarely DO IT…
If we are going to call ourselves Christians…then we have a DUTY to live our lives in a way that expresses our confession…In other words, what we say we are ought to be readily apparent by our actions…
A young lady was soaking up the sun’s rays on a Florida beach when a little boy in his swimming trunks, carrying a towel, came up to her and asked her, “Do you believe in God?” She was surprised by the question but replied, “Why, yes, I do.” Then he asked her: “Do you go to church every Sunday?” Again, her answer was “Yes!” Then he asked, “Do you read your Bible and pray every day?” Again she said, “Yes!” But by now her curiosity was very much aroused. At last the lad sighed and said, with obvious relief, “Will you hold my quarter while I go in swimming?”
Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone had the faith in Christians that this little boy had?
If we will live (not talk) like our passage of scripture tonight tells (commands) us to…then it will be apparent to those we come into contact with that we are truly Christians…why is that so important? Three reasons…
1. In this is the Lord Jesus Christ magnified…this should be our life long goal.
2. When Christ is magnified, the church benefits…people come to know that the church is real in its love.
3. We grow Spiritually.
There are four things that if we would DO them, would change not only our live, but the lives of everyone we come into contact with for the better.
Romans 12:9 - 13 (NKJV) 9Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
1. We are to love without Hypocrisy!
1. The word "dissimilation" in the King James (anupokritos PWS: 1106) is correctly rendered “hypocrisy in the NKJV.
a. It means that a person does not just say "I love you," but he actually loves. He sincerely loves; he honestly and truthfully loves.
b. The love being spoken about is love for all men and not only for believers.
c. He must love them because God loves them and because they desperately need to know that Jesus Christ has come to earth to reveal God's love to all men.
2. There are four very practical ways the believer is to demonstrate his love for other men.
1. The believer is to love by hating evil. The word "abhor" (apostugountes PWS: 5) is strong, very strong. It means to hate with intense feeling, to loathe, to look upon with horror. Love desires the very best for people; therefore, love hates evil, for evil destroys human life. The believer stands against evil, doing all he can to fight...
• hunger and poverty • hurt and pain
• drunkenness and drugs • cursing and bitterness
• suggestive and enticing dress
• unjust and improper
• hoarding and divisiveness • disease and suffering • ignorance, godless education
• family divisiveness and divorce
• off-colored and dirty talk
• immorality and destructive sex •selfishness, greed
• corruption and death
The list could go on and on. The point is that the believer must love, and he shows his love by hating and fighting against that which is evil, not by sticking our head in the sand or turning blind eye to the sin and injustice in the world…If we are not going to cry out against these things…who is?
2. The believer is to love by cleaving to that which is good. The word "cleave" (kollōmenoi PWS: 600) means to join or fasten together, to attach, to cement or glue together.
a. The believer is to desire only the very best—all the good possible—for all people. This should be our goal when dealing with everyone.
Luke 6:35 (NKJV) 35But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.
3. The believer is to love by loving his brothers in Christ, by being kind and affectionate toward them.
a. This charge is dealing with the Christian family, the brothers and sisters within the church.
b. We are to love each other by being kind and affectionate.
c. The believer is to live as a family member with his brothers and sisters; he is to live being both kind and affectionate.
John 13:33 - 35 (NKJV) 33Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. 34A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
4. The believer is to love by giving preference to other believers. The word "honor" (timēs) means to reverence, respect, esteem. The word "preferring" (proēgoumenoi PWS: 3022) means to go before, to lead, to set an example.
a. The charge is clear: the believer is to take the lead in esteeming and expressing respect for others.
b. Imagine a church full of believers with each taking the lead in esteeming and honoring the other.
Thought 1. How needed this exhortation is in the church and among believers! How many are hurt—how many have launched out to stir up trouble—how much divisiveness has been caused because a brother or sister was...
• overlooked • not honored • not esteemed • not thanked • not recognized
• not given a position • not given a right • not given a place • not shown appreciation
2. The believer is to serve the Lord. The charge is threefold.
1. Do not lag in zeal; do not be slothful in your service!!!. The word "slothful" (oknēros PWS: 3622) means to be lazy, slow-moving, or lethargic.
The exhortation is clear: the believer must...
• not be lazy or slow-moving in zeal.
• not be sluggish or lethargic in diligence.
• not be hesitating or delaying in earnestness.
The believer must not give in to sluggishness and complacency. He must serve the Lord with all diligence and zeal and earnestness. He must be enthusiastic in his service.
2. Be fervent in spirit. The word "fervent" (zeontes PWS: 1471) means to be hot, to boil, to set aflame. The believer's spirit is to be hot, that is, boiling and flaming for Christ.
a. Vance Havner said a man on fire for the Lord could draw a crowd…even if it was just to watch him burn.
b. The believer must have a holy zeal for Christ. He must be aflame in his service for Christ. Why? Because the Lord deserves our best!!! God has no need for any additional lukewarm Christians.
3. Serve the Lord. The idea is that we are to be focusing upon the Lord in all we do. It is Him whom we serve. We live in order to serve Him; that is, our very purpose for being on earth is to minister for Him and His kingdom.
3. The believer is to conquer trials.
A. While on earth the believer will face problems, difficulties, troubles, trials, tests, tribulations, traumas, ordeals, sufferings and pain.
a. Nevertheless, the believer has an overcoming resource. He can conquer the trials of life by doing three critical things.
1. The believer is to rejoice in hope. His hope is God—God's presence, concern, and care.
a. The believer knows that God will do one of two things: either remove the trial or deliver him through the trial.
b. The believer knows he does not have to face trials alone, that no situation is hopeless. The believer is the eternal optimist: his hope is in the eternal God.
c. Therefore, he not only hopes in the delivering power of God, he joys and rejoices in the hope God has given him.
d. Our hope is a living hope in the person of Jesus Christ
Titus 2:11 - 14 (NKJV) 11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works..
2. The believer is to endure trials. The word "patient" (hupomenontes PWS: 2851) means to endure, remain, persevere, abide, bear up bravely.
a. The believer actually experiences a surge of fortitude from Christ when trials confront him.
b. There is an outpouring of Grace that we’ll never know exists until we need it…it is then…and only then…that we begin to understand how blessed our hope is.
3. The believer is to continue in prayer. The phrase "continuing instant" (proskartereō PWS: 766) means to give constant attention to; to be devoted and attentive to; to give unceasing care to; to wait stedfastly upon, to persevere.
a. Very simply, the believer overcomes trials by giving constant attention to God and waiting upon His delivering power. The believer stays in constant communion with his Lord, depending upon Him to supply the strength to walk through the trials of daily living.
Romans 12:12 (NKJV) 12rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;
4. The believer is to meet the needs of people unselfishly.
A. Two very simple demands are made of believers.
1. The believer is to give generously, to share with those in need. He is to "distribute" (koinōneō PWS: 1121), that is, to give and share in order to meet their needs.
2. The believer is to be given to hospitality. He is to open the door of his home to believers who are in need.
⇒ The bishop or minister must be given to hospitality.
⇒ All believers must open their door—even to strangers in need.
Hebrews 13:2 (NKJV) 2Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.
⇒ All believers must use hospitality as a means to minister and use it without grumbling.
1 Peter 4:9 (NKJV) 9Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.
CONCLUSION
Four things, that if we would do…four COMMANDS…that if we would follow…would change the face, the inreach, and the outreach of HBC…
1. Learn to love not just each other…but all men…without Hypocrisy!
2. Serve the Lord ENTHUSIASTICALLY and with Zeal!
3. Conquer every trial that comes upon us.
4. Meet the needs of others generously AND with sincere Hospitality!!!
