King James Bible Study – [Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.]
Date: Saturday, December 11, 2021
Chapters: Romans 12-16
Message: The Mark of Christ
Hello My Friend,
“I thought you were a Christian!”, “That’s not very Christian like!”, “That’s not what Christ would do!”, these are statements that every, faithful, saved born again Christian deals with when we do not agree with someone or do something that we, with our own conscience, chose not to do. For some reason the world and many Christians are also guilty of this, thinks that because we walk with Christ we are to do and agree with everything they do, and if we do not, then we are not true Christians. Well, let me tell you, if they feel that way, then it is not us that they are offended by, it is themselves. It is a reminder of what Jesus said, [Matthew 18:7-8 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! 8 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.]
I swear that the biggest burden that we have to endure in this world is other Christians, they cause more division, strain, and hindrances in our walk with Christ than anything else. Well, let me tell you, we did not choose to walk with Christ for their sake, or even our own, we did it for Christ. And as we complete the Book of Romans, Paul stresses the importance of our conforming to the image of Christ, not to the world or anyone who tries to conform us into their own image. He goes on to describe exactly what being conformed to Christ is.
[Romans 12:1-2,5-8 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.]
[which is your reasonable service.] God’s commands are not grievous, and quite reasonable, and let me tell you, He is much more merciful and compassionate on us than those we have to deal with. Here we are, just doing what we believe is the will of God for us while we have all this opposition, not only from the world, but fellow Christians. And how exactly are we to deal with them? Be kind.
[Romans 12:10-17,21 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; 13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. 14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. 15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. 16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. 17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.]
[Bless them which persecute you:] Say what? We are to be kind to them, and not only that, bless them, cry with them, and pray for them too? Well, Jesus said it best, [Luke 6:27-30,35-36 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, 28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. 29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also. 30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. 35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.]
We set the example for others to see Christ for who He truly is, our Saviour, and not someone who just saved us from hell. When we allow Christ to live in and through us, He literally transforms us into His image, giving others a chance to see Him for who He is, and possibly get saved as well simply by our being kind to them. This does not mean that we are to let them walk all over us or even associate with them, but it does mean that love them as Jesus.
[Romans 13:8-10,13-14 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. 9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. 13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.]
[for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.] Every day that passes we are one day closer to seeing Jesus, whether it be heaven or His return. It is time we stop being concerned about every little thing that other Christians are doing and start being concerned about all the souls that are lost, and are in desperate need of Jesus. If there is one thing I have learned these past couple of years, it is that people will come and go in our lives for that purpose, which is why we are to only to conform to Christ and not them. We are not always going to agree on everything that is right or wrong, the important thing is to do what we feel God wants us to do.
[Romans 14:3-4,7-9,22-23 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. 4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. 7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. 22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. 23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.]
[that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.] Dead, meaning those who are saved and their flesh died before He returns as well as those still alive in their flesh. We have no one to prove, but God, therefore we do what the Holy Spirit leads us to do, and not man. Remember, God will never lead us into something that will bring us to sin, if we fall into sin, then that is of our own doing, [James 1:13-14 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.]
[because he eateth not of faith:] It does not matter what it is, even if it is a cup of coffee, if we do not consume it in faith, then it is sin. And this is not at all about food, it is about living our own lives in the way that we feel we are pleasing God, and if that means we cut out certain things or people from our lives, then so be it. It is not about them it is about you, if you choose not to wear certain clothes, eat certain foods, drink certain things, or even watch or listen to certain things that others find acceptable, then that is your decision. We are to never feel obligated to comply with them. And with that said, we should always be courteous toward one another, if it is something that makes someone else feel uncomfortable, then just refrain from it. There are way too many things that we need to be concerned about rather than a woman who chooses to wear pants or a man who chooses to listen to rock music. We are here to help each other while leading others to Christ.
[Romans 15:1-6,13 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. 3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. 4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. 5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.]
[The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.] We may not like it, but we are here to bear the burdens of others, even in the midst of our own. In fact, we are not even supposed to be concerned about our own burdens, just hand them over to God, and let Him take care of them while we tend to others, [Matthew 6:25,30,33-34 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.]
Let me tell you, there are a lot of saved, born again Christians who choose to engage in sinful behavior, but as long as the doctrine of Christ remains the same let them live how they live, it is God they have to answer not us. If we live how God directs us then we will respect the person through Christ in us, and live our own lives as He sees fit for us. Not everyone learns and grows in Christ at the same level, we need to minister to them and be patient with them if they do not grow as fast as we expect them to grow. There is only one reason for us to leave them be and move on, and that is if they are against the Scriptures.
[Romans 16:17-18,20,25-27 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. 20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. 25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: 27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.]
[mark them which cause divisions and offences] The mark of Christ is not to condemn them, it is to love them, and if that means we remain separated from them, then so be it. On the other hand, if they are going against Scripture all together, it is time to cut them from our lives completely, they can care less about the truth, and are just causing problems for us. When we conform to Christ and not the world, we do and see things differently, we no longer seek things to please the flesh, we seek the things that please God, [1 John 2:4-5 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.]
Let Us Pray: Jesus, I know that my salvation is not dependent or even shown by my good works, but I do know what You did for me and want to live my life in a way that shows that You are living inside of me. I do not always understand it, why You chose me to be a vessel that would lead souls as well as teach others about You is beyond me. Lord, I am marked by Your blood, and am proud to proclaim You as my Saviour, let everything I do reflect You, and let me be bold to speak about You wherever You lead me. Let me continuously conform to You, give me Your power, wisdom, and guidance to do what You call me to do and let me glorify You in all that I do. I ask this in Your name, Jesus, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure You Are Going To Heaven?: http://readytofollow.com/
Receive The KJB Daily Devotions In Your Email: http://eepurl.com/2WMzT
Missed A Message: http://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/
Visit I’m Following Jesus Missions: https://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/welcome/
I’m Following Jesus On Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/readytofollowJesus/
Copyright © 2021 I’m Following Jesus, All rights reserved.