What's new
By:
Filters
Christian Forums

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Bible Study Desiring God Alone

A little leaven leavens the whole lump!

In Romans 12:1-2 NIV, Paul gives what I call the anatomy of commitment:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Since everything we do is expressed through our bodies, Paul calls us to present our bodies as living sacrifices to God. The concept of a living sacrifice is interesting because it sounds like a contradiction.

In the mosaic system, a sacrifice was killed. Yet Paul wants us to remain alive We are literally to be walking dead people. How is this possible? Paul's understanding of his own life helps us here when he says, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." (Galatians 2:20 NIV)

If you were to ask Paul what his goals in life were, he would probably have said, 'I don't have any . Dead people don't set goals." If you were to ask him what his dreams were, he would have responded, "Dead people don't dream." But if you were to ask him what God's goals and dreams for him were, no doubt he could have talked all day long, because even though Paul was dead to himself, he was alive to God.

God's goals had become Paul's goals. God's desires had become Paul's desires. The only life he had was the life of Christ. This is why no one could intimidate this Brother.

You must be dead to yourself and alive to Christ. This is called a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. Which can only be done by faith in Christ and his Finished Work, i.e., The Cross, i.e., The Blood of Jesus. This allows the Holy Spirit a legal right to help you in every capacity...including dying to self, and the commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ.

If his enemies threated to kill him, he could say, "To die is gain." (Philippians 1:21) If they said, "No, we're going to let you live," he could answer, "That's fine. "to live is Christ."' (Philippians 1:21b) If they said, "We're going to whip you," he could say, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18)

If Paul died, he would go to be with Christ. If he lived, he would serve Christ. And if he suffered, he would get more reward from Christ. Therefore, since his whole life belonged to Christ, Paul's attitude was that it really did not matter what happened to him.

This kind of commitment is so important that Paul calls it our "spiritual act of worship." (Romans 12:1 NLT)

Pastor Tony Evans - No more Excuses
 
It all depends on the satisfactions you are looking for as God needs to be first above all else and we are to be pleasing to Him in all we do and say.
 
Exodus 16:4 - "Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law or no."

God did not give the children of Israel the heavenly manna until they exhausted the flour brought from Egypt. Ths bread of angels is disagreeable to the palate of anyone who wants to taste human food.

Persons feeding on other strange tastes not only become incapable of the divine spirit, but are not satisfied with God alone but entertain a desire and affection for other things.

ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
 
Albert Finch said:
Is it okay to look for satisfaction from other things than God alone?
Click to expand...

What's wrong with getting satisfaction from enjoying a good rugby league match? I particularly get much satisfaction from watching a world-class leg spin bowler bamboozle the batsmen in a cricket match.

I have gained great satisfaction from being married to a delightful wife for 48 years. Is that not OK? She has such a servant's heart that brings me great satisfaction.

However, I know that ultimately, if I do not have my ultimate focus on the Trinitarian God alone, there is no final satisfaction.

Blessings,
Oz
 
Last edited:
iLOVE said:
A little leaven leavens the whole lump!

In Romans 12:1-2 NIV, Paul gives what I call the anatomy of commitment:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Since everything we do is expressed through our bodies, Paul calls us to present our bodies as living sacrifices to God. The concept of a living sacrifice is interesting because it sounds like a contradiction.

In the mosaic system, a sacrifice was killed. Yet Paul wants us to remain alive We are literally to be walking dead people. How is this possible? Paul's understanding of his own life helps us here when he says, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." (Galatians 2:20 NIV)

If you were to ask Paul what his goals in life were, he would probably have said, 'I don't have any . Dead people don't set goals." If you were to ask him what his dreams were, he would have responded, "Dead people don't dream." But if you were to ask him what God's goals and dreams for him were, no doubt he could have talked all day long, because even though Paul was dead to himself, he was alive to God.

God's goals had become Paul's goals. God's desires had become Paul's desires. The only life he had was the life of Christ. This is why no one could intimidate this Brother.

You must be dead to yourself and alive to Christ. This is called a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. Which can only be done by faith in Christ and his Finished Work, i.e., The Cross, i.e., The Blood of Jesus. This allows the Holy Spirit a legal right to help you in every capacity...including dying to self, and the commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ.

If his enemies threated to kill him, he could say, "To die is gain." (Philippians 1:21) If they said, "No, we're going to let you live," he could answer, "That's fine. "to live is Christ."' (Philippians 1:21b) If they said, "We're going to whip you," he could say, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18)

If Paul died, he would go to be with Christ. If he lived, he would serve Christ. And if he suffered, he would get more reward from Christ. Therefore, since his whole life belonged to Christ, Paul's attitude was that it really did not matter what happened to him.

This kind of commitment is so important that Paul calls it our "spiritual act of worship." (Romans 12:1 NLT)

Pastor Tony Evans - No more Excuses
Click to expand...
Great iLOVE!
 
Albert Finch said:
Exodus 16:4 - "Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law or no."

God did not give the children of Israel the heavenly manna until they exhausted the flour brought from Egypt. Ths bread of angels is disagreeable to the palate of anyone who wants to taste human food.

Persons feeding on other strange tastes not only become incapable of the divine spirit, but are not satisfied with God alone but entertain a desire and affection for other things.

ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
Click to expand...
Not everything else is a strange taste.

Do you know the story of Buddha? He went to live alone and removed everything from his life except his search for God. He got depressed and realized what a mistake he had made.

Things are put here so we could enjoy them. Funny you should mention food, I love food. Some good wine. A good movie. Nice jewelry. Nice clothes. I hate looking like a mess. A good book when I could concentrate these days. How about visiting a new place? That's enjoyable. It's nice to get the car I like too.

So am I a sinner? Am I not Christian?
I'm not sure I understand what you mean.

Of course we're to enjoy other things besides God. You know what they say:
You get out of life what you put into it.

If you don't put anything into it, it's an empty and depressing life.

Mathew 6:33
Genesis 1:1
Seek first the Kingdom of God.
God made all things good for us to enjoy.

W
 
Albert Finch said:
Exodus 16:4 - "Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law or no."

God did not give the children of Israel the heavenly manna until they exhausted the flour brought from Egypt. Ths bread of angels is disagreeable to the palate of anyone who wants to taste human food.

Persons feeding on other strange tastes not only become incapable of the divine spirit, but are not satisfied with God alone but entertain a desire and affection for other things.

ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY
Click to expand...

Allegorical interpretation, like you have given, confounds the meaning. Anyone could provide another allegorical interpretation and you would have no means to refute it. Allegorical interpretation adds to Scripture what is not there.

Oz
 
iLOVE said:
A little leaven leavens the whole lump!

In Romans 12:1-2 NIV, Paul gives what I call the anatomy of commitment:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Since everything we do is expressed through our bodies, Paul calls us to present our bodies as living sacrifices to God. The concept of a living sacrifice is interesting because it sounds like a contradiction.

In the mosaic system, a sacrifice was killed. Yet Paul wants us to remain alive We are literally to be walking dead people. How is this possible? Paul's understanding of his own life helps us here when he says, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." (Galatians 2:20 NIV)

If you were to ask Paul what his goals in life were, he would probably have said, 'I don't have any . Dead people don't set goals." If you were to ask him what his dreams were, he would have responded, "Dead people don't dream." But if you were to ask him what God's goals and dreams for him were, no doubt he could have talked all day long, because even though Paul was dead to himself, he was alive to God.

God's goals had become Paul's goals. God's desires had become Paul's desires. The only life he had was the life of Christ. This is why no one could intimidate this Brother.

You must be dead to yourself and alive to Christ. This is called a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. Which can only be done by faith in Christ and his Finished Work, i.e., The Cross, i.e., The Blood of Jesus. This allows the Holy Spirit a legal right to help you in every capacity...including dying to self, and the commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ.

If his enemies threated to kill him, he could say, "To die is gain." (Philippians 1:21) If they said, "No, we're going to let you live," he could answer, "That's fine. "to live is Christ."' (Philippians 1:21b) If they said, "We're going to whip you," he could say, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18)

If Paul died, he would go to be with Christ. If he lived, he would serve Christ. And if he suffered, he would get more reward from Christ. Therefore, since his whole life belonged to Christ, Paul's attitude was that it really did not matter what happened to him.

This kind of commitment is so important that Paul calls it our "spiritual act of worship." (Romans 12:1 NLT)

Pastor Tony Evans - No more Excuses
Click to expand...

Attending a rugby league, cricket or tennis match is not an example of leavening the whole lump. They are examples of enjoying sports. There is no conformity to the world in enjoying a sporting match.
 
Albert Finch said:
Is it okay to look for satisfaction from other things than God alone?
Click to expand...
Jesus said all things are permissible but all things are not profitable.
But what does he consider profitable?
We need to think about that. I think anything is profitable as long as it is righteous, holy and blameless and, in this world, when we mess up, read Romans 8:1 again!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top