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The Body, God’s Temple
Romans 12: 1-2
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies
a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what
is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Have you lately taken a looked at what is really
going on around us? How many different deceases are cropping up even right in our own communities? It seems that once a cure
or at least a medication to treat on disease there is another. We are now dealing with the H1N1 or swine flue. Last year it
was the bird flue. There has been the long standing case of just the plane old flue.
Even with all of this there is one dreaded disease that these new diseases seem to overshadow. That is HIV/AIDs. Too
many seem to have forgotten the devastating and lasting affects and the fact that it is deadly. It seems that too soon we
have for gotten that it is deadly and that it can be prevented. There are cases that were not the fault of the individual
who contracted it. But in most cases it is because of many failing to deal with life in a godly manner. We must come to realize that we are responsible for the bodies we live in. we must also realize the fact
that our sexuality is a God given gift and is to be used to honor and glorify God and not just for self gratification. We
must constantly remind ourselves that our bodies are where the Holy Spirit lives.
God has set rules or commandments regarding
us as to how we are to operate in these bodies. These are called the Ten Commandments, “The Ten Commandments”. They were not given simply to keep us from doing what we want to do in nor with
our bodies. They are not God’s way of just being a kill joy. When looked
at from a worldly point of view they may be seen as old sayings and irrelevant for today’s society. They have no place
in this modern or post-modern time of living. This is the computer, high tech generation where the popular consensus is “if
feels good do it”. There are no boundaries, no absolutes, and no ‘no's’. It is taught by some that everything
is relative. In other words it depends on the situation in which one finds himself or what is good for today may not be good
for tomorrow or what’s good for you may not be good for me. It all depends. You may ask ‘depends on what?’ There are no standard by which to make
our decisions if the Ten Commandments are not valid. So then there is no right
or wrong. It’s all relative to how I feel at the moment or what’s happening right now.
If
we really examine the “Ten Commandments” we will see that, if obeyed, they would protect us from not only each
other but ourselves as well.
If you would note that these commandments given
by God through Moses can be divided into two main divisions. The first four deal with how our relationship should be with
God. The next six deals with how our relationships should be with one another, our fellow man. Jesus combined these ten into
two. He said number one
a.
“You shall love the LORD your God
with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength or possessions. This is to say that we must be totally
devoted to God with heart, soul and mind. He becomes the center of our life, desire and purpose. The second is likened unto it that
b.
“You shall love you neighbor
as yourself.
The Apostle Paul combined the entire list into one word, LOVE. In other words Jesus and Paul are saying that
if we learn and practice the true meaning of AGAPA, love rather than arousal, then the spirit of the commandments would
cover our daily actions toward God and our fellowman. It would be the guide as to how we use and treat our own bodies.
Though we are not saved by the law,
the law is what brings us to the knowledge of what is right and what is wrong. The
law was given by God, who is the creator of all things. If He created it he has the right to command it and knows how it best
operates. Therefore anything apart from his law is sin. Sin is the transgression or breaking of the law. Any action apart
from God’s law is sin. Since sin according to God is negative then the consequences of sin are negative. These laws
are not suggestions but commandments.
We are not saved by the law but
by grace through faith. The question is faith in what or whom? It is the finished work of God through Jesus Christ on the
Cross of Calvary. We were purchased by the blood of Jesus the Christ shed on that cross.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:20 “For you were
bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s”.
The hymnologist picked up the idea in his song
“Jesus paid it all.
All to him I owe.
Sin had left a crimsoned
stain. He washed it white as snow”.
Though we are saved by grace ignoring
the law brings on serious and sometime deadly consequences. Paul states in Romans 6:32 that “the wages or payment for
sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life. I know it is not popular to say that sin is the cause of diseases. But I
contend that if there was no sin then there would be no diseases at all. Not HIV/AID and other venereal diseases, diabetes,
heart conditions, high blood pressure or even the common cold and the list go on and on. Then there is murder and thievery
not just with guns but with pin and pencil. Disregard for parental authority and for any one else, older or younger. It seems
that we are practally in a period of anarchy.
That’s why we need to look
closely at what Paul says in our scripture text.
1. It’s
An Urgent Plea
I beseech you, I
beg you, therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, because of the mercy of God, Because of His loving kindness,
Because He looked beyond our faults and saw our needs, Because of all that he has done for us through His son Jesus, The one
who died for us, the one who suffered for us, the one who shed His blood for the remission of our sins, and on the third day
morning got up with all power in His hands, power to destroy but yet He will defend, the one who is still saying “Father
forgive them for they know not what they do, because of all this and more, I beg you that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God.
2.
It’s A Reasonable Plea
“This
is
your reasonable form of worship”. In light of all God has done for us in that He did not wait for us to get it right. Romans 5:8 But God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, ( still sinning) Christ died for us.
He did it all for us the song writer writes:
“Not for
Himself, He did it all for us.
He made a way
for us, He bled and Died for us
He rose again
for us, and now He lives for us
He did it all
for us
He keeps on making a way for us. Morning by Morning new mercies
I see. He keeps right on making a way for us.
3.
It’s A Transforming Plea
And do not be
conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind
This world is not our home, we’re just passing through,
our treasures are laid up, way beyond the blue,
the angels are beckoning me, at haven’s open door,
and I can’t feel at home in this world any more.
We must be transformed, changed,
made to become new creatures by the renewing of your mind, Transforming our thoughts thereby transforming our actions. We
must let our minds become saturated with the Word of God, the power of God, the Spirit of Almighty God so that we may prove
what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. That we might be
able to live out what God desires of us. He has promised us and abundant life. If we let the word of God in our hearts it
will change how we see the world. Change how we see each other, Change how we see ourselves. Change how we deal with this
world system. Change how we deal with each other. And change how we conduct ourselves before God. We will learn how to worship
him in spirit and in truth. Worship with our whole hearts. Worship him even with our bodies. Worship 24/7 and not just on
Sunday Morning
If you claim to be His then we
are not our own. We are bought with a price. He’s got to have full control of our lives. Not only does he have the power
to heal you when you get sick. But the power in His word and in the lifestyle He has set before us can keep us from getting
sick in the first place. So I beg of you brethren, I beg of you
sisters by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed
to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is
that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
It’s
a matter of life and death.
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