2020-7-14

Romans 12:1-21

Consider God’s mercy upon us: we who were bound in sin and headed for eternal death are now reversed- Jesus saved us from the bondage of sin and we are now headed for heaven. In light of this, we are called to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. No longer are we to indulge in our fleshly desires.
But how do we overcome these desires for we live in an environment where we are constantly bombarded by worldly pressure?
We must guard our minds, for it is the controlling tower of our behaviors. Soaking our minds in the Word of God is paramount to our victory over the pull of this world. When we understand the Word of God, we are able to discern His will for us- His good, pleasing and perfect will.

On serving God with the capacities he granted us, we must be careful not to be conceited. We must recognize that we are part of the body of Christ. Each of us are endowed with varying gifts and we need each other to function as a body. When each of us fulfill our calling, the body of Christ (church) is built up and God is glorified.

To love others sincerely does not come naturally for most, for we are selfish creatures by nature. We all have our agendas and motives to fulfill. It is no wonder our love for others is wrapped with hypocrisy. To live out the kind of love God requires from us, it would be helpful to let 1Cor 13:4-7 sink in us on a regular basis.
Part of love is to be able to recognize what is evil and to detest it, so much so that we will make an effort to help others to get out of it. It is like warning someone about a trap that was laid out for him, so as to prevent him from falling into it, or it could be sharing God’s truth with an idol worshiper or a homosexual, because we care about their eternal life. Love is an investment that takes time, energy and sometimes money.

Are we willing to invest in love? What is our priority? Pray that God will help us to love those whom He puts in our path.

And not to repay anyone evil for evil? Does that mean Christians get stepped all over by bullies?
We may feel that way, but we are called to live at peace as best as we possibly can and to leave room for God’s wrath for it is His to avenge. That doesn’t mean we forgo our desire for justice to be served. We just let God do it for us- in the form of government, etc.
When they hurled their insults at Him (Jesus), He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.”- 1 Peter 2:23. In the midst of our persecution we can speak up just as Jesus did with the high priest and council of Pharisees, but we must learn from Jesus not to retaliate. This is difficult for many of us who want justice to be served swiftly especially when it concerns us. We must look to God to help us rely on Him and forgive those who have hurt us. God is a just God, He will surely take up the cause of His people.

Romans 13:1-14

We are all subject to some authorities in our lives. Since authorities are put in place by God, we will do well when we obey them. Punishment is well deserved when we break the law or rebel against authorities. These authorities deserved payment, respect and honor.
What happens when the authorities are evil, corrupted and they prohibit us to recognize our God or interfere with our moral conscience?
It has been a struggle for some Christians especially because obeying the authorities means living against their moral conscience. Christians who have the power to vote, ought to vote for godly biblical leaders. Godly leaders help to set the stage and directions of the people. May God sustain and deliver those who are being persecuted because of their faith.

Finally, we are once again called to love. We are to love our neighbors as ourselves. It is the fulfillment of the law as given in the last five parts of the Ten Commandments. We are to be especially alert as the time draws near for Jesus’ return. We certainly do not want to be caught in the lifestyle of Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislane Maxwell. Let’s encourage one another to live for Christ, for when Christ returns, we will not be caught off guard.           —- Lai Yee Leong