LIVING SACRIFICES The chief benefit gained by the truth is salvation – the "salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory" (2 Tim 2:10). We receive "the love of the truth" that we might "be saved" (2 Thess 2:10). Salvation begins with extrication from sin, and will be brought to its culmination when Jesus returns and we are gathered to Him. – Tomorrow:
"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." (Romans 12:1-2, NKJV)
Devotion 1 of 24
INTRODUCTION
For those who are in Christ Jesus, and live by faith, no aspect of life is divorced from salvation. To put it another way, there is no such thing as moving on to higher things after we have been saved. If something is separate from salvation, we must be delivered from it.
God has nothing good to give us that is not integral to His great salvation. This consideration is fundamental to sound thought. If our view of salvation is shallow, our lives will tend toward meaninglessness. If salvation is seen as it really is, life becomes meaningful and spiritually profitable.
In salvation we are delivered from both the guilt and power of sin. We are freed from the penalty of sin and released from the wicked one who promotes it. We are moved from the "power of darkness" into the marvelous "kingdom" of God's "dear Son" (Col 1:13). Salvation does not end with the remission of sin. That is its beginning, not its culmination.
All of this relates to "the righteousness of God" that is announced in the Gospel, and "imputed" to us by faith (Rom 1:17; 4:22-24). As you know, this righteousness has been the matter of exposition from the first chapter of Romans through the eleventh chapter. A brief recap of the relevance of this righteousness will serve to set the background for this series of devotions.
• 1:16-17, A RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM GOD. The Gospel reveals a righteousness that comes from God through faith
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• 1:18-3:18: A RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT IS NEEDED. Both Jew and Gentile stand in unquestionable and consistent need of this righteousness.
• 3:19-20: THE NEED CONFIRMED. The Law was given to confirm man was totally unrighteous.
• 3:21: WITHOUT THE LAW. The righteousness of God is now revealed without the law, although it was witnessed to by both the Law and the Prophets.
• 3:22-23: BY FAITH, FOR ALL. This righteousness is realized by faith for all who believe.
• 3:24-25: JUSTIFICATION. Justification, which is the Divine act whereby men are made righteousness, comes freely by God's grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
• 3:26: JUST AND THE JUSTIFIER. Because of Christ's propitiatory death, God is both just and the Justifier of the one believing in Jesus. That is, He Himself is righteous in pronouncing men righteous.
• 3:27-31: APART FROM THE LAW. Justification comes independently of the Law.
• 4:1-5: THE EXAMPLE OF ABRAHAM. Abraham is the initial and premier example of God justifying men by faith.
• 4:6-8: CONFIRMED BY DAVID. David confirms that God imputes righteousness to men independently of their works.
• 4:9-25: IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS. The imputation of righteousness to Abraham shows that righteousness comes before acceptable works, and not because of them.
• 5:1-11: SPIRITUAL LIFE. The realization of this righteousness from God introduces spiritual life, which is sustained by our relationship to Him through faith.
• 5:12-21: ONLY TWO MEN Both sin and righteousness are ultimately traced to one man: sin to Adam, and righteousness to Christ.
• 6:1-5: BAPTISM INTO CHRIST. In our baptism, we are united with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.
• 6:6-23: PRESENTATION REQUIRED. This unity with Christ demands the presentation of our whole persons to God.
• 7:1-25: INNER WARFARE. Justification, or being made righteous by God, has created a fierce inner conflict in the believer. The flesh wars against the spirit, and the old man against the new man.
• 8:1-4: JUSTIFICATION CONFIRMED. The inner warfare confirms that we have been justified by faith, and are not condemned.
• 8:5-8: THE LIABILITY OF FLESH. Our condition demands that we refuse to listen to the flesh, or old man, for his dominance over us will condemn us.
• 8:9-27: THE MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. The Holy Spirit is given to assist us in subordinating the flesh. He does this by leading us in the fight, and by interceding for us when the infirmity of ignorance plagues us.
• 8:28-39: THE OVERALL PURPOSE. The entirety of salvation is of God, who purposed it, implements it, and will bring it to a glorious consummation.
• 9:1-11:36: THE EXAMPLE OF ISRAEL. Israel is given as an example of the total working of the Lord. In them, salvation is seen to be of the Lord, yet involve the participation of those who are saved. In them we see that "of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever."
This series of devotions will deal with the first practical use the Holy Spirit makes of these realities. It is the inspired application of them, and represents the only proper response to the marvelous working of the Lord – to present our bodies a living sacrifice to Him.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I ask for deliverance from the conclusions of men, and grace to receive the conclusions of the Spirit.