The Grace to Obey

Excerpts from exposition teaching from Romans
The Grace to Obey
Romans 1:5-7

The introductory portion of Romans typifies Paul’s greetings in his epistles. These formalities are not normal. As a bondservant of God he is submitted and subjected to the authority of his master, who is Jesus Christ. This should be the ultimate goal of every believer. Having a title is not the requirement but simply a desire to be like Him is the only requirement. It should be our goal to reflect His glory as vessels of clay. That I believe is truly the heart of a servant.

Then we noted in verse one that Paul was separated for the purpose of the gospel, a bearer of the good news of the gospel. Galatians chapter one and verse 15, he tells us that he was separated by God from his mother’s womb and called by this grace. We call this separation the process of setting the boundaries; the boundaries have been set-he knows who he is and his purpose and so he is now separated for the kingdom. That is another goal to strive for-that our life has boundaries for the sake of the gospel, that in everything we do, Jesus Christ is exalted. Nothing in our living is without the boundaries- set for the sake of the gospel.

In a discussion with a friend this week, I presented a statement that provoked his thinking and that statement stressed the importance of Christians establishing a reference point, a location that we call home base, boundaries that are clear and obvious. Our boundaries should be obvious. No one should have to guess whether or not we have been with Jesus. Where is our home in a spiritual sense? When we drift from thought to thought or opinion to opinion, where is the reference point? We are inundated with so much information from various speakers and ministers-from television to written resources but have we established a reference point that is biblical and foundational?