Believe and Behave
Scripture Reading: Romans 1:16; 12:2.
Text; Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Introduction: “Believe and Behave,” is to me part of the theme of the book of Romans. Paul contends that what we believe has everything to do with how we behave. If our belief is wrong, our behavior will be wrong. And if our behavior is wrong our belief cannot be right. Our behavior says more about our beliefs than does our verbal testimony or written creed.
We often tend to emphasize either belief or behavior to the omission of the other, which makes for a partial and imbalanced Christianity.
Paul a man of balanced faith assigns equal importance to each. The first eleven chapters of Romans deal with belief and the last five with behavior.
In the winter of A.D. 57-58, Paul was in Corinth at the close of his third missionary journey. He was soon to return to Jerusalem with an offering for the poor. A woman named Phoebe, who lived in a suburb of Corinth, was soon to sail to Rome. Paul saw an opportunity to send this letter to the Church of Rome with her.
Desiring to leave a written explanation of the gospel of salvation in the hands of Christians at Rome, he wrote this letter, which Phoebe delivered safely to the church.
Realizing that this may be his only communication with the church so strategically located in the capital of the world, he stressed what he must have felt to be the two cardinal truths of the Christian faith---the belief that results in salvation and the behavior that result from salvation.
(I) The Belief that results in salvation. (Romans 1:16)
After a few brief words of introduction, Paul proclaims, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.”
Now, what kind of belief enables us to receive salvation?
A) Belief in the unlimited power of salvation: Paul says that he is proud of the gospel of salvation. He considers himself privileged to preach it. What a strange statement in light of all that had recently happened to him! At Philippi he had been jailed, at Thessalonica he had been expelled, at Berea he had been smuggled out, and in Athens he had been scorned.
The gospel Paul preached in Corinth was considered, “Foolishness” by the Greeks and a “stumbling block” by the Jews. In spite of the opposition, Paul says the gospel is “The Power of God unto salvation”! The unlimited power of the gospel made Paul victorious over every obstacle in his path.
When Paul speaks of “The Power of God unto salvation,” he speaks from personal experience. At first he hated the Christian faith; his heart was calloused against the call of God. He even planned a journey to Damascus to arrest and persecute those who were followers of Christ.
Introduction: “Believe and Behave,” is to me part of the theme of the book of Romans. Paul contends that what we believe has everything to do with how we behave. If our belief is wrong, our behavior will be wrong. And if our behavior is wrong our belief cannot be right. Our behavior says more about our beliefs than does our verbal testimony or written creed.
We often tend to emphasize either belief or behavior to the omission of the other, which makes for a partial and imbalanced Christianity.
Paul a man of balanced faith assigns equal importance to each. The first eleven chapters of Romans deal with belief and the last five with behavior.
In the winter of A.D. 57-58, Paul was in Corinth at the close of his third missionary journey. He was soon to return to Jerusalem with an offering for the poor. A woman named Phoebe, who lived in a suburb of Corinth, was soon to sail to Rome. Paul saw an opportunity to send this letter to the Church of Rome with her.
Desiring to leave a written explanation of the gospel of salvation in the hands of Christians at Rome, he wrote this letter, which Phoebe delivered safely to the church.
Realizing that this may be his only communication with the church so strategically located in the capital of the world, he stressed what he must have felt to be the two cardinal truths of the Christian faith---the belief that results in salvation and the behavior that result from salvation.
(I) The Belief that results in salvation. (Romans 1:16)
After a few brief words of introduction, Paul proclaims, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.”
Now, what kind of belief enables us to receive salvation?
A) Belief in the unlimited power of salvation: Paul says that he is proud of the gospel of salvation. He considers himself privileged to preach it. What a strange statement in light of all that had recently happened to him! At Philippi he had been jailed, at Thessalonica he had been expelled, at Berea he had been smuggled out, and in Athens he had been scorned.
The gospel Paul preached in Corinth was considered, “Foolishness” by the Greeks and a “stumbling block” by the Jews. In spite of the opposition, Paul says the gospel is “The Power of God unto salvation”! The unlimited power of the gospel made Paul victorious over every obstacle in his path.
When Paul speaks of “The Power of God unto salvation,” he speaks from personal experience. At first he hated the Christian faith; his heart was calloused against the call of God. He even planned a journey to Damascus to arrest and persecute those who were followers of Christ.
If ever a man were unbending in his conviction, Paul was that man. Nothing could change him—until he encountered the person of Jesus Christ.
It was then he discovered the unlimited power of God that can change any person, anywhere, in any condition! The belief that results in salvation is a belief in the unlimited power of salvation.
Let’s not forget what our question is:
What kind of belief enables us to receive salvation?
B) Belief in the unrestricted availability of salvation: Paul proclaims that this salvation is available to all who believe. Why does Paul say, “To the Jew first”? Because they were in the immediate proximity and had the best religious background for accepting the gospel. The he says, “And also for the Greek.” The gospel reaches Greeks as well as Jews.
The Greeks were the intellectuals of the first century and were often pessimistic and distrustful. They thought they knew it all but the gods they believed in were almost four hundred years old and the Greeks grew unexcited and decay had set in. Greek-Roman religion in the first century was confused and chaotic, with so many gods and deities that cities even maintained, “Catch all” shrines to provide for divine emanations that might have been overlooked.
What caused Greeks to become Christians? The answer is revealed in the opening of Paul’s address on Mars Hill, (Acts 17:24 NIV) “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.”
In place of the uncertainty that Athens offered, Paul tells of a God who can speak for Himself and who is not contained in human thought. Jesus provides an unrestricted, “across the world” available salvation.
In his letter to the Church of Rome, and to us also, Paul says that salvation is available without restriction because of several factors. (Right here is the meat of this message so read it slowly and carefully because Paul talks about me and you in all these following verses.)
Here are the factors:
1) The need that requires it: (Romans 3:23) “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Since all have sinned, salvation is available to all. It is available without restriction because people have sinned without exception.
2) The grace that provides it: (Romans 6:23) “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Salvation is available without restriction not because of human goodness but because of God’s grace. If salvation were available on the basis of our goodness, it could not be available without restriction.
3) The price that purchased it: (Romans 5:8) “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinner, Christ died for us.”
How could God prove His love to us through the death of Christ? Because, “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself” (2nd Corinthians 5:19)
Christ died for us. He died on our behalf—voluntarily. (John 10: 17-18, “I lay down my life…no man takes it from Me.”)
A little boy made a toy boat. He would go out to lake by his house and sail it off from the shore. It would come back and he would push it off again. One day a strong gust of wind came and blew the toy boat away. Later he saw it in a window of a pawn shop.
Let’s not forget what our question is:
What kind of belief enables us to receive salvation?
B) Belief in the unrestricted availability of salvation: Paul proclaims that this salvation is available to all who believe. Why does Paul say, “To the Jew first”? Because they were in the immediate proximity and had the best religious background for accepting the gospel. The he says, “And also for the Greek.” The gospel reaches Greeks as well as Jews.
The Greeks were the intellectuals of the first century and were often pessimistic and distrustful. They thought they knew it all but the gods they believed in were almost four hundred years old and the Greeks grew unexcited and decay had set in. Greek-Roman religion in the first century was confused and chaotic, with so many gods and deities that cities even maintained, “Catch all” shrines to provide for divine emanations that might have been overlooked.
What caused Greeks to become Christians? The answer is revealed in the opening of Paul’s address on Mars Hill, (Acts 17:24 NIV) “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.”
In place of the uncertainty that Athens offered, Paul tells of a God who can speak for Himself and who is not contained in human thought. Jesus provides an unrestricted, “across the world” available salvation.
In his letter to the Church of Rome, and to us also, Paul says that salvation is available without restriction because of several factors. (Right here is the meat of this message so read it slowly and carefully because Paul talks about me and you in all these following verses.)
Here are the factors:
1) The need that requires it: (Romans 3:23) “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Since all have sinned, salvation is available to all. It is available without restriction because people have sinned without exception.
2) The grace that provides it: (Romans 6:23) “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Salvation is available without restriction not because of human goodness but because of God’s grace. If salvation were available on the basis of our goodness, it could not be available without restriction.
3) The price that purchased it: (Romans 5:8) “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinner, Christ died for us.”
How could God prove His love to us through the death of Christ? Because, “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself” (2nd Corinthians 5:19)
Christ died for us. He died on our behalf—voluntarily. (John 10: 17-18, “I lay down my life…no man takes it from Me.”)
A little boy made a toy boat. He would go out to lake by his house and sail it off from the shore. It would come back and he would push it off again. One day a strong gust of wind came and blew the toy boat away. Later he saw it in a window of a pawn shop.
He saved his pennies and paid one dollar for his boat. As he left the shop he said, “Little boat, you’re mine twice—I made you and I purchased you back after you were lost.”
We are God’s twice. He made us and he bought us back.
What kind of belief enables us to receive salvation?
4) The loves that ensures it. Robert Bruce, a disciple of John Knox, died on July 27, 1631. That morning he had come to breakfast and his younger daughter sat by his side.
We are God’s twice. He made us and he bought us back.
What kind of belief enables us to receive salvation?
4) The loves that ensures it. Robert Bruce, a disciple of John Knox, died on July 27, 1631. That morning he had come to breakfast and his younger daughter sat by his side.
As he sat in silence, suddenly he cried: “Hold daughter, hold, my Master calleth me.” He asked that the Bible should be brought, but his sight failed him and he could not read. “Cast me up the eighth of Romans,” cried he, and he repeated much of the latter portion of this Scripture till he came to the last two verses: “I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, not things to come, nor height, not depth, not any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” “Set my fingers on these words,” said the blind, dying man; “God be with you my children. I have breakfasted with you, and shall sup with my Lord Jesus this night. I die believing in the words.”
For belief to be valid, it must accompany the right behavior.
(II) The behavior that results from salvation: (Take time to search out these Scriptures, Romans 12:1-2; 13:1-5; 14:21; 15:1-3)
Belief results in salvation—behavior results from salvation. In other words, belief saves us and behavior proves that we are saved. Paul points out that our belief in the gospel will affect three areas of our behavior.
A) Our conduct: (Romans 12:1; “I beseech you therefore…” Whenever we see the word therefore in Scripture, we should ask, “What is it, ‘there for?” It always looks back on what has been said. Paul is saying, “In light of the belief that results in salvation, I now set forth the behavior that results from salvation. You have believed; therefore, you should behave!” He does not say, “I command you!” He says, “I beseech you.” After all, he is writing to those who have already believed in Christ and should of their own desire behave as believers.
There may be many things we cannot do and much we cannot give, but by the grace of God, we can behave!
1) Our conduct should be voluntary: “Present your bodies” (v1)
For belief to be valid, it must accompany the right behavior.
(II) The behavior that results from salvation: (Take time to search out these Scriptures, Romans 12:1-2; 13:1-5; 14:21; 15:1-3)
Belief results in salvation—behavior results from salvation. In other words, belief saves us and behavior proves that we are saved. Paul points out that our belief in the gospel will affect three areas of our behavior.
A) Our conduct: (Romans 12:1; “I beseech you therefore…” Whenever we see the word therefore in Scripture, we should ask, “What is it, ‘there for?” It always looks back on what has been said. Paul is saying, “In light of the belief that results in salvation, I now set forth the behavior that results from salvation. You have believed; therefore, you should behave!” He does not say, “I command you!” He says, “I beseech you.” After all, he is writing to those who have already believed in Christ and should of their own desire behave as believers.
There may be many things we cannot do and much we cannot give, but by the grace of God, we can behave!
1) Our conduct should be voluntary: “Present your bodies” (v1)
2) Our conduct should refuse to be molded by others: “Be not conformed…” (v2) Real Christians don’t take on the color of their social environment. Like their Savior, Christians are distinctively different from those about them!
3) Our conduct should come from within: “But be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind…(v2b) Until we have genuine belief that results in salvation, we lack the power within to behave. But when Christ really comes into our lives, we become new creatures and Christ becomes the center of our lives.
B) Our citizenship: (Romans 13:1-5) Our citizenship—the way we relate to people in elected positions—may be the greatest testimony we have. In God’s providence there is no place for the destructive spirit of defiance and disorder.
C) Our concern: (Romans 14: 21; 15: 1-3). In chapter 14 Paul says that salvation enables the Christians to place the concerns of others above their own selfish interest. When we reach this level of behavior, the criteria is no longer merely, “Is it right or wrong?” but rather “Will it cause my brother to stumble?”
3) Our conduct should come from within: “But be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind…(v2b) Until we have genuine belief that results in salvation, we lack the power within to behave. But when Christ really comes into our lives, we become new creatures and Christ becomes the center of our lives.
B) Our citizenship: (Romans 13:1-5) Our citizenship—the way we relate to people in elected positions—may be the greatest testimony we have. In God’s providence there is no place for the destructive spirit of defiance and disorder.
C) Our concern: (Romans 14: 21; 15: 1-3). In chapter 14 Paul says that salvation enables the Christians to place the concerns of others above their own selfish interest. When we reach this level of behavior, the criteria is no longer merely, “Is it right or wrong?” but rather “Will it cause my brother to stumble?”
If our belief in Christ is genuine, we will behave as Christ would. We won’t be out to please ourselves, to prove our point, or to insist on our own way.
Rather, our lives will be characterized by the Christian love of which Paul speaks of in 1st Corinthians 13: “Love is patient; love is kind…it is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.”
Conclusion: Believe and behave!
That’s the way I see the message of the book of Roman. “Believe and behave” Not “Believe or behave.” When we grasp both of these truths so that they are translated into our everyday lives, then Paul’s letter to the Church of Rome has accomplished its purpose both in the church and in our lives as well.
Rather, our lives will be characterized by the Christian love of which Paul speaks of in 1st Corinthians 13: “Love is patient; love is kind…it is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.”
Conclusion: Believe and behave!
That’s the way I see the message of the book of Roman. “Believe and behave” Not “Believe or behave.” When we grasp both of these truths so that they are translated into our everyday lives, then Paul’s letter to the Church of Rome has accomplished its purpose both in the church and in our lives as well.
Thanks.
Robert N. Graves Sr.
Fisherman for Christ.
posted by Fisherman For Christ at 8/18/2006 11:25:00 AM
2 Comments:
Welcome back to the blogosphere!
So glad you're back! We've missed you!
Believe.....AND behave! There's an original thought! There is an action required to our faith...isn't there!
Diane
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