How Patriotism and Mission Coexist
In a special Independence Day message, we discuss our citizenship -...
Would you know false teaching about Jesus if you heard it? The Apostle Paul warns the church to be on the lookout for people who claim to be teaching about Christ, but who are actually seeking to cause division or lead people astray for their own personal gain. This highlights the importance of knowing God’s Word: spending time studying and reflecting on it daily in order to carefully evaluate the things we hear in our media-saturated world.
God designed His church to be a community of people that supports, encourages and builds one another up as we strive together to make disciples. As Paul’s letter to the Romans nears its end, he gives us a beautiful picture of what it looks like to be joined together in ministry with others who share the same love of the gospel.
The Christian life was never meant to be lived in isolation from the world. The Apostle Paul reminds us of the Great Commission given by Jesus - that we would go out into the world to share the good news of the gospel. As we go about our lives of school, work, hobbies and family, we should always be on the lookout for ways we can bring the hope of the gospel to those who have never heard.
The family of God includes believers of every nation, race and background, all unified by the belief that Jesus Christ is Lord. Part of our witness to the world about the goodness of God is our unity in the midst of diversity. It’s a call to love one another sacrificially - putting personal preferences aside - for the sake of building one another up in Christ.
Christians enjoy a great amount of freedom in the choices we can make, but the Apostle Paul reminds us that our love for others should take priority over our own preferences. If doing something we’re free to do causes another person to be drawn toward sin, then we’re called to give up that freedom for the good of the other person. Walking in love means putting others first.
Is it okay for Christians to _________? That question is usually followed by various opinions and even disagreement or conflict. While the Bible is very specific in matters of sin and salvation, there are other aspects of life that Christians have freedom to decide for themselves. So how do we navigate these differences of opinion - from eating and drinking to the entertainment we watch to how we vote - without breaking the unity to which Jesus calls us?
As we grow in our faith, our eyes will be opened to the areas in our life that are still stuck in our old ways of sin. But with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can put aside our old ways, remove the footholds sin has in our life, step out of the darkness, and walk in the light of Jesus Christ.
Christ demonstrated love by laying his life down for our sake, even though we didn’t deserve it. While that love is a debt we can never repay, Jesus calls us to show sacrificial love to others as a response to the grace we’ve been given.
How should Christians interact with our city, state and federal governments? Paul’s letter to the Romans instructs followers of Jesus to be subject to governing authorities and show honor to those God has placed into positions of power. It can be difficult to show honor when government officials make decisions and policies we disagree with, but we must always remember that God is in control. His plans and purposes may not make sense to us in the moment, but our role is to trust in Him and show honor to those He has appointed.
Showing love to people who love us back is common, but what about the people who are against us? As people transformed by the gospel, we’re called to respond to persecution with love and service, and live lives of peace. When confronted by evil in the world, we’re called to leave vengeance to God and serve others in humility.
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