Tuesday, October 21, 2014

As an adult, the choice is yours

In the grace community, there will be differences, even among grace preachers.  We saw that at a conference where there was some doctrine the men didn’t agree on, and that is fine.  You have to be fully persuaded in your own mind. 

Romans 14:5
Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

My job as a grace preacher is to study it and give it to you as I see it.  But, your job is to stand on your own two feet as an adult in Christ and study out these things for yourself.

Acts 17:11
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Now then regarding Romans 15, Paul is summing up that we need to bear the infirmities of those who aren’t there yet.  If you are that strong brother (or think you are), then you are to bear the infirmity of the weak one.

Romans 15:1-2
We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.

He is saying:  We then that are strong…that is, strong in Pauline doctrine...oughthere is what we ought to do…to bear the infirmities of the weak… infirmities means weakness.  We are to have a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7; 2 Timothy 1:13) of love toward the weaker brother, the brother who is not where you are, spiritually speaking.  It is sad that even amongst grace brethren, when someone doesn’t know what you do, your flesh wants to set them straight!   But…you can’t do that.  You have to allow them grace.  Grace is freedom.  We are not under law, but we are under grace.  You have to make your own decision.   In grace we have liberty and freedom but with that grace wherein we stand, comes responsibilities and consequences. 

Romans 6:13-15
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.  For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

But, I tell people, if you want to be foolish enough to believe something else that is on you. 

What you choose to believe shows up in your life. If you are believing something contrary to the way our Apostle Paul wrote and how God intended it, it will show up in bad consequences in your life. 

When someone comes to me and says ‘here is where I am in life’ and I examine it, I can show them where they went away from Paul’s doctrine somewhere to mess them up. I am only responsible for me, my wife and my child, and as head of our household, I am going to do God’s will as I see it.  And, my wife has submitted to that authority in her life and she has been blessed by it—she will tell you that. 

Ephesians 5:21-23
Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.


Transcribed and edited excerpt from 119 Our Journey through the Bible.mp3 
Found in Bro Ron Knight’s studies in Romans


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