The Aim of Christian Exhortation | Romans 12:2-4

Scripture

• Romans 12:2–4

About this sermon

Introduction: This morning we began thinking about the responsibility that exists among God’s people to exhort each other in view of the mercies of God. Review: I. THE NATURE OF CHRISTIAN EXHORTATION (vs.1) We noted that this is normal Christianity. This is what we are meant to do in the Lord’s church. We also took note of the elements that are involved in this kind of exhortation. A. IT IS A BROTHERLY APPEAL These are the encouragements that belong to the family of God. We exhort each other as we do because we are one family in Jesus Christ, loving one God, one Lord, indwelt by one Holy Spirit, having one standard of truth, one ambition, one shared future. Our vision of the church is the Bible’s. We are not members of an organization that represents superficial connections with one another. We are members of a living organism, and our connections to each other are as real and vital as our union with Christ Himself. B. IT IS MOTIVATED BY THE MERCIES OF GOD This is, indeed, why we gather as the church every Lord’s Day. We worship God, not only in view of mercies received, but in view of a great day of mercy on the horizon. And we remind each other of these things every time we meet. C. IT IS A CALL FOR PERSONAL AND RATIONAL DEVOTION This is how the Christian life is lived. It is lived based on the apostle’s doctrine. We live our lives out of the Word of God. Our worship and service are expressions of a reasoning process. If we think rightly, then this is how we must live. II. THE GENERAL APPLICATION FOR CHRISTIAN EXHORTATION (vs2-3) After telling us what Christian exhortation it is about, and how is done. In the next verse, another issue is raised. What will this life of rational devotion mean for us in practical terms? What will this lead to? This life that is devoted to God, what will that require, what will that lead to, in a world that is not devoted to God? The rest of the book of Romans gives us answers to that question in specific terms. But before Paul gets to the specifics, he presents an answer in general terms. What he gives us here will APPLY to all the specifics, but it will also be REQUIRED for all the specifics. And that order is actually very important. Far too often, people imagine that they are struggling with some specific element of biblical instruction when in truth their failure precedes that. The reason why they struggle with the specific instruction is because they have not first embraced the general instruction. IF YOU ARE NOT CONVINCED ABOUT WHAT PAUL SHARES IN VERSES 2-3, THEN YOU WILL CERTAINLY STRUGGLE WITH SOME OF WHAT YOU FIND FROM HERE TO THE END OF THE BOOK OF ROMANS. There are general commitments that precede specific commitments. What we have, in our verses, are three general commitments that are assumed in every application of biblical truth. A. DEVOTION TO GOD REQUIRES A COMMITMENT TO REFUSE CONFORMITY (vs.2a) We are commanded, by God, to refuse conformity to this αἰών, THIS AGE. The standard for the Christian’s life is not what is represented by this momentary age. This floating mass of opinions, styles, philosophies, standards, — the cultural environment of any given generation. THIS DOES NOT REPRESENT WHAT PLEASES GOD. In fact, Paul only thinks in terms of two ages. THE PRESENT AGE, AND THE AGE TO COME. The present age is EVIL and the age to come is RIGHTEOUS. The very fact that we can be told not to be conformed to the age, in a general way, should tell you that a lost and dying world AT ANY MOMENT in history will be out of step with God. If you could be transported back in time, and you could be the normal, everyday, Roman citizen. If you measured yourself by the styles and the standards and the ideas and what was popular and acceptable, AT THAT TIME, you would be out of step with God. And if you could take a Roman citizen from that time, and transport them forward in time to this country, and to this time, and conform them to the styles and philosophies, and standards, of this moment in history, they would be out of step with God. THE WORLD IS NOT YOUR FRIEND. The world is at enmity with God, and therefore is an influence that represents enmity toward godliness. ESV 1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. We must not conform ourselves to the world around us. We must not allow the world around us, to push us into its mold. NOW TO OBEY THIS ASSUMES SOME VERY IMPORTANT KNOWLEDGE. What must I know about the age in which I’m living? 1. I KNOW THAT I NO LONGER BELONG TO THIS WORLD ESV John 15:19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 2. I KNOW THAT SALVATION HAS MADE THAT CHANGE PERMANENT ESV Galatians 6:14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.