LIVING ABOVE REPROACH

ROMANS 12:1

A. "TAKE THOUGHT OF THINGS HONORABLE IN THE SIGHT OF ALL MEN" (R.V.)
  1. These are timely reminders to all professed Christians:
    1. Said Jesus to the disciples, "Ye are the light of the world...Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven" - Matt. 5:14-16
    2. Things honorable in the sight of all men, simply means that there are certain morals which people with good taste have in common
  2. Living the truth is the great mission of Christianity:
    1. Peter states this fact in these words, "that ye should shew forth the praise of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" - I Pet. 2:9
    2. This is why Paul tells the Corinthians that they are a living epistles easily read by all men - 2 Cor. 3:1-6 B. LIVING ABOVE REPROACH
  3. Bible Christianity offers to the world the highest moral standard man is capable of:
    1. Take the Golden Rule - "Therefore al things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets" - Matt. 7:12
    2. The Bible emphasizes the two great commandments in the law which are the same as expressed in the golden rule - Matt. 22:37-40
  4. Paul mentions six specific virtues in his letter to the Philippians:
    1. "Whatsoever things are true" - compare Romans 12:9-21 with I Cor. 13:4-7; Gal. 5:22; James 3:17
    2. "Whatsoever things are honest" - compare Acts 6:3 with Romans 12:17; 13:13; 2 Cor. 8:21; Heb. 13:18; I Pet. 2:12
    3. "Whatsoever things are just" - Gen 18:19; Deut. 16:20; 2 Sam. 23:3; Ps. 82:2
    4. "Whatsoever things are pure" - I Tim. 4:12; 5:2; Titus 2:14; James 1:27; 2 Pet. 3:1
    5. "Whatsoever things are lovely" - 2 Sam. 1:23; Gal. 5:16; I Cor. 13; I Pet. 4:8; Phil 4:8 C. IT APPEARS TO THIS WRITER THAT THE WONDERFUL ADMONITION BY PAUL
  5. Had outsiders in mind when he gave these instructions:
    1. To reveal the great moral truths in our daily life is the most effective means to make converts for Christ
    2. When men see that we have something which they do not possess, they will want it
    3. That makes it so important for us to live the truth in our home, in our community, and in society
  6. God does have a representative people in this present world:
    1. "Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and have the faith of Jesus" - Rev. 14:12
    2. "And the dragon was wroth with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus" - Rev. 12:17
  7. Of the one hundred and forty-four thousand it is written:
    1. "In their mouth was found no guile; for they are without fault before the throne of God" - Rev. 14:5
    2. Purity of character will be one of the tests for entering the kingdom of heaven - compare Matthew 5:8 with Psalms 15:1-5
  8. Misrepresentation by ancient Israel was one of their great sins which caused their downfall:
    1. Note what the Psalmist writes - Ps. 74:18; 89:51
    2. Note what Paul says about the Jews - Romans 2:17-23
  9. But we, too, have reason to search our own hearts to know the truth of our life:
    1. Note the rebuke to the Laodiceans - Rev. 3:14-18
    2. God's people are in great danger of becoming careless and thus the truth of God is misrepresented in our lives
    3. Let us heed the admonition of our opening text and be a shinning light in this crooked and perverse world


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