Here we are again beginning with Romans, in our prior study I listed the breakdown of the things within the context of the first five chapters. Now I will begin with chapter twelve falls at the last chapter of the three dealing with Israel's Judaism and history within chapters ten through twelve. Chapter twelve deals with Israel's dedication to service, I will pick up at verse three for the study on our Unity In Christ of all believers. As we receive the revelation of GOD in Christ and actually being the Immanuel Messiah.... the Christ in the man Jesus. This great hidden truth Jesus Himself spoke of in open and plan language throughout His earthly ministry, as the second Adam. As the second Adam He established through death the secret of GOD's Spirit in mans again. Giving those who can receive this revelation sons of GOD again as man was in Genesis 2. Where man was dependent upon the Spirit GOD in him, having the mind of Christ.
Believers Unity with Christ,
Romans 12:3-8 "For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For (we) as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness."
1Corinthians 10:14-22 with 12:12 "Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Consider the people of Israel: are not (they) those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the LORD to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?"
Now here is a little known Bible secret where Paul uses the "therefore" phrase, he wants us to return to what he just stated to get the full intent and purpose of what then follows.
1Corinthians 12:12-13 "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit."
Galatians 3:4-5, 6-8 "Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— just as Abraham "believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"? (Genesis 15:6) Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "In you shall all the nations be blessed." (Genesis 12:3) So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith."
Galatians 3:23-29 "Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law (of sin and death), imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law (the Laws of Moses) was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian (the Law), for in Christ (in) Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise."
Ephesians 4:7-16 "For grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it says, "When He ascended on high He led a host of captives (Matthew 27:51-54), and He gave gifts to men." (Psalm 68:18, Colossians 2:15) (In saying, "He ascended," what does it mean but that He had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? (Isaiah 44:23) He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him Who is the head, into Christ, from Whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."
The next area of study is "saint's fellowship."
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