Soul Liberty’s Focus
15 December 2013 AM – Romans 15:1-7 – Romans – Scott Childs
Introduction: Chapter divisions in our Bible were added in about 1227 and the verse divisions were added in 1555. Chapter divisions do not always break at the end of a topic. This is the case with the topic of Soul Liberty that overflows from Romans 14 into the early part of Romans 15.
In high school physical education class, we learned the basics of running races. Whether the race is a 100-metre dash or a 5-kilometre run, the runners must focus on the goal. If they do not keep their mind on the goal, they will get distracted and slow down.
Working out our soul liberty requires that we stay focused as well.
Transition: This morning we are going to see how God asks us to focus our soul liberty on three goals.
I. We Must Focus Our Soul Liberty on Pleasing Others
A. We must not please ourselves (1)
1. Remember that the strong and weak do not refer to the mature and immature or the spiritual and the unspiritual. Rather, the strong is the one who has no problem with eating all kinds of meat and the weak believes it is sin to eat meats forbidden in the OT.
2. God gave the strong Christian a duty. He ought (or literally is indebted) to bear (or carry) the weaknesses of the weak. The strong one who is not bothered by the issue is indebted to help the weak Christian by not offending him.
3. We must not please ourselves. We must not demand our rights. We must set aside our soul liberty to please another.
B. We must please our neighbours (2)
1. We must make it our focus in life to please others for their good. God wants us to care about what is good for others.
2. We must make it our focus in life to please others to edify them. To edify is to build up, to help them grow spiritually, to make them a stronger Christian.
C. Christ was an example of pleasing others (3)
1. He carried our reproaches. A “reproach” is an “insult, abuse, or disgrace”. (Psalm 69:9)
2. Christ carried a burden caused by our sin.
Philippians 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
3. We ought to follow Christ’s example and give up our rights to help others.
1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
1 John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
II. We Must Focus Our Soul Liberty on Being Likeminded
A. The Old Testament is for our instruction (4)
1. What is your opinion of the Old Testament? Sadly, many Christians view the Old Testament as a dead book. They do not read it. They do not think it has anything in it for them. Paul tells us just the opposite here in Romans 15:4.
2. Not all Scripture was written to us, but all Scripture was written for us.
a) The OT lays the foundation for the NT.
b) The OT reveals the expectations of God (e.g., fear of God and obedience)
c) The OT identifies the character of God (e.g., holy, truthful, just, merciful, gracious, loving, forgiving).
d) The OT illustrates the consequences of sin (e.g., flood, Sodom’s fire, captivity, death, hell)
e) The OT gives us helpful instruction (e.g., for victory over sin, Ps 119:11; direction in life, Ps 119:105; worship, Ps 29:2; giving, Pr 3:9-10)
f) The OT gives us principles for life (i.e., timeless truths or guidelines that reveal the mind of God on contemporary issues).
g) The OT shows us many things to come
S. Michael Houdmann said, In summary, the Old Testament is a mirror that allows us to see ourselves in the lives of Old Testament characters and helps us learn vicariously from their lives. http://www.gotquestions.org/old-testament.html#ixzz2nFSLsWXL
3. Our text tells us that the OT is for our learning or instruction in order that through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures we might have hope.
a) Studying the OT will give us patient endurance to face today’s difficulties.
b) Studying the OT will give us comforting encouragement when tough times threaten to get us down.
c) God uses both of these benefits to give us hope.
I love you and as your pastor, I must tell you that if you do not make time to have a quality Bible reading and prayer time every day, you are not walking as close to the Lord as you should be. If you do not daily read and study the Bible, you will lack the patience, comfort, and hope that God has for you. You will not be victorious over temptation (Ps 119:11). Your life will lack direction (Ps 119:105). If you have not consistently read the Bible this past year, I beg you to stop making excuses and begin studying the Bible today.
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
B. God uses His word to make us likeminded (5)
1. Notice here that the patience and comfort of the Scriptures belong to God. He is their author. He reveals these blessings through His Word. When we study the Bible, we are really studying God. When we neglect the Bible, we are really neglecting God. The Bible is not our God, but is God’s mind concerning everything He wants us to know.
2. As each of us studies the Bible, this will make us likeminded. We will follow Christ’s example. We will think alike and be in harmony if we think biblically.
III. We Must Focus Our Soul Liberty on Glorifying God
A. Soul liberty is not about glorifying myself
1. Soul liberty is not my right to do as I please.
2. Soul liberty does not give me the right to displease others.
B. Soul liberty is all about glorifying God (6-7)
1. Even in soul liberty, God wants us to be of one mind. If we are likeminded with other church members, we will be in harmony with them. We will then be able to glorify God with one mind and one mouth.
2. God wants us to be unified in glorifying Him.
3. If we follow Christ’s example, and receive or accept each other’s soul liberty choices, we will glorify God.
Conclusion: As we conclude this soul liberty section, God has reminded us to focus on pleasing others rather than ourselves, seeking to be likeminded through the guidance of the Scriptures, and aiming to glorify God by our actions.
If it is not your daily habit to find a quiet place to study the Bible and pray, will you begin today? We cannot be a likeminded congregation if our likemindedness does not come from Bible truth.
If you read the Bible daily, but you have been avoiding the Old Testament, it is time you change. I admit, the genealogies and a few other parts of the OT are difficult reading, but a great majority of it is very interesting and helpful.
Song: Teach Me Thy Way, O Lord – 337