Thirsting Souls Bible Teaching

(Rom 12:11)  “Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;”  Ever our example, even by the age of twelve the Lord said to His earthly guardians: “….I must be about My Father’s business.” You are I have only a short time upon this earth. We must be fervently about our Father’s business.

(Rom 12:10) “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;”  Yes, this speaks of putting the brethren before others, for the word “preferring” speaks of showing there is a difference – that is, between saved brothers/sisters and the lost. It is a testimony to the lost that there is a special bond (Christ Jesus/ relationship/ love) between us.

(Rom 12:10) “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;”  Notice the words “brotherly love”. Put with “kindly affectioned”, it speaks of esteeming brothers and sisters in Christ as you would your mother or father. It speaks of that kind of love. The people we worship with are not to be just casual acquaintances, but true relatives in Christ.

(Rom 12:9) “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.”  “Cleave” means “glue yourself to”. Grab hold of it and don’t let go. Commit yourself to that which is right in the sight of God and don’t let go for anyone!

(Rom 12:9) “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.”   It is hard sometimes for a believer to understand the difference between when to love and what to hate. We are to hate sin and its practice by others. Yet, we are love the sinner. In loving the sinner we are not to dismiss or treat the sin as nothing – it is to be abhorred by us.

(Rom 12:9) “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.”  “Love”: God’s love through us. When the Holy Spirit is allowed to love through us it will be true love, without “dissimulation” – hypocrisy. Love is not a “feeling”. This kind of love is an action, sacrificial if needed.

(Rom 12:6) “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; (7)  Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; (8)  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.”  What is the purpose of these gifts? Certainly not to lift us up in pride as if these are natural parts of our abilities. They are given for the purpose of serving others in the local body of believers – your church.

(Rom 12:6) “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; (7)  Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; (8)  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.”  Key words: “gifts differing; “grace…given”. Takes us back (v3b) “not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think;”.

(Rom 12:4)  For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: (5)  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”   The body has functions of which we may know nothing about yet is vital to our functioning at full peak. So is the functioning of the church. We as a spiritual part of the body may think our not being there harms nothing. We are wrong. Our absence is harming other believers.