Committed to Community

Bible Text: Romans 12:3-8 | Preacher: Alan Conner | Series: 2005, Romans

INTRO

I. CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY IS BASED ON APOSTOLIC AUTHORITY (v. 3a).

    A. Paul’s authority came from God’s grace.

Important for two reasons:

1) they need to know the way God wants them to live.

2) expressing humility to model what he is about to say to them.

B. Paul’s message is for every member of the church at Rome.

II. CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY REQUIRES A PROPER ATTITUDE. (v. 3b).

A. Don’t be high minded.

Pride is always a problem in the church. Cf. Diotrephes, 3 Jn.9.

The opposite danger must also be avoided.

B. Think with sound judgment.

“sound judgment” – – means to be able to reason and think properly and in a sane manner — ‘to be in one’s right mind, to think straight, to reason correctly; ‘
C. Sound judgment is linked to faith.

D. Faith is a gift of God.

1) AUTHOR – “God has allotted.”

2) ALLOTMENT – God “has allotted” to each one. The word “apportion”, means ‘to distribute, to give to each in turn, to give to someone a part of something — to divide into separate parts.

3) AMOUNT – God has distributed to each one “a measure” of faith. This refers to the fact that God has distributed to each a certain quantity or measure of faith in the church. Some have much, some have little, some have strong and others weak (cf. Rom. 14).

4) ARTICLE – God gives “faith.” What does “faith” mean?

a) Not a spiritual gift.

b) Not the spiritual gift of faith (1 Cor. 12:9).

c) Better faith in general, both saving and sanctifying faith given to every believer.

Thus, we are not to be arrogant or proud but assess ourselves according to the measure of faith that God has given to each one. However great or small our faith, we are to think with sound judgment concerning ourselves.

E. How sound judgment thinks.

1) Your God given faith should produce sound judgment in the area of how you view yourself. Don’t be arrogant or falsely modest about yourself and your gifts. Faith realizes that “we are what we are by the grace of God.”

2) Your God given faith should produce sound judgment in realizing that God has gifted you spiritually.

3) Your God given faith should produce sound judgment in realizing that your spiritual gift if vital to the health of this church. 1Cor. 12:7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

CONCLUSION