Have I mentioned how much I appreciate Pastor Randy and Dan for praying for our missionaries and fellowshipping churches each Sunday? If not, I should have, it's a precious thing to be able to openly pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Thank you for bringing their needs before us.
I'm really enjoying this study in Romans - I hope you are too. Last Sunday Pastor spoke more about God's grace and what should motivate us to be obedient to God. He taught us about the similarities between the Jewish custom of ceremonial washing in the Mikveh and the Christian baptism. We know that baptism does not save us, but is an outward symbol of an inward change in our hearts. It's a public testimony that we are choosing to sin less. Just as the Mikveh identified a Jew as one of God's people, the act of baptism identifies us with Christ. It doesn't make us sinless but by God's grace we will sin less.
On to the verses Pastor referenced in his sermon - I'll also add the website he referenced regarding the Mikveh at the bottom:
Romans 6:1-14
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
Romans 6: 12-13
Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.
Galatians 5:16-24
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Ephesians 4:22-32
to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let
the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work
with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone
in need. 29 Let
no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good
for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those
who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Titus 3:1-11
Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 3 For
we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to
various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy,
hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he
saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but
according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal
of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 The
saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so
that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves
to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. 9 But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.
To read about the Mikveh go to: http://www.haydid.org/ronimmer.htm You can also read 1 Kings 7, it tells how the baths or Mikveh were built at King Solomon's house.
In closing, Pastor left us with these questions to ponder:
Where does your heart lie?
What do you continue to do that you know you shouldn't?
Who do you belong to?
What manner of life do you live?
Shouldn't the ultimate love of God motivate us to be obedient to Him?
See ya next week,
Lauri
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