One Body, the Holy Spirit and Gifts

So last week we covered one verse, and I'm not sure we finished that verse. Anyway, we had a bit of discussion about verse one, and the discussion kind of related to the verb tense of presenting our bodies as living sacrifices. And the two issues or potential interpretations that were brought up was one that Therefore, I beseech you therefore, brethren, that the therefore relates to, as Jerry Vernon McGee, understanding why it's therefore.

And the therefore could relate in context to the verses that preceded it, the end of Romans 11, where it says, oh the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, da da da da da. or the therefore could relate to the entire book of Romans. And people interpret that differentially. I, myself, like the entire book, but I think you can put that into whatever perspective you want. Therefore could be appropriately interpreted in either way.

Presenting the Greek verb as aorist tense, which most often is one point in time, We certainly want to avoid any interpretation that this is a second experience. The Lord reflected that the growth in the spirit of the fruit of the spirit continues to manifest itself over time and that's not a second experience, it's just growth.

And I think we all come to a point where there's things in the Word of God, it's like a light bulb. We've read it 10, 15 times before, and now there's a light that's gone off in a new way. So I don't in any way want people to think that this is a second experience and now we need to get to the point where we're presenting our bodies. Nothing like that.

This is all trying to best interpret the Word of God in context as to what this indicates. Errors is usually used as a one point in time, but there's interpretation that this may be an alternative use. in verse 1. But I think really the meat of this section is in verse 2. You know, whether we are constantly re-presenting ourselves to the Lord in terms of His use in our bodies, our bodies being a living sacrifice, or, and by the way, what's holy and acceptable unto Him is not our coming to Him to present. It's the reason why we're called to come and present. Right?

I mean, there's nothing worthy of us that, gee, we get credit for coming and presenting our bodies, whether it be once or on a repetitive schedule. There's no credit due us. We're just commanded. This is an imperative to present our bodies as living sacrifices. And what's wholly acceptable unto God is nothing but the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. Correct? There's no merit on our behalf of presenting our bodies. It's just an imperative based on the truth that precedes it. All right. So now, I'm without a handout, but I guess Margaret's got one.

I should remember what I'm talking about today. Not always. I'm reminded of somewhat of a similar verse to what we're studying and you're speaking to this morning. In Psalm 19, let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer." That psalm certainly was supposed to be said not just once, but over and over again, maybe even daily. Okay. Any conversations surrounding Arts Point here this morning? All right. Verse two.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is good and acceptable and the perfect will of God. Now, we're in the meat. The first verse is, again, an imperative that we present our bodies as living sacrifices. for reasonable service, actually. I mean, the idea is the body's just not some dead being that ultimately God regenerates in some vague and non-purposeful manner. It's for reasonable service. So here we're talking about the Christian life lived out.

And verse 2 is kind of an aside, kind of tangential. Good. All right. Did everybody over here hear Roy's point? It's a living sacrifice, not a dead one. Of course, those animals were simply an atonement, but now we're born again unto a living sacrifice, one that in fact can provide meaningful service and bring glory to the Lord. Conformed. Another imperative. This is not something that's been suggested by Paul in the Epistle to the Romans. This is, in fact, another imperative. Interesting.

Present tense, so don't be conformed now. Okay, so this is kind of today, tomorrow, even the next day. And the voice is interesting here because it's kind of a passive middle voice or a deponent kind of interpretation. Let's look at that in a little bit more detail. The meaning of conformance is to be fashioned according to. So here's to form or to mold after something else, and kind of in parentheses is being part of the crowd. But I think the tense here is so relevant.

First of all, 1 Peter 1.14, the only other use of this term is as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts.

And we'll come back to that here in a second. So who's doing this? Being not conformed to the world. So who's part of this act? How is the passive middle voice interpreted best here? Well, the passive voice indicates that the believer is being acted upon. And I kind of reflect on this a little bit.

If we let ourselves go and do not have an active life that's faith-based, what happens? We're conformed to the world. Because the world is in the big business of conforming us into its way. This occurs naturally. And if our life is not lived in an aspect of active faith, based on all that God has revealed, we will be conformed.

And I think to some extent, those of you who have relatives, like my oldest daughter really has clearly fallen away from all this. I mean, Ray is clearly born again, but boy, she's being conformed. Not that we all aren't to some extent at times. But the issue is, is she saved? Yes.

But she's being conformed to the world because her activity in faith has been left behind, at least for a time. Now, I'm not sure I can put a metric to that, but it's unequivocal that she is denying many of the truths she was raised with. So she's being conformed to the world, and she's the passive recipient of that. But here's where the middle voice is nice, because the middle voice implies that the subject is acting in some way upon or concerning himself or herself in this process.

So passively means the world system, the atom nature will prevail in the absence of our act of faith. We're saved. We're positioned at the right hand. Our sins have been forgiven. But yet now this system that surrounds us will passively be conforming us to it.

Carol? I'm just not sure I'm understanding the passage part because it says the believer is being acted upon. Aren't we being acted upon by the Lord himself in the middle voice, which is where we wander, I think. Am I wrong in that? Well, the believer is being acted upon by the world system, being conformed to the world. I go off on a depressive because I count on the Lord. Well, again, we're saved by grace through faith and our Christian life is a faith-based existence. When we deny our faith and leave it behind, we are being conformed. We're being conformed by the Adam nature, we're being conformed by the world system.

This is be not conformed to the world. It's passive. Passive middle. It's not active, like I've decided to be conformed to the world system. I mean, as believers, we're positioned above and we're called by faith to live the Christian life. That life is not one of making Adam better. That life is one in which we're born again into a new nature. But we are the recipients of the confirmation to the world system in the absence of active faith. Does anyone disagree with that? Roy? I don't disagree.

Just looking at your definition of the word, though, getting into the meat of what does conform mean? Well, fashioned according to. Form or mold after something else. I've also seen it sort of brought down to the vernacular of today, to squeeze. I'm okay with those other thoughts. Yeah. Controlled. Yeah, that's that's probably close. Yeah, the subject participates in the result of the action. So that result can be either way. I mean, if we are conformed to the world, we're recipients of the result of that kind of action. All right. And vice versa. Yeah, that's true.

Now, to some extent, I think this enters into this reasons for not performing in a certain way. Let me give you an example. In the flesh, we're capable of choosing right versus wrong because the consequences of what's wrong are things we don't want to bear. I can think of thousands of examples of that on a day-to-day basis. This is the old nature doing the right thing before the world's eyes so that we don't want to pay the consequences of doing the wrong thing.

I mean, a simple example is being late to teach Sunday school this morning. I was tempted to get on the accelerator a little bit faster, but the consequences of that, in fact, were a ticket. And there were several police on the way down this morning. It was good that I decided not to give in to that temptation. Randy?

I think this really reflects back on Romans 1. The last half of the chapter talks about the things the world wants to conform you into. The people are searching out the wicked things, and they encourage other people to join in on those things and be conformed, be like us. Do what we do. This perversion is okay because we do it. The first part is talking about, well I don't want to steal anything you might have to say, but being acted upon, the outside force of the world encouraging us to do one thing or another, versus being conformed to the image of Christ.

And the reason the middle voice is so powerful is that you are wilfully making a choice about who you will be conforming to. Yeah, I don't like the term, well, in a sense it is a choice in that I choose not to live by faith, right? I mean, remember, making right choices and wrong choices can be entirely Adam-based. Yeah, but that's not what I mean. No, I understand.

I just want to make sure the class understands that. We can make right choices for wrong reasons. Look at the Pharisees. And boy, did Christ hate the Pharisees and the way they carried themselves. Self-righteousness has no merit before God. None. None. So let me just challenge each one of us. I challenge myself constantly.

What is the rationale for making the choice I've made? Is it because I don't like the consequences? Or in fact, am I living above the circumstances? And I sense as the Christian life becomes more reality testing in terms of him living through us, that these choices no longer are choices, but in fact it's a life lived out. And boy, I wish I had more of that. Yes, Wayne. And that's a good point.

But is everyone clear on this confirmation process? It will occur in the absence of our active faith. If we just let go, let God, and don't respond to his truth by active faith, ultimately the process of confirmation, we become passive recipients of that process. Now, faith is not something you plug into a wall socket and suddenly you get electricity feeding the circuit.

I mean, faith is growing in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's ultimately believing what God has revealed. And we'll get into that in more detail as time goes on this morning. But what is believing what God has revealed? Very simply, that our sins are forgiven, we've been crucified with Him, buried with Him in baptism unto death, and risen with Him in newness of life. That's the beginning. and reflects on things that we're going to get into again in a few minutes that I'll save to discuss a little bit later.

So again, being conformed to the world is something we're told not to do. And how do we not do it? By being transformed by the renewing of our mind that you may prove what is the good acceptable will of God. Let's, before we go to that, look at the world.

Now, this is interesting because it's interpreted or translated as world in many versions, but the term is ion or age, not cosmos or world system. Now, that's kind of interesting, and let's go to try to distinguish age from the world. Let's look where both words are used together.

Let's go to Ephesians 2.2, and this is a little bit particular and maybe a little bit overly scriptural overkill in terms of the specifics, but this may be relevant.

In Ephesians 2.2, let's read one first, and you hath he made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which in times past ye walked according to the course of this world. Now, I'll come back to that in a second, because that's probably not the best translation. According to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience. So Ephesians 2, 2 in the Interlinear Greek says, in which once you walked according to the age of this world.

So what's the distinction there? The age and the world. What's cosmos or world? which is not what's used here. And what describe the world system? It's what? Fallen system. It's the system that's here. No, no, no, no. And what's the basis of that business, Roger? It's not God. It's man-centered in it entirely. I mean, it's entirely man and self-centered. The cosmos is the system God has put us in, ultimately, is one of the antithesis to the Christian life. The world system will have an influence on us by process of conforming us. How about age? Ion or age? How is that differently translated here? Yeah. OK, so is this age different than the Middle Ages?

I mean, the world system always operates as the world system, right? Doesn't make any difference which age. The world system is defined as the system outside of God in terms of governmental influence, self-centeredness, human-centric. But the age, this we're told here is, but be not conformed to this age. And I think it's the world system applied to the age in which we're living. Paul wrote it to the people around the turn of the millennium, shortly thereafter. So the age implies the impact of the system within the time period in which it occurs.

Yes, Roy? God is outside of time. God is. Eternity is a tough concept if you think about it. Defining eternity is really a difficult thing to do. Let me finish, Roy, and then I'll get you, Carol. The time of this world is timeless, but the infiniteness of time not only includes the time of this world, but this infinity, I mean, it's not outside of the world. So when you think of who we are in Him, we're in eternity, aren't we? That's right. We're in eternity. That's right. Or lack of time. All right. Great. Carol? It is. Carol, and then Roger. Carol?

In Heaven, we know that it's used as ever more times than this world. Believe it or not, 71 times in Scripture and 38 times this world. Or ever more, you might think of it. Yeah, who knows why it's translated differentially all those times. But the exact term is not the world. Cosmos and Aeon are clearly different terms. And I think it needs to be better translated age here. Roger?

Well, as Iversa talked about this present evil age, I think that kind of comes into play. This age is evil, inherently evil, because Satan is on the power of the air. So this age is inherently evil. So I think it's maybe contrasting that. you're not to be conformed to the world system, which is Satan's system, which is inherently evil. So you're not to be conformed to that. So you're thinking age more than a dispensational perspective? I guess I'm thinking that the main thrust is that it's contrary to God, it's evil. and one other thing is that you could feel it this kind of implies something that's already going on you're already bought into it I think some person has stopped being conformed you know something is already you're already down you feel like you're neutral which you can't be you're already you've already bought into that you've already gone down that path and we're saying don't be conformed stop being conformed right and he tells us the opposite Thank you.

So at the bottom of the page is stop. I mean, lots of exclamation points. This is an imperative. Cut it out. Will you? This is not what I have for you. Stop allowing the world to fashion or shape their lifestyle towards the depraved spiritual and moral characteristics of the time. Now, how do we do that?

And, you know, the problem here a little bit is how we all live in the world system. I mean, we all drive probably an automobile that's reasonably reliable and we all have a job. We have those who don't. But the point is, is we live in the world system.

But as the next slide tries to indicate, that it's all wrapped up in Christ and Galatians 1.4 gives us an idea, gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil age according to the will of our Father and God. The point is the cross is the mechanism to how this occurs, but we live in, but are not of it. We live in this system, but we're not of it. But the question is when we start examining others, particularly even ourselves, and say, gee, is this an example of my living in the current age?

I mean, where do you draw the line? I mean, you can start getting into things like what movies you go to, what music you listen to, and don't go there. I mean, we've got a freedom in the Lord Jesus Christ to live a life that really is Spirit-convicting in terms of what peace He gives us in the decisions we make. And boy, if you're not comfortable there, the Spirit's knocking at the door. But we can't provide a specific metric. And the Word at times provides a very specific metric. And we're going to look at that here in a second.

But we have the freedom to live in Christ and lifted up by His Spirit. And we constantly need to recognize we live in this system, but we're not of it. This is not our citizenship. And again, as we all grow in grace, this becomes really a process of conforming us to the image of the sun.

Now, so I thought what might be interesting here is to take a look at an example of this whole process. And this is really an interesting section of scripture. And I'll never forget when I was in a previous church about somebody teaching this section of Ephesians and entirely missing the point. Not that I have a special insight, but I think this section really gives us a clear understanding about what this is all about. Let's turn to Ephesians 2. versus 17 through 20. Am I where I want to be here? I think it's Ephesians 4, so pardon the mistake. I think we're talking about... Yep, Ephesians 4, so correct that on your sheets if you have a pencil or a pen.

Alright, this I say therefore and testify in the Lord that she henceforth walked not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, that we're talking about now the Gentiles, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart who being past feeling had given themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness." And look at verse 20. He's talking to believers here, comparing their ways to the walks of the Gentiles.

But ye have not so learned Christ. And you know, again, my exposure to this many years ago being taught was that went on about, you know, into and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, kind of dealt with everything we need to do. But the reason why this behavior is existing is that they had not so learned Christ. And now we find what the instructions are to go on from there, so that you'd be heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus that you put off concerning the point.

Yeah, right. Okay, so there's the new man living out and ultimately that comes up in verse, you know, and ye put on the new man which after Christ God is created in righteousness and true holiness. The concept there is not learning Christ is in fact one of the problems that gets us into trouble in terms of being conformed to the world system.

Now the alternative being conformed to the world system is being transformed by the renewing of your mind and being transformed is the Greek term metamorpho present passive imperative, again, get transformed. This is a command and it's interesting being transformed as a passive process. It's not that we act to get transformed. The idea that we're the recipients of the process of transformation. So transformation or metamorphosis is changed into another.

It's a totally different, that of a whole different kind here. And how like this to the caterpillar butterfly comparison. His notes on this section really were very detailed in the idea of the same set of DNA that now what was a caterpillar is now butterfly. And I think that's perhaps the best natural example of metamorphosis as we think about it.

So this is outward evidence of what we are internally. So when our behavior is that of the world system, in fact, we're caterpillars, are we not? That's the way we look. But internally, we have all the capabilities that God has given us and positioned us to become butterflies and act as butterflies. So this is the transformation is to the butterfly, not that we work at it. It's been declared to be true. Now, are we going to enter into that? Well, by faith, we ultimately do.

A similar word, but not the same root word, is somorphous, which is in Romans 8.29. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate, we covered this many weeks ago, to be conformed, which means having the same form, to the image of his son that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. So this process of transformation, being conformed, is all kind of wrapped up in the same root word in the Greek.

And this is, if you will, 2 Corinthians 3.18 played out in terms of standing at the right hand, in fact, having his glory reflected in our human existence.

And the process is by renewing of your mind. This is a bit interesting. Vine says that to adjust one's spiritual mindset to be in line with the mind of God for the purpose of a transformed life. And Thayer says, a renewal, a renovation, a complete change for the better. For the better. I kind of challenged that like, who's being renewed here? Is this Adam getting buffed up? I don't think so.

If it's a complete change for the better, who's getting better? So, I mean, because if we're changed into Christ-like, then there's no better. It's the absolute best. And if you look at the verb echinosis or echinosis is to make new in quality, not in time.

So this is a kind of a new, it's not a renewal to something that we once were, it's being recreated in the new life that we've been created to live in by faith. So this is a process of renewal or renovation, actually it's a better interpretation, of our mind to who we really are in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let's think about the mind a second. It's comprising, and this is Thayer, comprising alike the faculties of perceiving and understanding and also those of kind of the soul that relate to feeling, judging, and determinings. The intellectual faculty, the understanding of Reason in the narrower sense is the capacity for spiritual truth, the higher powers of the soul, the faculty of perceiving divine things, of recognizing goodness and of hating evil, and the power of considering and judging soberly, calmly, and impartially. So these are all kind of complicated terms to describe the functions of the mind.

So we're being put into a position of renewing our mind or having our mind be that of Christ. Now, we're told we have the mind of Christ. How many people feel the completeness of that at all times in their lives? I mean, it'd be nice, wouldn't it, to totally have his mind? But positionally, we do. And as we learn of him through his word, ultimately, that becomes more reality. So the process for the believer. Well, the process for the believer. We're going to get into that.

So, we're being transformed by the renewing of our mind, but that's passive, right? So, what's our role? We are being renewed. Who's doing it? Not us. Because what, Roy? That's right. I mean... Yep, and that's going to come up here in a second in terms of the whole process by which this occurs. So let's look at a few verses that gives us a process for this whole renovation in terms of the quality of our existence and the life that follows in terms of the renewing of our mind.

Titus 3.5 says, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he hath saved us through the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit. So there's an active force involved here. This is, again, trying harder to be better.

Galatians 5.25, if we live, present active, if we live, or I think in many ways it's since we live here.

But if, since we live in the Spirit, so we're all believers, we've all been indwelled by the Spirit, since we've been declared to live in the Spirit, or if we live in the Spirit, goodness, do we lose the Spirit by our being conformed to the world? No. So since we live in the Spirit, since we are indwelled by the Holy Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Now there, let us, is not an automatic. We've been indwelled by the Spirit, but how do we walk in the Spirit? Wait, I'll tell you how.

Ephesians 1.18, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what are the riches of his glory, of his inheritance, and the saints. Okay, so God's got a plan. And we're given more than a subtle glimpse of what this plan is in terms of what the life of the believer is called to look like in the new man. So here's Roy's question. How do we do this? What's our role?

Well, I think Philippians 3.10 to just make a single verse statement here that I may know him. and the power of His resurrection, the fellowship of His sufferings being made conformable unto His death. So, that I may know Him simply reflects hundreds of verses of Scripture that relates to our knowledge of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ for that life to become fully realized by the work of the Spirit within each one of us.

Walk by faith. What's faith? I've got it there for you. It's believing what God has revealed, right? The principle of faith is the same for us as it was for Abel and Cain, or for Abraham. Right? Faith is always believing what God has revealed. Fortunately for us, we've got this. And the Bible is the source of all truth.

And walking by faith requires at least some time in the Word of God. Now the question always comes up then, if in fact we get separated from the Word of God in some way. You can think of the theoreticals, but it's possible that you might lose your Bible in a foreign soil and not have access to it for years. Can you still grow and live the Christian life in the power of the new man?

Of course. But God's word is like a drink of fresh water. It's constantly tasty and satisfying. Is that a command? In a sense, no, but the Word of God is our source of all truth in life, and the person of the Lord Jesus Christ is found there. We can have a certain intellectual knowledge, but I think when the Word of God is used infrequently, ultimately that relationship is not as convincing as it possibly could be. So I don't want to make a law out of it, but the Word is there for our benefit. And when you make a law out of it, then the word becomes stale and overly formal. But boy, we should want to be there.

Roger? who I am in Christ and I act in accordance with that and that's becomes who how I act and that's incorporated or appropriate into our lives that's different than saying I got these rules here 227 wonderful things about myself but it never goes past the page into into us and become you know that's who I am that accurate this we truly believe that it's not just there on page. We believe God said that's who I am, and that's who I am, and I'm to act in accordance with who I am, initially.

That's great. Those are great comments. Other thoughts here? His word is sharper and more powerful than any peerage of the Son or priest. He is the dividing ascender of soul, spirit, joints, and marrow, and is the presenter of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Okay, Hebrews 9 truth, I think. Is that Hebrews 9 truth? Yeah. Great. Any other thoughts here?

I mean, we find the Lord Jesus Christ in the Word. And if we ever get to the point where we're too cocky to not need the word anymore because we know them completely, then I think the question is, who says that anyway? That's that old guy that says that.

So I think another thing here, and this is, and Hal used to kind of remind me of this because I often go here, incorporating God's frame of reference into who we are in the new man And that's all a matter of citizenship. I mean, I really am uplifted so often by the fact that where do I belong? And again, this is just a business address down here, right? Heaven's our home. And boy, I'll tell you, that eternity takes on new meaning when we think about that's where our citizenship really resides. It's there, not here. And so we're down here for a time that God's glory may be seen. And that walk needs to reflect where our true citizenship really is.

So as we act on these truths, God's intent of having us in the position of Christ being formed in you will ensue. So the acting on the truth is being not conformed to the world, but by being transformed into the new man by an act of faith and we're the recipients of that act of faith and believing what God's Word has said about who we are.

And you know, another thing, my kids get tired of my saying this, but it's not what you do, it's who you are. And when you realize who you are, then what you do is an evidence of who you are. I mean, it's kind of a neat thing as you increasingly find your citizenship in the Lord Jesus Christ, your life becomes transformed. And I think that's anything we notice about ourselves. If you're keeping track how you're doing, I think that's not what he's called you into. He's called you into a life.

And that life is the renewing of your mind by continually coming to the Lord Jesus Christ and knowing him more in his word. And the purpose here is that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Proving, in fact, the saint transformed and is going to show forth in his or her life that will of God.

So let's look at 1 Corinthians 3.13. And Lindy, could you read that for us when you get it, please? Might read verse 12 too. 12 and 13. Three. Go ahead and read 14.

All right, so the teaching, I don't want to go too tangential here, we're not here to study rewards, but the idea is proving God whom he is in our life and bringing glory to him is a process by which that work will be tried. I mean, in a sense, this renewing of our mind, being transformed into his image by the renewing of our mind will bring forth a work that ultimately proves God for who He really is. And again, that's not something we keep our list about. And ultimately, as we get to this great position of receiving rewards from the Lord Jesus Christ, ultimately, He's not going to say, well, Margaret, where's your list? I mean, this is not some sort of human accomplishment here that we're looking at.

My brother happens to believe he's lived a good life. He's helped plenty of kids through the educational system in the state of Ohio over the years. And that's what he's going to bring if there is a God. That's what he's going to bring to the table. Sorry, Ed. Unbelievable. Our works will prove him for who he is, and those are the works that in fact are done by faith. Grace, grace, and grace. It's all grace. onto this world doesn't necessarily have to be.

I'm thinking this goes directly against what we're in the workplace, where our performance generates what we look like to the boss or something like that. And that's the thing that's always out there in front of us. And I think that's part of that performing, because that's not what the work does. You just live in what he's already done. force and knowing him.

That's a wonderful point. As you think about this, working in the world system or in this age of the world system in which we exist, we're called to a performance that ultimately makes us accepted in the world system. And there's nothing amoral or immoral about that.

I mean, not immoral, but it's amoral. I mean, it's working in the world system to do what God has called us to in terms of providing for ourselves and our family and for the body of Christ. So that's a reasonable service which could have moral consequences depending on what our motives are. But however, we're measured in the workplace based on our performance in the world system, right? And that doesn't mean we compromise our morality.

But I have fortunately been so graced by the opportunity, as I've mentioned before, to share the Lord Jesus Christ with people because I've been able to be accepted in the workplace in which I work. And I'm sure many of you shared similar stories. If we're inferior in our performance, then our Christianity is actually not interesting to anybody. So do we work for our own glory? No. We all have a sense of needing to accomplish a certain amount to make sure that the performance expected of us in the workplace is performed.

But often, and occasionally anyway, that can open doors. that people be more curious about where we come from in terms of our relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ. And what he's talking about here isn't that performance, it's we carry that over to our spiritual, so we feel like what we do in our spiritual life then is going to be more pleasing to God. I think that's the separation there. Yes.

Okay, so keep in mind this idea of being transformed by the ruining of our mind is to prove God for who he really is. And I think the world system often looks at the believer in the mistakes he or she makes. And so what brings glory to God when we, in fact, do make mistakes? What is the life of Christ lived out in the believer that ultimately allows that mistake to be acknowledged and accepted by the world system?

Anybody? I believe it's Ephesians 1.6.

Yeah, and so I think it's an open relationship to say, you know, I've erred, forgive me. I mean, it's a very simple process. And that shouldn't, by the way, be of the flesh. An insincere apology or asking for forgiveness is not what the world's looking for. They're looking for a willingness to admit we've made a mistake. And you go on from there, you don't dwell on it, you move on.

And that brings glory to God. yes, in the meantime in the workplace you're encouraged, it depends on the situation, to kind of smooth over those. I have to admit quickly an error, because well, that's not what's bad in our department, or our group, or our company, or whatever. Where, you know, the believer says, I want to admit clearly, openly, and to say that's a mistake, and that's wrong, and we should not have done that. But the world doesn't, it's not too happy sometimes about you wanting to say it was a mistake made.

It's a great point. It's smoothing things over to make us seem like we're kind of right here. I mean, we really know inside we made a mistake, but now let's not make this look so bad, you know. These partial truths and these white lies, oh boy. I mean, we all need to be, at least I need to be convicted of that. But teaching your children, no, just tell the truth.

There's nothing better than the truth, no matter what it is. The truth always wins because it brings glory to God in the process of having the truth truly revealed. The interlinear Greek looks at the good and the well-pleasing and perfect will kind of really in kind of a mindset of the perfect will of God is really his view of completeness. I mean, it's interesting because that term is best translated as complete. And what's perfect and complete in God's eyes?

Colossians 1.28 reflects on this. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man and all wisdom that we may present every man perfect or complete in Christ Jesus. So this proving God for who he is requires an understanding by faith of our being a reflection of his completeness. And that completeness is in the Lord Jesus Christ. And what's God's perfect will?

Romans 8.29 comes up again. We didn't actually spend much time on it before. 829 is the best response to somebody who's looking for God's will for their life. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. So God's perfect will is to be conformed to the image of his son.

It doesn't say his perfect will is to buy a white Ford, or to live in Truckee, California, or where one of my daughters is moving. Yeah, I know. I know you'd say something about that. Better Carson City, right? Oh, it's so gorgeous up there in Truckee. That was complete sarcasm.

And then, you know, Romans 8.29 goes on to 30 and 31.

Moreover, whom he did predestine, these he also called, and whom he called he justified, and whom he justified he glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? That's living our citizenship, is it not? That's victorious life that makes us more than conquerors. So the question is, do you believe this? And by His grace, are we walking uplifted in this truth? The not being conformed to this world system is walking in confidence and encouraged as to who we are. And that's an act of faith. And it's revealed in God's Word.

More than conquerors in Christ Jesus are each one of us. More than conquerors. Boy, that superlative is really hard to put into context. More than conquerors. We're not just conquerors. This is not Napoleon acted out here. We're more than conquerors.

And some call this, I ran into one commentary in preparing for this morning, called this self-consecration. And I won't tell you who this was. Self-consecration and our whole spirit and soul and body to Him who hath called us into the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ. Self-consecration. And I say, agree, agree in part, or disagree. And we'll not have any time for discussion here this morning.

Now I'm wondering who said that. No, I know. You can see me afterwards. OK. So we got about two minutes to wrap up here to prepare Roger for the gifts next week. And Roger, I'm glad you're teaching all these gifts here. All right. So Paul goes on to say, for I say through the grace having been given to me, to everyone who's among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think. but to think soberly as God has dealt to each a measure of faith. And by the way, that measure is like taking a drink from the ocean. Notice the basis on which Paul introduces the gifts which will follow next week. It's all grace. And let's turn to Ephesians 3, 7, and 8 very quickly to make sure we're on fertile soil in terms of approaching these gifts. And I'll let Roger, again, take you forward in that next week. So whoever gets that, please read it right away. Yes.

I was made a minister according to the gift of the grace of God, given unto me by the perfection of his power. Unto me, who is less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of God. OK, thank you. So everything Paul brings forward, he acknowledges as grace given. And that's true of the gifts also. And again, Roger will get into detail. And with grace, there's absolutely no room for self. There's none. Grace is entirely...

What's that? Well, I've been working on this and it hadn't been working, Randy, so maybe... So this is the only New Testament use of this term. It's an indirect negative in the grief, overthinking of ourselves or overestimating ourselves. And the contrast is coming about our business soberly. And by the way, these verses are worth looking up. We don't have time now.

1 Corinthians 4, 6 and 7, Galatians 6, 3 are other reminders of this important principle that, in a sense, it says, why take credit for things yourself when they're all God-given to begin with? And if we think of good looks, if we think of athletic performance, if we think of intelligence, if we think of any kind of skill set that ultimately people do, an atmosphere of cockiness or over-confidence is not an acknowledgment of God and what he's really done. These people have worked on their skill sets and abilities to mature them, but they're all God-given to begin with. I'll never hit a golf ball straight off the tee, never. I mean, I'm not saying that's God-given.

Okay, according as God has dealt every man a measure of faith, dealt as aristactive, kind of done, and this active process which he's done, and I think has done once and for all through Calvary, is to bestow or impart to every, not just some men, so everybody's got a gift. Faith here is viewed as the inlet to all other graces. And I think, and what is your gift?

Stay tuned. Roger's got this clarified for us, and we're going to hear all about this next week. Let's close in prayer. Father, we're grateful that we've been called to not be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind to prove your great grace and love for us.

And that process is one that we do have a role in. We have a response by act of faith to believe what you've revealed. And to understand and believe increasingly, we need to be in your word. And we don't put a number of minutes each day to that, but the Spirit calls us to the fellowship and teaches us through your word. And may we ultimately learn of him increasingly so our lives may be a reflection of that great grace. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen.