Lesson 152

Romans Chapter Twelve

Responsibilities in the Christian Life

 

12:3-8 breaks down into two parts;

      1. Our attitude  12:3

      2. Our activity/service within the body  12:4-8

 

For through the grace given to me say to every man among you 

 

 

With this first phrase Paul is putting his apostolic authority behind the statements made here.

 

I say to every man among you  

 

           

not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; 

 

 

 

 

think more highly     mh. u`perfronei/n  > fronew  4x's in context;

basic to think, refers to any exercise of the mind;

 

 

Lit.  Do not think beyond the truth or reality of the matter.    

          Answer to over think or under think is to right think;

            This is saying to us do not go beyond the parameters of the facts, the truth, the reality of the situation.

 

 

Alan Johnson, writing in Romans Vol.2 pg. 94 on humility that is pertinent.

Humility, contrary to general opinion, is not assuming the least role, or taking the lowest notch on the totem pole. Rather, humility is an attitude and action which results from taking an honest look at where we fit best into the whole of God’s work as He has determined by His gifts to us.

 

 

 

 

 

The rest of the verse 3 is a transition to the main subject of spiritual gifts.

            "as he has allotted to each a measure of faith.” 

             

 

 

It is true that we are not as believers to think more highly about ourselves, are to be realistic about ourselves about things in general, see that idea in Phil. 2:3-4; 

 

 

 

The exhortation here is to be realistic about yourself and your spiritual gift, that is your place/function within the body of Christ.

 

 

Question?  What is the measure of faith?

 

This phrase is saying the same thing that vs:6a is saying!

We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us;

 

What activates the reality and provision of grace in our lives?  

 

 

With verse 4 Paul moves from our attitude/thinking to the activity or function of the spiritual gifts that he wants to emphasize here.

 

Paul explains the parallelism that exists between a believer’s physical body which has parts with differing functions and the community of believers in Christ as a spiritual body (cf. 1 Cor. 12:12-27;  Eph. 4:11-12, 15-16).

 

 

The point is that each member functions to serve the body and as each one functions properly there is service and support to the other members, we’re members one of another.

 

 12:6 The Exercise of Differing Gifts within the Local Body

 

Since the list here is not complete, not an exhaustive list, since there are many more than he covers here;

 

Therefore we must conclude that the information provided on the various gifts is instructional as to how we relate to the gifts and how they are to function within the local assembly.

 

Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us,

 

gifts  ca,risma [pl.] denotes what is given as a gift, the result of the gracious act of God therefore a gift of grace;

 

Def.:  A spiritual gift is a divinely given ability to function helpfully within the body of Christ.   Therefore enablement for service within the body of Christ.

 

 

General Observations on Spiritual Gifts

1. Distribution of gifts; 

 

 

 

2. There are varieties of gifts, a diversity of gifts.

 

 

 

 

3. The goal of all of the gifts, is always the same.

 

 

 

 

4. The Priority of the gifts.

 

 

 

 

5. Classification of the gifts.

 

 

 

 

Some gifts then are extensions of abilities [over/above/beyond] that are to be possessed by all of us.

- “word of wisdom” 1 Cor 12:8  cf. Jas. 1:5 

- “faith  1 Cor 12:9 cf. 2 Cor. 5:7 

 

 

Not all gifts are designed for the whole of the church age.

   > Permanent = those gifts that have an age long purpose.

   > Temporary = those gifts that have a fulfilled historical purpose.

 

> Church age must be evaluated and looked at as being in two parts.

Pre-canon period and the post canon period.

 

 

Pentecost to 95 AD.; 95 AD. to End of the Church Age.  [Rapture]   33 AD.

 

  Pentecost                95 AD.                                  Church age                                                      1 Ths. 4

 

                           Pre-canon                                         Post-canon       

 

 

 

The temporary gifts were all designed to provide through their function a clear presentation of the authoritative message of God to the church.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How do we today discern the true from the false, or test the spirits, the r/o we're getting?? Go to Scripture, the std, the criteria.  We have the completed text of Scripture!