Visit our new blog. It lists all the new things that we are doing and what new material has been added to our site. We even list new missionaries who sign up with us for technical support so you can pray for them. FCM News
The question of what is to follow after we have been
forgiven of our sin by being cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and
have been born again from above ("gegenemenon" from "gennao"
meaning to be born from above "anothen Gk. from above found in John
3:3f) must be answered.
Growth in Christ, then, must occur to the newborn person through the ministry
of the Holy Spirit to our hearts from the Word of the Scriptures. We have
learned from the previous chapters about the new life of living in the
Spirit; and not in fleshly ("sarks") works of our old worldly
nature of evil lusts.
In verse one and following Paul exhorts each one of us to present ("parastasi"
Gk. meaning to place beside in sacrificial service to God/Christ) our
bodies ("Somata" Gk.); and this by the merciful kindness and
acceptance of God. This is our reasonable ("logikos" Gk. meaning
logical) personal handing over of our bodies to God. We are not our own,
but we have been redeemed/bought by Jesus Christ from the slave market
of sin, and further, have been delivered from the power of sin in our
fleshly bodies. Our bodies now are the vessels of service to the church/body
of Christ; and we are to give a pure and holy witness to the world. See
Romans 6, Gal. 3.
We are one in the body of Christ and have received gifts for ministry
to one another, equally, in the service of Christ Jesus. See verse seven
and following.
Earlier, we saw the different and individual functions which we have as
single members of the total body of Christ. Look back to verse four for
the word office or practice or function (from "praxin" Gk. meaning
action).
Although we are individually functioning in our place in the Body of Christ
we are joined together in Christ's total body. The local church is to
bear this image of the total body of Christ.
This is a ministry of love ("agape" Gk., purity and holiness),
in the hope and blessed joy of our resurrection through Jesus Christ.
See verses nine to sixteen.
We conquer the enemy through goodness, kindness and giving to him for
his good. See verses nineteen to twenty-one. This is what Jesus Christ
did on Calvary and what He is doing now in the world through individual
believers and the unified Church to demonstrate God's mercy and grace
upon sinners.
