How then should I live?
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If Romans 1-8 describes the faith in which we now stand, and Romans 9-11 gives Israel hope for the future, then Romans 12-16 pictures what love looks like in a Christian’s life. We study now what a Christian does with the salvation God has given to us.
To live the life He’s intended for you when He saved you, present your total personality to God. God created us to be relational, with a responsibility to each other.
Your relationship to God. Because you are now rich in God’s tender compassion, yield your whole person as a living sacrifice to Him. Put yourself at His service. Live what you believe. The minute you pretend to be something you’re not, you give up your discernment of God’s will in your life. But when you yield to His Spirit, God’s will shapes your life perfectly.
Your relationship to God’s Spirit. The church is like a body—with many members doing different things well. God gives us a unique ability to serve His body when He saves us. When you contribute your gift, you confirm His Spirit is alive in you.
Your relationship with other Christians. Through the Spirit’s power, we can live distinctly godly lives yet interact with each other. We need to love each other the best we know how and be eager and enthusiastic to join with each other in serving the Lord. We share what we have with others in need and enter into each other’s joys and sorrows. And together, we follow Jesus.
Your relationship with people who don’t yet know Jesus Christ. We live in a world of unbelievers, and eventually, we will be hurt by them. Turn that over to God. Live so no one could accuse you of anything—not laziness, not debts, not pride, or pettiness. Don’t let evil get the best of you. Keep doing good and walk in the power of His Spirit.
Your relationship to government. As a believer, your citizenship is in heaven, but you’re also a citizen in this world. God appointed government as our authority to maintain law and order. When it doesn’t do that, it fails. As Christians, we should respect our rulers who enforce the law. Although the kingdoms of this world belong to Satan and injustice and corruption flourish in all governments, God still has control. He raises kings and presidents, and He puts them down. He has not abdicated His throne; neither is He disturbed about what is happening in politics. Christianity is not a movement to help society clean up the town. We are to preach a gospel that is the power of God to bring salvation to anyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ. A Christian should be the best citizen on earth, although our true citizenship is in heaven.
Your relationship with your neighbors. Our love for our neighbor is best seen in what we do rather than what we say. Time is short. You have a small window to share the Lord with your neighbor. Live as children of light, Paul said. This challenge is like an alarm clock to wake us up to why we should yield our whole lives to God. Yield all you are and all you have to Him. This is rational. This is reasonable. This is what we are supposed to be doing—living like God’s representatives in a lost generation.
Look for Jesus Christ’s return, too. It could be any day. This alone will help you live a pure life (1 John 3:3). Let’s live for God in our generation! Leave not a space for worldly living, but make room for God’s presence in your life every day.