Chapter 35
Know Thyself
Romans 12:3-8
Many Christians can quote Romans 12:1-2. And we especially like that part of the verse that says we can "prove the good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Unfortunately, most of us tend to end our reading there. And thus, we know that we need to be changed, not from the outside in, but from the inside out by having our minds made new. In other words, we know that we need to think differently. But how? In what ways do we need to think differently?
Well, we need to read on to learn the answer to that question. In the very next verse, Paul begins to tell us how we ought to think. And that's where we pick up the text today - Romans 12:3-8. Let's read it together.
If we are going to present ourselves to God as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable, our usefulness to God depends on three things spoken of in this text.
The Proper Attitude, 12:3.
Verse 3 has both a negative and a positive statement. It tells us how not to think and then tells us how to think.
Positively - Some Serious Self-evaluation. We are to think "soberly", that is, seriously about ourselves. Get to know yourself well. Wise people are good at evaluation, even if it is of themselves. Know thyself! Know your strengths and your weaknesses. Be honest with yourself about your struggles and your failures and your needs. You need the true view of you! Paul explains that self-evaluation should not lead to conceit.
Negatively - The Rejection of Pride. We are commanded here to be humble, to not think more highly of ourselves than we ought to. We need an accurate assessment of our giftedness and a grateful heart for God's gift to us. We should neither exaggerate our own importance not undervalue our worth to God. These are all words that have to do with attitude. Many of our spiritual struggles and problems are really an attitude problem. Often preachers preach hard about various actions when the root of the problem is actually a poor or improper attitude. It may be an attitude of pride that keeps us from doing something that needs to be done or an attitude of rebellion that will not submit to God's authority, or a selfish attitude than considers no one but me. With a wrong attitude we go through life frustrated ourselves and frustrating to others.
We must begin with some serious and humble self-evaluation that leads us to a proper attitude.
Proper Relationships, 12:4-6a
Not only is our attitude a major source of potential spiritual problem, but so are our relationships. Isn't that just the honest truth? (Somebody say, "Amen!"). The most painful part of life usually is related to personal relationships. We wound others or we get wounded by someone else and hurts hurt. The truth is that it is no different in the church. We are still fallen humanity. The biggest problem in most churches, the reason why church driveways are blackened with skid marks of someone's angry departure, is not because of some great doctrinal or theological error coming from the pulpit, but most often from strained or broken personal relationships within the church.
These verses have a very simple truth to remind us of. We have to realize that everyone is different. Not every Christian is identical. According to verse 6a, we don't all have the same gifts. Verse 4 says that we don't all hold the same office (the word means "function, deed or work").
Someone suggested to me, a while back, that we all have a different S-H-A-P-E.
S - Spiritual gifts
H - Heart (passions)
A - Abilities
P - Personality
E - Experience
Just as there are many parts or organs to the human body, so the church, the Body of Christ is composed of members differing in function and gifts. Within the unity of the Body there is great diversity. And that diversity often puts a big strain on personal relationships. We have a hard time with people who are "way different" from us.
I have observed that most churches tend to be homogeneous. That is, most often, people find a church where the people are like themselves. When they show up the first time, they are not looking at the preaching or the music or the facilities but are looking around and asking themselves, "Is there anybody here like me?" It is our human nature to locate ourselves in surroundings that are comfortable, non-threatening, and familiar. And, as a result, most churches tend to be homogeneous. And I don't mean just in areas of doctrine and theology. It extends to personal interests and tastes and preference as well as socioeconomic factors as well. We tend to find and attract people who are like us.
There is only one problem with that. It isn't the divine design of the church. God did not intend His church to be homogeneous. God intends His churches to have Jews and Gentiles, Greeks and Barbarians, wise and unwise (Romans 1:14), people with all kinds of backgrounds and gifts and passions and abilities and personalities and experiences and interests and tastes and preferences. I Corinthians 12:17-21 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
God's Word urges us to realize that we are all different. Diversity is often hard to deal with. You get to thinking, "There's nobody here like me. I don't fit in. Maybe I ought to go somewhere where I do fit better." Diversity can also strain personal relationships. If people are so different, they just don't view things from the same perspective. And that's what leads to the homogeneity of the local church. There is, however, a tremendous benefit that comes from diversity. The more diverse a church is, the more opportunity that church has to reach more people. If we stay very homogeneous, we can only reach one slice, one segment of people. But if we are quite diverse, we have an opportunity to reach anybody and everybody.
When it comes to a proper attitude - you need some serious and humble self-evaluation. When it comes to proper relationships - realize that everyone is different but that's OK.
Proper Service, 12:6b-8
Verses 6-8 begins a discussion of spiritual gifts. There are 7 seven gifts listed in Romans 12 - prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhorting, giving, ruling and showing mercy. I don't have the time today to deal with these seven gifts. The Lord willing, next Sunday's sermon will be given completely and exclusively to the very important matter of spiritual gifts - especially those gifts in Romans 12.
But let us conclude with this general consideration. Paul calls every believer to minister. There is no such thing as an obedient Christian who isn't involved in ministry. The area of ministry depends on one's personal spiritual gifts. There are various categories of spiritual giftedness. In this text, Paul simply encourages us to use the spiritual gifts which we have been given.
Whatever you gift is, go with it. If your gift is prophecy, then prophesy, if your gift is teaching, then teach. If your gift is exhortation, then exhort. Go with you gift. We don't always do that. We seem to have a strange fascination with our weaknesses and pay more attention to overcoming them. So often, we want to do that which we are not gifted at, and feel frustration and failure. The Bible says to go with your gift. Which means that you must know your gift.
Know thyself. It will lead you to humility, the proper attitude, v. 3. It will result in the proper relationships, accepting our differences, vv. 4-6a. And it will lead us to the proper service, exercising our own spiritual gifts. And in doing this, we will begin to renew our minds, to be transformed and will prove the will of God in our lives.