YOUR SPIRITUAL SERVICE (Part 2)

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“Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7 RSV.

 

Salvation is not the reward or wages of our good works. It is purely the gift of God. No one can be justified or saved by faith in their self-righteousness, good performance, or religious works. Salvation is purely by grace alone through faith alone in the person and finished work of Jesus on the cross (Romans. 3:20-22, 4:1-5, Gal. 2:16, Ephesians. 2:8-9).

However, saving faith without good works is dead, useless, and unprofitable to anyone.

James 2:14-17 – NKJV

 14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?

 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,

 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?

 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Having become saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, it is expected of you to gladly love, obey, worship, and serve the Lord, not merely as a religious obligation or as a means of earning God’s love, acceptance, favor, or blessing, but as a loving, grateful or thankful response to Him for His pure, selfless, and unconditional love towards you.

That is what the Bible called “your spiritual or reasonable service” in Romans. 12:1 ASV and NKJV.

Romans 12:1 – ASV

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service.

Romans 12:1 – NKJV

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (NKJV).

What are the essential elements of a spiritual or reasonable service?

Consider what the Bible teaches about spiritual or reasonable service, which is holy and acceptable to God (Romans. 12:1).

First, spiritual or reasonable service to God is voluntary.

Having been bought with a great price, the precious blood of Christ, you don’t legally belong anymore to yourself, but to Jesus Christ alone, who bought you with His precious blood.

Paul queries, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Cor. 6:19-20 NKJV).

He also states, “You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.” (1 Cor. 7:23 NKJV).

Although you legally belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, who bought you with His precious blood, Christ will not compel you to love, obey, worship, or serve Him against your wish or will. What a gentle Lord and Saviour!

After many of the followers of Jesus had departed from Him, the Lord turned to the twelve disciples with Him, asking, “Do you also want to go away?” (John 6:67 NKJV). The Lord Jesus does not want anyone to love, follow, or serve Him forcefully, grudgingly, or reluctantly.

Any service or good work you are forced, coaxed, or manipulated by anyone to render in the Lord’s name is a carnal, unreasonable, and unprofitable service. Whatever you give to the Lord or give in the name of the Lord grudgingly, reluctantly, or half-heartedly is unacceptable to the Lord.

Therefore, Paul admonishes, “Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Cor. 9:7 RSV).

Second, spiritual or reasonable service to God is personal.

The Lord Jesus Christ offered Himself on the cross as an atoning sacrifice for your sins so that you may have a personal, loving, and intimate relationship with God.

Salvation is a personal decision to receive God’s gift of eternal life through faith in Christ Jesus. Nobody can do this for you, and you cannot do it for anybody!

Paul states, “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans. 10:10 NKJV).

Likewise, consecration or devotion to God is a personal decision. Nobody can love, obey, worship, or serve God on your behalf. It is something you have to do personally and deliberately. You must personally decide to deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow the Lord Jesus daily.

Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23 NKJV).

Friend, it is unreasonable to expect someone to deny yourself for you, take up your cross daily for you, and follow Jesus closely and every day for you. Therefore, in this New Year, you must personally, willingly, cheerfully, and wholeheartedly consecrate or devote your life, time, strength, talents, and resources to God and His Kingdom.

 

Prayer:

Dear Holy Spirit, help me to present my whole being willingly, gladly, wholeheartedly, and continually to the Lord Jesus Christ this New Year, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Our mandates is to Preserving the faith of the Apostolic Generation.

Eniyekpemi Fidelis Oyinpreyebi.

AWH, Blogs.

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