When we studied this chapter earlier this year we found three easy to spot “fence posts” that help our minds stay aligned to the overarching message: choose good over evil.
- Fence Post One (vv1-2): choose transformation over conformation.
- Fence Post Two (v9): cling to what is good and abhor what is evil.
- Fence Post Three (v21): overcome evil with good.
The verses between these fence posts are filled with
instructions to keep us on the right side of the fence; instructions for how to
behave toward our brethren and toward those who do evil and persecute us.
God’s way takes effort: effort in preparing and effort in
doing.
Any dead fish can flow with the current; it takes a live one to swim upstream.
We need to prepare our hearts and minds to obey, to swim
against the current of the world around us. How?
By remembering all that God has done for us.
He loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for us so we
could be saved from the bondage of sin (1
John 4:9-10, Romans 6:17-19). His mercy is so abundant that He preserved
His word through these centuries so we, too, could access it and learn of Him,
seek Him, and find out what is acceptable to Him (Romans 15:4-6, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Ephesians 5:8-10). And in reading
His word, we discover that His commands and instructions are for our good
always (Deuteronomy 6:24-26); that
His prohibitions keep us safe from harm (and from harming others), and His
permissions benefit us (and help us benefit others).
When we remember and appreciate what God has done for us,
and continues to do for us (Psalm 68:19, Romans
8:26-27, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Philippians 4:6-7, Hebrews 4:14-16, etc.), we
will come to realize that submitting to Him in obedience is the most logical
response; He has done so much, and asks so little of us in return.
When we have gained knowledge (by learning God’s commands
and instructions), wisdom (by obeying
His commands and instructions), and spiritual understanding (coming to realize the immense value of God
and His word, the pure wisdom of His ways, etc.) then we will logically
conclude that God’s way is the best
way; we will be willing to put ourselves and our own ideas aside and submit to
His will (present your bodies a living sacrifice); we will want to be
holy and acceptable to God. We will desire the transformation (being changed for the better) that will
come when we renew our minds – turning our focus from the world and its ways to
God and His way (Colossians 3:1-2) –
and we will determine to use the gifts/talents/abilities God has given us, and
to use them for good.
We will grow to love our brethren by applying the
instructions given verse 10 through 13, and we will grow to a place of faith in
God’s way and strength of spirit so that we will not be overcome by evil but
overcome evil with the good that God has instructed us in (verses 14-20) – we
will follow His way and in so doing show others in the world that there is a
better way.
There is work to do, and God wants you to succeed – to
overcome! Are you ready to present your
body a living sacrifice, to be holy and acceptable to God? Are you ready to use
your abilities for good? To prepare yourself through faithful application of
His instructions to love your brethren with brotherly love and to overcome evil
with good? God has given us all we need to do exactly that! Are you ready?
You can do it! So can
I!!
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