f The Gospel ,s P|W,ea Romans 12:1-21 We sow eater the last ?action of Peart letter. With the Mfeaficent ex ception of a brief pa usage in chapter 6, the letter hi* been miming any admoni tions about Christian be havior. That now changes. Yet admonition .may be too strong a word. We should be cautious in our readiug, for the words which we read here are more the pastoral con cerns of an evangelist than the strict teachings of a moralist. One might even imagine this chapter and the ones following coming in response to someone saying to Paul, "O.K., you the way things are, fkea how do I cope with ihc broke noes* of Iho .world Mid the ' over < present ui aaw thio^ up." The answer begins in this chapter. We need to be careful also that we don't read into Ihew verses a new Law. For, some this has been difficult, for the ver ses can easily be read as Law, hearing in them rigid requirements rather thaa opportunities for respond ing to God's call to living ones life in conformity to Grace. They are not rules for living as much as they are information about living, shared with a willing Its-1 (MMVt Notice that the chapter i* divided into two parts. The lint part describes life at a response to Grace within the Christian com munity, the second part shares the possibilities of .. ttfc conformed to Grace within the larger non-Chris tian community. Each of these spheres of activity carries with it an aura of composure and an attitude about the effects jot Grace which lorni the boundaries of action. These arc the means to a Christian life by develop ing a lifestyle which is con formed to Grace...yet it is something more, for it is not merely a lifestyle but a thoroughgoing reformation of ones life. Life within the com munity k focused oo the need for unity, end yet within that unity there is a recognition of the diversity of gifts. The description of the body parts helps us see clcady not only the need for the acceptance of all parts of the body of Christ, but also recognize the necessity for ALL PARTS...nol just the ones we represent or the ones we like. No one is more important than another, just as no part of the body is more important than another. Therefore wc art called to live within the communily like the inter connected parts of the body: cooperating with one another for the benefit of the whole body, and not warring with one another. r lodcod/ > tlto part* qf amtbody at war with dm anothcr..the hand with the (out, for to stance..Joem* absurd ,iw* rather nilly. * Life outside the com munity is focused on peace and rccoociliation. The member of the body of Christ is not u> withdraw from the world, nor are wc to be conformed to it \ This means that the Chris tian moves about in the world, is an active part of the community in which he or she lives, but brings to that activity another set of values than those which the community might hold. They are not bound to keep up with the latest fads, but can bring into the community a different ap proach to life which is redemptive. The Christian I but islwra'klednMB^end puttoucw. The Christian may even be persecuted, but should not respond in hostility. The purpose of the Chris tian moving out into the world is to make 'the Grace of God operative in God's creation, therefore every conflict is an oppor tunity for reconciliation rather( than punishment. The saying 'you will heap ; coals of fire upon his head' is not a punishment, but rather recalls God's inten tion that each of us is purified in the lire..4he fire burns out the passion for rebellion. Acts of kind ness to our enemies ex lends the opportunity for God's Grace in the world. It has been said many limes before that in dividual Christians are the hands and feet of God in the world, we are also the visible manefeslalion of Grace in the manner we live. If the world is ever to be transformed and made whole again, we are the avenue for that transforma tion. Not in our individual successes, and not in our triumphs in conflicts with the world, will it come; but rather in our behavior as communities making con crete the transformation which comes in living in the pattern of Grace, and in the manner in which we make that Grace real in the rest of the world. The Rev. John Robinson is the Pastor of the New Hope Presbyterian Chapel located at 2nd and Jones Streets in Pembroke. Come join us for Worship at a.m. this Sunday! ^ mu / / '> ? ?? j: GOD'S ETERNAL PURPOSE Have you ever consid ered carefully the opening words of the Bible? "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." Why doesn't it simply say ' that God created the uni verse? Why the heaven and the earth? As we go on reading we find the answer to this question, for the Bible clearly teaches that God has a two-fold purpose; one having to do with the earth and the other with heaven. The former is the subject of prophecy, while the latter is the subject of the "mys tery," or secret, revealed to and through the Apostle Paul. (See Acts 3:21; and cf. Romans 16:25.) The former concerns Israel and the nations; the latter "the Body of Christ," the church of the heavenly calling. Some people are sur prised to learn that there is not one promise in the whole Old Testament a bout going to heaven. The whole outlook is earthly there, with Messiah reign ing as King (Jer. 23:5, et al). When our Lord ap peared in the flesh the angels cried: "Peace on earth" (Luke 2:14). He Himself said that "the meek" should "inherit the earth" (Matt. 5:5). He taught His disciples to pray: "Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven" (Matt. 6:10). Evan at Pn-: tecost Pater declared that: after "the restitution of all;, things" God would send:! Jesus back to earth and the:;! times of refreshing would/4, "come from the presence of^ the Lord" (Acts 3:19-21).^! Not until the raising up*? of Paul do .we learn that*/ now all believers in Christ ? are "baptised into one body";.; (I Cor. 12<13), and Colo*-; sians 1:5, and many otMr'.-' Pauline passages, speak of; "the hope which it laid up'j for you IN HEAVEN" In-* deed, before God, believers/ are already given a position 1 "in heavenly placet" and dTtf 1; "blessed with all spiritual:; blessings in heavenly placet I in Christ" (Eph. 1:3; 2:4-7). J The prophecies regard-; * ing the Kingdom, however,: will still be fulfilled and; Christ will reign on earth! and bring the promised? "times of refreshing." God! be thanked that this world: will not forever be a place of] war and bloodshed, sick-] ness and death, misery and woe. Indeed, at that time.: heaven and earth will be opened to each other, and thus will be fulfilled God's two-fold purpose: That in the dispensation of the ful ness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him" (Eph. 1:10). Your young child may b? able to hold onto a drinking glass better if you place two tight rubber bands around ? the glass an inch or so apart. This makes it easier for little hands to hold. ~? -1. x . l According to some researchers, celery has negative ? calories. It takes more calories to eat a piece of celery than the celery has in it to begin with. | , ? ? 'Ro&sai J-ftsteritaS Strife, eft firaNfSL fjuGUST 13-16 CShcwhtr|e 8"30eeral QdhnlssicoSea+In0).^|^o? 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