Key Verses: Romans 12:9-21, "9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
James Frey had an amazing story. And it was immediately obvious that people wanted to hear him tell it. Frey's bestselling book, A Million Little Pieces, is a chilling account of a life of drug addiction and harmful behavior. Frey painted a picture that was painfully honest, with graphic details of the sinister life he lived while addicted to drugs. Oprah invited him on her show and featured his book in her book club. People all over America were captivated.
There was one problem though. Frey had made up most of the story. He had lied about or otherwise exaggerated many of the accounts in the book.
Read Romans 12:9-21. Paul said a lot here. He basically summed up what it means to live a life of Christian character. He outlined many ways humanity can live according to God's standards. But maybe the line that serves as the best summary of the passage is in verse 9: "Hate what is evil; cling to what is good."
If we are to follow Christ, we must hate what is evil. We must live a life that clings to the good things of God. Why? First of all, Christ commanded us to live this way. All of scripture attests to the fact that God is holy, righteous, and just. As His children, our lives should mirror His character.
But the other reason we should live good lives is because our lives are our most powerful testimony to the world. The world hates a fake. James Frey is a perfect example. His fans turned on him when they found out his stories were embellished. Those we are trying to influence for Christ will turn on us if our actions do not match our professed beliefs. If you say you are a Christ-follower, you must be prepared to live a life that testifies to God's greatness.
The worst thing you can do is to communicate to the world that following Christ doesn't change your life. If you live like the rest of the world, you show people that Jesus isn't important enough to make a difference. You say to the world that there is no rush to turn your life over to Christ.
Don't send the wrong message! Live a right life for Christ...today!
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