Bella Vista Church of Christ
LIFELINES
November 7, 2001 Randall Caselman
Becoming Spirit-Led People
Who controls your life and mine? What voice do we listen to? Whose example do we follow? I believe Scripture is plain as to the answer: “You are controlled not by the sinful nature (or, the flesh), but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.” (Romans 8:9-10) How do Spirit-led people behave? I believe we can find our answer in Romans chapter twelve. Ready?
1. Spirit-Led People Are Non-Conformists.
James contends that conformity with the world is enmity with God. If we love the world, and the things in and of the world, the love of God is not in us. That is a simple enough statement. Why do we resist it so? You see, we must conform, not to the world but to the Spirit, and to the Holy Spirit rather than our spirit. It must be what He wants, not what we want. We can accomplish this difficult task by mind renewal, allowing God to transform our minds, our thinking, our attitudes and behavior through His Word. Are we willing?
2. Spirit-Led People Are Not Into Pride.
In Proverbs, Solomon makes a list of God’s most hated attitudes and behaviors; pride tops his list. Spirit-led people do not think of themselves above what is reasonably right, but rather see themselves in light of God’s gift. For through the grace given to me I say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think in sound judgment as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. Pride, “me first,” our desire for pre-eminence, consumes us. Instead of being a people of the towel, willing to serve, we clamor for thrones. Who is greatest in the church? Put the words of Jesus and Paul together and you have the answer-those who serve with their gift. Paul says that no one gift is elevated above another. The preacher (prophet) is no more important than the giver, the teacher, leader, the encourager or those who show mercy. Spirit-led people are those who are willing to overcome pride, and find their place in the church, don the towel, and go to work with their God-given talents.
3. Spirit-Led People Hate Evil and Love Good.
Abhor what is evil; cleave to what is good ... hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil. How do we always know what is right and wrong, good and evil? This is one of the works of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit has given us the Word, the Bible, God’s instruction manual. So if we want to know His will, we can discern it by becoming students of the Book. It is that simple.
Jesus promised His apostles that the Spirit would guide, lead, them into all truth. He does no less today. No, not through new and miraculous revelations, but through the Word. No, preachers do not determine truth. As good as they were and are, parents and grandparents do not determine truth. The church or some council cannot determine truth. Elders do not determine truth. The Holy Spirit does! Spirit-led people are genuine Bible students with a hunger and thirst for righteousness! Seek and you shall find. Knock and it will be opened. Study to show yourself approved of God. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Folk, there is no excuse for us not knowing God’s will, for not knowing right and wrong. It is there in His Word for us to discover.
4. Spirit-Led People Love Peace.
They, like Jesus, turn the other cheek. Spirit-led people are not into revenge. They never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Paul concludes this great chapter by saying that we should make every possible effort to live at peace with all men. But then you see, the Jesus in us would not allow us to act in any other manner, would it?
Are we Spirit-led or self-led? Our challenge is to make sure that we are indeed Spirit-led Christians. The truth is, there is no other kind... “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God.”
RANDALL CASELMAN
