Daily Devotions
Romans
"He who serves Christ..."
Text: Romans 14:18
OUTSIDE THE KINGDOM OF GOD
We must never lose appreciation of what it means to gain entrance into God’s kingdom. In another epistle Paul wrote about a time when Gentiles were not part of the kingdom.
“Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh-
who are called Uncircumcision by what is called Circumcision made in the flesh by hands – that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.”
Ephesians 2:11-12
INCLUDED INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD
What a great privilege it is to belong to the Kingdom of God. In his epistle to the Ephesians, Paul wrote,
“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off
have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Now therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners,
but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household
of God.
In whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place
of God in the Spirit.”
Ephesians 2:13, 19, 22
Let us never allow ourselves to lose the joy of the privilege that God has given to us- to gain entrance into His Kingdom!
OUR PART AS A CITIZEN OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Is there a part that we must play as good citizens of the Kingdom of God? Paul makes the following suggestion.
“He who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God
and approved by men.”
Romans 14:18
1. We must seek to “serve Christ”.
2. We must seek to serve Christ in a correct manner.
a) We are not to focus on “eating and drinking”.
b) We are to focus on promoting righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
3. Acceptance and approval would be won
This kind of service would be acceptable to God. The mature man would also nod his head in approval when the spiritual is emphasized.