Chapter # 12 Paragraph # 2 Study # 2
October 27, 2019
Humble, Texas
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Thesis:   Paul's "message" is that every believer needs to be carefully focused in regard to "how he/she thinks".

Introduction:   Having presented to the Roman believers that our "transfiguration" in the direction of being conformed to the image of Christ is the outcome of a renewal of the mind, Paul next proceeds to the most important issue in that "renewal", which is the issue of the "what" of the mental focus that will produce the desired "renewal".

This evening our study will concern his "apostolic words" regarding this most necessary concept.

• I. Paul's Words As "Apostolic Doctrine".
  • A. The "I say" is a declaration of "doctrine" to be "believed" (lego).
  • B. The qualifying phrase, "...through the grace which was given to me...".
    • 1. Grace stands front and center as the "divine provision" for the "divine insistence".
      • a. Paul is under constraint to speak the Truth of God.
      • b. God is providing through the grace of His provision of His Spirit and His Gift so that the Truth can be spoken inerrantly.
    • 2. The "gift given" was identified in the beginning as "apostleship" (1:5).
• II. Paul's Words As Directed To "Each Of Those Being In The Midst".
  • A. Paul intends the believers in Rome to understand that what he has to say is restricted to those who make up the "church" in Rome.
    • 1. It is not that "unbelievers" do not need to be of the described mindset.
    • 2. It is that only "believers" have any capacity at all to meet that need for the simple reason that it is God Who actually provides those "capacities" and they are only provided in the setting of the interactions of "faith": it does no one any good at all for God to say things to people who will not believe Him.
  • B. Paul also intends that the believers in Rome understand that there are none "in the midst" who can legitimately set aside his "apostolic words" so that all of them must deal with the words because there is always an entire set of consequences for those who harden themselves against Him.
• III. Paul's Specific Declaration.
  • A. It is all about the way believers "think".
    • 1. The word translated "think" is used four times in the one verse (12:3), an obvious emphasis.
    • 2. The various ways it is "possible" to "think".
      • a. It is possible to "think" in a way that is "inflated with pride rooted in the appearances of present 'things'" (a practice Paul described in 2 Corinthians 10:12 with the words, " For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise").
        • 1) The "present things" are simply the appearances of "results" that seem to be rooted in the one looking at them with pride.
        • 2) But those "results", if accomplished by "faith", are actually the "results of God's activities on the behalf of those who trust Him", and if not accomplished by "faith" are actually misleading appearances.
      • b. It is possible to "think" in a way that is "aware" of certain basic truths.
        • 1) The first "truth" is that there is an absolutely "necessary" way to "think" in contrast to "thinking" that ignores the necessities that lead to a "renewed mind".
        • 2) The second "truth" is that this "absolutely necessary way to think" has to do with what Paul calls "sober thinking" which takes into account the most basic of realities: God apportions "faith" to each person according to His purposes so that all genuine outcomes are God's doings, "by grace through faith" to accomplish "good works which He "before ordained that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:8-10).
          • a) It is God Who determines "when" faith is given (in terms of each person's situations in life).
          • b) It is God Who determines "how long" a person with "faith" will have to function in this world before he/she is caught up to be with God.
          • c) It is God Who determines "how great" or "how small" is the "measure" apportioned to each person.
    • 3. These issues in "thinking" are not to be taken as a way to excuse any believer's "unbelief"; they are to be taken as a way for those who seem to have accomplished much to not use those perceived accomplishments for self-exaltation.
  • B. It is all about the same basic theme that recurs over and over in Paul's message: "pride" is to be vigorously rejected.

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This is article #020.
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