Romans * 87
Acceptable
Brian Kocourek, Pastor
ROMANS 12:1 ¶ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the
mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your
reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed
by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and
acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 3 For I say, through the grace given unto
me, to every man that is among you, not to think [of himself] more highly than
he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every
man the measure of faith.
For the past few weeks we have been examining the ten attributes of our presentation to God of these bodies. In the process of our examination we have found how important the presentation is when giving the gift, and we have also found that this gift we are to present to God must be a living Gift and one that is holy. And we found that there is only one way that the body f this death can be made alive, and that is by the infilling of the very Life of God. We also found that this gift of a living sacrifice unto the Lord must be one that is Holy, and yet the Scripture tells us that there is none holy as the Lord. Therefore, we found that it is His Holiness from His Life which comes forth from His word that we are to present back to God. For the Apostle Paul said, “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless, I live, and the Life I now Live, I live by the Faith of the Son of God, Who gave Himself for me. Therefore, it must be His Life, and His Holiness, that is offered back to God.
This morning we will continue to examine these ten attributes Paul speaks of concerning our offering of our bodies as living sacrifices to the Living God. And this morning we want to focus our thoughts on what Paul calls, “acceptable God”. The ten attributes we are looking at are as follows:
ROMANS 12:1 ¶ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the
mercies of God, that ye #1-present
your bodies –this speaks of the important of the presentation we
make.
#2- a living sacrifice, - this speaks of a sacrifice that has been made alive, by God’s very life in us.
Therefore what remains to be examined is the following seven points.
#3- holy, This speaks of God’s own nature reflecting itself through us in our life. And this morning we will speak on …
#4- acceptable unto God,
Now, in order to understand this we must first ask ourselves,
1. What does it mean to be acceptable, and
2. What does it mean to be acceptable unto God?
Let’s look first at this word acceptable…
The Greek Word Paul used here for the word acceptable is spelled euarestos, and it is pronounced {yoo-ar'-es-tos} and simply means to be acceptable, or well pleasing, or to please well.
The English definition of acceptable means: Worthy of being
accepted. Now, remember, worth means a value that is placed upon, and that
means there must be an assessment made, and thus a standard set. 2. Adequate to satisfy a need,
requirement, or a standard. Therefore, we see in actuality that the word standard comes to the fore front in
our understanding of this word acceptable.
So we are looking at a
requirement being met or a standard being kept. And we are told if
we present our bodies to God as: number 1) Living sacrifices, or ones
which have been made Alive by the Word, and number 2) That this Living
sacrifice is to be Holy, then number 3) our sacrifice will be acceptable
unto God, or it shall meet His Standard.
So therefore,
we have a standard for presenting ourselves to God, and in order to meet that
standard we must number 1) Receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit which
is God’s Own Life coming alive in us, by the Living Word of God living Itself
out in our mortal bodies, or we will never have an Acceptable and Holy Life,
for we will never be able to understand God, who He is and What His Desires are
for us, and how we should response to
His Shout, which is the declaration of Who He is and Why He is here.
Now, brother Branham
said from the sermon PARDONED 63-1028 E-81
“There's
got to be some standard that God has to have here on earth that we're to be
judged by. And if we took the standard of our church, our denomination, how far
would we miss it? And which denomination would be right? Therefore, we'd be
confused. We wouldn't know what to do. But
there is a Standard and that is Your Word. And Your Word said, "Except
a man be born again he cannot even see the
So you see
without the Baptism of the Holy Spirit we can not even come to an understanding
of what the Message is or what it is all about. And if we cannot even
understand what the Message is, we will never understand God, nor His Godhood,
nor what He is here for, nor what He is here doing for us.
And thus, by
the Life of Christ coming froth into us through the Baptism of the Holy Spirit,
we now have His Holy Spirit Life dwelling in us, and thus the Life that is now
living itself out through us is Holy, for He said “be ye Holy even as My Father
which is in Heaven is Holy”, and the word “even as” means in the same measure. Therefore if it is in the
same measure, therefore the same standard that must be met, and that
Standard He has given to us through His Word.
Now, since the word acceptable means acceptable in meeting a standard,
then we must look to see what a standard is. The word stan·dard according the American
Heritage Dictionary is a noun.
There’s five
basic definitions that are ascribed to the word standard.
1) An acknowledged measure of comparison for quantitative or qualitative value; a criterion. b. An object that under specified conditions defines, represents, or records the magnitude of a unit. 2. The set proportion by weight of gold or silver to alloy metal prescribed for use in coinage. 3. The commodity or commodities used to back a monetary system. 4. a. A degree or level of requirement, excellence, or attainment. b. Often standards A requirement of moral conduct. 5. A flag, banner, or ensign, especially: a. The ensign of a chief of state, nation, or city
Now, let’s first look at number 1 as we go to the Scriptures to see examples of this acknowledged measure.
1) An acknowledged measure of comparison for quantitative or qualitative
value; (there’s that word
value again, which means assessment, and remember the Doxa
or Glory of the Father is His Judgment, value or assessment) therefore, His criterion. b. An object that under specified conditions defines,
represents, records or declares the magnitude of a unit.
Therefore we can see that this doxa or assessment or standard is the very parameters or shall we say attributes and characteristics that defines, or represent the very Life of the person, and declare what nature they have.
ISAIAH 59:19
So shall they fear the name of the LORD
from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall
come in like a flood, the Spirit of the
LORD shall lift up a standard against him.
Therefore, when the enemy comes upon the person who has entered into and has represented this standard, something is ordained to happen with them and in them. We will look at what that is in a few minutes.
EXODUS 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
EZEKIEL 11:20 That they may walk in my statutes, and keep
mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their
God.
God wants us not only to walk in his standard, but to become His standard alive in our bodies.
JOHN 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man
love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come
unto him, and make our abode with him.
ACTS 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our
being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his
offspring. 29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to
think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art
and man's device.
EXODUS 25:40 And look that thou make [them] after their
pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.
So he has given us a pattern and that pastern is His Word.
I TIMOTHY
HEBREWS 8:5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of
heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the
tabernacle: for, See, saith he, [that] thou make all things according to the
pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
PUTTING ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD 62-0607 E-41 But God just brings His Word more
positive all the time. He don't have to refortify it, and bring something else
up. He just makes His Word more real all the time. And the Bible said,
"When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of God raises a standard against it." See? Now,
what is... Then if the enemy comes in like a flood, and God's fortification to
His people to fortify them is the Word of God, so He just raises the Word, a
Standard against him. Amen.
JESUS CHRIST THE SAME 62-0718
E-81 The Bible said when the enemy comes in like a
flood, God would raise up a standard against it. The Word of God would raise up
a standard. The Word would be more
manifested, more manifested.
Making A Way 56-0304 E-22 Faith isn't built
upon the shifting sands of emotional conceptions, but faith is built upon the standard, God's eternal Word, the Rock of
Ages.
END TIME SIGN SEED 62-0319 E-8 Now,
I read in the Bible that "Heavens and earth will pass away, but God's Word
shall not pass away." I read in the Bible that whosoever shall take
anything out of It or add anything to it, his part will be taken out of the
Book of Life, that it stands just the way it is. Many try to say, It's been
tampered with, it's been done this a-way or that way. I do not believe that. I believe there's got to be some kind of a
standard that God will judge the church by, or the world. There's got to be some standard. It
cannot be in church organization, because they different. Who would know what
to do? But there is a standard, and
that's His Word. I believe that God watches over His Word. I believe that
that Word is punctuated exactly the way God wants It--the Bible. It's God's
Word to the people. There's where reason I believe in that Word. And I believe
the Word is a Seed, and if that Seed is sowed in the right ground and watered
by the Holy Spirit, It'll bring forth of Its kind. Any promise that God made,
God will do it.
SECOND SEAL THE 63-0319
185-6 {62} God's got to have some standard, and that's
His Word.
The second definition we have of a standard is “The set proportion by weight of gold or silver to
alloy metal prescribed for use in coinage.”
LEVITICUS 19:35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in
meteyard, in weight, or in measure. 36 Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye
have: I [am] the LORD your God, which brought you out of the
CONVINCED AND THEN CONCERNED 62-0521 E-8 We find today, that
there is such a falling away. It seems to be that people are not interested
like they used to be. They are falling away from the fundamental facts of the
Bible. They are seem to be drifting. And I think all ministers who love the Word of God, and know that that's the
only standard in which we can be assure that we're right...
The Third definition of a Standard is “a. A degree or level of requirement, excellence, or attainment. b. Often standards are a requirement of moral conduct.” There is where Holiness comes in for He said, Be Ye Holy for I the Standard am Holy.
JEREMIAH 50:2 Declare ye among the nations, and
publish, and set up a standard; publish, [and] conceal not: …
And how do we publish this Holy Life Living for a Holy God? The apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 3:
II CORINTHIANS 3:2 Ye are our epistle
written in our hearts, known and read of all men: 3 [Forasmuch as ye are] manifestly declared to
be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the
Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the
heart.
Now in the Old
Testament God showed us that He is against a false measure. In other words, a
phony measure. PROVERBS
11:1
¶ A false balance [is] abomination to
the LORD: but a just weight [is] his delight.
DEUTERONOMY 25:13 ¶ Thou
shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small. 14 Thou shalt
not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small. 15 [But] thou shalt have a perfect and just
weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened
in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
16 For all that do such things, [and]
all that do unrighteously, [are] an abomination unto
the LORD thy God.
MATTHEW 7:1 ¶ Judge
not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be
judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
MATTHEW 23:29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, 30 And say, If we had been in
the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the
blood of the prophets. 31 Wherefore ye
be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the
prophets. 32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. 33 [Ye] serpents,
[ye] generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? 34 ¶
Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and
[some] of them ye shall kill and crucify; and [some] of them shall ye scourge
in your synagogues, and persecute [them] from city to city: 35 That upon you
may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of
righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
Here we have a clue into how the standard or measure is manifested. It comes through the seed and becomes manifest in the children through their life that they live.
MARK 4:23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. 24
And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it
shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. 25 For he
that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken
even that which he hath.
LUKE 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good
measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give
into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be
measured to you again.
ROMANS 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to
every man that is among you, not to think [of himself] more highly than he
ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man
the measure of faith.
II CORINTHIANS 10:12 ¶ 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. 13 But we will not boast of things without [our] measure, but according
to the measure of the rule which God
hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. 14 For we stretch
not ourselves beyond [our measure], as though we reached not unto you: for we
are come as far as to you also in [preaching] the gospel of Christ: 15 Not
boasting of things without [our] measure, [that is], of other men's labors; but
having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you
according to our rule abundantly.
EPHESIANS 4:7 But unto every one of us is given grace
according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
EPHESIANS 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith,
and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of
the stature of the fullness of Christ:
TAKE ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD 62-0701 The
only thing He has to do is just raise up a standard of His own Word against the
enemy. The Bible said, "When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit
of God raises a standard against it." What does He do? He makes the Word that He's already said
more positive (whew!), and taking His same Word, and just making It more
positive.
The Fourth definition is a Standard is “A flag, banner, or ensign, especially: a. The ensign of a chief of state, nation, or city” And we are told in the Scriptures that God Himself is our Banner or standard. Now the banner itself only represents the city, and therefore it is an ensign or a sign or a visible manifestation of the Presence of God Living among His people, just as the banner is a visible representation of the Cities presence made known.
As an ensign: ISAIAH
49:22 Thus saith the Lord GOD,
Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the
people: …
JEHOVAH JIREH
61-0209 E-11 God has the seven
compound redemptive Names: Jehovah-jireh, the Lord
will provide a sacrifice; Jehovah-rapha, the Lord
that healeth; and the Lord our banner; the Lord our
buckler, and so forth. He appears in His compound redemptive Names.
PSALMS 60:4 Thou hast given a banner to them that fear
thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.
SONG OF SOLOMON 2:4
4 He brought me to the banqueting house, and his
banner over me [was] love.
In fact one of the compound redemptive names of God is Jehovah Manasseh which is The Lord our Banner, or the Lord who is our standard.