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.”
There is no question that God’s grace is a gift, therefore
everything God gives us is by grace, and as a gift. Knowing that grace is a
gift from God should keep us humble. The Lord tells us “to think soberly” that
means to think clear headed and wisely. To think with a humbled heart, not to
allow pride and arrogance to destroy us. As Christians we must remember who we
are in this life and in our churches. We are sinner whom God graciously
redeemed by the blood of His Lamb, and we will die sinners saved by grace. Life
is a fight between living godly and sinning. We sometimes forget what sin is,
what is classified as sin, “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the
law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” 1 John 3:4. We must never
forget who we were as lost souls, and who we are as redeemed believers in Jesus
Christ. We are still sinners, but our sins are hidden in Christ and forgiven
before God in Christ. Our goal as Christians is to never sin, and to be as
close to being Christ-like as we can. However, we can rest assured that
in-Christ we are as pure as pure can be defined. “And ye know that he was
manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.” 1 John 3:5. God has
forgiven every sin we will ever commit, none will not be forgiven. The
difference between sinner and non-sinners is grace given to us by God and
through Jesus Christ. Everything we are as Christians we are by God’s grace and
through Jesus’s blood. What we are as Christians depends on the measure of
grace God gives us and the measure of faith God gives us. No Christian can be a
good and godly believer until we recognize in our hearts the measure of grace
God has given us to accomplish that godliness. However, it expands beyond grace
and includes our faith. The Apostle Paul speaks of both grace and faith in 1
Corinthians 15:10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which
was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they
all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” Paul wrote that
everything he was as a believer he was by God’s grace, the faith here is “but I
laboured more abundantly than they all” this is his faith, his Christian life
was full of trials and tribulations, but His faith kept him strong. Now notice
Paul’s last words here, “yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”
Paul never was filled with pride, but he had a very humbled heart, He gave God
all credit by understanding that is was not Him, even though he labored more
abundantly than the rest, it was still not him but rather that measure of grace
God gave him in faith and strength to accomplish. 2 Corinthians 3:4-6 “And such
trust have we through Christ to God-ward: Not that we are sufficient of
ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter,
but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” Paul
wrote “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of
ourselves” why, because we are all just an instrument in the hands of God.
Whether it’s our living godly, being a church member, or pastor of a church, we
live, we move, and have our being by grace, and all accomplishments are by the
measure of our God given faith. Let us always remember these words “to every
man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to
think;”
