Righteousness’ Surprising Source
The Armor of Righteousness (Part 2)
Today's Three-minute Bible Study
Print, Study and Apply
Title: Righteousness’
Surprising Source -------------- Date: 04/08/1999
Keywords: "armor" "breastplate" "grace" "righteousness"
W elcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in
the face of sexual temptation.
The following is one of 42 studies on
the "armor of God" as it relates to resisting Web porn. Some of the studies will
examine Ephesians chapter six, which is famous for the armor theme. Some of the other
studies, however, will examine how the armor pieces are discussed elsewhere in Scripture.
All 42 studies are listed in the three-minute study index
for the dates April 1 through May 12, 1999. Feel free to study and/or download the entire
set. We welcome your feedback to this thematic
approach in the three-minute studies.
Passage: Romans
12:1*
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's
mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -- this is your
spiritual act of worship
Questions
1. What is Paul urging Christians to do in this passage?
2. How would his admonition apply to Web porn?
3. What motivation do believers have to do this?
Practical help
Theologians like to spar over the chapters preceding today’s
reading. They debate whether Paul considered himself a Christian in chapter six and haggle
over his views of the Jews in chapter 11. But they do tend to agree on one thing: Chapters
one through 11 paint a picture of a God who draws people to Himself based on His grace,
not their works.
This pleasing doctrine packs a practical punch in chapter 12, where Paul calls believers
to righteousness. Note the “therefore” in verse one -- referencing the reader
back to grace -- and Paul’s stress on “God’s grace.”
What does this have to do with striving for righteousness with Web porn? Answer: The
motivation is God’s grace to us, not acts of self-mortification. See if grace
doesn’t help you follow the rest of Paul’s advice: to offer yourself as a living
sacrifice.
eXXit
homepage
Index of three-minute studies
Copyright 1999 by eXXit
*Scriptures are from The Holy Bible: New International Version, © copyright 1973,
1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. All rights reserved.
|