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READ:

Romans 12:2a

^2a And be not conformed to this world.

EXHORTATION:

Having exhorted Christians in the previous verse to “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service”, the apostle now urges them not to conform to the world. In other words, if Christians desire to please God, they must not be worldly. It is impossible to serve the Lord in a holy and acceptable manner, if one is conformed to the world.

Christ and the world do not coalesce. Jesus clearly said that the world hates Him and all His disciples (cf. John 7:7; 15:18-19). The world neither believes nor yields to the Lord Jesus. It has its own prince, even the devil (cf. John 12:31; 14:30). Its ideologies are carnal and materialistic, while Christ’s is spiritual and eternal (cf. 1 John 2:15-17). Hence, Christians should not be shaped by the worldly habits, philosophies, trends, styles and all that are contrary to God’s will for His people. Biblical Christianity and the world do not merge. Christians ought to be nonconformists in this world.

The word “conform” (suschēmatízō) conveys the idea of fashioning or moulding one’s conduct in accordance with a particular pattern or set of standards. To conform to the world is to shape one’s behaviour according to the world’s ideologies and principles; that is totally unacceptable and displeasing to the Lord. While we live on earth, it is very easy for us to be influenced by the world. Hence, we must watch our steps to make sure that we are not being led away by ungodly philosophies and trends of the world. Our choices, our ambitions and our pursuits are to be constantly vetted to eliminate any conformity to the world that would displease the Lord and hinder our service to God.

Many who profess to be Christians follow the crowd rather than Christ. Crowd-pleasers cannot be Christ-pleasers. The epistle of James cautions us that “the friendship of the world is enmity with God”, and “whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4). Either we live under the influence of Christ and His righteousness, or we live under the influence of the world and its ungodliness. Christians cannot have it both ways if they desire to please the Lord.

Let us remember that Christ “gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father” (Galatians 1:4).

Sermon Text: Psalm 102
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 9th February 2025

Despite receiving sound teachings and having numerous opportunities for prayer and fellowship, some individuals fail to grow spiritually. Over time, their passion for God wanes, and their commitment to His people weakens. Why do the hearts of church members not experience spiritual joy and enthusiasm, even in a church that faithfully and fervently provides for its members’ spiritual growth? 

Will things change if they change churches? Will things be better if they listen to new preachers? Changing churches or listening to new preachers might bring a temporary sense of renewal, but if the underlying cause is personal rather than external, the problem will likely persist. Here’s why:

Spiritual growth is primarily dependent on a personal relationship with Christ. A believer’s spiritual development is deeply rooted in his relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus emphasised in John 15:4-5 – “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” This passage illustrates the necessity of remaining in Christ. Just as a branch depends on the vine for sustenance, believers must stay connected to Christ to grow spiritually and bear fruit. Spiritual growth is not merely about gaining knowledge or engaging in religious activities, but about abiding in Christ, being transformed by His Spirit, and living in obedience to His Word. 

The Bible repeatedly emphasises that true spiritual maturity comes from an intimate, lively, ongoing relationship with the Lord. In Colossians 2:6-7, the apostle Paul insists, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” Spiritual growth happens when we are firmly rooted in Christ, walking in faith, and continually being built up in Him.

There is a real need for all of us to examine ourselves to see whether we abide in Christ continually. The apostle Paul urged the Christians in Corinth to examine their faith, rather than to place undue emphasis on their allegiance to different preachers, leading to division within the church. He exhorted them, saying, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” (2 Corinthians 13:5). This is a call for self-examination to ensure genuine faith and authentic spiritual growth in every Christian’s life.

So let every church member (including leaders) humbly and sincerely examine himself in the following areas recommended in the Scriptures, to see the cause for one’s experience of spiritual dullness and fruitlessness, and then seek to eradicate those spiritual maladies. 

Examine Your Faith in Christ: “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith …” (2 Cor. 13:5a). If you truly trust in Jesus alone for salvation and believe that “Jesus Christ is in you” (2 Cor. 13:5b), your life must be lived according to “the faith”, the divine standard revealed in His Word. Does your life demonstrate confidence in and submission to God’s truth? Or are you placing your trust in emotions, experiences, relationships, wealth, careers, rather than in His grace? A life rooted in faith continually seeks His truth through persistent prayer. As 2 Peter 3:18 urges, “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.” Spiritual growth leads to a life that radiates God’s glory through His grace and truth.

Examine Your Obedience to God’s Word: Jesus confronted His hearers, “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). He expected His followers to prove their genuineness through obedience. In John 15, Jesus insisted repeatedly that spiritual vitality and fruitfulness come to those who abide in His Word through obedience. “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love” (v. 10). Earlier He said, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (v. 7). Are there areas where you consistently resist God’s will?

Examine Your Repentance and Separation from Sins: The Lord warned the Christians in the church of Ephesus, “Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth” (Revelation 2:16; cf. 2:5). Likewise, He exhorted the church in Ephesus, “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent” (Revelation 2:5). If you do not repent of the sins that entangle you, God Himself will stand against you, and this will certainly rob you of spiritual joy and victory. Have you confessed and turned away from the sin in your life? (cf. 1 John 1:9). Do you grieve over sin and desire holiness, or do you excuse and justify sinful habits? Every believer must regularly examine himself for unconfessed sin (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:28). True repentance not only acknowledges sin, but also turns away from it, seeking to live as a vessel of honour for the Lord’s service (cf. 2 Timothy 2:21). Repent, walk in holiness, and experience the fullness of joy and victory in Christ.

Examine Your Love for God and Others: Do you love God above all else (Matthew 22:37-38)? Do you love fellow believers and even your enemies (1 John 4:20; Matthew 5:44)? Are you growing in kindness, patience, and forgiveness? Notice Paul’s comment that the brotherly love exhibited by the Thessalonian Christians was evidence of their spiritual increase - “But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more” (1 Thessalonians 4:9-10).

In conclusion, spiritual coldness can stem from various factors. Some become distracted by worldly pursuits, allowing materialistic concerns, personal ambitions, or entertainment to take precedence over their relationship with God. Others may struggle with hidden sin, guilt, or unresolved doubts, which create a barrier between them and the Lord. Still, others might grow weary due to trials, disappointments, or unanswered prayers, leading to spiritual discouragement and apathy.

Without an intentional pursuit of God—through prayer, studying His Word, and genuine fellowship with other believers—spiritual stagnation sets in. The fire of faith dims, and what was once a vibrant walk with God turns into a mere religious routine. This is why Scripture urges believers to guard their hearts, remain steadfast in the faith, and actively cultivate their relationship with God.

A new church or preacher can inspire, but lasting transformation comes from a heart fully surrendered to Christ. Some people switch churches to avoid accountability and commitment, which will only lead to more spiritual apathy. Changing church is necessary only when a church teaches false doctrine, is unfaithful to Scripture, compromises on biblical truths, or fails to promote holy living. Then, seeking a biblically sound church is needed.

READ:

Romans 12:1b

^1b That ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

EXHORTATION:

Herein we have the solemn instruction of the apostle Paul concerning what entails genuine worship of God. Two words here, “sacrifice” and “service”, evoke the idea of worship. The word “sacrifice” (thusía) is used here in the sense of an offering rendered to the Lord in worship. Likewise, the word “service” (latreía) denotes a service rendered in worship of God.

All Christians are exhorted to “present your bodies a living sacrifice”. The Greek word for “present” is also translated as “yield”. We are to yield our bodies not as a dead sacrifice on the altar (as in Old Testament sacrifices), but as a living sacrifice. We need not offer our body or anything else as our substitute on the altar. Christ has offered Himself on our behalf as a perfect sacrifice to redeem us. So, no more substitutionary sacrifice is required of us. Here, we are exhorted to yield our bodies not as carcasses on the altar to be burned, but as lives consecrated to God.

Our bodies are to be consecrated to God as “holy”. As Paul exhorted earlier in chapter 6, verse 13, “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” True worshippers of God ought to consecrate themselves to live holy lives before the Lord. Our bodies must be instruments of righteousness. Only when we yield ourselves and our bodies to live in holiness, can we glorify God. “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:20). We must strive to order our lives so that “Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death” (Philippians 1:20).

The worship that is acceptable and pleasing to God can only be rendered by those who live holy lives as true children of God. It is a despicable thing for a worshipper of God to continue to live in sin. Unholy living is most displeasing and outrageous to God. No true worship exists in hearts that have no commitment to live in obedience to His holy Word. Any offering of worship presented by unholy hands is an outrageous act in His presence. It is unthinkable and illogical to think that the Most Holy God can be served with unholy hands. The reasonable service to God can only be rendered when our bodies are His holy temples (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:18-19).

READ:

Romans 12:1a

^1a I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God….

EXHORTATION:

Though the apostle Paul was a firm, uncompromising teacher and defender of God’s Word, his exhortations were affectionate and gentle. Teachers of God’s Word, whether at home or in the church, while unwavering in their commitment to God’s truth, must nonetheless teach it with tenderness and longsuffering.

The word “beseech” can mean “to call alongside, summon” and thus “exhort” or “encourage”. It is a word that carries both the firmness and affection expressed in one’s communication. The apostle’s language does not give a hint that compliance to his exhortations is an optional matter. The great doctrines of the Bible are not static, but dynamic. They produce great acts of godliness in those who were once indifferent to the Lord and wallowing in sin.

In his epistle to the Romans, Paul has hitherto been teaching them the unchangeable truths about salvation by grace through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He has taught them that in Christ, all their condemnations are removed, and that they stand justified and accepted before God. Their glorification is guaranteed, even though they have been persecuted and maligned by the wicked world.

Now, the apostle is about to urge the readers to act on the truths they have received, making the truth of God’s gracious salvation the foundation of their Christian practice. That is why he began by saying, “I beseech you therefore…” Then Paul adds a note of warmth and earnestness to his exhortation by addressing the readers as “brethren”. He expects that the believers will not only listen with high esteem, but also obey with enthusiasm.

To excite the believers to greater compliance to the truths of God, the apostle then proceeded to appeal to God’s mercy. The summon to an obedient life does not come in a vacuum; it is wrapped in God’s mercies. It is the outpouring of divine mercies that exhorts us to live a life that is adorned with the divine truths. We recognise that the word “mercies” (in plural) denotes all that God has done for us in His Son, which Paul has surveyed in chapters 1–11. Everyone who gratefully acknowledges the abundant mercies of God extended to him in Christ, would happily yield to every divine counsel and appropriate it.

READ:

Psalm 55:22

²² Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

EXHORTATION:

The LORD is our burden-bearer. When He permits a burden to fall upon us, He does not move away from us. He stays with us in our troubles. He is ever near us to bear our burdens. “The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth” (Psalm 145:18). “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

Because He is by our side, ready to bear our burdens for us, we can cast all our burdens upon Him. So He urges us not to be worn down by our burdens, but to cast them upon Him. Often we tend to bear our burdens on our own for too long. Such an attitude is not pleasing to the LORD. He wants us to cast all our burdens on Him at once. It is stubbornness to refuse to lay our burdens on Him and stop worrying about them. It can also mean that we do not trust Him fully.

Let us remember that there is none like our LORD who Himself stooped to carry our load of sin and burdens. According to Isaiah 53:4, “Surely, he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.” According to the apostle Peter, He has by “his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24). The guilt of sin has been our heaviest burden, for it has eternal consequences. But He has carried them all away for us.

How often we bear our own burdens, which we neither need nor ought to bear! It is being disobedient. We ought to cast them quickly on Him. If we have laid them on Him, we have nothing to be afraid of, for “he shall sustain thee”. The Hebrew word translated “sustain” has meanings like “measure”, “contain”, “nourish”, etc. Hence, it carries the idea that God will give such a measure of His grace, wisdom and strength as we would need in our trials, that we shall be sufficiently supported and sustained. His nourishment shall be abundant to all who turn to Him for help.

Also, we are assured that “He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” The greatest desire and purpose of the righteous is to be a vessel of His glory in good times and bad times. The LORD will not allow such a man to stagger or be shaken. Many trials may come upon him and even his own life may be threatened; but the LORD shall hold the righteous fast and grant him the strength to remain steadfast, unmoveable to the end.

READ:

John 15:6

⁶ If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

EXHORTATION:

Those words of Christ are most disconcerting, terrifying and unsettling to everyone who claims to be a Christian and yet does not abide in Christ. He who lives in sin habitually without genuine repentance, or he who lives without bearing spiritual fruit that Christ seeks to find in a Christian, is unequivocally declared damned for eternal fire. Those words are spoken with such absolute clarity and jurisdiction that a professing Christian has no room for assurance. Unless the pretentious man repents, he will be cast into the fire! What an unambiguous, thunderous voice of judgment upon professors of religion who have no heart to live for Christ!

When Jesus spoke these words to His disciples, Judas had already gone out from among their midst to betray Christ. Those who live their lives like Judas, secretly cherishing materialism and other ungodliness while professing to love the Lord, will suffer the tragic end forewarned by Christ in this verse. Their attitude and actions will prove that they do not abide in Christ, and that they do not possess genuine faith in Him. If one claims to believe in Christ, and yet live without an abiding dependence on Him that produces spiritual fruit, he is not a Christian. In fact, Jesus said that if a man does not abide in Him, “he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered”. The word “withered” shows that he is dried up and without any evidence of life and fruit. In other words, an individual who does not abide in Christ may linger on in this life for some while, but he would not manifest any fruit of the life in Christ.

Every Christian ought to abide in Christ, like a branch that abides in the vine. Earlier Jesus had said, “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit” (John 15:2). In fact, Jesus said again that everyone who abides in Him will bring forth “much fruit” (v. 5). What is then “the fruit” that the one who abides in Christ would produce? From the subsequent verses of John 15, we learn something concerning the spiritual fruit of the one who abides in Christ. They are: (i) abiding in the Word and prayer (v. 7); (ii) glorifying the Father through a life of prayer (vv. 8, 16); (iii) continuing in His love (vv. 9, 10); (iv) obeying His commandments (vv. 10, 14); (v) rejoicing in Christ (v. 11); (vi) loving one another (vv. 12-13); and (vii) being a witness to the world (vv. 16, 27).

READ:

Philippians 3:14

¹⁴ I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

EXHORTATION:

Paul’s Christian life was characterized by an unstoppable zeal for Christ. He did not want to be weighed down by his past experiences or distracted by the present issues. This he testified in the preceding verse, “but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before” (v. 13).

Paul was determined to pursue with earnestness and diligence “the mark” he aimed at. He would not yield to any dissuasion or opposition that would come his way. His mind was genuinely and firmly set on the goal. Why was Paul so resolute in his Christian life? Because he was captivated by “the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”. His foremost desire was “the prize” or the reward which God had called him to attain. He regarded it as “the high calling of God”, far superior and nobler than any earthly goal. It was above all other human agendas and persuasions, for it was God’s appointment for him. As a Christian, it was his highest, greatest, grandest and utmost passion.

The certainty of the mark of the high calling that God has given him is grounded “in Christ Jesus”. As Paul said in 2 Corinthians 1:20, “For all the promises of God in him (Christ) are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.” The prize that God gives in Christ Jesus to His people is imperishable. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:25, “And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.” So, all his life as a Christian, his heart was fixed on that celestial, eternal prize; he never let anything distract him from it. When he approached the end of his earthly life, he exclaimed with great expectancy, “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8).

Our eternal inheritance in Christ demands our maximum exertion all through our life for His glory. As Hebrews 12:28 exhorts us, “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.”

READ:

Philippians 3:7

⁷ But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

EXHORTATION:

Once Christ becomes the most cherished desire of a soul, everything that was dear and profitable till then would quickly fade in its appeal and significance to his thoughts. The apostle Paul was such a person. Since his soul has embraced Christ as his Saviour and Lord, he has been totally captivated by the glory of Christ. Nothing has ever fascinated his soul as much as Christ’s love, grace, truth, glory and His person. Everything he once considered “gain” became worthless and unappealing. And all that impeded his single-minded devotion to Christ were utterly repulsive and rejected right away as “loss”. The word “loss” (zēmía) was used in Acts 27:21 with reference to the valuable goods which the mariners threw out into the sea, for the sake of people on board the ship who were imperiled by a great storm. Like those mariners, for the sake of his life with Christ, Paul cast off everything that was once utterly important to him.

In the previous verses, Paul listed the things which were once of great importance to him and in which he had placed all his confidence in the past: “Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless” (vv. 5, 6). Seven advantages were listed. The first four in the list constitute his prestigious heritage which the apostle inherited by birth – circumcision he received as the sign of the covenant, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, and a Hebrew son of Hebrew parents. Those things were very important to him for they gave him great confidence about his rights, position and prominence.

But he tells us in our text that he has renounced all those fleshly confidence in order to gain Christ. Once he thought them to be of gain, for they brought glory to him personally. However, they were of no profit in the spiritual realm; they did not bring glory to God who sent His Son to be the Saviour of His people. Hence, he counted the past gain as loss so as to gain Christ, who alone could grant him the righteousness of God. Nothing else really mattered to him any more. Having Christ as his Saviour and Lord far surpassed the reputation and everything else he had in Judaism.

Jim Elliot, a great missionary, once said: “He is no fool to give what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

READ:

Philippians 2:15b

^15b In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.

EXHORTATION:

Christians are not to merge with the world in such a way that nothing about their faith and commitment is discernible to others. Such an idea of a Christian life is totally unbiblical. In fact, genuine Christians, being committed to a blameless and harmless life, will find themselves at odds with the rest of the society that is lost in their sins and unbelief.

According to the Scriptures, the world is “crooked and perverse”. Moses had used similar words to describe Israel who had gone astray - “They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: They are a perverse and crooked generation” (Deuteronomy 32:5). The Scriptural description of the world we live in is grim and sobering. It cautions Christians that the world’s sentiments and aspirations are perverted in the sight of God.

Hence, Christians cannot be an unobtrusive or a harmonious part of the world by being similar in appearance or behaviour. To blend in with the world, in God’s sight, is to be dark as the world. He expects us to be quite the opposite. He exhorts us to shine as lights in this dark world.

In the Bible, “light” symbolises the Gospel of salvation, truth, holiness, wisdom, joy, and everything pleasant and bright in the sight of God. So Christians are appointed by God as lights to declare and demonstrate to the world His character and purposes by all that they say and do. This has been underscored by the Lord Jesus. He said to all who followed Him, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).

When we shine as lights in this dark world, we don’t become isolationists. The Bible does not teach us to live a hermit’s life by moving out of society. Rather, we are instructed to engage with others, not by following after their ways, but by showing them the light of Christ and His truths via our words and deeds. The designated place for light is the darkness where it is needed. Let us live in our societies as God’s luminaries to guide those who grope in sin’s darkness unto His salvation, joy, wisdom and peace.