The Proper Use of Differing Gifts

Romans 12:1-8

INTRODUCTION: At first glance, the emphasis of Romans chapter 12 might be deemed to be one’s individual or personal holiness; however, a careful reading of context demonstrates that the passage involves one’s personal walk as it impacts that of the local body.

I. PROVING THE WILL OF GOD (Romans 12:1-2)

A. The Nature of the Appeal (Romans 12:1)

1. The manner of the appeal—“I beseech you”
2. The recipient of the appeal—“brethren”
3. The authority for the appeal—“by the mercies of God”

B. The Call for Sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2a)

1. A living sacrifice (Romans 12:1)
2. A nonconforming walk (Romans 12:2a)
3. A transformed mind (Romans 12:2a)

C. The End Result (Romans 12:2b)

1. The process—“that ye may prove”
2. The tested—the “will of God”
a. Good
b. Acceptable
c. Perfect

II. LEARNING UNITY (Romans 12:3-5)

A. The Foundation of Proper Thinking (Romans 12:3)

1. The danger of wrong thinking—“not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think”
2. The encouragement to right thinking—“but to think soberly”

B. The Building by Proper Balance (Romans 12:4-5)

1. We have many members in one body (Romans 12:4).
2. All the members have not the same office (Romans 12:4).
3. We are all members one of another (Romans 12:5).

III. EXERCISING DIVERSITY (Romans 12:6-8)

A. The Acknowledgments of Gifts (Romans 12:6)

1. Their uniqueness
2. Their source

B. The Diversity of Gifts (Romans 12:6-8)

1. Prophecy (Romans 12:6)
2. Ministry (Romans 12:7)
3. Teaching (Romans 12:7)
4. Exhortation (Romans 12:8)
5. Giving (Romans 12:8)
6. Ruling (Romans 12:8)
7. Mercy (Romans 12:8)

C. The Point of Gifts (Romans 12:6-8)

1. Major on your gifts (Romans 12:6-8)
a. If prophecy…prophecy according to the proportion of faith (Romans 12:6)
b. If ministry…wait on our ministering (Romans 12:7)
c. If teaching…wait on our teaching (Romans 12:7)
d. If exhorting…wait on our exhortation (Romans 12:8)
e. If giving…do it with simplicity (Romans 12:8)
f. If ruling…do so with diligence (Romans 12:8)
g. If showing mercy…do so with cheerfulness (Romans 12:8)
2. Exercise the gifts in the right spirit
a. With simplicity (Romans 12:8)
b. With diligence (Romans 12:8)
c. With cheerfulness (Romans 12:8)

CONCLUSION: What are your gifts to this local body? How are you using those gifts to the betterment of the body as a whole? How are your gifts complimentary to the gifts of others within the body?