CHRISTIANS: THE PRIVILEGED CLASS

INTRODUCTION-- Many nations of the world have their privileged classes. Even in Communist countries, the Elite of the party have their special perks: better shops, better cars, better salaries.....

1. Many of those who are privileged socially realize that they can only maintain their privileges by meeting their obligations.
   
   1. Those fortunate to be rich often work to enrich others (or employ many).
      
   2. Those blessed with extraordinary intelligence use it to benefit the masses.
      
      
2. Some, however, have a peculiar sense of privilege that is not deserved.
   
   1. The thief thinks this way: "What is yours should really belong to me!"
      
   2. The murderer thinks, "No one deserves to live, but me."
      
   3. The person blessed with natural good looks thinks, "I can afford to be haughty and selfish, because I am so beautiful/handsome."
      
      

LESSON-- But let us put this lesson on a more important matter.

1. A Christian is the most privileged person on the face of the earth. Romans 8:28 32 "And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he foreknew, he also foreordained to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren: 30 and whom he foreordained, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things?"
   
   1. These great privileges extend from the Love of God. (John 3:16)
      
   2. Yet, love is not a one-way street...we must respond to such love.
      
      1. God's love for us must be passed on to others. 1 John 4:10-11 "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."
         
      2. When we respond in this way, it is proof of our love of God. 1 John 5:2 "Hereby we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and do his commandments."
         
   3. These Scriptures show that spiritual privilege must be answered by meeting the corresponding obligations.
      
2. Here are some of the ways privilege must be answered by obligation.
   
   1. Christ showed the principle in Luke 12:47-48. "And that servant, who knew his lord's will, and made not ready, nor did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes; 48 but he that knew not, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. And to whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required: and to whom they commit much, of him will they ask the more."
      
   2. Jesus Christ himself gave us a gift that deserves an earnest, unselfish response. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 "For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and he died for all, that they that live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again."
      
   3. Their is a privilege in our heavenly citizenship that deserves a response.
      
      1. Ours is a citizenship that surpasses that of citizens of the USA. Philippians 3:20 "For our citizenship is in heaven; whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:"
         
      2. Therefore, we should work for a "good citizenship" award. Hebrews 12:28-29 "Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God with reverence and awe: 29 for our God is a consuming fire."
         
   4. The privileges pile up in Christ, and our responses must be generous. Ephesians 1:3-11 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ: 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love: 5 having foreordained us unto adoption as sons through Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved: 7 in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 making known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him 10 unto a dispensation of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in him, I say, 11 in whom also we were made a heritage, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his will; 12 to the end that we should be unto the praise of his glory, we who had before hoped in Christ:..."

APPLICATION----

1. Some privileged Christians are negligent of their obligations. This was the theme of the letter to the Hebrews. Hebrews 6:7-12 "For the land which hath drunk the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receiveth blessing from God: 8 but if it beareth thorns and thistles, it is rejected and nigh unto a curse; whose end is to be burned. 9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak: 10 for God is not unrighteous to forget your work and the love which ye showed toward his name, in that ye ministered unto the saints, and still do minister. 11 And we desire that each one of you may show the same diligence unto the fullness of hope even to the end: 12 that ye be not sluggish, but imitators of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

2. In view of the "end of all things," and of the "Judgment to come," we should heed the advice of Peter in 1 Peter 4:7-11 "But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore of sound mind, and be sober unto prayer: 8 above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves; for love covereth a multitude of sins: 9 using hospitality one to another without murmuring: 10 according as each hath received a gift, ministering it among yourselves, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God; 11 if any man speaketh, speaking as it were oracles of God; is any man ministereth, ministering as of the strength which God supplieth: that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

APPEAL-- When you examine your privileges (or "count your blessings"), do you also look at the balance sheet to see if you are answering them faithfully?