Chap 12_Romans

OOOOOOOO Romans 12:1–2 (NIV84)Living Sacrifices 12 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. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Paul just finished the doxology [an oral expression of praise and glorification since it first appeared in English around 1645]. But this praise was regarding the absolute uniqueness and preeminence of God.- everything is from Him, through Him, and for Him.

Now, Paul in lieu of who God is, he addresses the individual believer.

Therefore, present yourself a living sacrifice. In the the pre-kingdom sacrifices a priest sacrifice something - a grain offering, the life of an ox, lam, dove [blood offering]. In the new realm, you the priest >1 Peter 2:9 (NIV84) 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light..... sacrifice yourself, not unto death. For by declaring the worthiness of God, i.e., your worship, you recognize and proclaim His honor, he creates all things, and all things are made and maintained through Him, for His desire.

.....as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. As believers you are separated from this world, you are distinctly placed in a new kingdom. You are holy - separated out from the world.

And you are pleasing to God. He imputed or bestowed upon you a measure of His righteousness, and settled that condition by declaring you justified. You, by His grace, are now pleasing in the eyes of God. So you are separate and pleasing. You no longer strive to please your wife, your boss, your appetites, your fears, your friends, your co-workers, your pastor, your government, other parents, etc. God is now preeminent in your life. Your abiding focus and commitment is to God. Your day job is what you do in the world, but it is not your LIFE.

........ 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. God is first, top priority - beyond comparison to anything else. So don’t accommodate or mold yourself according to the expectations and traditions of the world. You are no longer part of them.

This is done by changing your thinking. You are not supposed to improve yourself with a more moral or better lifestyle. You are now a new being > 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV84) 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! You are a new thing separated out of the world for God. To abide in this new role requires discipline and diligence. You must develop a new thinking. Your emotions, your goals, you ways are initiated and culminatedby different thinking. You are to make an effort to align your mind with who you are now. And you have the HS, His word, and others in the body to guide you.

As you go through the sanctifying process, you will apply your new learning and test it ..Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is.. To put to the test, prove its worthiness. Apply this is your life so you can examine and convince yourself that it is true. With increasing certainty because you have given it a stress test [ heart or metallurgy] You know that you know. Not a passive acceptance, but proven by a trial by fire.

THEN your mind will shaped more like God, then you will understand better what is good and the perfect will of God. The word perfect = telos which means the purpose or the end reason or directed task or mission accomplished or completed. It does not mean without flaw, or 100% correct, without any variation or setback - every plan of God allows for variation as there must be some latitude for the human will.

Now Paul switches from your obligation and the need for changing your thinking about yourself. He shifts to how you should think and act with others.

OOOOOOOO Romans 12:3–8 (NIV84) 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

OOOOOOOO Romans 12:9–21 (HCSB) Christian Ethics 9 Love must be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good. 10 Show family affection to one another with brotherly love. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not lack diligence; be fervent in spirit; serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer. 13 Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality.

OOOOOOOO....V14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. 16 Be in agreement with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. 18 If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone. 19 Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord. 20 But

If your enemy is hungry, feed him.

If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

For in so doing

you will be heaping fiery coals on his head.

OOOOOOOO V 21 Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good