Romans 12:1-2 "Living Sacrifices" pt.2

Introduction

It is hard to be a Living Sacrifice before God. Even with the Holy Spirit living inside of us we are so easily manipulated by the flesh.

Actually it comes natural for us. And God knows that about our condition and He did not leave us alone. We have the Holy Spirit in us and we have His word to guide us.

But this world system doesn’t just surrender. The world is trying hard to bring about our Conformation. Look back at your text to the first half of verse 2.

I. The Conformation (2a): Do not be conformed to this world,

The Apostle Paul is emphasizing that the believer is not to be conformed to this world.

The word “conformed” in the original language literally means to be conformed to a pattern or a mold. The implication is that the focus is on an external conformity. There is only superficial action without a deep substance of change.

In this context it is used in the sense of a prohibition against conforming to the pattern or mold of this world. I remember when my mom used to use a jello mold. She would mix up the jello and pour it into the mold.

The Jello would settle into the mold. You didn’t have to shove it in, just pour it in and gravity would do the rest. Then put it in the fridge overnight dump it the next day and it would come out shaped just like the mold.

Paul is concerned that due to or nature we will be shaped by the world. It is natural for us to do because this world system is right in line with our sin nature. The world pulls on us like gravity to settle us into how we naturally are. And it is usually very comfortable and affirming to our flesh.

Christian you don’t even need practice to be able to do it well. We are all naturals when it comes to our battles with our sin.

The concept of world here is referring to this world system in the current time. We often refer to this as worldliness or the secular world. Some translations render this “this age.”

This is the world system that derives a worldview without taking God into consideration. This would be the antithesis of what it means to live as a living sacrifice as we saw last Sunday from Romans 12:1.

All you have to be is Jello in your worldview and you will settle in to the mold and in less than 24 hours you will look just like this world in this current age.

But Christian there is a remedy for the conformity to worldliness. It is the road less traveled in that it takes spiritual effort and discipline. And it is transforming to the believer. Look at the second half of verse 2:

II. The Transformation (2b)

Paul introduces a sharp contrast in order to emphasize a distinct alternative. We see that the believer is to be transformed instead of being conformed to the world.

This transformation goes deeper than just action on the surface. There is a spiritual dynamic to this transformation. Certainly Paul has the gospel in mind since he has ben explaining it for 11 chapters but here it appears he is focusing in on the believer’s sanctification.

The root word in the original language is where we get our English word “metamorphosis.” The term denotes an internal change. Here it is the internal implication of a renewed mind.

And yes, this is dealing with how a person thinks and exercises a worldview. You may have noticed that once God regenerated you and you were born again, you all of a sudden didn’t just immediately start thinking like Christ did when He lived on earth.

There was a spiritual transformation of the heart internally but sanctification is an ongoing process where God is producing in you the mind of Christ through the application of His word by the Holy Spirit.

You must have the Holy Spirit and be in the Word of God to have a mind that is being transformed. And this is not just a Sunday morning dynamic.

Parents get the kids ready for church on Sunday and everyone is on their best behavior, even the parents are behaving in a respectable manner. You know what parents, when you act like a Christian at church and you don’t act like a Christian at home your kids take notice.

Your kids see right through such a Christianity. And I want to tell you what it communicates to the kids. It communicates that the gospel is powerless to bring transformation and the word of God is irrelevant to life.

A gospel that is superficial to only work externally fits well with the world. False religion is a product of the evil one. When the anti-christ comes he will do signs and wonders and promote global government and global religion but one thing he can’t do. He can’t regenerate sinners and justify them before a Holy God.

Christian you need the word of God to transform the mind. To align your thinking with Christ you have to be transformed.

Chicago Heights Steel Illustration- train rails heated up and being transformed into fence post and parts for garage door openers.

They take used steel railroad rails and transform them.

Fire, then separate into three pieces, then they press the red hot pieces which extends them to form steel post and parts for garage door openers.

When I saw the finished product it was very hard to believe that these steel post were once railroad rails.

Christian that is how it is when your mind gets renewed by the word of God. Your worldview changes and there will probably come a time when you can look back and realize that you think nothing like you used to. And you will notice that your worldview looks less and less like the world system of our day.

However, many gradually reflect the world more and more instead of the word of God. That is because the world is conforming you to the world’s mold.

But by the renewal of your mind, you have the ability to discern what God’s will is. What God desires for your life is crucial for you to know in order to have fulfillment in your life.

And by testing, you can discern the will of God. Testing is a great way to measure what is actually true. But there has to be a standard of measurement by which to do the critical analysis.

You ever wanted to know how long something is? You need a measuring device of some kind. Only when you measure something with a standard rule are you able to truly know it’s length.

The word of God is the standard of measurement. Augustine said long ago, “If you believe what you like in the Gospel, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the Gospel that you believe, but yourself.”

You could apply that principle to the whole of the word of God. Without a standard we become a standard unto ourselves. The collective whole or the individual in the end still embraces the same fallacy.

The character of God’s will is good acceptable and perfect as wee see at the end of verse 2.

This description is denoting that God’s will is of the highest standard. Nothing in this fallen world even comes close.

In this age of moral relativism the individual self is the official standard. And in such a culture as ours the only standard is that there is no standard. Even the absurd has become an acceptable norm.

Ever wonder who decided that? Where did the idea even come from? Who determined that the only standard is that there is no standard? I will give you a hint, it didn’t come from God or His word. It came from the prince of this world and the system he rules over.

Conclusion:

Living sacrifices could never embrace such a worldview because the only arbiter of truth is God Himself. And He expresses His will in the Scriptures, the word of God.

That is how we know what is good and acceptable and perfect. God gives us His truth to live by and to shape our worldview because He wants us to live our lives in such a way that glorifies Him.

Because we were made for that purpose and true fulfillment and meaning and purpose can only be found in Him.

Christian the Lord is good! What is it that the carrot that the evil one dangles in front of you? The answer may be different for all of us.

Confess it to the Lord and ask Him for His help and direction. Know that He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us of our unrighteousness.

Unbeliever you need a savior. The world is pressing you into it’s mold and it comes natural. May God open your eyes to your need for His grace in Jesus Christ. Believe the gospel. Let’s Pray!