Romans 12 is a shift in Paul’s letter. After 11 chapters of declaring God’s redemption of his people, Paul shifts the focus to what our response should be towards God’s amazing mercy. In light of all that God has done for us, the only true and proper worship of God involves us offering our bodies as a living sacrifice for God. It is the totality of our lives that we give in our worship to God.
Our worship begins with the renewal of our minds. We do not conform to the world, rather we conform to the mind of God. We begin to see the world as God sees the world. Our worship also involves us using our gifts to serve others within the body of Christ and we use whatever gifts God has given us to serve one another. That is how we love one another in our worship of God.
So love becomes the primary way we relate, both within the body of Christ and to those outside the church. We pray, serve, share, welcome, honour one another – all out of love for them. Like Christ, we overcome evil with good
