What Do You Think About Most? Romans 12

 

A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform 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 moves on from chapters 9-11 and teaching about the salvation and future of the Jews and the inclusion of the Gentiles to chapter 12.  Paul starts the chapter off by using the word, "therefore".  He is making the transition from doctrine to practice.  As he exhorts the Romans to live a life worthy of their calling he starts, "Therefore I urge you in view of God's mercy."  Even as we think about how we are going to "live out" our Christian faith, we do it in view of, because of,  and in response to God's mercy.  If we don't get this first point right, our efforts to live the Christian life will be based on either trying to earn God's approval, or trying to bring attention to ourselves.  

So how do we do this?  Paul gives two key strategies.  First, offer your bodies as a "living sacrifice".  As you probably know since Paul is addressing Jewish Christians, he is calling to mind the sacrifice of the paschal lamb at Passover time.  The sacrifice the Jews made with the lamb's blood shed on the altar appeased God's wrath and covered their sins.  

 Hebrews 9:22 says, "There is no forgiveness without the shedding of blood."  But this sacrifice was looking forward to ultimate sacrifice and shedding of blood offered by God's Son, Jesus.  Now there is no need for the shedding of blood, but Paul using the language of being a "living sacrifice" to make the transition for the Jews from the Old Testament to the New Testament.  We offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, meaning we offer our bodies for God's use.  In Corinthians Paul calls our bodies, "A temple of the Holy Spirit."  

Some of the false teachings of Paul's day were saying that the body is bad and the spirit is good.  It was a strict dualism and denied the goodness of our bodies, which ARE created by God and ARE good.  So part of our response to God's grace is to offer our bodies back to God.  This is our health, our physical condition, our habits, and all things that allow our body to serve God with strength and vigor. 

Next, Paul tells them not to be "conformed to the world" to the world.  Literally this meant ,"Don't be squeezed into the world's mold".  By the world he means a world that is ruled by selfish desires, greed, division, idol worship, sexual immorailty, and the pride of the flesh.  We live in this kind of world today.  Paul never says to leave the world and go and hide somewhere.  He says don't be conformed to the world and here's how!  

Paul says to "be transformed by the renewing of your mind".  Though our bodies might be prone to be conformed to the world, our minds are our biggest ally in being transformed.  The word for "transformed" literally means to undergo a complete metamorphosis.  A new person.  This is similar to what John says when he says when we believe in Jesus we are being "born again". Not born again physically but spiritually. Or when Paul says, "Anyone in Christ is a new creation!" We have been changed when we are born again but we need to continued to be transformed to become more like Christ.  It is a process that starts at our salvation and continues until we are taken home to heaven.

So what does that mean for us?  Romans 12:1-2 is one of my life verses.  It was given to me at a time when I had "one foot in the world" and "one foot in being a disciple of Christ".  The big idea what we put into our minds, will rule our body.  If someone is putting pornography into their mind, do you think that is going to affect their mind and subsequent behaviors.  If someone is watching a show that is all about spouses cheating on each other is that going to help their marriage.  Earl Nightingale said,"We become what we think about most."

How are you most tempted to be conformed to the values of this world?  What do you to do to put good things into your mind?  Are you being more conformed to the world or transformed to be more like Christ?  Do you hang around with people who are trying to live out Romans 12:1-2 in their lives? Or people who live according to the world's values, if nothing else by default?  How often do you put God's word into your mind?  Reading a daily devotional and being in a small group bible study are great ways to offer your body as a living sacrifice and be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 

I would like to close with Paul's words to the Philippians in chapter 4, "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." (verse 8)