Lesson 26
R
omans 12: 1, present your body as a living sacrifice.
V 1, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
Therefore, connects Romans 12:1 back to everything before this. Romans 1-11 is the doctrinal teachings. Romans 12-14 is the practical teachings. Greek for beseech is “parakaleleo” which means exhort or encourage. Paul exhorts his audience, and us, to present our bodies as living sacrifices to God in view of His mercy and grace for us. We are to surrender our bodies as living sacrifices for God as our spiritual act of worship. The body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. We are to use our body to serve God and not satan.
1 Cor 6: 19, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?’
1 Cor 6: 15-17, Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, in response to Your mercy and grace to save us out from the darkness of the world into the light of Christ, we surrender our bodies to You as living sacrifices, to serve You in the kingdom, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lesson 27
R
omans 12:2, do not conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind
V 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
V 2 a, And do not be conformed to this world.
We are not to do everything that people of the world do. We are not follow the world view of the world. We are not to adopt the world’s standards as our standards. We are to do everything that pleased God, adopt God’s standard, and God’s world view,
1 John 2:15, ”Do not love the things of the world”.
V 2 b, but be transformed by renewing your mind.
Our hearts are to be transformed and our minds renewed. Greek for transform is “metamorphose” which means a total makeover. Our hearts need a total make over and our minds need a total rewiring. We are not to think like non-Christians. We are to think according to God’s world view. Heart transformation and mind renewal comes by reading, studying, meditating, memorizing, and applying scriptures.
2 Timothy 3:16, “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”.
V 2 c, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Greek for prove is ”dokimazo” which means to discern. We are to discern the good, acceptable and perfect will of God for our lives. Greek for acceptable is ”dektos”, which means pleasing. When we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, He transforms our heart, renews our mind, and reveals to us, His good, acceptable, and perfect will.
Romans 8:28, “for we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose”.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, help us not to conform to world view of the world which is contrary and incompatible to Your world view. We pray for transformation of hearts, renewal of mind, and discernment of Your will, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
