Romans 12: 1-21 Bible Teaching

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Romans 12 to end
November 7th 2021
So, Paul leaves the opening focus of his letter to the church in Rome behind and enters into a new direction. It’s the natural course of things because after 11 chapters of addressing everything relative to understand salvation of Jew and Gentile, and ending that section with AMEN, he now gives us a full chapter on how he wanted the believers at Rome to live, to act, and to get along both in the church body and outside of it.

And so he first says (we are going to cover the whole chapter (but read it in chunks)

“Therefore, I beseech you brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

The therefore is important because he has already described those saved by faith to the Kingdom. Now he invites his reader (who is by extension “all believers”) to

“present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,” (and he supports this invitation by adding) “which is your reasonable service.”

We live this life in bodies. We relate to the world around us through them as theists or atheists. As people saved by grace through faith Paul invites his reader, to come forward, present or stand in bodies that are “living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God.”

When animals of the Old Testament were offered they had to be unblemished and once seen “as acceptable” the bodies that they inhabited were put to death by the shedding of their blood, and that dead body (which gave its all) was laid out on an alter and consumed by fire.

Borrowing from this concept, Paul, in the age of post death and resurrection of Our Lord who shed His incomprehensible blood, invites believers to offer up their bodies too, but this time as living sacrifices, meaning the offering we give, which Paul says is “reasonable” (in light of the fact that God has saved us) is to occur while we are still inhabiting the bodies we possess.

Here he gives some specific insights on what that might look like.

Remember, our living sacrifices are free-will offerings. They do not come by force or compulsion otherwise they would be a form of slavery and theft – so each individual believer is invited here (by Paul) to offer up their very lives (bodies) as living, operable, in action sacrifices to God.

The German Theologian Dietrich Bonhoffer once said:

“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”

Profound.

But notice the phraseology – “When Christ calls a person, he BIDS him to come and die.” Doesn’t force. Doesn’t coerce. “Bids”
Beseeches. Invites.

Only in a freewill offering of the self, while living, is the sacrifice of mind, will, emotion, time, and blessings to others are of value. No compulsion.

And while Paul only refers to the body here as being a living sacrifice, it goes without saying that when an animal was presented on the altar to be sacrificed, it gave it’s all – body, soul and life – to the cause.

Paradoxically, however, Paul says the sacrifice should be “living” which I think he means “freely devote your living will, your living bodies, your lively emotions, and lively minds as sacrifices to God.

Additionally, Paul adds in the term “holy” in the living presentation of our bodies.

It is very easy to take this term and mistake it as attempts at outward perfections. Centuries of religion have caused men and women to resort to all sorts of external measures to make the human being clothed in holy flesh.

But holiness is a work by and through the Holy Spirit, and exudes from the inside of regenerated Man.

The word itself (from the Hebrew root “qadash,” as its Greek equivalent “hagios,”) seems to be be summarized in the word ‘separateness’ and/or setting apart.

Again under the Law, an animal presented for sacrifice had to be without a blemish or defect. If it met these qualifications, it was regarded as “holy” meaning appropriate to be “set apart,” “separated from the rest” or consecrated for the sacrifice of its life.

So, I think Paul is telling believers in that day to separate their person in their Christian lives (because they have been made clean by His blood) from the ways and means of their former lives and that world around them – and to become living sacrifices to God which, again, is a logical, reasonable response for His redeeming them (with the Greek term translated “reasonable” being “logicos.”)

Taking the term hagios (holy) and seeing it for being “separated” (in this case separated as living sacrifices) Paul adds a super important verse, saying:

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is “that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Reversing the words, we cannot prove what is “the good and acceptable and perfect will of God” by being “conformed to this world” only through being “transformed by the renewing of our mind.”

Such an important message – so central to what God wants to do with those who are His then and today.

Of course, you all remember my citing John when he wrote:

All that is in the world, the LUST of the Flesh, the LUST of the EYES and the PRIDE of LIFE is not of the Father but of this world.

Here Paul adds to that imagery, telling his readers not to CONFORM to this world.
The Greek word “conformed” is

“soos-khay-matid’-zo” and broken down into its component parts it literally means to “resemble, replicate the fashion, style, habit, or pattern of a thing.”

When it comes to the world that the Father is “not of” these things we ought to avoid resembling in the world is the

Lust of the flesh
The Lust of the Eyes
And the Pride of Life

Pretty plain. The Spirit governs and reigns and we are free in Him. But Paul clearly tells the believers in Rome NOT to replicate themselves after all that is not of the Father – (again)

The Lust of the flesh
The Lust of the Eyes
And the Pride of Life

We are all in a position to decide what these things mean to us – but he doesn’t leave us hanging with this insight. Instead, he gives us what to do and be, saying “instead of being conformed to the world”

“be ye transformed (!) (HOW?) “by the renewing of your mind.”

NOT CONFORMED, TRANSFORMED.

(But how can I be transformed while I am in this body of flesh? In this world of lust and pride? Paul tells us, “By the renewing of your MIND!”)

Understand, we do not “prove what is “good, and acceptable, and the perfect, will of God” through external means – that is called religion – which is based on outward expressions and conformities. It all happens by and through the renewing of our minds.

From a humble heart I am a living testament to this, folks. It is possible to renew your mind. Loving authenticity, I could not escape conforming to the world via religious externalities. To me it was like dressing up a pig and I say it all as a farce very early on. But once Christ moved in and my corrupted mind was “processionally” being renewed, THAT allowed me to authentically turn from all that is in the world from the heart – which is the primary concern.

If we take the English word “transformed,
and remove the prefix (trans) we are left with “formed.” Metamorphoo, in the Greek and from which we get the English morph.

The direction we are left with is to “put on another form or change from the form of the world for that of the form of Christ.”

All of this happens through the power of the Gospel by the renewing of the mind.

Since we have no location of the human mind, I would suggest that when the human mind is renewed, the whole of a person is renewed, not just the brain, which allows us to then offer ourselves up as living sacrifices, or rather,

Dying
Being buried
And rising to new renewed life.

DAILY. Weekly. Monthly. Year after year. First in the mind, and the mouth, hands and feet will follow.

This renewal is spoken of all through scripture as

2nd Corinthians 5:17 says “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Ephesians 4:22-24 says
“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”

Colossians 3:9 “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.”

I suppose that the renewing of the mind may come in a number of ways for the Christian but in my estimation, however, NOTHING comes close to the power of mind renewal than what we are doing here – the reading, hearing, and studying of the Word of God and then allowing the Gospel, which is the power of God to salvation, to take effect in us.

For this reason, we read in Ephesians 5:25-27 where Paul, speaking of the church, says:

Ephesians 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he (meaning Christ) might sanctify and cleanse it (meaning the church – and here’s the applicable line as Paul says) “with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

Nothing – NO “THING” – on earth has the ability to renew the human mind, to wash and cleanse it of its former delusions and fallacies, than the Word read and heard by the Spirit. Nothing.

So we spend our time in it – absorbing all that God wants us to know as a means to wash away what we once believed and trusted and followed in this world.

Paul concludes the verse and supporting this idea says:

“that ye (Christians in Rome, believers in Salt Lake City) “may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Renew your mind (through the washing of the Word) “that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God

Psalm 17:4 says, Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.

Isaiah 55:10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Hosea 4:6 talks about the lack of the Word in our minds, where God says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:”

Amos 8:11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:
12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.

In Matthew 4:4, Jesus said to Satan, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

And he said to his apostles in John 17:17 “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

The Apostle John tells us why he wrote his gospel, saying:

John 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Speaking of the Bereans Luke wrote in Acts 17:11
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Isaiah 34:16 Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered them.

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Paul adds in Romans 15:4 “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

As mentioned, the study of the Word protects us, as Paul said in Ephesians 4:14

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

And e added in 1st Corinthians 14:20 Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

And in

1st Thessalonians 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

And
2nd Timothy 1:13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

And
2nd Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

And to Timothy Paul said

2nd Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

Speaking of Christ, Titus 1:3 says

But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Savior.

And we recall just reading
Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

The writer of Hebrews wrote:
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

James wrote
James 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Peter wrote
1st Peter 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

And then to new believers Peter said:

1st Peter 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious (FIRST PREMISE).

1st John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

And finally, Paul again wrote to Timothy, saying

(2nd Timothy 3:14) But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture that is inspired is of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Writing to the church at Rome Paul concludes verse 2 with the very same type of reasoning, saying:

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is “that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

So, for eleven chapters Paul has talked about the true meaning of faith and grace and the salvation of all men.

Now he is talking about action among believers. What to do with the blessed Gospel bestowed upon us. And how to prove the acceptable will of God in our lives as those redeemed to His Kingdom.

So, let’s continue on and read from verse 3-21 where Paul continues on with what I believe is a simply ingenious description of what it means “to prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

And he lays out 39 to 40 principles for people to consider, saying

3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you,

not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think;
but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering:
or he that teacheth, on teaching;
8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation:
he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity;
he that ruleth, with diligence;
he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
9 Let love be without dissimulation.
Abhor that which is evil;
cleave to that which is good.
10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love;
in honor preferring one another;
11 Not slothful in business;
fervent in spirit;
serving the Lord;
12 Rejoicing in hope;
patient in tribulation;
continuing instant in prayer;
13 Distributing to the necessity of saints;
given to hospitality.
14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice,
and weep with them that weep.
16 Be of the same mind one toward another.
Mind not high things,
but condescend to men of low estate.
Be not wise in your own conceits.
17 Recompense to no man evil for evil.
Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves,
but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him;
if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
21 Be not overcome of evil,
but overcome evil with good.

Paul has said to the church at Rome (and now to us believers in the church) that they must renew their minds (through the washing of the Word) and now in verse 3 he touches on the spirit and attitude believers ought to develop through their renewed minds have as they rub shoulders and experience communion with each other and then with the outside world.

I am just going to hit on some notes of clarification here as much of what he says is plain and self-explanatory. Verse 3

Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

“Don’t be conformed to the world,” he said before and now gets specific. In the world people think more highly of themselves than they should – here Paul tells believers to think, “soberly.”

The Greek word for “soberly” is a compound of two other words and put together they really mean to “safely understand.”

I like that definition. To “safely understand” both God and others in my opinion means to humbly view people and their issues as God sees them – that is safe understanding.

Paul adds

“according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.”

In other words, Paul ties the faith we have as believers (great and small) to God who gives it, and not to the individual, lest any man should boast. Now he launches into some tremendous thinking, saying:

4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

Think soberly and stop seeing yourself as exalted above any other, we are all members in one body.

Here Paul takes a minute to explain what he means by explaining that while we are all in the same body, we are not all appointed to do the same thing.

For a deeper understanding of this we could read 1st Corinthians 12:14-23 where he uses the same illustration but due to our new plan we are going to tread a little quicker. (verse 5)

5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and everyone members one of another.

And in verse 6 he then articulates what makes us different and useful and relevant in the Body, saying:

6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us – meaning

Just as the ear has a gift or gifts, and the heart has gifts, and the brain and eye, and hands and stomach and liver all have gifts which function within the human body so does the Body of Christ, or the living Church.

Everything everyone has been gifted with (by God) can and should be used “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”

LISTEN – so long as the gifts are soberly used to PERFECT, SUPPORT, and EDIFY.

In other words, a porn star or mob boss’s talents are not necessarily applicable in the body of Christ.

But all that God has blessed His children with to the perfecting and supporting of the ministry and to the edification of the Saints can and should be used.

Here Paul names a few of these gifts for our benefit, namely:

Prophesy (verse 6)
Ministry (verse 7)
Teaching (verse 7)
Exhortation (verse 8)
Giving (verse 8)
Ruling (verse 8)
And even mercy (verse 8)

Of course, the New Testament lists many more. The important point here, in so far as I can tell, is that Paul is trying to say,

“Don’t conform to this world.”
“Renew your minds through the Word.”
“Don’t think of yourselves highly.”
Think soberly
“We are all members of one body.”
And as such we have all been gifted with certain attributes from God – so use them according to His will and ways and as you have been gifted.”

(I have listened to over 30 near death experiences on Youtube this past month. Purposely pulling from people from every walk of life not just Christian. Everyone of the stories shared experiencing being an individual part of an enormous whole – everyone of them. Paul taps into this relative to the Christian body in my estimation.)

Now, at verse nine, Paul launches into what I have counted to be twenty-nine individual commands for believers.

? (beat)

You know, in some ways I truly get a shot of entertainment out of people who say things like:

“Being a Christian is really far too easy. What, say a prayer and your saved? That’s just too slick.”

All we have to do is read the rest of Romans 12 to see this is really not the case – unless we read what is said without taking it seriously.

Anyway, at verse nine, Paul begins to list twenty eight commands for believers. This is only a dozen verses and he gives us 29 commands or apostolic directives.

Let’s work through them and I will clarify as needed Verse 9 (number one!):

#1 Let love be without dissimulation.

Let the (agape) love be without dissimulation – ANU-POKRITOS – without hypocrisy.

Under this umbrella rests the remaining 27 points in my estimation as he adds:

#2 – Abhor that which is evil
#3 – cleave to that which is good.

The word “abhor” means to hate; to turn from and to avoid and the word “cleave” means to cling to or be glued to.

#4 (verse 10) Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love;
#5 “in honor preferring one another . . .”

Not seeking honor for ourselves but honoring others and preferring them.
. . . showing preferential treatment to others over oneself.

#6 (verse 11) Not slothful in business;

The word slothful means slow. It pertains to those who when the boss is away they slack off. Paul makes it clear in scripture that when believers do anything – anything – we are doing it as unto the Lord. Really.

In 2009, while doing the show here and living in Southern California I had to take on an extra job and was hired by UPS to load containers here in SLC. It was tough relentless work. I wanted to be slovenly whenever I could get away with it.

The funny thing was, at that time many of the people I worked with recognized me from the show – and many were LDS.

So, in a way I was from day one forced to show these guys that as a Christian (who was once LDS) I was a better employee, not worse. So instead of being slothful I had to be, on His errand, if I was going to represent Him well.

#7 fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

The word fervent relates to metals or liquids brought to a boil. It is bubbling up and over – genuine zeal from our spirit. Notice it does not say fervent in body. “No muscle spasms to show enthusiasm required to prove you are a follower of the King, but a fervent spirit, serving the Lord.

#8 (verse 12) “Rejoicing in hope . . .” (rejoicing in expectations).
#9 patient in tribulation;
#10 continuing instant in prayer;

Hope
Patience amidst tribulation
Continuing in “instant prayer.”

. . . placing everything in the Lord’s care, petitioning Him in and through our spirit, conversing with Him openly, instantly.

David described the attitude well in Psalm 42:1-2,

“As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?”

11! (verse 13) “Distributing to the necessity of saints;”
12 “given to hospitality.”

The Greek word for “distributing” better means to have all things in common and this describes when believers let loose of some of the ideas of ownership relative to things they once hoarded or protected or cherished and see their things as the things of others too.

Notice two things – Paul write that this generosity is to the 1) necessity and 2) of the Saints – what the believers in that day really needed, not necessarily what they wanted – and it was to that day.

If your heart is clinging to your time, perhaps try and loosen your grip a bit, distribute it to those who really need it.

If it’s set on material things, look around you, discover who in the body is in real need, and consider sharing with them.

Number 12 – “Given to hospitality.”
(this is a whole sermon – may the Spirit guide)

(at verse 14 Paul adds) “Bless them which persecute you . . .”
# 14 “bless, and curse not.”
# 15 (verse 15) “Rejoice with them that do rejoice,”
# 16 “weep with them that weep.”
#17 (verse 16) “Be of the same mind one toward another.”

And then it is my opinion that at verse 18 Paul begins to speak of the believers ways toward all people now, and not just believers, and he says:

#18 “Mind not high things,”
#19 “condescend to men of low estate.”
#20 “Be not wise in your own conceits.”
#21 “Recompense to no man evil for evil.”
#22 “Provide things honest in the sight of all men.”
#23 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
(peace if possible but truth always!)

And then in the vein of living peaceably, Paul seems to speak of those who harm us and says

# 24 (verse 19) Dearly beloved, “avenge not yourselves!”
#25 (but rather) give place unto wrath: for it is written, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay,” saith the Lord.
#26 (verse 20) If thine enemy hunger, feed him;
#27 If he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
#28 (verse 21) Be not overcome of evil
#29 but overcome evil with good.

At the end of it all – ALL 29 commands are but extentions of the first mentioned – to love . . . but without hypocrisy.

Comments/Questions

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Saturday the 14th 2021 6PM LDS debate

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