A living sacrifice with a transformed mind is a Christian in pursuit and fulfilling the destiny God has for them.
Romans 12:1 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.
I can hear the heartbeat of Paul as he is pleading with the believers in Rome. His passionate plea was, in view of God’s mercy present your bodies. When you put the mercies of God in the forefront does it change what you do? Does it change the motive and the way that you do it? Presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice is the call of God to every believer. Romans has established that one is save by grace through faith in Jesus Christ; in view of the magnitude of the truth, present you bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God which is your spiritual worship.
Grace has been given so your life is an expression of worship; the Father is seeking the one who will worship Him. The sign the believer has a full revelation of grace is the believer presents their body as a living sacrifice to God.
Romans 12:2 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.
Don’t be conformed be transformed. Transformation of the mind comes by receiving the truths found in God’s word. It is by trusting wholly in the good news of the gospel. Our mind is renewed by exalting the truth of gospel above anything we believed before. It is the Spirit of truth changing our mind and bringing our thought life unto the obedience of Jesus Christ. Some believers walk in bondage and the only resolution is to renew their mind. We will prove the good, the acceptable, and the perfect will of God.
Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
Your thought life is so important! Grace makes all equal at the foot of the cross. We have been called to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one the measure of faith. I love to say it “There is nothing wrong with your faith. God has given the measure of faith.
Romans 12:4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
One body and many members; the heart of God is for the unity of the body!
Romans 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
Let us use the gifts to minister to one another. Grace teaches, grace gives, and grace ministers to the body. The purpose of God’s grace is fulfilled when the body begins to minister to one another through the gifts of the Spirit. God’s desire is for the whole of the body of Christ to do the work of the ministry.
Romans 12:9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
This life of faith is practical. Love what God loves and abhor the evil. When your thought life gets in agreement with the truth found in Jesus Christ victory is being unveiled. Every line is practical application for the believer. We must be sure we see this truth from the grace perspective; that is the only way it is life giving. What a procession of direction, affectionate, honoring, diligence, fervent, serving, rejoicing, patient, steadfast, giving, and hospitable. Only the renewed mind can live up to it!
Romans 12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
Bless and do not curse; have a heart for one another. Some wonder why they don’t walk in victory. However when it comes to applying the work of grace practically they do not follow the call of the Spirit. The renewed mind can live in the instruction.
Romans 12:17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
Mere men cannot live this way; however those living as a new creation. The renewed mind does not repay evil for evil, it has regard for good things, and pursue peace.
Romans 12:19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. 20 Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
We have not left the subject matter from verse one. We have been called to be a living sacrifice. God is calling us to walk through the stages and mature from the good, the acceptable, to the perfect will of God for our lives.
Giving place to wrath is not a popular message; it is a powerful message! We can trust in God. As a living sacrifice we can do good to our enemies; God will take care of the rest. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
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