Scripture: Romans 12:1-21
In this, our 10th lesson from Paul’s
letter to the Romans, we will be considering just what Paul meant when he
called us to be “transformed” in Christ.
For the church in Rome, this challenge went much further than a simple
renewed commitment in faith! Rome itself
was a cosmopolitan city unlike any other of that day, and the church could easily
have been just as diverse in its own nature.
That’s what social culture can do, even to the faith of true believers.
Another problem that plagues us is that we are
living in a time of two directions – first, the age of “what is”, and second,
the age of “what will be”. The choice is
before us - will we continue to live as we always have, or will we see the hope
and promise that living in a way that brings change to this life of “what was”,
and opens the door that leads us to “the day of renewal”!
That’s what the way and word of Jesus Christ will do
for us. The renewing power that faith
and obedience to the teachings of God, that which will come to us through the
living example of His Son, has become our opportunity to not only change to a
new way of thinking, but to be converted into a Godly way of being! In a Christian sense, “transformation” is not
as much a renewal in the way that others see us as it is a conforming to the
way that God created us.
So what does Paul have to say about this renewal and
conformation for our lives?
Read Romans 12:1-2
What might the Apostle be trying to tell us when he
uses this term “living sacrifice”? For
Israel, as well as all nations and cultures of that day, sacrifice was anything
but a “living” gift. After all,
even Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary was about His death – until, that is, His
resurrection lifted Him three days later!
And that, I believe, is Paul’s point – that when we
surrender this life to the glory of God, we “die” to the “what is”, in order
that we might live again in the way of Jesus Christ! The old saying “in the world, but not of the
world” keeps coming to mind in the context of this new life, for that is what
the word “holy” implies. This dying,
that we might live renewed, allows us to be “set aside” (which is what “holy”
truly means) to live, and serve, and please God in a way that the world can
never do.
And the next thought that we read of is that this
change brings us to a new level of worshiping God! Without this transformation in our life,
worship will never be any more than simple words and actions. But through the life that holiness brings,
worship takes on a whole new meaning for us.
It is no longer a time burdened with repetition and verbalization, but
rather one of glory and praise and celebration for all that the Lord is and has
been doing on our behalf. Through our
renewing, worship moves from being a human and worldly offering to one that is
Spirit-filled and joyful in every sense.
We also read that transformation begins with it a
change in our mind, which may be a new thought for many. Normally, we think that it is our heart that
changes from love of earth to love of God, and that this is what guides the
rest of our being in renewal. But Paul
tells us that it is the newness of our mind that enables us to appreciate and
understand the Lord’s call on our lives, and it is from there that we begin our
journey of faith.
Read Romans 12:3-8
And what does renewal in Christ mean for us? It seems that the hallmark of transformation
involves a completely new focus for our lives!
Perhaps the prophet in Micah 6:8,
tells us that the difference is not so much about what we begin doing, but
rather, is the attitude, the desire, the heart that is obviously behind our doing that makes all the
difference. The newness in our lives is
revealed when humility replaces personal pride, when serious consideration of
our own sinful condition takes a place of prominence over our judgment and
criticism of others, when a desire to work in unity with others in service to
the Lord supersedes our striving to gain personal recognition for those
accomplishments that we see as our own successes, when the gifts that come from
God’s Spirit become far more important to us than the abilities we have always
worked to develop and proclaim in the world.
Transformation through faith in Christ will always
be far greater than anything we could ever do on our own. Paul’s own experience taught him that, for
when he met the Risen and Living Christ on the road to Damascus, life
completely changed for him. In Philippians 3:3-7, he tells us that in that moment, everything
that he had always seen as the identifying marks of his life no longer held even
an ounce of importance for him. His
final thought in that passage was this –“But
whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.”
Discovering Jesus for his life, choosing to serve
Him in ways that he had always seen as heretical, finding new purpose and a new
understanding in what true faith is all about became his focus and direction
for the ministry that would guide him for the rest of his life. He had died to worldly satisfaction and
accomplishment, and had turned this new life into one that could now see others
through the eyes and mind and heart of Christ.
Read Romans 12:9-16
As Paul was writing this letter, he was showing us all
that the heart-felt attitude that now guided him had come through the
conforming power of faith in Jesus Christ.
He was no longer willing to take any credit, any glory, any success for the
work of God that had come through him, and instead, gave it all over to his
Lord and Savior. His life had become one
in which his priority in service was now to lead others into the grace and
salvation that he had found in Jesus.
The conversion that John Wesley experienced is, in
many ways, similar to that which the apostle Paul received – for both of these
men, Jesus had shown them that the earthly way of “doing” things held no
purpose, no eternal benefit for either of them.
And life changed for the better, just as it always does when we look to
the truth and light of Christ, and allow Him to make us whole by faith instead
of by personal and individual effort.
Love of God, and our love of others, in that order,
become the foundation that will enable the Church to grow and thrive, and
anything less will be our downfall.
Every other attribute and effort that Paul lists here are based in that
first command – love God and love others above all else. (Matthew 22:34-39)
Read Romans 12:17-21
The previous passage was primarily about offering
the Lord’s blessings to others who are in need of them. But these few verses set the stage for why
those other commands are so important and what makes them so effective – in
essence, leave judgment and retribution up to God, for neither of these are
within our authority or part of our responsibility. And Paul concludes with words that seem very
familiar to us – words that are reminiscent of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 25:31-46, in which He tells us that whenever we reach
out to those who are in great need, who are struggling in this life, who are so
wrapped up in the failures of earth that they can’t find their way to heavenly
hope - it is then that we are truly serving Christ.
It isn’t about giving great and monumental support
to others – it is about being the kind of person for those who we have no
relationship with, in the same way that we would be willing to help a friend,
or even what we would do for ourselves.
This is how a transforming spirit works and grows
and blesses through every life that has become a living sacrifice on behalf of
God and His ways. It’s a God given gift
that will continue to give throughout our life in Christ, and it will get
stronger and more familiar each and every day that we work to share with others
the gifts that the Lord has given to each of us.
