Romans 12:1-21 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Why was God so merciful to us? 11 chapters have explained to us how God owed us nothing, but gave us everything of value. Did He just want to forgive us? Or was forgiveness given so He could give us what He really values: Life.
We are to worship God with all our being, and from that to love others as ourselves. Sin, the arrogant choice to act outside of God’s will, has ruined us. Because of Christ’s sacrifice, we now can choose a different way of life. But we need to live like Christ, not differently. John says it this way:
1 John 2:4-6 Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, (5) but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in him: (6) whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
So how do we walk as Jesus walked? We, like him, offer up our bodies to God the Father saying “Not my will but yours.” That is the opposite of the arrogance of sin. That is the humility of righteousness.
But How do we do that??? Ever since we were little toddlers, we have wanted to satisfy our bodies and have used our ability to set our minds on things in clever ways to get what we want. We can suppress the truth in unrighteousness because our desires are sinful. Really? Have you ever seen a toddler fall, look back thinking no one was there and not cry. Then, noticing mommy is in fact watching, start to cry with great urgency? Maybe this is going a bit to far in noticing our early tendency to manipulate what is real in order to get what we want; maybe not. From there on we take what is familiar and make it normal, even acceptable. “Well, that’s just the way boys are.” Really? What way? According to the world, boys just can’t help but be wild, self-centered, rough, sometimes cruel to insects (or cats or worse)… But is that really true? No. That is what boys do as they get used to living in a world separated from God. They conform to expected patterns. They need to be trained not to do that. The same for little girls, and when we don’t get it done right early on, the same for men and women.
(2) Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (3) For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. (4) For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, (5) so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
In order to break out of the resignation to human arrogance that makes excuses for disobeying God and hurting others, we need to have our thinking changed. That is what Jesus preached when he came out of his 40 day fasting trial. “Change your thinking (repent)! God is in charge here and now (the kingdom of heaven is near)!
When we do get our bodies submitted and our minds renewed, then the Truth rises back up and we can see, relatively clearly, what is God’s will (Telos/complete/mature will at that).
What is His will? Do not be conceited, arrogant (the key ingredient for sin). Instead think with a clear mind about what your role is and just do that with contentment.
(6) Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; (7) if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; (8) the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
So, if I am gifted in a particular way, and we all are in a way or ways, we should be intentional about using those gifts well.
(9) Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. (10) Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. (11) Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. (12) Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. (13) Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. (14) Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. (15) Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. (16) Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be conceited. (17) Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. (18) If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
As we get good at our gifts, we need to constantly check ourselves to be sure that we are intentionally developing and using our gifts out of love. Real service is intentional, and the purpose is to glorify God by being good at love. Each of the gifts listed above are forms, ways in which love is actually expressed, actually done. We constantly are to avoid arrogance (read: sin) and instead control ourselves well. That is all we can do, despite the suggestions of some teaching (expand, control, fix…).
(19) Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." (20) To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." (21) Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Of course even when we do what we should we aren’t guaranteed everyone else will do what they should. In fact, we are guaranteed that all those who live righteously in Christ will experience being treated wrongly by others. So what can we do? SUFFER WELL. We could just blast the evil ones, but that is arrogance again. God is going to do a better job, mainly because it is His job. Our job is to do good and stop doing evil. Do your job. The other person’s job is also to do good and stop doing evil but remember, they don’t work for you! They are to do their job (stop doing evil and start doing good) to God and if they don’t He doesn’t need your help in “firing” them. Just work on you (you won’t run out of challenges, I promise) and God will keep count of all the evil done by referees, other drivers, in-laws, and the serious offenders too. Remember, there is only one God and you aren’t Him. To a mind that isn’t suppressing the Truth, that is Good News.
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