Treasures New and Old

Romans: A Living Sacrifice

What we have studied so far in Romans through these monthly articles over the last few years:

• Chapter 1: Paul’s Call to Preach the Gospel and the Corrupted Heart of Man
• Chapter 2: Man Is without Excuse
• Chapter 3: Paul’s False Arguments Debunked
• Chapter 4: Faith of Abraham
• Chapter 5: Being Justified by Faith
• Chapter 6: Newness of Life
• Chapter 7: New Law for Us
•  Chapter 8: Walk in the Spirit
• Chapter 9: Those Who Are Called & God’s Sovereignty
• Chapter 10: Preaching the Word of Faith
• Chapter 11: God Always Saves a Remnant

We are now about to embark over the next several months on the subjects found in Chapter 12.

• Chapter 12: Practical Christian Advice

• 1. A Living Sacrifice (vs. 1-3)
  2. Church Body Members (vs. 4-8)
  3. Seven Key Behaviors (vs. 9-15)
  4. Member Gifts Deep Dive (vs. 6-15)
  5. Be of the Same Mind (vs. 16-18)
  6. Dealing with Human Adversaries (vs. 19-21)

This is considered the second division of the Romans epistle where Paul encourages the behavior and duties of believers by arguments dependent on the doctrines of the gospel. These doctrines, as well as all the commandments of God, may be summed up on one word, namely, LOVE. Some of these are practical in nature while others speak directly to the spirit and heart of the readers to influence their perspectives and behaviors.

A Living Sacrifice

Romans: 12:1-3: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 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. 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.”

• One of the most important passages that Paul ever wrote has to be these three verses. In them we find some principles that define in a concise manner what a Christian should be striving for in their life’s journey. Let’s dissect these verses and uncover their instructions for us that provide daily guidance.

Some Key Definitions:

• Beseech: Parakaleo (Strong’s G3870) (like a parakleat – an encourager, to exhort, to comfort with, to intreat, invoke gently, call near to do, pray.)

• Present: paristemi paristano (Wordsearch’s Strong’s G3936): “from <G3844> (para) and <G2476> (histemi); to stand beside, i.e. (transitive) to exhibit, proffer, (special) recommend, (figurative) substantiate; or (intransitive) to be at hand (or ready), aid:- assist, bring before, command, commend, give presently, present, prove, provide, shew, stand (before, by, here, up, with), yield.”

• Living Sacrifice: zao (Strong’s G2198): life, quick, alive, lively, be alive and thusia (Strong’s G2378): (either the act of making a sacrifice or the sacrificial object).

• Reasonable Service: logikos (Strong’s G3050): (rational, logical, just makes sense) and lateria (Strong’s G2999): (from latreuo, ministration of God, divine service, worship).

• Conformed: syschematizo (Wordsearch’s Strong’s G4964): from <G4862> (sun) and a derivative of <G4976> (schema); to fashion alike, i.e. conform to the same pattern (figurative):- conform to, fashion self according to” a certain configuration or design.

• World: aion (Strong’s G165): age, course, “properly an age; by extension perpetuity (also past); by implication the world; specially (Jewish) a Messianic period (present or future) :- age, course, eternal, (for) ever (-more), [n-]ever, (beginning of the, while the) world (began, without end). Compare <G5550> [chronos].

• Transformed: metamorphoo (Wordsearch’s Strong’s G3339): from <G3326> (meta) and <G3445> (morphoo); to transform (literal or figurative “metamorphose”) :- change, transfigure, transform. Meta: with, after, among; Morphoo – to fashion or form a thing. The idea of adjusting or shaping a thing.)

• Renewing: anakainosis (Strong’s G342): to renovate, to renew.

• Mind: nous (Worsdearch’s Strong’s G3563): the mind, our understanding; “probably from the base of <G1097> (ginosko); the intellect, i.e. mind (divine or human; in thought, feeling, or will); by implication meaning :- mind, understanding. Compare G5590 [psuche – the spirit].”

• Prove dokimazo (Wordsearch’s Strong’s G1381): “Allow, Approve, Approved, Discern, Discerner, Discernment, Examination, Examine, Prove, Refuse, Try, Tried”; something that has been approved.

• Good: agathos (Wordsearch Strong’s G18): “Benefit, Benefactor, Good, Goodly, Goodness, Kind, Kind (Be), Kindly, Kindness”, good thing something that is well.

• Acceptable: euarestos (Wordsearch’s Strong’s G2101): “Accept, Accepted, Acceptable, Please, Pleasing, Well-Pleasing (Verb), Pleasure (Verb), Well-Pleasing”: something that is fit to use.

• Perfect: teleios (Wordsearch’s Strong’s G5046): “Age, Man, Perfect, Perfectly . . . complete (in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character, etc.); neuter (as noun, with <G3588> (ho)) completeness :- of full age, man, perfect.” Implied maturity.

• Will: thelema (Wordsearch’s Strong’s G2307): “Desire, Desirous, Will, Would . . . ; a determination (properly the thing), i.e. (active) choice (special purpose, decree; abstract volition) or (passive) inclination :- desire, pleasure, will.)”

• Soberly: sophroneo (Strong’s G4993): “From G4998; to be of sound mind, that is, sane, (figuratively) moderate: – be in right mind, be sober (minded), soberly.”

• Dealt: merizo (Wordsearch’s Strong’s G3307): “Deal, Differ, Differing, Different, Difference, Distribute, Distribution, Divide, Divider, Dividing, Part . . . to part, i.e. (literal) to apportion, bestow, share, or (figurative) to disunite, differ :- deal, be difference between, distribute, divide, give participle.”

• Measure of Faith: metron (Wordsearch’s Strong’s G3358) of pistis (Wordsearch’s Strong’s G4102): (an apparently primary word; a measure (“metre”), literal or figurative; by implication a limited portion (degree) :- measure.” Faith: “Assurance, Assure, Assuredly, Belief, Believe, Believers, Faith, Fidelity.”

Verse 1 Notes: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

• Paul is clearly speaking to Christians, and he is not dictating but beseeching or encourageing the Roman believers to make a commitment that, frankly, will change their lives forever.

• Paul invokes God’s mercies in his request. He is referring to God’s divine compassion. The act of self-sacrifice is not to be dictated or demanded but is being requested as a natural byproduct of God’s compassion and gift of salvation and God’s continued work to adapt us into the image of Christ.

• This is no one-time request, but a request for believers to daily, for the rest of their lives, present themselves to the Master for service. That this is regarded as a sacrifice indicates that presenting ourselves accordingly means that we will daily be setting aside our desires and plans and wait on the Master to assign us our marching orders for the day. We may be given permission to do what we want or must, but we submit first to the Master’s desire before our own. You are becoming a doulos (servant) as described in Galatians 1:10.

• Holy: pure, blameless, acceptable, pleasing, well-pleasing, something that is fit to use. Not that you must be in this state before you present yourself; but that God makes you to be this way as you present yourself.

• Your reasonable service is just simply a logical conclusion of having become a Christian and making Jesus not just your Savior but also your Lord. It is your reasonable, logical, next step in service, worship to our God and King.

Verse 2 Notes: “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.”

• The world will never stop trying to mold you into what they consider acceptable. Note that what is acceptable yesterday is not the same today and will change tomorrow. The changes are not for the better, rather are always sliding deeper and deeper into pleasures and perdition. Do not become as they are, Paul is saying. Do not look like them, or pattern yourself after them or pick up their pernicious ways. Instead, be changed, be transformed, be fashioned by God to be that new creature that He intends for you to be.

• How to do this? The remaking of your mind. Reboot with a different program/operating system! The old is full of viruses and zero-day vulnerabilities. Your code is flawed and corrupt and needs removal (not patches!)

• Being transformed is like being rewritten with God’s code, His apps which are without flaws.

• The result will be that we will be able to live a different life than that of just a person who is thankful for salvation (owing to a Savior), but as one who willingly and happily submits to a Master.

• That new life of self-sacrifice will become such that we will show the world a better way. We will prove or be approved by God and will be seen as holy – set apart and pure, acceptable – fit for the Master’s use, and perfect – mature to the point of being able to perform the tasks He assigns us.

• Your mind must change. Must be renewed. The old man thinking must give way to the new man spiritual thinking.

Verse 3 Notes: “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.”

• Paul lets the Roman readers know that what he is sharing is by God’s grace. This is not dictatorial, but gracious encouragement. Paul knows that to make this step will literally transform your life into a more dynamic follower of Christ.

• He also warns that if you think yourself above the need to submit yourself to God in this way that maybe you’re too proud. Too proud to be willing to submit to the Lord of Glory. Too proud to do as Christ demonstrated and wash the feel of the other disciples in the room if God asks it of you.

• We are to do this with sober mindedness, a present active verb (Gilbrant). We are not dumb robots or Romans slaves that have no mind of their own but only do and think as they are given leave to do. But as one who has trained their mind to be exercised with carefulness and a focus on what God wants us to do.

• And Paul is not saying we are all to do the same thing. According to the measure of faith, the portion that God has given to you. Be faithful in the protion God has called you to, not your brother’s or sister’s, but your own.

• This dealing out of a measure of faith is a great segway into what Paul has shared about our spiritual gifts. These gifts are given by God in measure as He wills to all of us and motivates (or should) to serve in the areas that He has chosen for us.

• We will get into those subjects in the following weeks but, for now, consider, do you present yourself to the Master as a living sacrifice – daily? Weekly? Monthly? At all? Or do you wake each day and ask yourself, “Let’s see, what would I like to do today? Of course we have responsibilities, jobs, homes, and children (and parents) to care for, but do we ask God what He wants and what are His priorities, or do we move through our lives as one sitting on the throne of our life?

Are you ready to be a living sacrifice for the Lord Jesus Christ? Pray earnestly about it. When we are willing to sacrifice for Him, that is when we enter into the abundant spiritual life in Christ.

May God Bless you!

Maranatha!

Bro. Joe

References

Gilbrant, T., Gilbrant, T. The Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary. 4011. World Library Press. (2020). Wordsearch Bible. [computer software]. Nashville, TN: LifeWay Christian Resources. (Original work published 1986)

Strong, J. Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries. Meyers, R. (2005). e-Sword. [computer software] . Franklin, TN: Equipping Ministries Foundation. (Original work published 1539)

Strong, J. Strong’s Talking Greek_Hebrew Dictionary. Wordsearch. (2020). Wordsearch Bible. [computer software] . Nashville, TN: LifeWay Christian Resources. (Original work published 1890).

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