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Romans 12:1-3
A big obstacle to consistent spiritual growth in our lives, and in the lives of those around us, is this: That we try to do what only God can do, and that we don’t do what only we can do; instead praying to God to do it for us.
We know that love, for example, is a fruit of the spirit. Yet have you ever heard of someone, or even found yourself, trying to be more loving? Or more peaceful? Or more gentle? These qualities are described as fruit of the spirit, and they are God’s responsibility to produce in our lives.
This teaching is going to focus on the truth of what is our responsibility, our part, in the quest for consistent spiritual growth. If we can come to a clear, realistic understanding and discernment of what is our responsibility and what is God’s responsibility, spiritual life and growth and results (fruit) will begin to flow in and through our lives every single day.
For the first half of this study, we’ll take a look at Romans 12:1-3:
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice; holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Therefore is a huge word. Therefore (and “wherefore”) always indicate an appropriate response to what has just been stated. In this case, Romans chapters 9, 10 and 11 are actually a parenthetical thought (kind of like an aside in theater, when an actor, right in the middle of speaking to another, stops and talks to the audience, or to himself, and then continues on with his conversation as if he’d never stopped. There, I just did it myself). Did you see the parentheses? So the thoughts to which the “therefore” of Romans 12:1 refer are actually those expressed at the end of Romans 8. I’ll let you read that yourself… and you should.
Reasonable in verse 1 is the Greek word logismos, from which we get the English word logical.
Service is a special word, meaning temple service. It can be translated “religious service” or service to God. Considering all that God has done for us, as spelled out in Romans 8, the logical response as regards our service to Him is that we give our lives as living sacrifices to Him. “Hey God, I’m yours. I’ve got no life without you. If you want anything done, you let me know; otherwise, I’ll just live my life based on my experience of Christ. What’s that? Okay, I’m on it.”
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world (aeon – age); but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.
God is now going to tell us how to serve Him. Verse 2 only begins telling us. Actually, it takes the rest of Romans, till the end of chapter 16, to completely tell us.
be not conformed is in the middle voice, meaning the subject is acting upon himself. Also, it is a present infinitive. It should read, not to conform yourself. Paul is beseeching the believers not to conform themselves to the world; not to pour themselves into the mold that age was offering them. The infinitive form of the verb indicates an ongoing action.
Today, don’t take the shape this present evil world wants you in. Don’t go along to get along. Don’t take the path of least resistance. Don’t seek to excel in the way this age offers. You can’t beneficially pick the mold you want to take the shape of by observing the flesh of others, because Satan will always be the one helping you interpret what you are seeing, causing your “mold” to be a false one. How can any decision you make for your inside be truthfully accurate when it’s chosen by observing something on the outside? Unless the spirit of truth is the one interpreting the data, it will be the god of this world (age) doing so.
be transformed is in the passive voice and is also infinitive. Paul is beseeching the reader to allow the action to be done to him, and not by him. You don’t transform yourself, you allow yourself to be transformed, on an ongoing basis. We are to continually be in a state of allowing ourselves to be transformed.
by the renewing of your mind. is an infinitive used as a noun in the dative case; that is, our transformation is occuring so that our minds (consciousness) may be renovated (made new in quality). This can only be done by the spirit of Christ via the word (rhema – what God reveals to you) of God. The purpose of having a consciousness renovated by the spirit of Christ is so that we can prove (put to the test so as to see a thing work the way it was intended, resulting in a fruitfulness) the will of God. In our lives, through our lives.
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 has dealt to every man the measure of faith.
The King James adds the words, of himself after not to think. These words have been added by man (as noted, in the King James, by being italicized), and we can leave them out without changing the actual Scripture.
highly refers to the heavenly (spiritual) realm. Here, since we are to think what comes from God, this word must be referring to what comes from the wrong spirits, who dwell in heaven. We are not to have in our thinking those thoughts which seek to lift themselves up into the position of God in our lives, which are not from the true God. Can you think of a being who would want to do that? That’s right. The devil! (You might want to check out the study: Where is Heaven and When do we get there?)
I want to take a moment to identity what some of these “high” things could be. Teaching the Bible, Going on a mission trip. Going to church. Giving money to a worthy cause. Praying. Trying not to sin. If any of these activities are done in the place of a relationship with God, and not as a result of such a relationship, then they are high things. “Gee,” you might think, “Is nothing safe?” The answer is NO! The only thing safe, or sacred, is God Himself, and God Himself is only encountered by us in the spirit of the Christ within us. No work of your own will suffice.
soberly simply means practically, realistically; literally “with sound thinking .” This takes Godly logic.
according as God has dealt to every every man the measure of faith… this describes the means by which a person’s mind, or consciousness is transformed to the end that their consciousness is given a new quality. We know that faith comes by hearing from (the word rhema of) God, in the revealing of the spirit of the Christ within. (please see the teaching How Do We Get Faith? ….. God GIVES It To Us).
This “dealt” does not mean a one time dealing. God deals out faith to us by revealing the things of Christ to our minds, and as we grow in the acceptance, understanding and practice of what He reveals, He deals out more. Just don’t go beyond what He has dealt, as if that’s what He wants you to do. Those thoughts come from the devil.
Okay, here’s how I understand Romans 12:1-3 Brethren, because we are holy and without condemnation in Christ, in whom all God’s love has been poured out unto us, with the result that all things have been reclaimed for God’s good purposes which have always been intended to be for our benefit, and in fact have now been restored in Christ; I beseech you, because God has done all this for you undeserved, to present your whole being in the service of God; why, it’s the only logical thing to do. Here’s how to do this. Don’t conform yourself into the pattern of the ways of the world, but be always in the state of being transformed within by the spirit of Christ (by means of the revelation of God to you) reinvigorating your minds, so that you can actually live out and see the results promised by God, which are all good, acceptable, and perfect in God’s eyes. That which I have freely received from God, the Father, I communicate to you. Don’t allow “spiritual” thoughts that exalt themselves above and beyond what God has actually given to you, to dominate your thinking as to what is most important in your life. Rather, what you should be thinking of taking action on, in the service of God, are only those thoughts, plans and desires which God Himself, through the faith of Christ which is in you, has placed in your hearts.
We’ll continue this study on Godly logic in the next posting, where we’ll delve into II Corinthians 10:3-5.
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Related studies:
Godly Logic (Spiritual Warfare)
The Approval of Man
Conform, Reform, or Transform
What Pleases God
