Romans 12:1-8

 Romans 12:1-8

After Paul’s lofty and somewhat difficult teaching about election, hardening of hearts and Israel, he moves toward highly practical applications. He ends chapter 11 with the greatness of God and salvation by grace. So how do we respond to these two grand themes? We live lives of holiness. Chapter 12 is an insightful chapter about holy living. Because of who God is and what He has done, holy living is our response. God’s person and action provide the only lasting and adequate motivation for holy living. Any encouragement for holy living is prized, but only God Himself is sufficient motivation for holiness.

We have had our own death, burial, and resurrection, and the life we now live is that of a holy sacrifice. The last phrase of verse one is literally translated “which is your logical service.” It is only logical or reasonable that we should live holy lives; any immorality is an illogical or self-contradicting state for a believer. The word ‘service’ in this verse is the origin of our word liturgy, which means form of worship. What is the correct form of worship for Christians? Is it contemporary worship, traditional worship, high church worship, or liturgical worship? Paul answers that the right way to worship is holy living.

Paul goes on to give us a practical application for this practical wisdom. He warns that we must not be driven by the trends of the day. In verse two, the word “conform” is a complex word in Greek. It comes from the word meaning “assuming the outward form” by following the same pattern. As Christians, we must be vigilant that we do not do what the world around us does just because the world is doing it. Many Christians, church leaders, and churches have been wrecked because they have unthinkingly started down the path of “everyone is doing it.” Instead, Paul says we need to be transformed. This is the Greek word from which we get the English word “metamorphosis.” It means, “Become what is your true inner nature.”. More completely, it means “change after being with.” Because we have had our own death, burial, and resurrection, and we have been with Christ, we have in us a new inner and true nature. We are to live up to that nature.

So how do we do that? In the following verses, Paul gives two general courses of action. First is pursuing humility. Pride is the vilest of all sins, because all other sins grow out of pride. Thinking correctly or humbly about ourselves isn’t constantly belittling ourselves, but thinking as God would think about us and our behaviors. The second way we live up to our new nature is to serve as God enables us. When we serve as we are empowered by God, there is no room for pride in that service, but the joy of honoring our Father in Heaven.

“Lord, help me to live a humble, holy and serving life. AMEN”