INTRODUCTION
The Apostle Paul has transitioned from his amazing declarations of the doctrines of our salvation in Jesus Christ. He begins this transition in Romans chapter 12. You will, no doubt, remember his detailed discourse on the movements of God regarding the salvation of His chosen people.
Paul began by giving his reader a hint when he addressed what he called “the power of God unto salvation.” Of course, this power of God is “the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Paul then adds a very important statement saying that this power is effective “to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (See Romans 1:16).
The apostle then gives the reason for this restriction with respect to the objects of God’s salvation. He focuses the reader’s attention in chapter 3 saying, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Verse 23). He has expounded upon this subject throughout chapters 1:18-3:21-22. It is there in chapter 3:21-22 that the apostle returns to his gospel message of hope where he says, “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference” (Bold added).
Throughout the apostle’s discourse on the doctrines associated with the salvation of the elect, he concentrates on several major themes: the hopelessness of mankind under the curse of original sin, the sovereignty of God in providing the necessary relief, and the redemption that is achieved through the Son of God. In philosophy, these are referred to as a “universal negative” and a “necessary exception.” The universal negative is easily seen in Romans 3:10. It is in this verse and those following where he writes, “. . . There is none righteous, no, not one.” There are no exceptions to the universal effect of original sin. Thus, if any are to be saved, it requires a necessary exception. The necessary exception is revealed in verses 21 and 22 of chapter 3. It is in that verse that the apostle changes his focus. He uses the word “but” to indicate this change: “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference.” The righteousness of God is Jesus Christ! Notice how Paul continues in verse 22 emphasizing the necessity of faith in Jesus Christ!
The balance of the apostle’s discourse is replete with the wonderful doctrines of election and predestination with a foray into eschatology in chapter 11. He concludes with this amazing doxological statement:
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen (Romans 11:33-36).
PAUL’S RECOMMENDED RESPONSE
As the apostle leaves his doctrinal discourse behind, he turns his attention to what he refers to as a believer’s “reasonable service.” The concentration of this article will be on Romans 12:1-2.
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.
The believer’s response is extremely important to Paul. In fact, he has reduced himself to begging and pleading. The impetus for his emotional plea is what he refers to as “the mercies of God.” The apostle realizes that everything done for the believer’s salvation is due to the “mercies of God.” Everything doctrinal he covered in his soteriological discourse is based upon the mercy of God for His chosen people.
When we look at the apostle’s letter to the church at Ephesus, we cannot avoid noticing how he fully acknowledges that “mercy” was/is the source of our deliverance from damnation, from condemnation. He expounds on this in Ephesians 2 where he writes,
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:1-9, Bold added).
Paul makes one of his strongest points when he acknowledges that we “were by nature children of wrath, even as others.” The only thing that makes a difference in us and others is the marvelous mercy and indescribable love God has toward and for the elect.
As recipients of the mercies of God, what shall we do? How shall we respond? Paul says we should present our bodies as living sacrifices. What does he mean by this? It appears that Paul has the Old Testament burnt offerings in mind here. Notice the sacrificial directives in Leviticus 1,
If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD. And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him (vss. 3-4, Bold added).
It is not difficult to see the parallel between the Old Testament texts and Paul’s encouragement in Romans 12. As he continues his thought in chapter 12, he states that as “living sacrifices,” we should be “holy, acceptable unto God.” Remember, the Old Testament requirements for the burnt offering is that it should be “without blemish.” This is easily understood to be a statement of holiness. The word “holy” means physically pure, morally blameless, ceremoniously consecrated.
The idea that the Old Testament offering “be a burnt sacrifice,” and the New Testament idea that believers should “present your bodies a living sacrifice,” gives us a unique parallel meaning. The burnt offering is the complete consumption of the animal upon the altar. As living sacrifices, Scripture acknowledges that God wants “all” of us, not just the part we are willing to give him. Notice Matthew 22:35-37 where we read,
Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind (Bold added).
After the apostle emphasizes that our living sacrifices should be holy, he immediately confirms that such a sacrifice would be “acceptable unto God” and, therefore, constitutes “your reasonable service.” That is the appropriate response from one who is the recipient of the “mercies of God”! It only makes sense.
The apostle follows that in verse 2 stating, “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.” Paul warns us on the one hand and exhorts us on the other.
His warning has to do with being “conformed to this world.” The word “conformed” is from the Greek suschēmatizō. This word tells us all that we need to know. It means “to conform one’s self (one’s mind and character) to another’s pattern.” The root word for suschēmatizō is schēma which means “external condition.” Paul was writing the believers in Rome, but by extension, he is also writing to us. He is concerned with the believer’s recognizability. He doesn’t want them, or us for that matter, looking like something they are not. When he uses the word “world,” he is not using the word kosmos, he is not referring to the physical earth, the planet. He is speaking of the culture of this present age in which we live; thus, he is using the Greek word aion, which is better translated “age.” We are not to allow ourselves to be conformed to the pattern of “this super-sophisticated age” in which we live.
We are privileged to live in an unsurpassed technological age, and these technologies can be helpful in diverse ways. The problem is that these technologies can also be harmful in a myriad of ways also. Who could have ever dreamed that our cellphones would become handheld computers giving us immediate access to any Googled subject? Sadly, it is not necessary to Google any subject for the moral degeneracy of this present age to afflict our minds with its corrupt messaging! The perverted thinking of this age is constantly before us.
Paul offers the reader an answer to all of this confusion, saying, “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.” What is this “renewing of your mind”? Transformed is from the Greek metamorphoō. This is where we get our English word “metamorphosis.” As we are surely aware, it means to change into another form or transfigure. The best example of this is the transformation of a caterpillar to a butterfly. Scripturally, the best example is the transfiguration of Christ before His disciples in Matthew 17. He was showing them His true identity. Listen to the text, “And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as light” (Matthew 17:2).
CONCLUSION
Paul is pleading with the believers in Rome to offer themselves as “acceptable” living sacrifices to the God whose tender mercies had brought them out of darkness into the marvelous light of Christ. He then offers them two options: negative and positive. First, don’t fall prey to the ways of the world so that your true identity as a believer cannot be seen. Rather, he says, “but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” How is this accomplished? The reader doesn’t need to look far. The apostle gives the characteristics of a mature believer in verses 9-21 of chapter 12. If we would adopt these characteristics, what we are on the inside will be readily apparent on the outside.