Christ Church
Romans
Lesson #9
Scripture Reading (Romans 12: 1-2)
Overview
Paul has described God's gift of righteousness to humankind. He had shown that God's righteousness is both legal (providing a basis on which sinners can be acquitted before the Divine court) and dynamic (providing an inner power which leads to the transformation of the believer from within).
Present your body to him.
Man is a spirit. He lives in a body. He has a soul. Your body is important to God. This idea that Paul was presenting was so against the Greek thought of his day. The Greek philosophy was that the body was a prison house, something to be despised and even be ashamed of. The Christian does not believe that. The Christian believes that his body belongs to God just as much as his soul does and that he can serve him just as well with his body as with his mind or his spirit.
Your body is the temple of God. (I Cor 6: 19-20)
The presentation of your body is your reasonable service (worship). So worship is
more than just when we come to church. In our body we worship God at work, school,
the market place or wherever or whatever we may be doing.
Be not conformed to this world. The world would like to put you in their mold.
Look like them, talk like them, act like them, think like them.
Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. How do you renew your mind?
This transformation will not turn you into some drab, dull, grim, judgmental, finger
pointing, hypocritical person. It will, in fact, cause you to be happy, joyous and full of life.
The giftings that God gives his people. Our gifts differ but each of you have been given
your unique abilities. Don't be jealous of others.
We find fulfillment, not in comparing ourselves with others, but in being ourselves
and using whatever talents God has given us.
When I develop this viewpoint, I am released from jealousy, I can find fulfillment in being who I am, rather than wanting to be like someone else.
My friendships are not distorted by status, I am awed by none, and look down on none. I appreciate others for themselves without feeling that they must be different or must be like me.
