August 17, 2021
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Romans? Here’s today’s reading:
Romans 12 (NIV)
A Living Sacrifice
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will......Continue Reading
Romans 12
Romans 12
So much in this chapter…but such a basic picture of what our lives should look like. We should not conform to this world and rather live a life pleasing to God but always remember that that does not make us better than others or able to cast judgements as we are ALL sinners. So we should live humbly and love others, forgive, and care for even those we do not like.
The picture of the church a s a body is one of my favorite analogies in the Bible. To work effectively we need all the parts and all the parts working together! God gives us all gifts and talents to be used and no job is a small job in God’s eyes!
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Romans 12:21 NIV
https://romans.bible/romans-12-21
Wow, if Romans 8 is notable for all the promises and provisions it points to, Romans 12 is jam packed with the ways that we should live. But the reference point for our obedience is the mercy of God and that obedience is based in us renewing our minds…rejected the thinking of the world and embracing the mind and thoughts of Christ. And there is no better result that can come than to be able to asses what God’s will is. And with all this that God seeks to accomplish in us, we need to make sure we remain humble and think of ourselves correctly before God and man. Because one of the greatest thing God calls us to is to function in a spiritual gift that will be the grace of God flowing through us. It is interesting that Paul couches this teaching on spiritual gifts with humility and love. Love is the end of all obedience and pride is its downfall. And boy would our relationships be great if we did all that followed after v9. But it all begins with being passionate about God and remembering that He gives the power, the reason and the reward for being this way towards people…
I thought it was interesting that the very beginning of this chapter he talks about presenting your BODY as a living sacrifice of reasonable service to God.
Then he talks about knowing the will of God by being transformed by the renewing of your MIND.
Then he talks about how we ought to THINK of ourselves in accordance with the faith God has allotted to us.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength.