Not Conformed but Transformed - Romans 12 - November 9, 2008

Sunday School Lesson – Not Conformed but Transformed – November 9, 2008

We continue our study of Romans. Our scripture is Romans 12:1-2, 3-8 and 14-21.

During the month of November we will focus on selected verses in Romans Chapters 12, 13, 14 and 15.

Our study of Chapters 1-11 are foundational and focused on sin and salvation. Chapters 12-15 will focus on how believers are to live. The better believers know and understand the fundamentals of CHRIST in them, the better they can build and develop a loving, intimate relationship with GOD through CHRIST. It is through this relationship that the victorious Christian life can be lived. It is no longer the believer living his or her life in his or her own strength but in the power of the HOLY SPIRIT WHO indwells him or her.

Let’s read Romans 12:1-2:

1 Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.[1] Or your reasonable service 2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

As mentioned in our last lesson, the Apostle Paul had been a Pharisee before his conversion to CHRIST. He knew the law, the implications of the law and the requirements for making sacrifices to receive forgiveness, when a person failed to live up to the requirements of the law.

Paul used the word “therefore” to refer back to the previous chapters. I am sure all of you know that in the original letter Paul did not write in chapters. He wrote his letter as anyone would write. Scholars divided his letter into chapters long after Paul was with the LORD. Anyway, Paul was referring back. Now he is ready to move from laying the foundation and fundamentals to putting them into action.

I was thinking a few days ago that we, as believers, go to Bible studies, listen to pastors present the truths from the Bible and have our quite time but are we putting into action what we already know? Now, it is important to let GOD reveal to you what HE wants you to do. I have made the mistake of doing for GOD, when GOD wanted me to wait upon HIM and grow spiritually. The key is to be willing to be obedient to GOD. Ask HIM to reveal to you opportunities for service. As HE opens the door of opportunity then take it.

In these two (2) verses Paul used words that a priest would use. As mentioned earlier, Paul knew the Jewish system of sacrifice. Paul knew when a person becomes a believer there is no need for further sacrifice. CHRIST has paid the price for a believer’s sin. Paul captures this in:

1 Corinthians 6:19-20:

19 Do you not know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body.[9] Other mss add and in your spirit, which belong to God.

Paul again reminds believers that even though they are Christians they still live in a body of flesh and it is a constant battle for the Spirit to rule the flesh and not the flesh rule the Spirit. A Christian decides each day and sometimes each moment who will rule.

Paul stated a believer should consider that his or her flesh body has been offered as a sacrifice to GOD. If it has been offered to GOD, then a believer should consider himself or herself dead in the flesh. Therefore, they are no longer alive to the flesh and the dictates of the flesh but they are still in the flesh. It is a Spiritual fact that requires mental comprehension and application.

A dead person is not tempted by anything. A dead person does not feel pain or have any thoughts of their own because he or she is dead. So a believer should consider himself or herself dead. Now to do that a believer must think he or she is dead to the desires of the flesh. When a believer no longer is led by the flesh, then he or she is free to be led by the indwelling HOLY SPIRIT to serve GOD.

In essence, it is all about relationship. Dying to self is the process of sanctification. It is replacing our flesh desire to serve the flesh and to serve GOD through our flesh. It is a natural, genuine desire to be in HIS presence every moment and to know HIM, learn from HIM, be obedient to HIM and serve HIM. Now all of these are major steps and a believer cannot do this in his or her strength. But it is easy when a believer allows GOD to live through him or her. But that requires a believer dying to self. GOD’S desire is for all believers to be made in the image of HIS SON, JESUS.

When a believer is in the right relationship with GOD through CHRIST, he or she is always in and doing the will of GOD.

Let’s read Romans 12:3-8:

3 For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one. 4 Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, 5 in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. 6 According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts: If prophecy, use it according to the standard of faith; 7 if service, in service; if teaching, in teaching; 8 if exhorting, in exhortation; giving, with generosity; leading, with diligence; showing mercy, with cheerfulness.

Paul is addressing Christian attitude. In his letter to the Corinthians he addressed Spiritual gifts, gifts of the HOLY SPIRIT. Often believers whom GOD has manifested Himself through, can get a spiritual arrogance. They think they are more Spiritual than fellow believers. Since this was an issue with the Corinthian Christians, he expressed his thoughts on the matter of Spiritual pride.

Pride is good but believers must be careful not to let it go to their heads and express itself through an arrogant attitude. This is where Spiritual growth and maturity are important. A believer needs to realize that it is GOD and HIS power that is being manifested through his or her life through the gifts of the Spirit. A believer’s role is to be obedient to GOD in the use of the gift or gifts.

GOD gifts believers to minister to the living body of CHRIST. As such, each believer is Spiritually equipped to minister as GOD directs him or her. Paul used the human body to illustrate how GOD expects the living body of CHRIST to function. GOD equips believers differently, according to HIS plan and purpose. As the human body has different parts and functions each has a purpose. When the parts function in unity the living body functions as GOD expects. Paul deals with this concept more in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31:

Unity Yet Diversity in the Body

12 For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14 So the body is not one part but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” in spite of this it still belongs to the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But now God has placed the parts, each one of them, in the body just as He wanted. 19 And if they were all the same part, where would the body be? 20 Now there are many parts, yet one body. 21 So the eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” nor again the head to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, all the more, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those parts of the body that we think to be less honorable, we clothe these with greater honor, and our unpresentable parts have a better presentation. 24 But our presentable parts have no need [of clothing]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. . Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, 25 so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. 26 So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it. 28 And God has placed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, next, miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, managing, various kinds of languages. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all do miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in languages? Do all interpret? 31 But desire the greater gifts. And I will show you an even better way.

Paul mentions seven (7) gifts of GOD in Romans 12:3-8. These are not all the gifts of GOD:

Speaking gifts:

Prophesy – speaking the Word of GOD under the leadership of the HOLY SPIRIT. Prophesy can refer to forth-telling a specific message from GOD to a specific person or group of people.

Teaching – GOD grants the gift of teaching. Teaching is instructing in doctrines, fundamentals of growing and maturing in CHRIST and explaining prophesy to others. Teachers are held accountable to GOD because they speak with the authority and understanding from GOD.

Exhortation – Can be thought of as ministry of grace, consoler or an encourager.

Service gifts:

Ministry – means serving. The word Paul used is where we get the name for deacon. It is ministering to others and willingly meeting their needs.

Giving – This is giving as GOD directs without seeking praise from others. This is generous giving which comes from a heart of love and with no hidden agenda.

Leading – Gifted leadership is vital to all bodies. Those with the gift of leading are to do so with diligence or zeal.

Mercy – Compassion and love towards others especially towards those in need such as those who are sick, poor, getting older or disabled.

All of these gifts work together to minister to the living body of CHRIST.

Let’s read Romans 12:14-21:

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. 16 Be in agreement with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. 18 If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone. 19 Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His[2] Lit the wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay,[3] Dt 32:35 says the Lord. 20 But If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head.[4] Pr 25:21–22 21 Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.

Paul addressed persecution and how believers should respond. JESUS made it clear that the world persecuted HIM and believers should be prepared to be persecuted as well. This is where the rubber hits the road and I tell you without a genuine relationship with CHRIST it is virtually impossible to weather persecution in your own strength.

Here is where dying to self is critical. Think about a dead body. A person can do all sorts of brutal things to a dead body without the dead person knowing that anything has been done to them. They are dead. Or you can think of the time you had surgery and were put to sleep. The surgeon may have cut you, drilled or sawed on you but you felt nothing until they woke you up. Then you likely knew the pain of what had been done to you. Paul was telling believers how to respond when they encounter these life situations.

Paul told fellow believers to do their part out of a loving and caring heart. Do not try to avenge themselves. Give GOD room to take the necessary action. When a believer takes revenge into his or her hands he or she removes it from GOD’S hands. Often the believer thinks he or she can bring about retribution quicker and better than waiting on GOD to take action. When believers take action they often lose a relationship with that person for a lifetime. But if the person wronged allows GOD to take the action needed, often the relationship can be restored, because the person doing the injustice sees the power of GOD at work.

Another possibility is the believer may be the one in-the-wrong and GOD needs to reveal it to the believer to correct a situation. But in our scripture Paul is making the assumption that the believer has acted correctly.

When a believer has been dealt a wrong, a kind response does wonders and reveals the heart of a true believer, which, in turn honors GOD.

When the rubber hits the road of life, true believers must have the relationship with GOD through CHRIST to respond as GOD desires. It is next to impossible for a believer to respond in his or her strength. But it is easier to respond, as GOD desires for a believer to respond, when he or she has a changed heart which has been filled with the presence of GOD. In verse 18 Paul tells believers to do their part. The rest is left to GOD.

The topic of our study is to not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. For a believer’s mind to be renewed requires the believer to yield his or her will to GOD and allow GOD through the power of the indwelling HOLY SPIRIT lead and direct his or her life. This is the beginning of the renewing of the mind process. The rule of the flesh must yield to the rule of the Spirit. That requires a decision each day and often each moment as we journey through life. When we die to self, nothing can harm us but we cannot die to self without being empowered by the HOLY SPIRIT to continue to walk in our body of flesh and obediently serve GOD while we are still upon earth.

Paul continues to give us spiritual meat to chew upon. Just keep in mind a believer cannot accomplish this in his or her own strength. That is why GOD equips believers with the indwelling power of the HOLY SPIRIT. When a believer lives according to the flesh he or she is often defeated but when they allow the Spirit to rule, there is victory. This is not to say everything will go as the flesh wants things to go but as GOD wants them to go. If a believer decides to allow the Spirit to rule because he or she wants GOD to cream someone, then your motive is wrong. So yield your will to GOD because you trust HIM and serve HIM because you love HIM. Let HIM transform your mind.