Romans 12 : 1 – 2
Today I read from Romans 12. I wasn’t necessarily planning to read this chapter but when I opened my Bible I opened to this page and saw some underlined versus. The versus were ones that spoke on some things that God has been pressing on my heart for a long time. It’s a very good section of versus and it’s pretty quick to read. As always, I read from the NASB version. You can read the full passage here.
“1Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”
Anytime that you see the word ‘Therefore’, it is important to know that it’s referring to something previously stated. To grasp the full meaning of the passage, you may want to turn back and read some of Romans 11 also. I want to start this by noting the word ‘urge’ in the first part of the verse. Paul is pretty serious about what he is saying here. We are to use our bodies as a sacrifice to God. That doesn’t mean we are supposed to cut parts off and offer them to God in a burnt offering, but rather we are to use them for His purpose. Our bodies are God’s vessels for preaching and teaching the Word to unbelievers. Our bodies are a representation of our love and our commitment to Jesus Christ. Present it to others as if it were God’s own body. I don’t mean that you need to always were the best everywhere you go, rather don’t treat it like garbage and use it in unpleasing ways.
“2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
God has asked us to live within the world but not to be a part of the world. This is increasingly difficult in our culture these days as society tends to lean towards what feels good is the right thing. Sadly what usually feels good is sin and we do it because sin is easy and it makes us feel good. It’s hard to say no to the temptation. But it’s important that we do not associate ourselves with the garbage and filth that the world offers. It’s too easy to fall in and allow ourselves to make compromises and exceptions to things and before we know it, we’re filling our minds with things that we never thought we’d allow. Take movies for example. A PG-13 movie today would have been rated R 10 years ago.  When we go and watch these kinds of movies with our friends and a theater full of people that aren’t saved we are becoming a part of the world. We are no different. If you are in a movie that has nudity and brash and excessive cursing, make a stand and walk out. Show those people that you are not OK with that and you hold yourself to a higher standard.
Another thing that I’m seeing more of is alcohol use and abuse among Christians. We drink with our friends because we’re 21 now and we start to make acceptions. You get a little tipsy so you stop. The next week you let yourself get a little buzzed. The next you’re getting drunk. You may only let that happen once or twice but it’s still wrong. Theres nothing wrong with drinking but it is wrong to be drunk. (Eph 5:18). When you go to parties or throw your own. All you are doing is aligning yourself with what the world already deems to be acceptable and OK. Just because you’re in college doesn’t make it OK to act like it. Someone can look at you at not be able to tell the difference between a Non-Christian and a Christian. That is what is meant by “do not be conformed to this world”.
Heavenly Father I pray today that I will use my body as a living sacrifice to you. I pray that through You I will be able to live my life in this world but not conform to it. I ask Lord that you will give me the strength each day to say no to the temptations of the world and to shine Your light through my actions. Thank you Lord for your wisdom and encouragement today in these passages. Amen.
