The Book of Romans, Chapter 12 – Dedicated Service

 

The Book of Romans, Chapter 12

 Dedicated Service

A fitting title for this chapter might be “Living a Transformed Life of Worship, Service, and Love.” Other possibilities include “The Christian’s New Life in Christ,” “From Salvation to Sanctification,” “Living Out the Gospel,” or “The Transformed Christian Life.”

I am searching for a title that captures more than simply the subject of the chapter. I am looking for a description that epitomizes the foundational essence of Christian living—the heart, core, and practical expression of what a Christian, having been transformed by the gospel, should look like. A title that captures the essence of what being a Christian is really about. In other words, I’m looking for a description that gets to the heart and core of what a Christian should look like—not merely what we believe, but how that faith is expressed in the way we live.

It is difficult if not impossible for me to prioritize the importance of one book of the Bible or one verse in the Bible as more important than any other – nor, I suspect, should I. However, because I firmly believe that just “knowing” is insufficient and that true wisdom is “knowing what to do with what you know”. Otherwise, all the knowledge in the world, if unused or unapplied, is just idle information, good for much less that a window dressing of the mind. (Much like Matthew 5:13 says, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by people.) Therefore, in my humbled opinion I say that I believe that this chapter ranks as one of the top – if the top example for the practical and profound application of the Gospel message in and through a Christian’s life.

Dedicated Service

Romans 12:1, Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Verse 2. And 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

(Commentary Break): Paul urges us “by the mercies of God”, for the uninformed, a phrase that is easily passed over.  However, what Paul is saying is that God’s mercy includes forgiveness for our sin, our justification through faith, our union with Christ, the gift of the Holy Spirit, our adoption as God’s children, and the sure hope of glory – and that obedience alone does not earn such mercy; it rises from your gratitude for His mercy already given. It cannot be understated that we must develop a mindset of gratitude which is a hallmark of the Christian’s attitude.

Following ‘an attitude of gratitude’ is to recognize that your body is no longer your own. It has been bought for a price: therefore you are to glorify God in your body (1 Corinthians 6:19 and 1 Corinthians 8:20) by presenting it to Him as a living and holy sacrifice. (Under the old covenant, animals were slain and presented at the altar. Believers now belong wholly to Christ and are called to yield their physical lives—their actions, desires, labor, speech, and strength—to God each day. The sacrifice remains living because it is continually renewed in faithful obedience.)

This is only accomplished by being “transformed by the renewing of your mind”. This is a repeating theme for the believer: “Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth”. (Colossians 3:2); For those who are in accord with the Spirit, for the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, (Romans 8:6); Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8). And the crown jewel of doing these things: that is you may prove what the will of God is – that which is good and acceptable and perfect. If you have ever wondered or prayed for God to reveal His Will to you in matters, here is the golden key that unlocks that secret. “That you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect – demonstrated in and through your life. What a humbling offering. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 3. For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.

(Commentary Break): These could be known as “non-negotiables” in scriptures, ‘do not think more highly of yourself than you ought to think’. Philippians 2:3 goes further to say “think of others as more important than yourselves” meaning that you should act with humility and give other people more value than your own interests. In Philippians 2, it’s described as choosing not to act out of selfishness or pride, but in a humble mindset. This is described by Paul as having sound judgement. Believers are to assess themselves truthfully before God, neither exaggerating your importance nor denying the gifts and responsibilities God has entrusted to you. Humility recognizes personal limits, dependence upon grace, and the worth of other members of Christ’s body. God is the giver of faith, spiritual gifts, and opportunities for service. Each believer should serve faithfully within the calling and capacity God has assigned, without competing for recognition or resenting another person’s role. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 4. For just as we have many parts in one body and all the body’s parts do not have the same function, verse 5, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually parts of one another. 6However, since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them properly: if prophecy, in proportion to one’s faith; verse 7, if service, in the act of serving; or the one who teaches, in the act of teaching; verse 8, or the one who exhorts, in the work of exhortation; the one who gives, with generosity; the one who is in leadership, with diligence; the one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

(Commentary Break): Spiritual Gifts and Offices are some of the most neglected, misunderstood and abused manifestations in the Church. Sometimes, Spiritual Gifts are mistakenly considered to be a natural talent or a person’s proclivity, a natural inclination.  Natural talents can mimic Gifts of the Holy Spirit, but, they will never accomplish God’s purposes effectively. Please remember, these are not natural talents.  These are supernatural Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Scriptures tell you that your Gift is for the “building up of the Body of Christ”. They are also your primary means of witnessing Christ to those around you and to the world. Therefore, they should also be offered in humility with grace, generosity, mercy and with cheerfulness – remembering, these are given to you freely and you are to give them in the same spirit, but they are not of yourself but the work of the Holy Spirit – that no one should boast. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 9. Love must be free of hypocrisy. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good. Verse 10. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor, verse 11, not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; verse 12, rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, verse 13, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. Verse 14. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Verse 15. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Verse 16. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Verse 17. Never repay evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all people. Verse 18. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people. Verse 19. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord. Verse 20. “BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM; IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.” Verse 21. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

(Commentary Break): These foregoing verses are another prime example of the characteristic of a true and devoted follower of Christ. And again, if all you do is ‘know about them – even committed to memory’, they are worthless to you and others unless they are lived out. The scriptures repeatedly urge us to think on, meditate on and to set our minds on these things. For example, Colossians 3:16 says that Believers are encouraged to let the word of Christ dwell in them richly, teaching and admonishing one another.

2 Timothy 2:15 says that Christians are urged to study to show themselves approved to God, rightly dividing the word of truth.

In Psalms 119:11 the psalmist declares, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you”, highlighting the importance of memorization for spiritual integrity.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 instructs parents to teach God’s commandments diligently to their children, emphasizing the need for memorization and application in daily life.

I would suggest, as a means to accomplish these things, to take each reference, personalize it, write it down and spend the week memorizing and dwelling upon it and watch for opportunities to act upon it.

I have separated each ‘characteristic’ found in verses 9 through 21 and put ‘lettering’ if front of each for the following example. This is can be an exercise to help us to be transformed by the renewing of our mind:

a. Verse 9. Love must be free of hypocrisy.

• • Re-write this on a memory index card as, “God’s love which dwells in me is free of hypocrisy, and I am free of hypocrisy”. (Read it aloud and repeat it aloud for an entire week in order to internalize it)

b. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good.

• • • Write “I detest what is evil and I am clinging and I will continue to cling to what is good.” (Read it aloud and repeat it aloud for an entire week in order to internalize it).

c. Verse 10. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love;

• • • • Write “I am devoted and will continue in my devotion to my brothers and sisters in brotherly love”. (Read it aloud and repeat it aloud for an entire week in order to internalize it). 
      • Etcetera for…

d. give preference to one another in honor, verse 11, not lagging behind in diligence,

e. fervent in spirit,

f. serving the Lord;

g. verse 12, rejoicing in hope,

h. persevering in tribulation,

i. devoted to prayer,

j. verse 13, contributing to the needs of the saints,

k. practicing hospitality

l. Verse 14. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

m. Verse 15. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

n. Verse 16. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly.

o. Do not be wise in your own estimation.

p. Verse 17. Never repay evil for evil to anyone.

q. Respect what is right in the sight of all people.

r. Verse 18. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people.

s. Verse 19. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY,” says the Lord.

t. Verse 20. “BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM; IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD.”

u. Verse 21. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

This is how God has made us. It is how He made our brain work, our mind to function, our conscience to store up our attitudes and core beliefs and how He has made our will to drive our actions. This is how we renew our mind, and this is how we are transformed.

And yes, this takes faith. So, perhaps, another way of looking at this is that my “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God”. (End Commentary Break). (End Chapter 12).

This can be one of the most useful, informative and instructional sections of scriptures regarding Christian traits, attitudes and behavior in all of scriptures. Paul has put it simply and bluntly, “Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And 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.”

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young.

Next: (Coming Soon). The Book of Romans, Chapter 13, Be Subject to Government.

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