Equipping you to walk confidently in your purpose
The Trip Begins | Romans 12:1-2
Today, we begin our trip through Romans 12, focusing on the first 2 verses. What does it mean to be a living sacrifice?
Last week, I introduced our trip through Romans. Check it out if you missed it.
Today, we’ll talk only about verses 1-2. Although it’s only 2 short verses, we’ve got a lot to unpack.
Romans 12:1-2 ESV
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Living Sacrifice – I bet you’ve heard that before. It sounds good, and we say it often, but do you understand what that really means?
The book of Romans is a beautiful letter Paul wrote to people he had never met before. If you’ve ever wondered what he preached on his various missions described in the book of Acts, I believe Romans is it. It’s the full Gospel of Jesus, and it summarizes beautifully Genesis to Revelation.
When the Bible was written, it didn’t have chapters and numbers, so it’s always important to read all the passages surrounding your focus passage. This will give you context to better understand what your focus passage means.
Paul had just talked about God’s mercy toward Israel, who had completely turned its back on Him. He tells us that no matter how bad they had become, it wasn’t too late for them to return to Him (Romans 11:11). Through Jesus, God made salvation accessible to anyone and everyone despite their ethnicity, gender, or social standing. It just takes realizing a need for a Savior and humbling ourselves to a place of surrender to Jesus Christ.
How do we surrender ourselves to Him?
We surrender ourselves to Him by becoming a living sacrifice. We become a living sacrifice when we choose to live according to the Holy Spirit rather than our sinful nature.
Okay, this still sounds very churchy, so let’s break it down even more.
Someone hurt you or offended you or disrespected you. . . whatever you’re feeling that’s affecting your relationship with that other person.
How do you want to react?
- Put them in their place by verbally tearing them down
- Send a novel-length text to put them in their place (because it’s easier than saying it to their face)
- Completely ghosting them
- Badmouthing them to others (because you want them on your side, right?)
- Physically attacking them
- Blasting them on social media
- Unfollowing or blocking them on social media
- Hoping they “get what they deserve”
- Seeking revenge in whatever way feels right to you
- Secretly (or openly) celebrating when the other person gets hurt or falls on bad times
- Holding onto that hurt and bringing it up anytime you can – unforgiveness because that person doesn’t deserve to be forgiven, right?
That’s what our sinful, selfish nature wants to do, but Paul says there’s a better way. Let the Spirit lead rather than our flesh.
Here’s the thing. NONE OF US deserve forgiveness for things we’ve done, but God gave us mercy and grace through Jesus. Mercy means we don’t get the consequences we deserve. Grace means we get blessings we don’t deserve. Read the Old Testament to see what happens when people get what they deserve because it’s not pretty.
Our sinful self wants to immediately react or respond a certain way, but all of the New Testament points us back to how opposite God’s way is from what our sinful self wants to do. Whatever your immediate response is to someone who has hurt you, it’s likely opposite of how God wants us to respond.
When we respond the way He wants us to rather than the way we want to, we have laid our sinful self on the alter in surrender to Christ. We have literally become a living sacrifice.
Sacrifice is hard. One of the definitions of sacrifice is the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim (dictionary.com).
Sacrifice is also a big part of the Old Testament Scriptures. Jesus came to fulfill all those laws in the Old Testament by becoming a sacrifice for our sins (past, present and future). We are to do the same by becoming a living sacrifice and laying down those selfish and sinful desires and replace them with the fruit of the Spirit that comes only from God.
What can you do today to be a living sacrifice?
We’ll continue on in the next post. In the meantime, click the button to read all of chapter 12.
I have a question? A Christian friend of mine, her husband is a Christian as well, they have been married for 37 years, she loves him unconditionally ( I am not saying she is perfect, but she really tries hard to live right with him and do right by him), she tries to live in respect for her husband, but he does not reciprocate. She works a full time job, so her check obviously pays most of the bills. He does not include her on the finances, her check goes into his account, he just tells her they are out of money and she cannot spend any more. He is a hoarder,so her home is a mess a never ending battle. He is a self-employed handy man and works mayby 12-20 hours per week.
He does not spend time with her or help her in any way at their home or with the yard. He will fish in their pond and watch her mow the yard. She does all the cooking, cleaning, yardwork. He does not take her out, or get her things for her birthday or their anniversary or Christmas. She gives, gives, gives, he takes, takes, takes. She tries to calmly talk to him about the issues and it is turned to be her fault. After their conversations she feels defeated, downtrodden and belittled. He is never wrong and gets extemely angry if you tell him he is. Neither of us beleives in divorce for just a bad marriage. I believe she is living right and doing her part as God would have her do, but he is so out of God’s will by the way he treats her. He yells and belittles her, makes her feel everything is her fault. Day by day it seems to be getting worse. It is affecting her and her health. Does she just continue to be beaten down by his words and actions. In view of these scriptures how does she protect herself? We both pray for him, and together we pray God will break his heart to see the affect he is having on her but so far nothing. She wants to do things God’s way, but she is a broken lady. Even when she talks with me she tells me things like, but I know he loves me. I just don’t think he realizes he is hurting me. She tries to find and see the good in him. She does sweet things for him. She plans things for them to do together and he complains that it costs too much. He wont go to counceling, I told her maybe she needs to see a Christian Councelor to just help her mind and see that she is worthy and help her cope, but what is your advice? I know scripture is always right and I beleive is has shown grace for many years now, but as it gets worse it is affecting her spirit. Please tell me how she stays a Godly wife and protects her spirit.
This is so difficult. I know it’s hard watching a friend in pain. Even though her husband isn’t willing to go to counseling, I would recommend she does. This is more than what can be given via text or through a third party, although it’s wonderful to be looking out for her.
I offer pastoral care counseling if she would like to visit with me. There’s a form to fill out to request an appointment or to ask me any questions.
God designed marriage in a very specific way, and we are all sinners bring our sins into a relationship, and it causes marriage to be outside of his design (this is true for all marriages because we are not without sin). Marriage is hard, but marriage without placing God above it all and each other above ourselves makes it even harder.
I’m praying right now for all who are involved. I hope to hear from your friend soon. Thanks for passing along my contact info.
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