Romans
12
New
American Standard Bible (NASB)
Dedicated
Service
12
Therefore 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. 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.
Reformation
Study Bible
12:1
The doxology at the end of ch. 11 and the nature of the opening verses of ch.
12 signal a new stage in Paul’s exposition. From now until the conclusion of
the letter he is concerned to apply his teaching.
mercies
of God. Love for the poor and needy, and support for those who cannot support
themselves in a sinful world (cf. Luke 10:36, 37). The doctrine of grace in
chs. 3–11 leads to a life motivated by gratitude.
present
your bodies as a living sacrifice. Jew and Gentile now belong together as the
people of God for whom the final blood sacrifice has been made (3:25). The
sacrifice that remains is that of thankful response (cf. 6:17). “Bodies” means
whole persons as embodied individuals (6:12, 13, 19; 8:13) spiritual
worship. The worship that is appropriate for redeemed creatures to offer (see
text note).
12:2
Do not be conformed . . . be transformed by the renewal of your mind. The
Christian’s mind-set is to be determined and reshaped by knowledge of the
gospel, by the power of the Spirit, and by the concerns of the age to come
(8:5–9; 13:11–14), rather than by the passing fashion of this age (2 Cor. 4:18;
1 John 2:17). Only by such sanctifying renewal is the Christian made
sufficiently sensitive to “discern” the behavior that is God’s will in each
situation.
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provided by Ligonier Ministries
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. 4 For just as we have many members in one body
and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members
one of another. 6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given
to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the
proportion of his faith; 7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in
his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with
liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with
cheerfulness.
Reformation Bible Study
12:4–8
As in 1 Cor. 12, Paul makes use of the analogy of the body and its various
parts to illustrate the nature of the church. He stresses its unity (v. 5), its
diversity (v. 6), and the need to recognize one’s gift and to use it
appropriately (vv. 6–8).
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9
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be
devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in
honor; 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13
contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.
14
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those
who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 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. 17 Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect
what is right in the sight of all men. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on
you, be at peace with all men. 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. 20 “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is
thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his
head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
The
Bible Panorama
Romans
12
V
1–2: LIVING SACRIFICES Because of all God’s mercies, Paul pleads with the
Gentile believers in Rome to respond to God’s gracious salvation by presenting
their bodies as ‘a living sacrifice’. This alone is holy, acceptable and
reasonable. It will mean that instead of following the world, they will prove experimentally God’s good, acceptable and perfect will through a consecrated
body and through a renewed mind which He will give them.
V
3–8: LOOK SPIRITUALLY The grace that brings salvation, and enables personal
sacrifice in following Christ, also produces a humble and spiritual mindset.
This enables the Christian to consider things from a spiritual point of view.
Thus self should not be exalted, and one should recognize that whatever God has
given is a gift from Him and not a matter for personal pride. Those gifts,
given liberally, should be exercised graciously and faithfully within the body
of Christ. The gifts mentioned are to glorify God and help other Christians.
V 9–21: LOVE SINCERELY Sincere love abhors
hypocrisy and extols and exemplifies all the spiritual characteristics in
dealings between Christians. The following things result from a spiritual love
for Christ: kindly affection, preferring others, diligence, fervent service,
rejoicing, hope, patience, continuing prayer, generosity towards the needs of
others, rejoicing under persecution, sympathy, single-mindedness, humility,
refusal to fight back, peace, compassion, seeking good, and overcoming evil
with good. This love will be displayed both to Christian brethren and to the
world at large. This can only be done by God’s gracious enabling through bodies
presented as living sacrifices and through minds renewed by God’s grace and
Spirit.
The
Bible Panorama. Copyright © 2005 Day One Publications.
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