Romans 12 (Bible Study)
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Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Humble Service in the Body of Christ
3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
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Daniel
Read Romans 12:1-8
How to relate to God, ourselves and others in and outside church Rom 12:1-8
1a. Rom 12:1 What does Paul show as the only sufficient motivation for Christian living?
“Therefore” indicates that we give ourselves to God because of all that Paul has said in Rom Ch 1-11, namely that we are justified by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone.
“In view of the mercies of God,” teaches that the only motivation for the Christian life is gratitude for grace. This is especially important to notice in connection with Paul’s magnificent argument in Romans 8 that as Christians we cannot lose our place in God’s family. If we think we can come back under that condemnation, then fear-based obedience dictates rather than gratitude for grace.
1b. What other motivations are possible and how are they ineffective?
1) Fear-based obedience is a kind of motivation for Christian living. However, we will find our motivation losing its power over time. Fear as an emotion is very draining. It moves you to great feats at first, but eventually, it is exhausting. People who live in fear find it has a numbing effect after a while. Slowly, we become indifferent to what happens, too tired to care. Fear-based religion tends to be short-lived.
2) Also, fear-based obedience has problems with repentance. When we are motivated by fear, we believe that somewhere there is a line; if we cross it, we sin too much, God will condemn us. But we don’t know where that line is. Thus we find repentance, not a sweet thing but always bitter. Having no security to admit our sins, for fear of reprisals from God, we will do a lot of rationalizing and blaming.
3) But fear-based obedience will always make it difficult to take suffering or troubles. The fear-based person will either think (a) “God is paying me back; God has abandoned me! Maybe I crossed the line!” or (b) “This isn’t fair! The reason I obey is so God blesses me, so these bad things won’t happen!” In other words, either despair or bitterness will be the result of suffering, if your Christian life is fear-based.
2. Rom 12v1-2 What two things does Paul urge us to do?
[1], we are told to “offer our bodies as a living sacrifice.” Paul uses “temple” terminology here. The metaphor he uses is that of a worshipper at the temple, who comes in with an offering. NB the offering Paul points to is not a sin offering. A “whole burnt offering,” was a valuable animal from your flock, without blemish Why? The animal was expensive! It showed your best was at God’s disposal, not the leftovers.
The burnt offering was always burnt totally. It represented complete consecration and devotion to God.
To be “at God’s disposal” fully means: a) actively, to be willing to obey God in anything he says in any area of life, and b) passively, to be willing to thank God for anything he sends in any area of life.
Offer our bodies. Paul is saying that God does not just want a purely inward and abstract worship, but a practical and total one everything that we do. Read Rom 3:13ff “depravity reveals itself through our bodies, in tongues (deceit) and lips (spread poison), in mouths (cursing and bitterness), in feet (swift to shed blood), eyes (look away from God). Conversely, Christian sanctity shows itself in the deeds of the body. So we are to offer different parts of our bodies… to God as ‘instruments of righteousness’ (6:13,16,19). Then our feet will walk in his paths, our lips will speak the truth and spread the gospel, our tongues will bring healing, our hands will lift up those who have fallen … our arms will embrace the lonely and the unloved, our ears will listen to the cries of the distressed, and our eyes will look humbly and patiently towards God.” John Stott, Romans
“Living” may mean that sacrifice is a constant thing. Sacrifice means “to kill” ie “living killing!” It means that we have to continually renew our position as wholly obedient and at God’s disposal.
[2] we are told to “not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed” (Some may say that the “2nd thing” is to be “renewed in the mind,” closer examination shows that mind-renewal is the way of transformation.
What does mind-renewal mean? Two patterns: the world, and God’s will. Paul tells us to see and reject the pattern of thinking, feeling, behaving that characterizes the world, and embrace the will of God for all character and life. The word “conform” contrasts with “transform” (Greek word metamorpho). The only other place Paul uses it is in 2 Cor.3:18 (an inner transformation, rather than merely an outward conformity).
In summary, Paul says we put ourselves entirely at God’s disposal and become transformed from the inside out into the image of him.
3. Rom12v1-2 How can we “offer” ourselves?
[1] Paul encourages us to “view” God’s mercies. If we lack a passion for holiness, could it come from a lack of contemplation or viewing the mercies of God toward us. To get ourselves back to obedience is to begin a discipline of reflection on the mercies of God. There is no way to sustain a pattern of holiness and Christian living without a “kindling” of our heart by meditation on the mercy and grace of God.
NB “Mercies” is plural - we are to think not of God’s mercy in general, but his merciful acts and deeds. “Count our blessings” and consider the numerous mercies God has given us as individuals. Paul is inviting us to look at the cross. By saying offer your bodies as sacrifices is a reference to Christ, who, Paul says Eph5:1 offered himself as a sacrifice.
[2] Paul tells us to offer ourselves because this is your spiritual act of worship. In the Greek, Paul says, this offering of ourselves is our “rational” (logican) worship. “Logical” in light of the mercies of God and rationally compelled by our clear thinking on this subject. Conversely total sacrifice of ourselves to God is irrational! If you give yourself half-heartedly, you are simply not thinking, you are not looking at what Jesus did.
[3] Paul tells us that the Christian life occurs through the “renewing of the mind.” He doesn’t explain this but it is important. It is the way we are to be transformed into the pattern of Christ. If we see it as minds inflamed with the truth about Christ ie another way to talk about “viewing mercies” and “rational worship”
Elsewhere Paul gives us hints about mind-renewal. It is more than intellectual, to have truth from God’s word “dwell in us richly” (Col.3:9-16) - more than that Eph.4:23 “be made new in the spirit of your minds.”
Our mind is renewed through Word of God and Spirit of God that moves us to offer ourselves as sacrifices. (I Corinthians 2:11-14).
4. v3-4 What two mistakes should Christians avoid when thinking of themselves?
[1] Paul tells us to avoid thinking ‘more highly’ about ourselves. Lots to read about low self-esteem but the real danger is self-centeredness and egocentricity. Most Religions say humanity’s worst problem flows from inflated views of self importance, abilities and rights (eg Buddhism). As Christians, we must be able to avoid this. Paul shows us that we must always be on the lookout for this danger. (eg Paul’s statements on spiritual gifts in v6-8. An inflated view of the self tends to make us think we can do all things well, and it keeps us from forming interdependent relationships.
[2] Paul warns against thinking less of your abilities as well. We are to think straight about ourselves, not to low or too high. We are to think “soberly.” Sober means to be rigorously accurate, in touch with reality.
As soon as Paul tells the Romans to ‘think soberly’, he then first tells them to do so ‘in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you’ (v3b). And then he proceeds to give them another way to think of themselves, as persons with different gifts in one body (v.4).
What does ‘measure of faith’ mean? Not “the amount of faith.” The word “measure” - Greek “metron” (“meter”), probably means a standard of measurement. In other words, Paul is saying: “you have been given your saving faith in Christ crucified, and that is how you are to measure yourself.” God loves equally.
So first we realize we are all the same. Regardless of our background, abilities, etc we are all saved in Christ.
Secondly, we are all different, we have distinct gifts and abilities within the Body of Christ. Not “clones.”
Paul says “you are God’s workmanship, created in Christ for good works that God has prepared beforehand for us to do.” Isaak Dinessen put it: “[good Pride is faith in the idea God had when he made you.” We have each been given distinct personalities, temperaments, histories and abilities that equip us for doing a particular set of good works for God in the world. Seek and find out what God has equipped you to do best, and do it with all your might!
5. v3-8 How do we discern our spiritual gifts Paul’s way
[1] Self-examination. Paul says “take a sober look at yourself” with regard to gifts. So to begin with, we look at our own heart to begin to discover gifts. What do we look at?
A. We can look at feelings: what do we enjoy doing? What kind of ministry enlivens you?
B. We can look at our perceptions of needs: what problems do you notice? The poor? Counselling needs? Do you feel the church is too disorganized? You may be sensitive to the needs God has called you to meet.
C. We can look at our effectiveness: are we any good at what we enjoy? Do people get helped? Ask those who know you, to ensure that your judgment is “sober” and accurate.
[2] Experience. In v.6, Paul says, “having… let him use it” In general, you don’t learn your gifts before you do ministry, but you learn your gifts as you minister. You may think you have a set of gifts in a particular area — well, work in that area. You may come to revise your understanding of your gifts as you do ministry. It is best to try all kinds of ministry as a way to learn your spiritual “aptitudes.”
[3] Study the gift-lists. In v6-8 Paul gives a sample list of spiritual gifts. We know from 1 Cor. 12 and Eph 4 that this list does not contain all the gifts Paul knows of. It is helpful and important to look at all the spiritual gift lists and characters of the Bible to process your own experience.
Which ones could describe you? Not an easy exercise.
Prophecy “according to the measure of faith.” Measure again means the standard. Paul is saying that the prophet must not prophesy in such a way as to contradict the doctrine of the Christian faith.
Service. This is the word diakonia, which means “practical service.” Gifted in the practical & administration. They are great team workers and do not need the spotlight.
Teaching. This is the gift of making truth clear and understandable. A good teacher =/= preacher.
Encouragementparakaleo, which means to “come alongside.” Is this “counseling” support, inspiration. But encouragers do not necessarily have to be trained counsellors but can serve as advocates and supporters and welcomers.
Giving People with this gift both enjoy giving and are wise in their gifts and spiritually are fruitful
Leadership. Leaders can put a vision before a group and inspire them to get there.
Mercy. This is a gift of people who are specifically moved to work with the poor, the sick, the weak, the prisoner, the addicted, older people and so on.
