Sacrifice, Transformation, and Service

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Romans 12:1-8

 

Romans 12:2

Do not be conformed to this world,^[c] 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.

(ESV)

 

It has been a while since I have posted to this blog because I fell and broke my hand. The good news is I have had a full recovery and am now ready to continue the study of Romans and Jeremiah. This posting begins our study of the last section of the Book of Romans.

 

In light of the previous 11 chapters of the Book of Romans, this section begins teaching how a believer is to live once they become a believer in Jesus as their savior. Romans 12:1-8 teaches that living for Christ requires sacrifice, transformation, and service.

 

1)      Sacrifice (Romans 12:1) – Even though Jesus sacrificed Himself to pay the death penalty for sin as the gift of God bringing eternal life to all who believe (John 3:16; Romans 6:23), accepting Christ does not come without sacrifice. However, this is not a sacrifice where an animal or someone dies, but a living sacrifice that is holy and acceptable to God, the one we worship. Therefore, the sacrifice of one who believes in Christ is not necessarily that one dies for God, even though that does occur, but that one lives for Christ in a manner acceptable to God. This does not mean one becomes perfect upon acceptance of Jesus as Savior, but that one experiences spiritual growth through the spiritual disciplines of prayer (Ephesians 6:18-19), the study of the Word of God (2 Timothy 2:15), and fellowship with other believers (Hebrews 10:25).

2)      Transformation (Romans 12:2) – One becoming a living sacrifice will experience transformation in his or her life as they transform from conformity to the world and transformation through the renewal of his or her mind. Psalm 119:105 reminds believers that the Word of God guides living a Christ-like life in a fallen world. However, this leads to the question of how a Christ-like life manifests in a fallen world.

3)      Service (Romans 12:3-8) – The answer to the question of how a Christ-like life manifests in a fallen world is in serving Christ. The heading for Romans 12:3-8 according to the English Standard Version (ESV) of the Bible is gifts of grace. It begins with a reminder to have humility in our service to Christ and not to serve with pride (Romans 12:3). The passage then compares the Church to a body that has many members with differing functions, working together in unity (Romans 12:4-8). Like our human bodies, the body of Christ has many members with diverse talents and abilities that should work together towards the goal of fulfilling the great commission of the church (Acts 1:8; Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20). In 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, Paul discusses spiritual gifts and then continues a discourse on how these gifts, when working in unity, help the Church function in unity like a healthy body (1 Corinthians 12:12-31).

 

When one makes a confession of faith in Jesus as their savior (Romans 10:9-10), they are not immediately taken up to Heaven to be with the Lord but left here to carry out God’s mission for the Church to spread the Gospel message (Acts 1:8; Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20). However, God does not leave his children powerless but provided the Holy Spirit to empower them for ministry (Acts 1:8; Acts 2). Not only is the Holy Spirit the one empowering a believer to spread the Gospel message, but He is also the counselor providing an interpretation of Scripture, bringing transformation to believers through loss of conformity to the world and transformation to a Christ-like life. An empowered and transformed believer can serve Christ using the gifts of the Spirit given to him or her by Christ (1 Corinthians 12:4-11).

 

The Church of the book of Acts had a reputation of turning their world upside down by spreading the message of the Gospel in their world (Acts 17:6). The early Church accomplished this without the transformative power of the complete canon of Scripture, only having the Old Testament and the teachings of the Apostles which they had not yet put into writing. This should convict the modern Church for it has the tools of the complete canon of Scripture plus technology that can spread the message rapidly around the world, but has failed to use these resources effectively. Instead, the modern Church more resembles the Church of Laodicea, a prideful Church caught up in its wealth, and prosperity, believing it needs nothing, including Christ (Revelation 3:14-22). A better model for the Church to follow is the model of the Church in Philadelphia (Revelation 3:7-13), a Church commended for keeping God’s Word and not denying His name, despite having little strength.

 

The message of the Gospel reminds us that all have sinned (Romans 3:23) and that the penalty for sin is death (Romans 6:23). However, the Gospel also reminds us that the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23) and that Christ died for us while we were still sinners, reminding us that there is no need to make ourselves right with God before receiving Salvation. All that one needs for Salvation is to make a confession of Jesus as Lord of his or her life (Romans 10:9-10). If you have never prayed to confess Jesus as Lord of your life, I invite you to do so now by praying with me,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

May God challenge and bless everyone reading this post.