Renewing the Mind
Romans 12:1-21
Romans 12:1-2
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, (What is a sacrifice? It is something that is set aside for worship of God. It is usually killed before it is offered. But God is calling for us to present our bodies to be a living sacrifice. For something to be living it has to have movement. It has to be doing something. It has to be active. So, for us to present our bodies to God as a living sacrifice, one of the things we have to do is be an active sacrifice, set aside for God's use. Holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service(Paul is saying this is the least we can do). This is our reasonable service to Him. There are some folks that would think that is too much to ask. All they want to do is be able to say they're going to Heaven. They don't want to give up anything they're doing or want to do. They don't want to do anything that would disrupt their world or let anyone know that they're a Christian. They don't want to have to talk about Christ or the Bible. They don't want to do anything for the One that did so much for them.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. There are so many people that try to "ride the fence" when it comes to Christianity. The want to go to Heaven, but they want to live like the world too. But the Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. If a person is saved, the old things are passed away, the old lifestyle, the old desires, the old way of thinking. That doesn't mean we're going to be perfect. It doesn't mean that we have to live like a monk. It does mean things are going to be different. In more ways than one might expect. 3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. It's easy to fall into that trap. Something good happens to us, like a great job, a position, a relationship, a special blessing from God, pretty soon we start thinking that we have a special line to God. That He will give us a special place at His table. We start thinking we're better than everyone else. Paul is warning us not to hold our position in the Body of Christ over those in the body that might not have as visible a position as we have. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching;8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
In our physical bodies, each limb, organ, system, or cell has a job to do. The body can't function as it should, if one of the members of that body stops working or doesn't work properly. It would be impossible for one part of the body to say to the other that it is not needed or wanted. Paul is saying we are all a part of the Body of Christ. We need each other to function properly.
To be the presence of Christ here on earth. We need to work together as a physical body does, everything working together for a common cause. Our minds need to be transformed to a new way of thinking: a new way of doing things. To do the work of the body of Christ we need to take our actions, movements, thoughts and emotions from the Head, which is Christ.
The good thing about Paul is, that he doesn't say all of this and leave us hanging. He is now going to teach us how we are supposed to respond to life now that our minds are being renewed.
First - 9 Let love be without hypocrisy. First let's define the word hypocrisy. HYPOCRISY -- pretending to be what one is not. The New Testament meaning of "hypocrisy" and "hypocrite" reflects its use in Greek drama. In the Greek theater, a hypocrite was one who wore a mask and played a part on the stage, imitating the speech, mannerisms, and conduct of the character portrayed. Paul is saying, "Don't wear a mask." Don't pretend to love someone, really love them and don't pretend to love God. Put aside differences and arguments and really love your brother, your neighbor and you love for God. Matthew Henry, in his commentary, puts it this way, The professed love of Christians to each other should be sincere, free from deceit, and unmeaning and deceitful compliments. Depending on Divine grace, they must detest and dread all evil, and love and delight in whatever is kind and useful. We must not only do that which is good, but we must cleave to it. All our duty toward one another is summed up in one word, love. This denotes the love of parents to their children; which is more tender and natural than any other; unforced, unconstrained. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; We are to hate evil, even the very appearance of it. Look at, I Thessalonians 5:22 - 22Abstain from every form of evil. David, in the book of Psalms put it this way. Psalm 101:3&4 - I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness. We live in an age of compromise. We want to be like the world or we want to be liked by the world, so we start acting like the world through the week and then we put on our "religious mask" when we get to church on Sunday. How refreshing it is for a Christian to stand up and say, "Yeah, I'm a Christian and I am not ashamed to admit it." Sure people will sometimes laugh and mock us. But, look at what Peter said in his epistle. I Peter 3:13-18 - 13And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? 14But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. "And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled." 15But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 16having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. 17For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, How are our friends and family going to know that what we have is real if we don't tell them? How are they going to believe what we say if we don't show them by the way we act? Look again at what Peter said in
I Peter 2:11 - 11Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 12having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Look at the rest of Romans 1212 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. The world cannot explain the hope that is in a Christian's heart when they go through terrible times. The calmness, the peace, the serenity that comes when one has trusted Christ and laid their burdens at His feet. Look at Philippians 4:6&7 - 6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Nothing can compare to the peace the God gives to the Christian heart.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Retaliation, it is always easier to have a great "comeback" word or phrase when someone says or does something we don't like. But, Paul is telling us not to do that. Let those things pass by without coming back at the person. Instead, he's telling us to speak nicely to the person, to treat that person as if nothing had happened. I know that is sometimes hard to do, but, as the verse said earlier, "it is our reasonable service."
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. This is the exact opposite of the way the lost does things. They will rejoice over someone getting hurt and get jealous over someone that gets something better than they have. People don't understand when a Christian can celebrate the good fortune of someone else or have sympathy for someone that has lost everything or lost a loved one, especially if that person is not a friend or relative, or if that person is someone that has treated the Christian badly.
16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Unity, it's an easy word to say, but a hard word to practice. Look at what Matthew Henry says about being of the same mine. (5.) A united love: "Be of the same mind one toward another (v. 16), that is, labor, as much as you can, to agree in apprehension; and, wherein you come short of this, yet agree in affection; endeavor to be all one, not affecting to clash, and contradict, and thwart one another; but keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, Phil. 2:2; 3:15, 16; 1 Co. 1:10; the same good to others that you do to yourselves;'' so some understand it. This is to love our brethren as ourselves, desiring their welfare as our own. The one thing that hurts the testimony of so many Christians is the way they get along with each other. Churches have split over a simple thing like the color of the carpet or the color or style of the choir robes. It may sound like a silly thing, but it has happened. Next to that, is the way Christians treat those outside the church. There are some churches that won't allow certain people into their congregation. You have to "look" a certain way, or "act" a certain way or you won't be allowed past the door. Christ never refused anyone to come to Him. He died for all of us, just the way we are. We didn't have to clean up our act first. He accepts us just as we are. We should treat people the way we would want to be treated.
17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. When we become a Christian, people start watching our lives. We may not be aware of it, but they do. Especially our family, our friends and our co-workers. They see us every day. They have in their minds how they believe a Christian ought to behave. They know that a Christian's life ought to be a symbol of goodness and right living. I have seen it and experienced it, so I know that it is true. If you repay evil for evil, you only hurt yourself, God and the very people you want to win to Christ. You can say all the words you want, but if the person doesn't see something different in your life, they will never want the Savior you claim to have. An evil desire, an evil act or even evil words, should not be a part of a Christian's life. We are to lift up the good things in life. When we are out talking to our friends, we should talk of good things. We should always make the good things in life sound like a better choice than the evil things.
18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Notice that this verse says, "as much as depends on you." We are to be a peaceful people. We are not to go out looking for trouble. But sometimes it come looking for us. What are we to do? We are to do all we can do to live in peace with whoever it is that wants to make the trouble. But sometimes it doesn't matter what we do, it doesn't go away. Then we defend ourselves as best we can. We don't have to be "Milford Milktoast" and let someone walk all over us and our family. We can seek justice and if it is necessary, we can fight to defend ourselves, our family or even some other defenseless person. But, we don't go looking for trouble and if it is at all possible, we are to find another way. We are to find a way for a peaceful solution.
19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. Revenge is different that defense. When we defend ourselves, we're avoiding getting hurt or keeping someone else from getting hurt. Vengeance is getting back at someone for a wrong that was done. Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary gives this definition, VENGEANCE -- punishment in retaliation for an injury or offense; repayment for a wrong suffered. The Levitical law prescribed, "You shall not take vengeance" (Lev. 19:18). Only God was qualified to take vengeance, because His acts were based on His holiness, righteousness, and justice, which punishes sin and vindicates the oppressed and the poor in spirit (Deut. 32:35; Rom. 12:19).
20 Therefore, "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. If you really want to get under the skin of someone that you are having difficulty with, then follow the direction of these verses. They won't know what to do with themselves or you. Someone that is angry with you will not understand why you are being nice. They will probably think something is up. They won't be able to rest until they find out the reason for you being so nice. That will open the door to you being able to witness to them. If you have wronged them, it will give you the opportunity to apologize and ask their forgiveness. If you get to do that, it will give you the opportunity to tell them how you are able to be kind to someone that you have been at odds with. Sometimes you can't make a friend out of an enemy, but at least you have done as much as you could possibly do to make peace (verse 18).
The renewing of our mind is not an instant transformation. It takes time and perseverence. It is not easy and it comes with a price and a reward. The price is your pride and your will. Which are to be done away with, or sacrificed to God. The reward is being in that "good and acceptable and perfect will of God ." The reward far outweighs the price. The ultimate blessing of the reward will be hearing the Lord say, "Well done good and faithful servant."