Village Schools of the Bible

ROMANS: Heart & Soul of the Gospel
A Devotional Study of Romans
by Max Frazier, Jr.

ROMANS 12: "The Christian Life as Exhibited in Transformation"

Notes on verses 1-2: A Life of Consecration

Verse 1- "Brothers" refers to Christians. You cannot take this twelfth chapter and apply it to the man who is not a Christian.

"In view of God's mercy" - Paul is not talking about what we did, but what God did for us. And what has God done for us? We can make a partial list that would include the following: justification, identification with Christ, being under grace and not under law, the Holy Spirit indwelling us, help in times of infirmity, divine election, a coming glory, never being separated from God's love, and confidence in God's faithfulness as revealed in His plans for Israel.

"To offer your bodies as living sacrifices" - Why does Paul mention just the body? The body at the present time is the instrument of the soul and spirit, and God gets no service except it be manifested through the body - the hands, the feet, the mouth, the tongue, etc. How are we to present our bodies? As living sacrifices. We are called upon to live for Christ. God's service is freedom not slavery. God's service is life not death.

1.It is to be holy - you are a sinner and now come in His merit, in His blood, and the sacrifice is considered holy.

2.It is acceptable - God will receive it because it is well-pleasing (see Genesis 4:4)

3.It is reasonable - it is logical (It is the response of a man who recognizes that he was bought with a price and therefore belongs to the one who bought him - see First Corinthians 6:19); and it is reasonable (it is the response of a moral creature made in the image of God and unlike a beast - see Second Peter 2:12); and it is spiritual (it is the response of a creature who rises to the highest point of priestly service under the direction of the Spirit of God - see Hebrews 9:1, 6).

Verse 2: "Conform" - outward act without any necessary connection to the inward part of a person.

"Transform" - refers to an external form that clearly represents inner essence.

"To this world" - why not? See Galatians 1:4, Ephesians 2:2, and First Corinthians 7:31. Do we transform ourselves? No, we are to be transformed by the Spirit.

"Prove" - test out to discover and approve as the assayer tests the ore to discover and approve it. Two things are involved: first, God has a plan for our lives that He is willing and desirous we should discover; and second, only those completely surrendered to Him will find that will. What is the description of the will of God? It is good, acceptable, and perfect.

Summary: the basis of holy living is revelation; the method of holy living is consecration; and the result of holy living is transformation.

Notes on verses 3-8: A Life of Humility

Verse 3 - a general thought. A man should not aspire to be something that is not in the will of God for him because God has made him what he is and has a particular place for him as a Christian. The measure of God's dealing with you is your faith.

Verses 4-8 - an analogy to a body. Our natural body:

1) has many members;

2) these are one body, a unity;

3) each member is a member of all the others;

4) all members do not have the same work to do.

Our body of Christ:

1) has many members - see Romans 12:4;

2) we are one body, a unity - see Ephesians 5:28-32, Ephesians 1:22-23, and First Corinthians 12:12;

3) each member is a member of all the others - see Ephesians 4:25 and First Corinthians 12:27; and

4) each has a different work - see Romans 12:6 and First Corinthians 12:4-11.

Gifts:

1.Prophecy - usually referred to men who wrote God's Word but also refers to those who preach it.

2.Serving - performed by deacons or laymen, minister to the saints material needs

3.Teaching - art of making the unchanging divine message understandable to the unlearned.

4.Encouraging - strengthening one another

5.Contributing - sharing our substance with others (see Second Corinthians 9:7).

6.Leadership - those in places of authority, example -church boards.

7.Showing mercy - relations to sick, needy, poor.

Notes on verses 9-21: A Life of Love

Verses 9-16 depict love within the church, while verses 17-21 show love outside the church.

Verse 9 - love without hypocrisy; D. L. Moody said hypocrisy was "talking cream and living skim milk" (see First John 3:18); "cling" means to be glued to (see Philippians 4:8)

Verse 10 - be tenderly affectionate to fellow believers in "brother love" or love like a brother loves

Verse 11 - not slothful or neglectful in the business of the church, but "in enthusiasm be at the boiling point"

Verse 12 - hope (refers to the second coming); patience (see James 1:2-4); instant in prayer

Verse 13 - pursue hospitality (see Genesis 18:2-3)

Verse 16 - love condescends (see Philippians 2:6-7)

Verse 17 - love outside the church - honest, honorable, and beautiful

Verse 18 - a hard thing to do (see James 3:18)

Verse 19 - wrath of God; it is not our business to repay men for what they do to us

Verse 20 - a Christian repayment is kindness; what does "heap burning coals on his head" mean? - we will destroy him as our enemy by our kindness.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS:

This chapter begins with the word "therefore." One of the first lessons I learned in my class on biblical interpretationconcerned this word. The professor said that when a person saw the word "therefore" he was to ask himself the question, "what was it there for?" So, I ask myself that question as I begin this chapter. "Therefore" is a connecting word linking what is to be said with what has already been said. It is like identifying a conclusion. So, with what is this chapter connected? It could connect with those powerful closing words of the previous chapter that describe the person of God. Certainly, in the light of who God is, it would be imperative that we surrender ourselves to Him. But, what is said in chapter 12 does not seem to relate well to the truths we have found in the preceding three chapters on Israel. Then what? I believe that "therefore" connects with the great thoughts expressed in chapter 8 where Paul trumpets those two strong towers of faith: that the believer no longer stands condemned before God, and that nothing can ever separate the believer from the love of God. Therefore, because there is no condemnation and no separation, it is imperative that the believer surrender himself completely to the will and purposes of God. How does this occur? It is not through a process of conformation - of striving to become like someone else. But it comes from a process of transformation - of allowing another to mold our life to become like His. I don't want to conform to the image of Christ. I want to be transformed by Him to become what He wants me to become. This word "therefore" is a powerful word. Oh the beauty of its teachings.

QUESTIONS TO PONDER AS ONE READS THESE VERSES:

1.Why does God need our bodies?

2.What is the difference between "conforming" and "transforming?" Why are we not to conform to this world? According to Paul, how does one get to know God's will?

3.How is the body of Christ like a natural body?

4.Make a list of the gifts of the Spirit given to the Church. How are these gifts used to enhance the ministry of the Church?

5.Make a list of all the demonstrations of love that are to characterize the Church (refer to verses 9-16). Why are these difficult to achieve? How can we cultivate them?

6.How are we to show our love to those outside the Church? Why is it easier to seek revenge than to show love? How can we overcome this?

Romans 11 Return to the Table of Contents Romans 13