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| | =Passage= | | =Passage= |
| | <blockquote> | | <blockquote> |
| − | having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.<ref>Colossians 2:14, NIV</ref></blockquote> | + | When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. <ref>Colossians 2:13-15, NIV</ref></blockquote> |
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| | =Objectives= | | =Objectives= |
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| | =Introduction= | | =Introduction= |
| − | In Romans 12, Paul expands after having just finished an extensive theological treatise in which he has demonstrated that the solution to our sin problem is justification is by faith through which we are all brought to a common salvation. Now in Romans 12 Paul takes the theoretical and makes it practical. It is worth noting the format in which Paul makes his appeal, namely Paul moves from degree to basis.
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| − | The degree of exhortation - I appeal. In the passage Paul appeals, urges, or exhorts his readers. This is a strong appeal given by an authority on the matter.
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| − | The relationship of the exhortation - brothers. Paul appeals to the common ground that exists between everyone.
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| − | The ultimate common ground - God's mercy. Paul notes that it is God's mercy that unites each believer in a common ground. Paul has just finished arguing that the mercy of God is great. Now he appeals to that mercy as common ground and reason for transformation.
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| − | As Christians we must take our theological knowledge and apply that knowledge to transform our patterns of behavior, transforming our minds.
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| | =Main Body= | | =Main Body= |
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| − | ==Living Sacrifice== | + | ==Once Dead 13a== |
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| − | The greek word for "offer" παραστησαι (parastesai) was the word that was often used for the act of slaughtering the animals in a religious sacrifice to please God. The idea of living sacrifice would have stood in sharp contrast to the typical slaughtered animal. When we think of sacrifice we often think of atonement but there were a great many sacrifices that the Israelites made in acts of worship and devotion to God. In fact, day after day the priests would have been offering sacrifices and many of these sacrifices were offerings of worship (for a more thorough discussion see <ref>https://www.gotquestions.org/Old-Testament-sacrifices.html</ref>). The ultimate sacrifice was made on the cross and atonement was achieved but we are still called on to worship God.
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| − | ==Holy and Acceptable==
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| − | The word holy is intended to remind us of the sacrificial rituals. We often think of something holy as something that has been sanctified or set apart. Here we are told that presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice is a holy ritual. The act of presenting ourselves as a living sacrifice is acceptable or well-pleasing to God.
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| − | *Have you ever smelled someone grilling a steak and thought you are hungry?
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| − | In the sacrificial system the Israelites aimed to present an aroma that would be pleasing to the Lord (Leviticus 1:9). Here we see that presenting ourselves as a living sacrifice is acceptable or well-pleasing. Just like the aroma of a steak is pleasing so the living sacrifice we present is pleasing to God.
| + | Before liberated we must realize that we are dead, separated from God because of sin. |
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| − | ==Spiritual Worship== | + | ==Made Alive 13b-c== |
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| − | Ultimately presenting ourselves as a living sacrifice is all about worship. When we when we each present ourselves as a living sacrifice we allow God to patch us together into the tapestry that is the church. This act is nothing short of an act of worship. All too often we think of worship as singing a hymn or maybe sharing a praise. Worship is so much more than these items. Paul tells us that when we present ourselves as a living sacrifice this is an act of worship.
| + | However, God has made us alive, no longer separated. |
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| − | ==Transformation== | + | ==Forgiven 14== |
| − | Maybe you feel like you have this living sacrifice thing down. Don't get too excited just yet. Remember that the sacrifice was to be without blemish, God's standard is nothing short of perfection and so Paul follows the command to present ourselves as a living sacrifice with a command to be transformed.
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| − | The words conformed and transformed have similar but not identical meanings. Some scholars have argued that being conformed would be a temporary change that tries to follow the world as it goes through a constant state of flux. In comparison, transformed is the idea of an inside out transformation, a permanent change. The greek verb transformed is in the passive voice, that is the transformation is a work of God on the believer. The verb transformed is itself interesting, "The Greek verb translated “transformed” (metamorphousthe) is seen in the English word “metamorphosis,” a total change from inside out (cf. 2 Cor. 3:18)." <ref>John A. Witmer, “Romans,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 487.</ref> | + | The picture is one of forgiveness. He canceled our certificates of indebtedness. What is that? The idea is that we each break God's standards for our life. When we do this we sin. God takes those and by laying them on Christ at the crucifixion he very literally nails them to the cross giving us complete forgiveness. |
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| − | The christian is not to be conformed to the world. We are not to follow the worlds pattern that is in a constant state of flux. What is popular today will be unpopular tomorrow and what was unpopular yesterday has become popular today. The christian who tried to be conformed to the world is in a state of constant painful change.
| + | ==Victorious 15== |
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| − | Instead, a christian should be transformed. The christian who has is being transformed can count on that transformation never going out of style, not not for all of eternity. So, how does a Christian become transformed?
| + | You may be here thinking that what you have done is so bad that it cannot possibly be redeemed. I want you to know that the victorious Christ has forgiven those sins if you will only accept his forgiveness. |
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| − | ===Renewal===
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| − | Romans 1:28 notes that "And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.<ref>ESV</ref>". The debased mind refuses to acknowledge God. So what does it mean to acknowledge God? Acknowledging God means acknowledging our total depravity, our fallenness and complete need for God. Before we can do anything we must renew our minds.
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| − | ===Testing===
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| − | In school, a test serves two purposes. A test can be summative (gives a grade) and a test can be formative (tells the teacher and/or student what they know or don't know). We know for a fact that God's will is perfect, pleasing, and good. In order to renew our minds we must diligently test to know God's will. We must perform formative testing searching to know God's will in our lives.
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| | =Conclusion= | | =Conclusion= |
| − | God is quilting each of us together in the tapestry that is The Church, the Bride of Christ. We must present ourselves as a living sacrifice and be transformed by renewing our mind and searching for that perfect, good, pleasing will of God.
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| | =References= | | =References= |
Before liberated we must realize that we are dead, separated from God because of sin.
The picture is one of forgiveness. He canceled our certificates of indebtedness. What is that? The idea is that we each break God's standards for our life. When we do this we sin. God takes those and by laying them on Christ at the crucifixion he very literally nails them to the cross giving us complete forgiveness.
You may be here thinking that what you have done is so bad that it cannot possibly be redeemed. I want you to know that the victorious Christ has forgiven those sins if you will only accept his forgiveness.
