Title Make me new/Romans 12:1-2
Contents
“Therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Let us discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of righteousness (Romans 12:1-2)."
There are two types of people in the world depending on how they use their time. For one, there are people who are buried in time and disappear with time. The other is someone who seizes and manages time, creating a new opportunity for the eternal world. The former person is always pressed for time, and he is too busy to do the work that he really needs and is dragged by time. Such a person is only concerned with maintaining the status quo. However, the latter uses time as their own and lives with the mission and responsibility as a pioneer toward the future. Such a person always has fresh dreams and something new.
At this church meeting, I hope that all our members will be renewed in their hearts, live with more fervent faith in the new year, and do God's work well.
In fact, I believe that the life of faith in Jesus is “a life that is renewed every day.” Paul said, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away; behold, the new has come" [2 Corinthians 5:17].
How, then, can Christians pursue “newness”? Let's learn to be renewed through the book of Romans written by Paul.
The book of Romans has 16 chapters. And this book is divided into two parts. Chapters 1-11 are about the doctrine of faith, and chapters 12-16, the second part, how to live by faith.
In the words we read today, the way to live by faith, that is, the way to live anew, is recorded in detail.
First, in verse 1, “Therefore, brethren, I beseech you by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1). These words show the attitude of the saints who are diligent. The phrase “with all mercy” means to cherish the love of God and be diligent. And I ask you to do three things.
to become new
First, there must be spiritual worship.
Worship is a fundamental element and central to our faith.
Through worship, we can make ourselves people of God and experience spiritual change and newness. In verse 1 of the text, “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship [Romans 12:1]” contains three lessons about the proper worship of the saints.
1. It means “to offer as a holy sacrifice.”
The word "holy" is consecrated. to be separated It means clean.
In ancient times, all the sacrifices the Israelites offered to God were clean and set apart. And it had to be spotless. Only consecrated animals could be offered on the altar.
Likewise, in order for us to offer holy worship to God, we must repent of our sins and transgressions to the Lord and be cleansed by His blood. After repenting of yourself, confessing yourself, and repenting of yourself, you must worship the Lord.
2. He said, “Offer your body as a living sacrifice.”
Here, the body is not just referring to the body, but to our entire life.
In the past, the Jews thought of offering a good sacrifice to God by offering a God-designated beast to God. And they lived a life that had nothing to do with God. That is, after offering the sacrifice, they immediately sinned. In other words, worship and life were separated. But Paul says in the text that the living body, that is, the living life itself, must be a sacrifice offered to God.
We need to know that the moment we worship and go out of the chapel is not the end of worship, but the beginning of worship through our lives.
For business people, the business itself, teachers the job of teaching children, and the farmer, farming should be a holy life dedicated to God.
3. It must be a sacrifice that is pleasing to God.
In Genesis 4:3-4 we read, "After all these years Cain sacrificed from the produce of the earth to the Lord, and Abel himself also offered the firstborns of the sheep and their fat. The Lord accepted Abel and his offering, but Cain and Cain Because the sacrifice was not acceptable, Cain was very angry, and his complexion changed [Genesis 4:3-5].
Isn't it enough that we only need the devotion we gave with the sheep that we gave as grain? From the human point of view, they sacrificed to God with their own devotion and what they had. However, the problem is not in human devotion or sacrifice. The question is whether they offered the sacrifice God wanted or not.
There are several theories on this issue. No matter what people said, it is important that God did not accept Cain's sacrifice, but Abel's.
Worship is serving and worshiping God. I do not give according to my circumstances, according to my feelings, according to my feelings. In a way that pleases God, it must be a holy, living sacrifice that gives glory to God. Such worship becomes spiritual worship and becomes a living sacrifice to God.
Second, we must not imitate this generation.
The first half of verse 2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
1. This new generation refers to the fashion of this world.
Yose people are very sensitive to fashion. Clothing, hair, home, everything is in fashion. Fashion-followers lack individuality and subjectivity. Living according to the fashions of this world is like a rootless blight. He is a lifeless person.
Also, this new generation refers to the authority of this generation. means power. People think that worldly power comes from knowledge or money. But truly strong strength comes from faith in God.
2. To not be conformed to this generation means not to be blind to the temptations of this world.
Those who follow the powers and fashions of this world may be temporarily happy, but in the end they will feel a sense of emptiness. When this world goes wrong, you have to be a man who can say no to it. The opinion of the majority does not necessarily constitute the truth. Even though most of the Jews were against Jesus, Jesus was Jin. And that He was the truth and the life continued to be testified by all men.
But in reality, it is not so easy to live without being swayed by secular fads. Everyone wants to live truthfully, but because humans are weak beings, they cannot do as they please. That's why the Lord said, "Renew your heart." You never know when and how the decision itself will be scattered as it is 作心三日. That is why the Bible tells us to be transformed. The Lord said in John 3:5, "Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" [John 3:5].
Basically, it's not something I can do on my own. The word “be born again by water” refers to the repentance of the washing away of sins, and the word “be born again by the Holy Spirit” refers to being renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul said, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death [Romans 8:2].”
Whoever believes in Jesus Christ, the help and power of the Holy Spirit make me a new person.
3. We must discern God's will and live.
The second half of verse 2 says, “Let us discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” Much of the knowledge and wisdom in this world is all relative. There are bright sides and there are shadows. But God's will is not as imperfect as worldly knowledge. These are the words that make people whole and fully reveal the glory of God.
Then, how can we fully discern the will of God and live our lives?
(1) There must be a living sacrifice that is pleasing to God, that is, spiritual worship. Worship is about seeking God and making a decision for yourself.
(2) We must not dwell on the past and do not settle for the present. We have to live with new thoughts and hearts every day. We need the help of the Holy Spirit.
(3) You must have a heart of total obedience If it is God's will, we must jump in regardless of fire or water. The reason God wrote Moses, Isaiah, and Paul was because they completely and joyfully obeyed God. Jesus completed the great work of redemption because of his obedience, “Father, not as I will, but as you will.”
(4) You must have faith to live for the glory of God.
In addition, you must have a clear outlook on life for this purpose. You cannot discern God's will by revealing your own greed or honor. God speaks out His will through people who are dedicated to Him in all things. In this way, a person with spiritual discernment can reveal the glory of God
Dear friends, I hope that all of you will be renewed by the grace of God this time.