Romans 12


Chapter
Twelve

"A
Living Sacrifice"

Romans
twelve can involve a lifetime of study, and therefore my comments on
this chapter will not be exhaustive. My study of this chapter is
ongoing.

Often
times words lose their value with us with overuse. Let us look more
closely at the vocabulary of the first two verses of this chapter
that we may gain a deeper understanding of it:

Beseech
— This has the ideas of to
call near and intreat.
This is a plea in earnest.

Therefore
— What is it THERE FOR? All of Chapter eleven expresses what grace
has brought about. The outcast has been included. Therefore, we must
do….

Brethren
— He speaks to those that have been blood bought and born again.
Not, the Israel of Isaac of the spiritual Israel. 

Mercies
of God
— It is by the mercy of God that we would be hearing such a plea.
Had it not been for God's mercy shown on the road to Damascus, Paul
could not make such a plea. He does not make the plea because he is
better than everyone, but because of God's mercy is he qualified to
make such a plea.

Bodies
— In the mortal body we must glorify God. Not just someday and for
now do the best that we can. …We should live soberly, righteously,
and godly, in this present world.—Titus 2:12

Living
Sacrifice
— The flesh must be crucified. Our will must be crucified. We offer
alive, but God thoroughly will purge us as long as we remain on the
altar.

Holy
— Our lives ought to be light to those that wander in the darkness.

Acceptable
unto God
— fully
agreeable; well pleasing
In this age full of men pleasers, we must seek our approval from God.
What does He think about a direction you take? To be accepted by this
world is to be rejected by Him. We cannot be agreeable with the flesh
and this world and at the same time be agreeable to God. There must
be a clear line of alliance defined. Who will you side with?

Reasonable
service
— His yoke is easy, but any requirement God could make of us would
pale in greatness to what He has provided for us.

Conformed
— Conform
to the same pattern; fashion self according to;

Transformed
— metamorphosis;
change;
This is the miraculous work ofGod.

Renewing
of your Mind
— Our mind is made new by the Word. Replace our carnal thoughts
with What
saith the Lord.

Good,
Acceptable, & Perfect Will of God
— This is not God's three wills, but three adjectives of God's
one sovereign will. He is not double-minded.

The
following instructions are given for the Believer to follow. Again, a
lifetime could be devoted to their study. This chapter is rich, but I
will be content for now to simply list the different thought
presented. They are categorized respectively, God's gifts to man,
and man's return responsibility to God for what God has given.

GOD
HAS GIVEN SO MUCH TO HIS PEOPLE:

Grace
Given

Dealt
to every man the measure of faith

One
Body in Christ

Gifts

Prophecy

Proportion
of Faith

Ministry

Teaching

Exhorting

GOD's
PEOPLE ARE RESPONSIBLE TO ACT ACCORDINGLY:

Think
Soberly

Giving
with Simplicity

Ruling
with Diligence

Show
mercy with Cheerfulness

Let
Love be without Dissimulation

Abhor
that which is evil

Cleave
to that which is good

Kindly
Affectioned

Brotherly
Love

In
Honor Preferring one Another

Slothful
in Business

Fervent
in Spirit

Serving
the Lord.

Rejoicing
in hope

Patient
in Tribulation

Continuing
Instant in Prayer

Distributing
to the necessity of Saints

Given
to Hospitality

Bless
them which Persecute You; Bless and Curse Not

Rejoice
with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

Be
of the same mind one toward another.