God's people are well aware of the incredible pressures
upon Christians not to be different from the rest of the society. Being
different makes others uncomfortable and uneasy with us. The desire
of God's people is only the blessing and salvation of others. But the
problem is that the Christian's being different is itself a testimony
to the reality of God's existence and at the same time a condemnation
of the sinful lifestyle of those who have turned their backs upon God.
This was particularly seen in the life of our Lord. Despite all the
mercy He showed to sinners and all the good He accomplished in His ministry,
He was rejected by society and even by the religious establishment because
He would not conform to their ideas.
Do not conform
Paul in Romans 12:1-2 is writing to a minority group in ancient Rome
who followed the Lord Jesus and had effectively cut themselves off from
the godless culture and traditions of their society. This exposed them
to the hostility of their neighbours and to constant pressure to conform.
In the world today it is argued that if Christians would only be a little
more flexible and a little less strict, they would be more effective
as they seek to influence others and witness to them. Paul rejects this
kind of reasoning. He does not recommend compromise or conformity. Rather
he warns against any tendency to become like the world as it stands
in opposition to God. He exhorts them to demonstrate their gratitude
to God for having received them into His mercy, by being different.
Just as Old Testament saints showed their appreciation to God by presenting
thank-offerings these New Testament saints were to show their gratitude
by offering themselves in separation, consecration and transformation.
If we have received God's mercy in the Gospel there is no better way
to show our gratitude to Him than by obeying the exhortations the Apostle
gave to the Christians in Rome and thank God for His mercy by presenting
our body as a living sacrifice to God.
The Body
Some see the body as evil. They consider it to be the prison of the
soul. Redemption for them is seen as liberation from the restrictions
and weaknesses of the physical body. Because of this they may despise
their body and even mistreat it in an attempt to set their soul free.
God's Word makes it clear that our body as well as our soul is to share
in redemption. God has shown this in a number of ways. Take for example
Enoch and Elijah. Both these men were transported into heaven in their
physical bodies. Again, consider the resurrected Jesus. His glorified
body is taken up into heaven as the first fruits of the salvation of
His people both in body and soul. We, like the Roman Christians of Paul's
day, "groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the
redemption of our body" (Rom.8:23). If therefore our body is to have
a share in redemption it follows that it too must be sanctified. This
is why we are exhorted to mortify the deeds of the flesh. We ignore
this dimension of our sanctification at our peril. Many sins and lusts
are habitual. They are so tied to the body that they have become an
automatic response to certain circumstances and situations. This can
be seen in how often we are drawn away into sin by some bodily desire.
It may be a desire for comfort, a craving for food or a desire for sexual
gratification. The spirit may be willing but the flesh is weak. We must
realise the influence of our physical body upon our Christian life.
Living sacrifice
The presentation of our body as a living sacrifice involves a willing
and total self-surrender of our body to God in Christ. We are to give
ourselves to Him not as a sacrifice of expiation but as a free-will
offering. It is true that this idea has within it a certain paradox.
The idea of sacrifice denotes the death of that which is offered yet
our sacrifice is to be a living, ongoing and perpetual offering, not
just a momentary burnt offering. Such a sacrifice is possible only because
we have died in Christ. He is our Burnt Offering for sin. Our living
sacrifice is acceptable only because He has died for us.
Holy and acceptable
Our self-sacrifice is to be holy and acceptable. We have been set apart
for the Master's use. Just as the lamb of thank offering was devoted
to God so too we as living sacrifices are to be devoted to God and His
service. There is a twofold idea here. There is to be separation from
that which defiles, and there is to be separation to God's service.
If we live an unholy life then the reality of our being a living sacrifice
is questionable. If we would show our gratitude to God for His saving
grace then we will not be content to live an unclean or unholy life.
We will want to be as Christ-like as it is possible for us to be.
Practical implications
There are certain practical implications that follow from this exhortation
to present our body as a living sacrifice. Firstly, we will want to
keep our body as a fit habitation for the Holy Spirit who dwells within.
We will not pamper it, or let it dictate our lifestyle. We will seek
to weaken everything that sin finds to be an ally in the body. If we
have a tendency to laziness we will exercise. If we are prone to gluttony
we will seek to be moderate in our eating. Secondly, we will also avoid
using it as an instrument for sin. This will involve conflict with bodily
desires and lusts. Much of the temptation to sin comes directly through
our body. Think for example of the things we read and watch, or the
conversations we take part in. David in the psalms prays that God will
turn away his sight and eyes from viewing vanity (Ps.119:37).
Be different
The exhortation to present ourselves as living sacrifices to God will
also require that we are not conformed to this world. Service to God
and service to the world are mutually contradictory. The world has its
own standards and norms. These are reflected in its behaviour, attitudes,
dress and culture. It is blasted out through the television programmes,
newspapers, radio, advertising, music and education. The constant stream
of values which they are promoting are motivated by hedonism, aggression,
immorality and general godlessness. The danger is that these values
are not always overtly stated but are often underlying and subtle. Many
Christians are naive about the world's standards. They treat them as
though they were neutral even though they are standards which take no
account of God. They fail to see that Satan himself is the trend-setter
because the whole world lies in the wicked one (1Jn.5:19). Paul says
Christians are not to conform to the world's ungodly thought and behaviour.
He says we are not to let the world mould or shape our outlook, religion,
attitudes or behaviour. Young and old are under great pressure to be
like their peers. 'Differentness' is looked upon with suspicion by family,
friends, employers and the authorities. It is easier to conform than
to stand out from the crowd. He is warning against inward conformity
of heart and mind also. Remember that the standards of the world are
transient and passing away. What is held to be of value today will be
rejected tomorrow. It has no absolutes under-girding its standards.
What our world needs, and what our society needs, is the unchanging
standards of the Bible.
Be transformed
How are we to avoid the moulding influences of the world? Paul never
simply gives an negative exhortation. He always follows with positive
directives. The way to avoid the world's pressure is to let something
else exert its influence upon us. We are to be transformed by the renewing
of our mind. The word "transform" means to metamorphose. It indicates
a change of nature. It is the same word as is used of the transfiguration
of Jesus. Yet there is in this exhortation the idea of progression.
The Christian is not to stagnate after conversion nor to think that
that is the end of the process of our salvation. There is to be an ongoing
movement in the direction of practical holiness. We have been born again.
That involves a huge change. We have been changed from sinners into
saints. But there is also the ongoing work of sanctification in which
we are to co-operate. We are to work out our own salvation with fear
and trembling, knowing that it is God who works in us both to will and
to do of His good pleasure (Phil.2:12-13).
Renewing of the mind
This transformation is described by the Apostle as a renewing of our
mind. It is not a mere modification or tinkering with our way of thinking.
The worldly mind that we have as unbelievers is to become the mind of
Christ. This is the Spirit's work. We cannot achieve it by our own efforts.
It is all of grace. Yet we are still responsible for co-operating with
the Holy Spirit. It is we who must bring every thought captive to Christ.
It is we who must pursue this transformation. There is no place for
quietism or presumption in this process. The world's pressure to conform
to its standards is constant and we cannot relax in our opposition to
it. We must control what we allow into our minds and keep out what is
positively harmful. This will affect what we read, watch and listen
to, where we go and what we do. Positively, we must aim at the renewing
of our minds by employing the God-ordained means of grace; the reading
and preaching of the Word, the sacraments, prayer and fellowship.
The will of God
Since the process of transformation is so difficult and painful, why
should we make the effort? Simply because only then will we discover
in our experience how good, acceptable and perfect is God's will for
us. It is the will of God for us and therefore our duty. But also, true
happiness can only be achieved in this way. Failure to co-operate with
God's will for our sanctification only leads to discontentment, doubt
and a sense of failure.
It is our "reasonable service" to offer our bodies. Sometimes this is
thought to mean that the sacrificing of our bodies is the least that
could be expected of us. Surely we are to show our appreciation to God
for His salvation by yielding up our bodies. However, "reasonable service"
here rather means that we are to serve God rationally, thoughtfully
and with our reason. Considering what He has done for you, offer to
Him your reason and mind as well as your bodies.
Finally, we should do these things because of the mercies of God. We
should strive for holiness out of appreciation for the great salvation
that has been bestowed upon us in Christ. God's love is our great motive.
Consecration, nonconformity and transformation are to be an integral
part of our worship and the goal of our redemption is to make us more
like Jesus. Are we with our minds offering our bodies to Him in service
and worship?
Any comments or questions please E-Mail
me or Rev William Macleod
the Editor.
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