New Life in Christ

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Scripture: Romans 12:1-2 (NRSV)

12 I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Devotion:

            Today’s scripture is well known among the followers of Jesus Christ. Many people have memorized this in fact. There is a danger in that. We may become so familiar with any passage of scripture that we no longer seek meaning in its words assuming that we know all there is to know about the passage in question. Therefore, let us stop and look at this passage with fresh eyes, so that we may be transformed in our minds as the passage urges us to do and be.

            One of the first things we notice is that we are to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice. What does that mean exactly? Paul means we are to give more than just our bodies as a sacrifice, however. We are to offer all of what we are. Our entire being. Personality, passions, and all that we have to God. The God who has been so, so merciful to us will direct our giving in this matter. Our self-giving is the least we can do for the Lord who has given us our very lives and then has made us to be born again into Christ.

            In verse two we are told not to conform to this world. Our world today is firmly in the hands of the enemy of our souls. All its ways are toxic to living a devoted Christian life. The world encourages us to live for our own pleasure. We are taught to reject anything or anyone who tries to restrict our freedom. Our freedom that if we carry it to the extremes is simply license to sin. Instead of this we are to allow God to transform our minds, so that we may be more like Christ. We cannot renew our minds by our own efforts, we must rely on the power and grace of the Lord to do the work of transformation.

            All things considered we are to be made into new creations in Christ. (As Paul talks wrote to the same Church in 2 Corinthians 5:17.) We are changed so that we will be able to change our corner of the world for Jesus. There is no need to worry about changing the world. We cannot be anxious about that. If we change our surroundings, we are to be content with that. Let God be God and work according to will and plan for the redemption of the world.

Prayer:

            Lord, help us to be dedicated to changing ourselves by offering our whole beings on your altar. Keep our eyes on the prize of the upward calling we have in Christ. Let us no longer seek to please worldly people and things, but rather let us be seeking the things of heaven. Let us bring these heavenly things to bear on the things of Earth. Transform our minds and let us be agents of transformation wherever you have placed us in this world. Amen. 


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