Romans 12:1:
This powerful verse commands saints to “present your bodies a living sacrifice”
unto God: Submission to the Lordship of Christ is how we become a “living
sacrifices.” Christians (both Jews and gentiles), are the New Covenant people
of God. We do not offer animal sacrifices in a temple, for we are God’s temple.
Rather we should offer our bodies – all that we are and have – daily as a
living sacrifice in submission to Christ who is both our Lord and Savior. In
this way we acknowledge God’s property rights for He purchased us with the
precious blood of His Beloved Son. And, this is worship of the highest order!
Romans 12:2:
In this verse comes the command “do not be conformed to this world”, literally
stop allowing the world to conform you to its ways. Culture is a powerful
thing. Saints must resist the temptation to pattern their life after the
character, virtues, values and attitudes – the lifestyle and world view – of a
world whose god is satan… whose purpose is our eternal destruction. Self, our fleshly
carnal nature, is the real enemy and loves the world with all its trinkets and
glitter. It will take a renewed mind and heart transformed by the implanted nature
of Christ to force Self to relinquish control. Self’s nature and our Lord’s
nature cannot coexist peacefully in our heart; one must die that the other can
reign… Self must be nailed to the Cross that Christ can reign and rule in our
heart. Only in this way can we fully
grasp God’s will: Test and prove by practice in our everyday life that God’s
will is “good and acceptable and perfect.”
1 Thessalonians
4:3: “For this is the will of
God, your sanctification.” So, what
does sanctification have to do with Romans 12:1-2? Everything! Translated from
the Greek hagiasmos, sanctification refers not only to the activity of the Holy
Spirit in setting man apart unto salvation and transferring him into the ranks
of the redeemed, but also to enabling him to be holy – even as God is holy – by
conformance into the likeness (nature) of Christ: “For
whom He foreknew (the saints), He also predestined to be conformed to the image (nature) of His Son, that He
(Christ) might be the firstborn among many brethren.”(Rom. 8:29) Our “Oneness”
with Christ must be more than a
theological concept… it must become reality! The number one thing on God’s
heart, His “perfect will”, is for His children to be transformed into the
nature – the character, virtues, values, and attitudes -- of His Beloved Son.
In a word, Christlikeness. Sanctification is God’s will... And, Romans 12:1-2
points the way…
IN A WORD, CHRISTLIKENESS
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