Romans 12:1-2
In these two verses is a layout of the Christian Journey
A Living Sacrifice
Romans 12:1
”And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.” (NLT)
What is a living sacrifice?
Sacrifices are sacrificed, slain, killed. What is Paul saying here? A sacrifice was a one time thing. You couldn’t sacrifice and animal twice, it was already dead. A living sacrifice is a sacrifice that stays in that place permanently. Its not a one time thing its an ongoing sacrifice.
Our bodies belong to God. We are temples of the Holy Spirit. When we sacrifice our bodies in service to the Holy Spirit the result is the desire to follow God’s decrees and regulations. As well as the actions that flow out of that desire. We’re to be God's instruments, doing what is right for the Glory of God.
The Behaviors and Customs of This World
Romans 12:2
”Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (NLT)
As Believers we’re not to follow the behaviors and customs of the world. How do we know if were following these behaviors and customs? If you have views, opinions, feeling, or actions that are contrary to what the Bible says. The Bible is our source of truth.
Renewing of the Mind
Instead we’re to led God transform the way we think. Other translations phrase it as renewing your mind. This starts with the previous verse. When we give our bodies over to God permanently as a living sacrifice our desires become the desires of the Holy Spirit. Out of these desires we spend time with God and in these times with God he does his work. He transforms the way we think and renews our minds.
Then we will learn to know God’s will. We will gain new understanding of God and begin to know him.
Sanctification
The Christian Journey is Sanctification. Sanctification is the process of making something Holy.
We must become Holy for God is Holy. And Romans 12:1-2 lays out how this process takes place.
1. We give ourselves completely over to God as a continuous living sacrifice
2. In this our desires become the desires of the Holy Spirit
3. In the time spent with him, in our worship God renews our mind, changing the way we think
4. And this transforms us into a new person
We are transformed into a new creation. A Holy creation that resembles Jesus because he is Holy. This is the journey of a Christian, the word Christian means Little Christ.
Through the process of Sanctification we are Made New, into the image of Christ.
We become a Little Christ.