Chapter 12-16 Part 1               April 25, 2021

Romans12:1  ¶ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

This verse is the theme verse for Chapters 12-15

Brethren:, who are brothers and sisters in Christ; all Christians in Rome.

·        Paul leaves distinguishing between the Jewish Christians and the Gentile Christians. Brothers and sisters in Christ. Spiritual brethren not physical. Galatians 3:26

Therefore: Why is therefore there for

·        V11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

·        for by grace are you saved  .  .  . not of works to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14)

For His Glory we are to present your bodies a living sacrifice

·        Bodies are physical: Paul is leaving teaching about the spiritual aspect of our salvation, which is entirely through Christ alone, to teaching Christians to live in the world on the earth as if they (WE) are saved.

·        The physical should show the spiritual

·        Holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

·        The world sees how we physically present our selves.

V12:2a How do Christians present themselves holy, acceptable unto God

·        Be not to conformed to the world

·        Be transformed by the renewing of your mind prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

·        What we meditate upon often is what we do and what we say

·        Romans 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.

·        Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

V12:2b Eph 5:8-10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. Proving to whom?

·        What we do in our bodies proves to God we know what is acceptable to Him and desire to honor Him.

·        But, more importantly the world sees through our lives what is good and acceptable and perfect unto The Lord God. We must physical prove to the world that His will to be truly good and perfect, honoring Him before the eyes of the world.

Our worship of The Lord Jesus Christ must be visible worship.

Why start now: Romans 13:11 knowing our salvation nearer than when we believed. Remember Paul is talking about our physical bodies

·        The salvation of our. bodies 1John 3:2; 2Peter 1:4 is closed than when we were first saved

·        Romans 14:7-9 We, both spiritually and physically belong to Christ bought us with a price.

·        1Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

2Pe 3:11 ¶ Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

·        We must be more dedicated to physically serving the living God.

Where do we begin?

Galations 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

1Timothy 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

V12:3 Among you: the church in which the letter was being read

·        One is not to think he is above or more important than another

·        Because the measure, not a measure, of faith is given to every person.. No Christian can boast of having received a greater measure of faith and another person including a unsaved person.

Why are we to consider all in the church equally and all are given the same measure of faith

12:4-5  FOR - We are all members in one body since Paul is not a member of the church in Rome. He must first be talking of the body of Christ  (1Corinthians 12:27).

·        We are to treat all Christians as equal members in the body of Christ. It does not matter male or female, Jew or Gentile, young or old, or race or color all are equal in the eyes of Christ and should be in our eves.

·        The local true New Testament church is the visible body of Christ in it's area. So what applies to "the body of Christ" also  applies to the local body of believers, the local church and we are not to be respecters of persons within the church.

V6a Every Christian has different gifts according to ______________ not faith. God graciously equips each Christian with abilities to do different tasks that others may not be equipped to do.

V6b-8 Paul's examples of different gifts that different individuals are equipped by God to handle. Not every Christians is gifted in all areas of service.

V9 -21 How we are to deal with all people, but remember Galatians 6:10

V9-10,13 specifically within the church

V11-12, 14-21 Within and without the church