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The remainder of this series will close out fairly quickly as Paul’s letter now transitions from his theological framework of Justification for all people, to how this is to be applied in life. Paul’s multicultural audience unites in a new freedom as faith, by way of a new Christological experience, displaces the overreach of institutional powers. This is Paul’s Gospel. His claim is that we are not saved by religion, but by faith in Christ who now exists in and as our own lives.

Like all theological claims, this too must pass the “So what!” test. What difference does it make if we believe Paul’s Gospel or if we remain stuck in our religious beliefs and rituals? Do life’s problems stem from rejecting the Good News, and living according to our own myopic whims and appetites? If a religious person is now “free” of religion, how is he or she supposed to live and relate to others? Paul now provides instructions about how we are to apply “faith” to life.

His direction is so powerful, that if followed, our world would live in perfect peace. The bummer is that even among communities of faith, I’ve never seen this happen, and that is why Paul’s Gospel passes the “so what” test. There is a deeper problem in the human soul, and God has a plan to heal it.

I’m going to comment on the first few verses, but since the rest of the chapter is so self-explanatory, I am simply going to read it, so it can be heard as intended. I divide the chapter into four key themes.

1. Live inside out, centered on God’s voice rather than the world’s voice.
2. Live humbly, in service to others, building each other up.
3. Live by the law of Love, because we know it to be true.
4. Live in peace with others by overcoming “otherness.”

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, 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 renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:1-2)

“Through the compassion of God, we are to dedicate our physical existence, our bodies and lives, to God as a (thusian zósan) living sacrifice or offering.” First off, there is no longer a fear based religion. God isn’t appeased by rituals…God is not a jeanie in a bottle, for Christ is the end of appeasement to God forever.

Let that sink in.

God is compassionate, loving, generous, and gracious, not exacting and punitive. God’s justice is based in restoration NOT retribution. God demonstrates this to everyone by giving us our lives, which consist of both flesh and spirit. Instead of fear based rituals of appeasement, Paul is saying that all we do is an offering to God. In faith, our life isn’t “ours,” it’s Christ’s Spirit living through us. Life itself, with all of its ups and downs, is the experience of God, and thus ALL of it is worship.

How many people leave a Religious service still hating half the world, still having political enemies, still holding grudges? Until we see others as ourself, as image bearers, our quarantined worship remains pathetic.

“What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?
    says the Lord;
I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
    and the fat of well-fed beasts;
I do not delight in the blood of bulls,
    or of lambs, or of goats.” (Isaiah 1:11)

Paul continues…

“Do not shape or conform your behavior to the (aión-world system).” (Romans 12:2)

When people organize themselves, amazing things can happen…both good and bad. the Bible talks so much about “world systems, institutions, principalities, etc…” because the Gospel (Good News) is the power by which we become free of them all. These organizations should serve humanity, but usually become self-serving repositories of power and that’s when they go bad, causing others to serve them as idols. To truly belong to God, we must be free of our over-identification with any institution, including religion, government, family, country, career, sport, hobby, etc…

These “kingdoms and empires” (Luke 4:5) were offered by Satan to Jesus’ and his offer still goes out to all of us. “Would you like to be named by this institution?” If we answer “yes” then we begin to conform to the shape these systems impose upon us…we take their name instead of bearing our true name found in God, written in the book of life. Paul’s second piece of advice offers us the antidote…a “metamorphóomai” a transformation by a new way of thinking. We truly to become different when we don’t think in binaries as the world does, when we “have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16)

Thinking differently means we act differently…we “test it out” or “try” it. Everything is sacred now. Christ is in all, and through all. Our prideful self-will takes a back seat to the Spirit within. This is a new operating system, it’s new software, under a new rule, a king who leads from the inside out, not outside it. This is how we “hear” or discern God and his will. We simply greet each moment as it comes and give ourselves away in love, to that which is required of us. That is the life of faith.

I’m going to have Paul finish his chapter. The key to world peace is not big government, it’s self-government by the Spirit of God. No need for religion, or any institutional power to rule us, instead each is ruled by God.

³ For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.⁴ For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. ⁶ Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; ⁷ if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; ⁸ the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

⁹ Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. ¹⁰ Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.¹¹ Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. ¹² Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. ¹³ Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. ¹⁷ Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. ¹⁸ If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. ¹⁹ Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” ²⁰ To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

May we truly seek the Ethos behind this instruction, so that we can authentically live it out.