Romans, chapter 12 leads with a few familiar verses: 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
It is a revolutionary idea...to actually live for God instead of ourselves. It is only reasonable to live for Him and to allow Him full sway over our minds, hearts and actions. Of course, we humans don't always let reason drive us.
The next section of chapter 12 (verses 3-8) goes on to discuss how we differ from each other in terms of gifts while we are members of the same body. The thought occurred that, when you are one member of a body, you have something unique to offer while simultaneously having many needs only others can fill. You have something to give and something to take. You might call it a "laboratory of living". In our human bodies, while the eye provides a tremendous gift of vision, it cannot function without blood supply and without the processing center of the brain. There is a wonder of vision and a greater wonder of the integration of body systems. Moreover, the gift of vision has little meaning apart from a body that can take what is seen and respond. Just as living for God is reasonable, so is living in the context of a body the most appropriate and fulfilling place for the Believer in Christ. It is hard to explain how the human body works....and it is a wonder. The world cannot understand how the body of believers works....and it is wonderful. After all, the body of Christ doesn't ultimately exist to serve itself alone, but to serve and to reach those outside the body! This kind of body can successfully live out the words of the final verse of the chapter: 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
blessings,
Rob Smith
No comments:
Post a Comment