Romans - Part 09 - Christian Living

S - Scripture

Romans 12:1-2

1 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Romans 12:9-21

9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good. 10 Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another. 11 Do not lack diligence in zeal; be fervent in the Spirit; serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer. 13 Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Give careful thought to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. 18 If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for God’s wrath, because it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord. 20 But

If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head.

21 Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.

Romans 13:1-10

1 Let everyone submit to the governing authorities, since there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God. 2 So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. 4 For it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For it is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong. 5 Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath but also because of your conscience. 6 And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God’s servants, continually attending to these tasks. 7 Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor.

8 Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not covet; and any other commandment, are summed up by this commandment: Love your neighbor as yourself. 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.

O - Observation

• What does it mean to present my body as a living sacrifice?
• We need to be renewed and not just do what is deemed normal to everyone (non-believers).
• Love one another, this breaks down the me first ideology that is so prominent in the West (such as the US).
• When evil occurs, we should repay it with kindness. This sounds extremely difficult to do, but Paul reminds us that vengeance (repaying of evil) belongs to God alone.
• What authorities do I have issues with submitting to? How does my view of these authorities change knowing that they are appointed by God?
• Love your neighbor summarizes the relational commandments found in the law, therefore this is our command to follow.

A - Application

• Make a list of the things you do throughout the day. This doesn't have to be exhaustive but notice what you do and for how long. Such as, what is the first thing you do when you wake up? What shows or shorts/reels do you watch and for how long? Do you read/study the Bible intentionally or when you feel like it? You'll start to notice what typically has your attention throughout the day. This is important to know as what we consume (take in by reading, viewing, pondering) starts to affect our core (our heart).
• After making your list, write down the top 2-3 things that either are most common or take up most of your day. These are the things that shape you the most. Be honest with yourself, how much attention is given to God or the Bible?
• As Paul tells us, our bodies are living sacrifice and we need to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. What does this mean though? Being a living sacrifice means we are totally dedicating ourselves to live for God. This is done by the progressive transformation of our minds which comes from prayer, reading and reflecting on God's Word, worshiping and praising God, and the Holy Spirit whom works in us.
• There are going to be people you just don't get along with, but that doesn't mean we can treat them however we want to. Every interaction we have with others should reflect the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself. Go read the story of the Good Samaritan if you need a refresher of who your neighbor is (cf. Luke 10:25-37). Before acting or reacting to others, think first if this would be harmful, hurtful, dismissive or would it be uplifting, encouraging, or supportive.

P - Prayer

Lord, I pray that You help me to spend more time with You daily, to intentionally be a living sacrifice to You. Help me make better choices of the things I consume daily and challenge me to choose You and Your Word over the things that don't build me up or bring me closer to You. Teach me to have love towards others, even those who are difficult to love. I pray that Your love, grace, and patience are shown through me in my interaction with others. Continue to work in me as I continue to be renewed in You. I pray this this in your name, Jesus. Amen.