Romans 12:1-2 A Pure Heart

Hi and welcome back. Today we’re going to start a new chapter in Romans. I especially like the opening of this chapter. As a matter of fact today we probably won’t get past verse 2. There is so much to glean from those two verses.

So, let’s just jump right in and see where the Holy Spirit takes us today.

Romans 12:1 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.

As Paul starts chapter 12 he is speaking to the brethren, those in Christ.

Paul says to them I beseech you. In other words I beg you, I implore you, because of God’s Great Mercy that you present your bodies a living sacrifice. Surrender all that you are and give it all to God. Don’t hold anything back, but rather be set apart from the things of this world. Be holy. Let your sacrifice be acceptable in God’s sight. This is your reasonable service. Why is it reasonable? Because if Jesus can lay down his life for you, then it’s only reasonable that you should sacrifice yours for Him. A living sacrifice.

In the Old testament the animal sacrifice was to be without blemish or spot and should have no deformities. The sacrifice was to be as perfect as it could be. 

Hebrews 9:13-14 For if the sprinkling of defiled persons with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a heifer sanctifies for the purification of the flesh,

14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

So as we surrender our lives, our bodies we need to strive to be that perfect sacrifice without blemish or the spot of sin. 

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Conform. To adjust or fit in.

To go with the flow. Relinquishing your moral values for those of the world. Some may say that conformity is easier than going against what society considers acceptable. 

But we are called to a higher standard. 

2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

If the word of Truth leads and guides all that you do, then there is no need for shame. You are striving towards that higher standard.

The second part of verse 2 says to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. We can never return to our childlike innocence. But we can strive for purity. 

I have a confession to make.

I went to the movie theater yesterday with my wife to watch a PG-13 movie. There was no foul language, but there was one scene that had partial nudity. It was a man’s backside. Now maybe some of you will say that’s a small thing. But one small thing leads to another thing. Before you know it you’ve got one big thing going on in your mind.

Purity has no room for one small thing. In order to renew our minds our focus needs to be on God’s word and His will for our lives.

It’s kind of hard to draw near to God without a heart that is set on Him.

Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

 A pure heart will show in your thoughts, words, choices, attitudes, relationships, and all that you do.

Worldly standards like PG-13 movies fall way short of God’s desire for our lives. Remember, you are what you eat. If you’re eating worldly food you will have worldly desires and if you’re eating spiritual food, then you will have spiritual desires. Be careful what you eat.

Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

If you have a hunger for God then everything else falls into place.

The final part of Romans 12:2 says that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

As our minds are transformed we will be able to prove to ourselves that God’s will is not hard and it is not unpleasant. His will is good and it is acceptable to us and it is without question perfect in every way.

So here are three keys for knowing God’s will for our lives. We must first have a yielded body. 

Romans 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

Next we need to have a separated life. 

2 Corinthians 6:17-18 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,

18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.

We are not only to be separated but we are not to touch anything that is unclean.

This is an Old testament verse but it has relevance even today. We should never draw near or touch anything that will defile our mind, body or spirit. So don’t touch that drink if it will cloud your judgment. Do not touch that woman if it will cause you to defile your body. And lastly do not draw near to false gods or religions that may cause darkness in your spirit.

Here is the final key for knowing God’s will for our lives. Our minds need to be transformed. 

We cannot transform our minds if if we are looking and listening to things that the world deems acceptable. True transformation can only occur when we continually feed our minds with God’s word, and meditate on that word day and night.

Psalms 1:1-2 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Transformation cannot take place if we have not repented of our sins.

Our thoughts will revolve around that sin. It will have dominion over our lives.

The Acts 3:19 Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out,

So within these first two verses of Romans we have discussed consecrating not only our minds but our bodies to Christ.

We are to be set apart or holy. This world is not our home. So please don’t get comfortable. When we get comfortable we begin to allow sin to feel at home in our lives. Allow the conviction of the Holy Spirit to do His work in your life. Strive towards purity and watch out for those PG-13 movies.

As we go forward next week we will discuss in verses 3 through 8 how we are to serve through the spiritual gifts that we have been given.

Until then I’d like to thank you for listening and may you have a week full of opportunities to share this good news with those that need to hear it.