Dear Reader,
This is my life verse: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual act of worship. 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 (ESV)
Everyone is familiar with Verse 1, but I love how Paul continues into the next verse with practical ways of being a living sacrifice:
Do not conform to the world, Paul says. We should be counter-cultural, against the secular ways of the world. Historical patterns of the world are cyclical: redemption, temptation, sin, despondency, God’s intervention, redemption...Paul says don’t conform to the downward cycle! Resist what tempts you! Don’t wait for God to intervene to repent of your sins!
Paul also says renew your mind. This should be a continual process of adapting our minds to the mind of God. Sometimes that doesn’t make much sense to me; but I know the way to know God’s mind is through communication with Him – through His Word and through prayer. It takes time to know God, just as it takes time to know a friend.
In summation, Paul says to discern by testing what God’s will is for this world. I believe Paul is explaining that we ought to be able to determine or prove God’s will as if it was our own. When we truly approve of something, it’s because we test and examine it – as a scientist tests a theory. Testing gives validity to our approval.
I like how Paul incorporates one’s entire being into these two verses. Think of it this way: Do not PHYSICALLY conform to the world. Renew your MIND. SPIRITUALLY test and approve God’s will. In two verses, Paul suggests that it takes our body, mind and spirit to be a living sacrifice. God wants us to worship Him with all that we are, yielded ourselves to Him in love. Can you see now why this powerful passage is my life verse? I encourage you to choose a life verse, if you don’t have one already. Feel free to share yours with me!
~Sara
