Year 2, Week 46, Day 3 Bible Reading Observations

Year 2, Week 46, Day 3

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Roman 12-14.

Today’s reading continues Paul’s letter to the Church in Rome. Romans, the longest of Paul’s letters, is a systematic explanation of the Gospel. Today’s reading begins a new segment that begins in Romans 12 and runs through Romans 15. This last segment of Romans focuses on the practical implications that result from God’s saving work in His Son. Stated both positively and negatively, Paul provides instructions for how believers are to live both within a local church, but also before those outside of the Gospel-formed community. Romans 12 orients the life a believer is called to live as a grateful response to God’s merciful provision of salvation: “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. 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 12:1-3). Romans 13 frames the life that a believer is called to live around the battle for more devotion to Christ than sinful desires: “Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires” (Romans 13:11-14). Romans 14 introduces the first of two chapters on how to relate to fellow believers over disputable matters: "As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions” (Romans 14:1).

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading is the correlation that Paul makes between worship and using our body to serve others: "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.” In the New Covenant, Christ’s sacrifice has fully and finally satisfied God’s wrath for our sin as well as forever removing our sin from our life and record. Thus, no more sacrifice is needed for our sin. However, Christ’s sacrifice frees His people to live sacrificial lives of devotion before God through service to others. The opening of Romans 12 is reminiscent of the language of Romans 6, where by virtue of a believer’s union with Christ, the former mastering of sin over a believer is rendered powerless and the newness of resurrection life is empowered and expected: “Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness…Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?…I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification” (Romans 6:13,16,19). The New Covenant worship of God includes whatever we do in our bodies to serve others. Offering service to others with their lives, believers are rejecting the old way of life. Such a life requires the renewal of the mind: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” Such renewal involves a reminder of what Christ has accomplished: “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11).

The remainder of Romans 12 and on into Romans 13 supplies concrete expressions of what it looks like when believers use their bodies in devotion before God through service to others. Believers offer their bodies in service to pursue the ministry assignments that the Lord has commissioned to be carried out: “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them” (Romans 12:6a). Believers offer their bodies in service to pursue concrete acts of love: “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality” (Romans 12:9-13). Believers offer their bodies in service as they endure persecution: “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them…Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all” (Romans 12:14-17). Believers offer their bodies in service as they appropriately live in subjection to proper governing authorities: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God” (Romans 13:1). Believers offer their bodies in service as they display love informed by the Law: “For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:9-10).

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe