Transformed not Conformed



Romans 12:1-2 
1I 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.

2Do 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.



I went to a wedding many years ago in a church from a different denomination than I attend. It was a beautiful ceremony and Christ was lifted up as Savior. Then, when the service was over, the officiating pastor told the group that they had fulfilled their “holy obligation” to attend worship for the weekend. I won’t reveal the church body – you can decide that on your own. Besides, it doesn’t matter. It was the way they did church and I don’t stand in judgment.



Well, maybe I do. Worship was seen as something you were obligated to do and once you had fulfilled that obligation you were free to move on with your life. That idea seems to fly in the face of our short reading for today. Paul attaches a “therefore” to his previous thoughts regarding the work of salvation that Jesus did for all people – Jew and Gentile alike. “Therefore, since you’ve received God’s grace in the death and resurrection of Jesus present yourself as a living sacrifice to Him as an act of worship. Additionally, don’t be a citizen of this world but of the Kingdom of God.” (That’s the Bible according to Carolyn.) Through Moses God set up a system of sacrifice and worship that carried His people up until Jesus came to be the final and ultimate sacrifice. The Jews who chose not to see Jesus as their Savior continued these sacrificial practices until the Temple was finally destroyed in 70ad. Three times a day animal sacrifices were made by the Jews in order the keep the ordinances of worship as proscribed by God. Paul now references those sacrifices and asks for something new.



The sacrificial system that came through the Old Testament required the sacrifice of birds, sheep, goats, and bulls. Each of these animals addressed a different sin or type of worship. Paul now calls the people out on those sacrifices and asks for more. When those animal sacrifices were made, the worshiper could hand over the animal and walk away. Their “holy obligation” was fulfilled. They could get on with their life. Now Paul asks for something far greater. He asks for a “living sacrifice”. You don’t walk away from this one. You are in all the way. Your life is your sacrifice. Now you live as unto Christ. Even if all I’m doing is washing dishes or hauling chairs (two things I hate to do), I do it as if I’m doing it for Christ Jesus Himself. My very life is set at His feet to do with as He will. He sacrificed all and so I don’t give a gift to Him from which I can walk away. Instead I give Him all that I am. Paul reiterates this idea in several of His epistles. The verse that comes to mind first is Galatians 2:20. “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” We don’t have “holy obligations” anymore. We have but one obligation and that is to surrender ourselves to God. This is our spiritual act of worship. That is achieved by embracing the transformative work of the Holy Spirit. We don’t transform ourselves. That is God’s work. And so we are submitted unto Him.

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