Lesson 149
Romans Chapter Eleven
The Faithfulness of God
12:1-2 Intro and transition to the horizontal
focus;
By transition, what I mean is that here Paul’s exhortation is first to maintain our vertical focus;
The
focus of vs:1 is one major point.
The presentation of one’s body! Idea is that of complete dedication to God.
There are 4 things that Paul says by way of explanation of the presentation of one’s body.
#1 What is the motive? Or Why are we to present our bodies?
#2 What is the act? presenting?
#3 What is the object? Body
#4 What is the nature? Spiritual sacrifice!
#1. What is the motive?
I
urge you therefore brethren parakalew has a range of meaning
comfort/encourage/exhort
When we understand grace, truly come to grips with what His mercy towards us is it is more powerful a motivator than commands.
What is Paul referring to with the mercies of God? Examples
- Being justified by faith.
- Being identified with Christ.
- Being under Grace not under Law.
- That the Holy Spirit indwells us.
- Have a destiny in Christ to be conformed to His image. [Goal]
- Have total security, nothing can separate us from our new position in Christ our standing before Him.
- Confidence in God’s faithfulness.
It is “by the mercies of God” dia = by, through; means of accomplishment; how do we get this done? By the mercies of God.
#2 What is the act
in view? presentation
to present our
bodies;
pari,sthmi to offer, to bring, to present for sacrifice/service
The Main Sacrifices in the OT.
1. burnt offering Lev. 1:3 propitiation emphasis on works of Messiah
2. grain offering Lev. 2:1 bloodless – food or gift offering – emphasis on the person of Christ
3. peace offering Lev. 3:1 unleavened cakes reconciliation
4. sin offering Lev. 4:3
5. guilt offering Lev. 5:6
Peace offering; defined and broken down in 7:11-18.
To express gratitude and
fellowship with God.
- Examples:
Ex 36:1-7; Psalm 119:107,108
The “presenting” is our response to the mercies of God in our life. Aor. = . . . . . . . many points of time when we are to be motivated by grace to present our bodies for service, willingly, not coerced, a willing response to truth and our relationship with Christ.
#3. What is the object? Our body
Why is the presentation of the body so important?
1. The body is the means [the
vehicle] of expression by our sin nature.
2. 1 Cor
3. Because the body
incorporates the world of feeling, the senses.
The readout that the senses alone gives is never a reliable readout on reality but the evaluation of faith gives us a reliable readout of reality.
#4 What
is the nature? Spiritual sacrifice
“a
living and holy sacrifice acceptable to God”
lit. order; a sacrifice, living, holy, well pleasing to
God.
When you think of sacrifice, what do you think of?
As believers in the church age we have sacrifices.
Each of us are priests and to offer sacrifices.
As believers in the church age we have sacrifices.
Each of us are priests and to offer sacrifices.
1. Heb
In vs:16 overflows in fellowship/giving as DGP, God is pleased.
2. Phil.
3. Rom. 12:1 “our body”
In the context the sacrifice of
the body is described 4 ways.
#1 “its living” za,w
#2 “holy” a[gioj to be set apart
#3 “acceptable” euva,restoj best meaning is “well pleasing”
?? Can we please God? You bet we can!
Premise is logical, Christ was God’s gift and gave everything for us, logically what should our response be? Tremendous gratefulness from each of us!
Point is that under grace we do because of
what we now are in Him!
Under Law you do in order to be!
4th
description is found in the last phrase:
“which is your spiritual service
of worship”
Lit. your reasonable/logical service of worship