Metmorphosis (Revised)
Righteousness of God revealed - Book of Romans • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 1 viewAim: From knowledge to application section starts here in Romans
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Handout
Knowledge to change
Knowledge to change
We have been some general themes that anchor the main point of the righteousness of God needed, the righteousness of God revealed; now we will start with the righteousness of God applied.
Chapter 1: State of Gentiles sin
Chapter 2: State of Jews sin
Chapter 3-5: Universal state of sin
Chapter 6: Justification by faith
Chapter 7: Battle with flesh, spirit, sinful nature
Chapter 8: Victory through power of Holy Spirit
Chapter 9-11: For the love of Israel
having said that we did not finish last week when we were looking at (vv25-32) and we need to pick up there before we delve into chapter 12.
Just as a reminder here are the verses, but we already answered the questions last week.
22 Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God’s kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
23 And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
24 For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?
25 For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in;
26 and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.” 27 “This is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.”
28 From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; 29 for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
30 For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy.
32 For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.
Israel’s rejection is our means to our salvation through the revealed mystery (Jesus Christ) .
Remember not “all” were cut off, only the unbelieving. - This is the partial hardening because of unbelief.
The fullness, is the full state of blessings that are found in Christ Jesus. (Col1:19, 2:9)
19 For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him,
Fullness of blessings because the fullness is in Christ
9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,
Another one to consider about fullness
29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.
(Other scriptures used: Col1:19, 2:9; Rom15:29)
Another version of 11:26-27.
26 And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say, “The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem, and he will turn Israel away from ungodliness. 27 And this is my covenant with them, that I will take away their sins.”
How does God take away their sins (v.27)?
Who is it available to (v.26)?
What is the requirement for “all” to be saved?
Remember God is impartial, for there is no distinction
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
we are all in Christ!
Because of their disobedience, the partial hardening, God’s grand plan as spoken to Abraham (Gen12) comes to fruition in Christ Jesus.
God has always made His attributes known
19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
Man is without excuse!
Summary chapters 9-11: Paul has made his heart, his desires known. He painted the picture for the unbelieving Jews and the Christians giving them a warning, stand by your faith. Remember your roots. Remember it was the faith of Abraham that declared him as righteousness.
Know where you stand with Christ
Be humble, be steadfast, be obedient
Be rejoicing in what God has given us through Christ Jesus because of the Jewish roots.
Important term to know: Metamorphosis
What does Metamorphosis mean (look it up)?
Important term to know Consecration
What does Consecration mean (look it up)?
Transition to the transformation (Rom11:33-36)
JB Phillips says on this section
“If God is small enough to figure out, He wouldn’t be big enough to worship.”
We have to admit there are things we cannot figure out and must just take by faith.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!
34 For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? 35 Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again?
36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
We have already covered these verses. I just want to touch on them for a minute as a transition to the rest of the book of Romans, especially our passage this morning.
There are things about God, about the scripture that we will not fully understand on this side of heaven. Things that we will have to take by faith.
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.
It is by faith we start to understand (Isa55:8-9; Eph3:17-18)
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
The exhortation of (Col1:13-18) is similar to the one we find in (Rom11:36)
36 For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.
Contemplate what of the everything that comes from him brings you in awe of Him?
Transformation passage
Transformation passage
When you think of important theological application passages this is one, hence why we are only doing two verses this morning.
1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Who is beseeching who (v.1)?
By the power of what (v.1)?
Power to be displayed by what (v.1)?
Power displayed looks like what (v.1)?
What is the warning and instruction given (v.2)?
How is the instruction to be received (v.2)?
What will the result of the received instruction be (v.2)?
In this passage we see the foundation for Christian living, or at least the start of it. It is vital for us personally and in fellowship with one another.
Again, JB Philips (aka Message Translation says on his version of our passage
1 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.
2 Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
That is a pretty well put together thought version of our passage.
Therefore I beseech you
Therefore I beseech you
Do you remember what we are to do when we see the word “therefore?”
We need to know what has come before to know why the therefore is there.
Before therefore Paul made his thesis statement (Rom1:16-17)
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”
Metamorphosis picture here
I told you an important word/term is metamorphosis; to us this is our “transformation” from our sinful self to be changed into the likeness of Christ.
Consider the caterpillar (rough around the edges) that is then transformed into a beautiful butterfly. From inching forward as a caterpillar to a butterfly flying in the currents of the air, just as God intended, one thing into another.
I beseech you, means you have a choice, so Paul is pleading them to listen and apply.
When applied it helps with our metamorphosis.
The other term I said to think of was consecration, when applied it helps us with the consecration.
Moses commands adherence, Paul Implores you to be transformed to be consecrated. (i.e. 2Cor1:24)
2cor1:24 “24 Not that we lord it over your faith, but are workers with you for your joy; for in your faith you are standing firm.”
You can also see that
eph5:1 “1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;”
or one more
1Th4:1 “1 Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.”
(Other scriptures used, referenced in this section: Rom11:32-36, Rom12:1-2, 2Cor1:24; Eph5:1 and 1The4:1)
This metamorphosis is a part of our transformation, our consecration for Christian living and that is what this chapter is all about.
David Guzek says
“Paul begs Christians to live a certain way in light of what God did for them.”
What did God do for them (us)?
Gods great mercy picture here
By His great mercies, Paul reminds them of the great mercy that God had shown them and the Jews (chapters 1-11) and because of it we are to do something with it.
Harrison said “Whereas the heathen are prone to sacrifice in order to obtain mercy, biblical faith teaches that the divine mercy provides the basis of sacrifice as the fitting response.”
Think about some of God’s great mercies:
Justification
Gift of Holy Spirit
Given grace vs. Law
Promises of help, comfort
Confidence in our salvation/election
Confidence of His return
Confidence in God’s great love and inability to be separated from it.
Confidence of God’s faithfulness
Now, having said that, in light of God’s great mercies, Paul calls for action.
Present your bodies as a living sacrifice picture inserted here
Our consecration comes with a choice and an action. It is voluntary.
It is complete
The action is to be whole hearted , remember being set apart (consecrated) for Him.
It is sacrificial
A living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God
It is practical
It is an act of worship, This is proof of the complete, sacrificial choices, our consecration which bears fruit. This is demonstrated in doing the good works God prepared for us to do.
It is rational
“Reasonable act of worship” to be rational is: something that makes sense or that could be based in fact or someone who behaves and thinks logically- Dictionary.com
Enduring word commentary says
“It is best to see the body here as reference to our entire being. Whatever we say about our spirit, soul, flesh, and mind, we know that they each live in our bodies. When we give the body to God, the soul and spirit go with it.”
Reasonable service is a life of worship
Reasonable service is presenting your body as a living sacrifice
Reasonable service is that which is holy (consecrated), acceptable to God.
The command for resisting conformity
The command for resisting conformity
1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.
2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
We now want to focus on (v.2); a warning and an instruction.
What is the warning (v.2)?
What is the instruction (v.2)?
What is result (v.2)?
Warning sign picture here
Warning: Do not be conformed
The world system, pop culture is in direct conflict with God, and in total rebellion with God.
The world wants us to look like them, not like Jesus
The world wants to say things are OK, whereas God says they are an abomination
To be conformed does not happen overnight, it happens over time. We need to heed the warning and let the positive take place
Be transformed
By the renewing of your mind
What does transformation look like?
How, according to the scripture is someone transformed?
Honestly many Christians live by what they feel, not by what the word reveals. Or live in doing and not being transformed.
“The life based on feelings says, ‘How do I feel today? How do I feel about my job? How do I feel about my wife? How do I feel about worship? How do I feel about the preacher? - this life by feeling will never know the transforming power of God, because it ignores the renewing of the mind by the word.” - Jon Corson.
Then there is the life of doing
“Don’t give me your theology. Just tell me what to do. Give me four points for this and seven keys for that.” -This life of doing, like the one based on feelings will never know the transforming power of God by the renewing of the mind by the word. - Jon Corson
Metamorphosis we mentioned earlier, we used the Caterpillar to the butterfly, but the apostles saw this too on the mount of transfiguration (Mk9:2-3). How glorious was that?
Your transformation is beautiful, glorious, and it happens by renewing the mind by the word.
Your transformation happens by your choice. God does not force you, nor does He do it without your cooperation.
We cannot do God’s part nor will God do our part. You must choose, you must participate.
Here is another good scripture on transformation. It is not on your outline
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
Proof is knowing the will of God
That will that is good, acceptable and perfect
Our transformation is the reconstruction of our mind and it takes us from being like the world to knowing and walking in God’s will.
May we keep in mind the mercies of God (past, present and future)
Our presentation to God our bodies (all of us)
Our bodies living and holy (consecrated); pleasing to God, acceptable by God
Resist being conformed to the world
Be transformed by God through His Word by renewing your mind.
Prove it by living it out
(Prayer)