Sermon Tone Analysis

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*DON’T CONFORM*

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*BE TRANSFORMED!*

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*ROM.

12:1-2*

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*John W. Worley, Ph.D.*

\\ *ROMANS 12:1-2*

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*NIV*

*1 **Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -- this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- his good, pleasing and perfect will.

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!

EXEGESIS OF ROMANS 12:1-2

 

The term “*exegesis”* refers to the historical investigation into the meaning of the Biblical text.

Exegesis, therefore, answers the question,

 

What */did/* the Biblical author */mean/*?

It has to do with */what /*he said (the content itself) and */why/* he said it at any given point (the literary context).

Furthermore, exegesis is primarily concerned with intentionality: What did the author */intend/* his original readers to understand?

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*BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO ROMANS* 

In chapters 1-8 the plan of salvation (doctrinal) is presented.

The hope of Israel (dispensational) in chapters 9-11.

And an exhortation to godliness (devotional) in chapters 12 to 16.

 

*Doctrine **must be followed by duty **for privilege brings responsibility and precept **must have practice**.*

*Doctrine* (precept, teaching, tenet, principle, rule, canon, creed, dogma) *must be followed by duty*

 

for privilege (advantage, carte blanche, entitlement, due, liberty, license) brings responsibility

 

and *precept* (rule, decree, law, ordinance, regulation, principle) *must** have practice*.

From the pinnacle of glorious exultation over the greatness of God in the last verses of Romans chapter 11, believers are brought to the valley of daily duty.

The journey in the valley is not annoying, not tiring, it is down-to-earth.

The plane of service is made easy because of the glorious heights of Christian doctrine (teaching) and experience.

The laws of Christian life are discussed in 12:1 to 13:7;

The laws of Christian love are discussed in 13:8 to 16:24.

Verses 1 and 2 of chapter 12 deal with the Christian attitude toward fellowmen.

Verses 3-13 consider the Christian attitude toward fellowmen.

Verses 14-21 discuss the Christian attitude toward enemies.

Service to God is vitally related to consecration and separation.

Paul does not command, he requests.

The kindness of our Lord, not his stern command, is the basis of the appeal.

Believers consecrate themselves to God because of His forgiveness.

The glorious leniency listed in the previous chapters, including:

*/ /*

*justification by faith (Rom.

4:18-25), *

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*assurance (Rom.

5:1-11) , *

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*freedom from the penalty and power of sin (Rom.

6:1-14), *

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*the promise of ultimate glorification(Rom.

8:12-17)*

*/ /*

*These are the bases for moving Christians toward God.*

 

Believers’ bodies are to be presented (offered) as a* living sacrifice *in contrast to the dead sacrifices of the Levitical priesthood.

We as fallen creatures can be cleansed and become holy and acceptable.

The body is physical, but the intent seems to include all members and faculties.

That is reasonable (intelligent) service.

The call is for non-conformity to the world.

This is not merely an outward act of self-renunciation.

Anything that would displease God and dishonor His holy name is conformity to the world.

The Christian is to have God’s viewpoint in relation to the world.

The word *world* refers to the spirit that moves humans contrary to the will of God, the spirit of selfishness, the pleasing of self, and submission to the devil.

*J.B.

Phillips renders it: “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold.”*

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The Christian is to be transformed (transfigured, or changed) by the renewing of his mind.

/Metamorphoo/, translated “*transformed”* here, occurs four times in the New Testament, twice in the account of the Transfiguration and in 2 Corinthians 3:18 where it is rendered *“changed.”*

\\ From these instances believers gain insight as to how to live the transfigured life.

When Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, God’s glory shone through Him, not upon Him.

Even so, the indwelling Christ is to control the believer’s entire being so he will reflect His glory.

This is what God’s will is; it is good, acceptable, and therefore perfect.

The term used here for *“mind”* (noos) can include the intellect, the will, and the emotions.

As Paul made clear in Rom.

8:5-7, the mind is the battlefield where most of Satan’s attacks come.

5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.

6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7 the sinful mind is hostile to God.

It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.

The outcome of the battle depends on whether we yield our minds to the flesh or to the Spirit.

James warned the double-minded man is unstable in all his ways James 1:18.

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;  8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

The goal God has for His children is for them to have “*the mind of Christ”* 1 Corinthians 2:16.

14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment:

    16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?”

But we have the mind of Christ.

The *“renewing” *indicates present continuous action on the mind.

In the new birth, the believer receives a renewed spirit (John 3:1-8); this is regeneration.

*3 *How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!

And that is what we are!

The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.  2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known.

But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

3 Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.

4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.

5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins.

And in him is no sin.

6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning.

No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.

7 Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray.

He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.

8 He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning.

The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.

The continuous renewing of the mind is a major part of the process of sanctification.

When one’s mind is being renewed by the Word, prayer, and right choices, it becomes easy to know and to live in God’s perfect will.

*EXEGESIS OF ROMANS 12:1-2*

 

The term “*exegesis”* refers to the historical investigation into the meaning of the Biblical text.

Exegesis, therefore, answers the question, What */did/* the Biblical author */mean/*?

It has to do with */what /*he said (the content itself) and */why/* he said it at any given point (the literary context).

Furthermore, exegesis is primarily concerned with intentionality: What did the author */intend/* his original readers to understand?

 

*Romans 12:2 with Strong’s Numbers (KJV)*

 

\\ 1 I beseech <3870> you <5209> therefore <3767>, brethren <80>, by <1223> the mercies <3628> of God <2316>, that ye present <3936> your <5216> bodies <4983> a living <2198> sacrifice <2378>, holy <40>, acceptable <2101> unto God <2316>, /which is /your <5216> reasonable <3050> service <2999>. 2 And <2532> be <4964> not <3361> conformed <4964> to this <5129> world <165>: but <235> be ye transformed <3339> by the renewing <342> of your <5216> mind <3563>, that <1519> ye <5209> may prove <1381> what <5101> /is /that good <18>, and <2532> acceptable <2101>, and <2532> perfect <5046>, will <2307> of God <2316>.

Romans 12:2

 

2 And <2532> be <4964> not <3361> conformed <4964> to this <5129> world <165>: but <235> be ye */transformed /*<*3339> **3339* metamorphoo {metamorfo'o} from *3326 and 3445( See Below)*; TDNT - 4:755,607; v AV - transfigure 2, transform 1, change 1; 4  1) to change into another form, to transform, to transfigure 1a) Christ appearance was changed and was resplendent with divine brightness on the mount of transfiguration.