The Righteousness of God Applied (Romans 12)

1. Read: Romans 12:1-2

2. About the Text:

1) Chapter 11 ends the foundational part of the book of Romans.

2) Chapter 12 begins the practical part of the book of Romans.

3) What does righteousness look like in the life of the Christian?

4) How do we follow the example of Christ and live for Him?

5) That is what Paul is going to address from here until the end of the book.

6) Let’s not forget Romans 1:16-17.

3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. Paul is exhorting and encouraging.

1) To act based on the teaching of God’s righteousness through Christ in the gospel.

2) Because God is merciful to us, we need to change our lives for Him.

2. Present the body as a living sacrifice.

1) What is a sacrifice?

a. A sacrifice is giving something that is valuable to you.

b. Here, the sacrifice is the body.

c. “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

2) The Christian is a living sacrifice, dedication of life.

a. We are not a sacrifice that must die, but live. How?

b. We put away the desires of the flesh.

c. We sacrifice the flesh to the benefit of the spirit.

d. “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:24-25).

3) The sacrifice of the desires of the body makes us holy and acceptable/pleasing to God.

a. “As obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’” (1 Peter 1:14-16).

b. We can be pleasing to God when we are a living sacrifice.

4) Being a living sacrifice is our spiritual/reasonable service.

a. The word “spiritual” or “reasonable” means that it is of and related to the mind/spirit.

b. The word “service” that Paul uses refers to priestly service in the temple.

c. This is to say that God desires us to dedicate our hearts to Him at all times.

d. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit A broken and a contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise” (Psalm 51:17).

3. Our relationship to the world.

1) The word “world” here means those who are outside of Christ and under the influence of Satan.

2) We are not to conform to what they believe, say, and do.

3) The be conformed means to imitate, be shaped by, be changed into.

4) A Bundt cake conforms to the mold of the Bundt pan giving it its distinctive shape.

5) Christians are NOT to look like, behave like, and speak like the world.

6) “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15-17).

1. Service begins with humility.

1) We must not think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think.

2) Pride is the enemy of true service.

3) If we are proud, “service” will simply be disguised selfishness.

4) We must be sober in our evaluation of ourselves.

5) This means to be in our right mind, mentally sound/healthy, not influenced by evil/the flesh.

2. One body but many members.

1) Paul uses an illustration of the human body having member members.

2) The church is like this; we have many members, but are one body.

3) We do not all have the same function.

4) 1 Corinthians 12:12-14.

3. We have different gifts.

1) God has given each of us gifts according to His grace.

2) Some of these gifts Paul lists are miraculous; some are not.

3) “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 4:11).

4. It takes everyone working together to fulfill God’s plan for the body.

1) The church needed the miraculous gifts in the first century.

2) We need teachers, preachers, ministers, exhorters, givers, caregivers, etc. today.

3) Everyone is needed in the body of Christ.

4) “No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary” (1 Corinthians 12:22).

1. Whatever we do as Christians should be motivated by love!

1) The remainder of the chapter is focused on what it means to love one another.

2) Love is the central ingredient to faithful Christian living.

2. What does Paul describe as loving behavior?

1) It is not hypocritical – we do not let our sin define us, repenting as we go.

2) It abhors evil.

3) It cleaves to the good.

4) It is kindly affectionate of one another.

5) It exhibits brotherly love.

6) Love honorably prefers our brothers and sisters in Christ.

7) It is not slothful, lagging in diligence.

8) It is enthusiastic, fervent in spirit.

9) It serves the Lord

10) It rejoices in hope.

11) It is patient in tribulation/sufferings.

12) It continues steadfast in prayer.

13) It distributes to the saints needs.

14) It is given to hospitality.

15) It blesses and does not curse.

16) It rejoices with those who rejoice.

17) It weeps with those that weep.

18) It seeks unity, being of the same mind with each other.

19) It isn’t proud.

20) It is humble.

21) It is not haughty/self absorbed.

22) It does not repay evil for evil.

23) It regards good things in the sight of all men.

24) It lives in peace with all men as much as possible.

25) It does not seek vengeance.

26) It does not give place to wrath/anger.

27) It recognizes the Lord’s work of retribution.

28) It supplies food and drink to one’s enemies.

29) It is not overcome with evil.

30) It overcomes evil with good.

1. When we apply God’s righteousness through Christ to our lives, we will be a …

1) Living Sacrifice

2) Liberal Servant

3) Loving Spirit

2. Invitation