Weekly Sermon
This sermon is a companion to a previous sermon: By the Renewing of Your Mind (Part 1) - Romans 12:2
Romans 12:1-2 reads, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
In Romans 12:1 God the Holy Spirit pleads with us to present ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto the Lord our God. Then in verse 2 God the Holy Spirit gives two commands that we must obey if we are truly to present ourselves as such a living sacrifice unto the Lord our God. The opening portion of the verse presents the first command – “And be not conformed to this world.” Then the second command follows – “But be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Brethren, we are not to be “conformed to this world.” We are not to be in the same form or in agreement with this present evil world. Rather, we are to be “transformed.” We are to be changed into a different form and a different character than this present evil world. Yea, we are to be changed into the same form and character as our Lord Jesus Christ. Even so, 2 Corinthians 3:18 declares, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image [as the glory of the Lord] from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
In addition, Romans 12:2 reveals that the means of this transforming work is “by the renewing of your mind.” We are commanded to be “transformed by the renewing of [our] mind.” This means that we ourselves must involve ourselves in the renewing of our minds. We ourselves must seek out, and commit ourselves to the things that will make for the renewing of our minds. What then are the things that will make for the renewing of our minds? Already in the first part of the message, we have considered three answers to this question of these things – (1) We must commit ourselves to the truth of God’s holy Word; (2) we must commit ourselves to put away from us any and all sin; and (3) we must commit ourselves to live wholly unto the will of God. Now in this second part of the message, let us consider one additional answer to this matter.
This sermon is a companion to a previous sermon: By the Renewing of Your Mind (Part 1) - Romans 12:2
Romans 12:1-2 reads, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
In Romans 12:1 God the Holy Spirit pleads with us to present ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto the Lord our God. Then in verse 2 God the Holy Spirit gives two commands that we must obey if we are truly to present ourselves as such a living sacrifice unto the Lord our God. The opening portion of the verse presents the first command – “And be not conformed to this world.” Then the second command follows – “But be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Brethren, we are not to be “conformed to this world.” We are not to be in the same form or in agreement with this present evil world. Rather, we are to be “transformed.” We are to be changed into a different form and a different character than this present evil world. Yea, we are to be changed into the same form and character as our Lord Jesus Christ. Even so, 2 Corinthians 3:18 declares, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image [as the glory of the Lord] from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
In addition, Romans 12:2 reveals that the means of this transforming work is “by the renewing of your mind.” We are commanded to be “transformed by the renewing of [our] mind.” This means that we ourselves must involve ourselves in the renewing of our minds. We ourselves must seek out, and commit ourselves to the things that will make for the renewing of our minds. What then are the things that will make for the renewing of our minds? Already in the first part of the message, we have considered three answers to this question of these things – (1) We must commit ourselves to the truth of God’s holy Word; (2) we must commit ourselves to put away from us any and all sin; and (3) we must commit ourselves to live wholly unto the will of God. Now in this second part of the message, let us consider one additional answer to this matter.
We must commit ourselves to the truth of Our New Life in Christ.
Romans 6:1-11 reads, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
In this passage of Scripture, we find many important truths. Yet for this message let us consider just some of the highlights. First, we find that at the moment of our salvation, we were spiritually joined with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in His death. Even so, Romans 6:3 declares, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” At the moment of our salvation in Christ, our old man (our old spirit) was spiritually crucified with Christ. Even so, the opening portion of Romans 6:6 declares, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him.” Furthermore, we find that at the moment of our salvation, we were spiritually joined with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in His resurrection. Yea, at the moment of our salvation in Christ, we were spiritually raised up with Him in newness of spiritual life. Even so, Romans 6:4 declares, “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Finally, we find that at the moment of our salvation in Christ, we were set free from the utter dominion and mastery of sin over our hearts and lives. Even so, Romans 6:6-7 declares, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.” Yes, we still struggle with the principle of selfishness and sin in our lives. Yet now through our new life in Christ, we are fully able to live a life of victory over selfishness and sin.
Brethren, this is the truth of our new life in Christ. Even so, in Romans 6:11 God the Holy Spirit of God instructs us, saying, “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” These truths are the truth of our Lord God concerning our new life in Christ; and they stand as truth whether or not we recognize them as truth. However, our Lord would have each one of us as believers to “reckon” (to recognize in our thinking) that the truth of our new life in Christ really is true for us. He would have each one of us to set our faith upon the truth of our new life in Christ, and to grasp the truth with full assurance of faith in our hearts. He would have us to commit ourselves wholly unto the truth that through our new life in Christ, we are now fully able to live a life of victory over sin. Oh, what a glorious truth in Christ – I am now fully able to “walk in newness of life”! Oh yes, I commit myself to God’s truth in this matter – I am now fully able to resist sin and to live my life unto the Lord my God and Savior! Glorious truth; Oh, what glorious truth!
Then, founded upon the firm foundation of this truth concerning our new life in Christ, in Romans 6:12-13 God the Holy Spirit gives the instructions, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” Through our new life in Christ, we are fully able to resist temptation and sin. Now in Christ we must actually do it. Through our new life in Christ, we are fully able to say, “No,” unto sin. Now in Christ we must actually do it. Through our new life in Christ, we are fully able to yield ourselves to live unto the Lord our God. Now we must actually do it. Through our new life in Christ, we are fully able to be holy in all manner of our behavior. Now we must actually do it. The truth of our new life in Christ is God’s unshakable, unalterable truth. First, each one of us as believers must “reckon” and believe in our thinking that it is so in our individual lives. Then each one of us must put the truth into practice in our daily walk.
Posted in Weekly Sermon, Romans, Sacrificial Death of Christ, Spiritual New Birth, Godly Attitude, Walk in Righteousness
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