Christian, You Have a New Mindset as a Living Sacrifice

Recapitulation of last week’s Discipleship Weekly post: Because of the mercies of God in Christ we have a new mindset! Not a better mindset, not an improved mindset, a new mindset. God’s mercies bring transformation. Because of God’s mercies in Christ are transforming mercies, we must have a new mindset in this life. We have a new world view. We have a new way of seeing the world, and ourselves, everything. So, we need to become aware of this new mindset God has given us and live in it.

This week we are looking at Romans 12:1-2

What we see is that because it is God who gives us what we have, as recipients of God’s gifts we must associate with a posture of humility to those around us.

“Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:1b-2)

The end of verse 1 articulates the new mindset. We are to “present our bodies as living sacrifices.” Okay, what does that mean? Paul draws on the imagery here of the sacrifices of God’s people. God’s people had two different categories of sacrifices: mandatory and voluntary. The mandatory ones dealt with man’s sin in relation to God. They were atoning sacrifices for sin, intentional and unintentional. These have been fulfilled in Christ.

The voluntary sacrifices were burnt offerings to worship and express devotion and commitment. Then there were the grain/drink offerings that expressed thanksgiving, and the peace offerings that expressed thanksgiving and fellowship. All these sacrifices are fulfilled finally in Christ, but it is interesting to see Paul draw us back to the sacrifices of God to inform us of our new mindset in Christ.

But Paul does not call us to identify with the people making the sacrifices, but even with the animals being put to death. We are to present ourselves as living sacrifices to God. The member of the herd presents himself as a living sacrifice. The Christian life is both one of a priest and a sacrifice in one, for we find ourselves existing in the final priest and sacrifice, Jesus Christ.

The second verse goes on to command God’s people to not be conformed to this world, “but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Therefore, on the foundation of God’s mercies to us in Christ, we are to present our bodies as living sacrifices to God and not be conformed to this world. Just as God’s OT people were kept from conformity to the nations around them through the right worship of God, God’s New Covenant people will be kept from conformity to the world by the right worship of God. What is that right worship? Present yourselves as living sacrifices.

Paul articulates this mindset well in his letter to the Philippians. “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:5-8).

Renewal of our minds in these truths about who we truly are in Christ is what transforms, and a lack of renewal in these truths, or forgetting these truths, can easily lead to conformity to the world.

The other day my daughter and I saw a butterfly so big we thought it was a tiny bird. Consider the difference between a caterpillar and a butterfly. They are not the same. One comes before the other. One is considered ugly and the other beautiful. Paul is saying that the Christian needs renewal in their mind in the truth that we have been changed into a new creation, one who humbly and joyfully offers his life to God, because of the mercy He has shown us. Let us not run back to the old ways of living for ourselves, which is conformity to the world. We were never made to be sacrificed to or worshipped. We were made to worship.

Then we must renew our minds in this truth. We must not forsake gathering weekly to worship God and be renewed by His word with His people. And we are called to look for ways to encourage one another with the truth of God’s word.

God has given us what we have in Christ. We know that we did not deserve it, so that news humbles us and quickens us. We get to serve the Lord with these bodies that were otherwise destined for damnation. Instead of being enslaved to a life of world conformity our lives are to be lived to and for God. This mindset allows us to discern God’s will, a will that as we will see is focused loving God and loving others.

Persevere, Joey Turner Pastor of Student Ministry