On Monday night we continued our study of Paul’s letter to the Romans by looking at chapter 12 and the description of the kind of life that the “renewed mind” (which he wrote about in 12:2) produces. Here are the notes:
A mind that’s being renewed produces a life that…
…Doesn’t think more highly of ourselves than we should. ( 12:3-8 )
…but instead you see yourself as part of the Body
…and you use your gifts faithfully
So the renewed mind leads us to see ourselves as being connected to others in the church in a way that is undeniable and unbreakable. It leads us to acknowledge our need for other believers and their need for us, and it leads us to live in ways so that we benefit the body of Christ and are benefited in return. It sees these connections as alive, and it see this all as an intrinsic part of what it means to be born again.
…Loves unhypocritically. (12:9-13)
Or, as he spells out in this passage, the renewed mind produces a person that:
(v. 9) doesn’t love evil
(v.10) is actually kind and affectionate towards other believers
(v.11) isn’t lazy and doesn’t give up in love
(v.12) doesn’t let trials ruin love, is faithful to pray
(v.13) gives things to those in need.
This tells us, conversely, that it would be hypocritical to claim to love others and to do the opposite of any of those things.
…Knows the appropriate way to relate to all, at all times. (12:14-21)
He proceeds to list a bunch of different situations:
(14) with those who persecute, we bless
(15) with those who rejoice, we rejoice alongside them; with those who weep, we weep alongside them
(16) with other believers, we are of one mind; with the humble, we associate
(17) with evil doers, we don’t give it back; with everyone, we pre-think doing good before all
(18) with everyone, we live peaceably when we can
(19) with those who wrong us, we give no vengeance
(20-21) with enemies, we overcome evil with good
The renewed mind teaches us when to enter in to a situation with someone and go along, when to resist and give back the opposite, and how “love” looks in each instance.
One thing that seems to come out in this chapter is that the renewed mind is restored to seeing everything relationally, in terms of how our new connection to God brings new life to our relationships and puts them at the center of who we are. We are delivered from loving things and ourselves to be like Jesus—loving God and loving others.
See Rom 1:7-16, 5:1-8, 8:31-39, 9:1-3
Summing it Up:
1. So…the sacrifice of our bodies (12:1) is giving them up to this kind of life, where our minds get renewed (12:2) to begin to see everything this way and then willingly press into it all to prove out the kind of life God has for humans to live. This kind. (see 8:2 for the power)
2. The message of Christ doesn’t just produce people who join an organization or try to be better. It actually creates whole new kind of people.
3. Anything else is less than what you were made for. And, it dishonors the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. God is calling everyone, everywhere to bow the knee to his love and be remade according to the pattern of Jesus. The good news is that God has made a way for us to escape the sin that ruins us and fights against his good purposes.