Getting to Know the Heart of Your Leadership Team Through Scripture

My friend Cheryl has chosen Romans 12:2 as her favorite verse. This is one of the most well-known and quoted verse in the book of Romans for good reason. Here are verses 1-2:   Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform 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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Starting with Therefore, Paul is saying because of all I have said in the previous 11 Chapters this is how God's wants you to live. Paul has told us in Romans 1:16-17 of the power of the gospel leading to God's righteousness.  "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” In Romans 3:22-23 that faith comes through Jesus and no one is righteous on their own "This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." In Romans 5:1 Paul concludes that we are justified by faith. "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," I particularly love Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." In Romans 7 we hear of Paul's own smuggles with his sin nature but he reaches another conclusion in Romans 8:1 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, In Chapter 8 Paul tells us we are son's of the Father (14), coheirs with Christ (17), all things in our lives God can work for good (28), and nothing can separate us from the love of God (37-38). Paul tells us in Romans 10: 9-10 that confession of Jesus as Lord will bring about salvation. " If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. Given all these facts about God and what He has done for us Paul reaches the conclusion stated in Romans 12:1. Think about God's mercy towards us and commit yourself to a life of loving Him sacrificially. It will be pleasing to God.

In verse 2, Paul goes on to tell us that we need to let God transform our body and minds so that we will not be led astray and seduced by the world's motives and standards. When your mind is renewed through faith in Jesus you will be able to discern what is worldly and stay away from it. You will be able to test things against His Word of truth, pray for discernment through the power of the Holy Spirit and call upon the name of Jesus for help. Then you will be able to walk with Jesus doing what is pleasing to God and aligned with His will. Faith in Jesus is the key to this transformation.

Thanks Cheryl for pointing me to this verse. I can see how you use this verse to give you strength to reject world culture and seek alignment with God's Word. Leaning on God's mercy, clinging to Jesus and using His Word to lead us in life will lead us to pleasing God.
Linda