Romans 11:32-36 - 12:1-2 NIV:
[32] "For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all."
[33] "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!"
[34] “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”
[35] “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?”
[36] "For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen."
[12:1]"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."
I sometimes forget to read the Bible, especially the letters, like they are actual letters. I am so numbers and verse centric, that sometimes I just won't read the next chapter, even though they usually flow directly from the previous chapter. These verses are a good example of that, for Paul's opening line in Chapter 12 is directly flowing from what he was writing in verses at the end of Chapter 11.
I like that Paul, as he was writing on God's mercy towards Jew and Gentile alike, was so overwhelmed by God's mercy that he basically breaks into song. God's mercy is amazing, unmerited, and complete. Paul spent most of chapter 11 writing about the Jews and the fact that it was God's plan that they might be saved, just like the Gentiles, and that we Gentiles were ingrafted into the promises God had made to the patriarchs, etc. He saw this as a perfect example of God's mercy, for we were all in the same state (bound together or closed up together), that of needing God's salvation and help.
Paul continues into thought - who would ever have thought those thoughts? Who would ever have planned this all out and set those plans into motion except God. God's thoughts are clearly not like ours! He has given us that which we could never repay or earn. He has wrapped us all up in His mercy, and it is through Him, for Him and from Him! He is amazing and worthy of Glory!
Paul then writes that in light of all of this wonder and these gifts, we should respond in worship of God by offering ourselves as a living sacrifice, by being transformed by the renewing of our minds, rather than being conformed to the pattern of this world (at least that is the way I read it). I find it interesting that Paul would potentially define part of worship as transformation through the renewing of our mind. I wrote earlier on changing our mindset which is pretty much the same as renewing our mind (see: http://amomentwithgod-srh.blogspot.com/2015/08/changing-our-mindset-great-challenge.html). I can almost see a Sunday "worship" service devoted to renewing our mind - taking on the mindset of Christ (Phil 2:5), literally devoted to thinking differently.
I am taking some liberty in connecting these verses, but I think it makes sense. We are encouraged to be Christ-like, and what would be more Christ-like then to have our minds set on the same things He did, which would then enable us to act like He acted? We would be transformed as our minds were renewed, or made new. The Greek word Paul uses here is Anakainosis and its definition is "a renewal, renovation, complete change for the better". We are encouraged to become like Christ, rather than conforming to the pattern of this world. Webster's defines conform as: 1) to be similar to or the same as something: 2) to obey or agree with something: 3) to do what other people do : 4) to behave in a way that is accepted by most people. So on one hand we have the mindset of Christ and the other we have the pattern of the world, and we get to choose daily.
It is clear, in light of what Paul writes here, that it takes effort to be renewed in our minds, to take on the mind of Christ, to swim against the flow of worldly thought and action. This effort is received by God as worship! We are effectively running to God, looking up into His eyes and saying, "I want to be like You"! My operative definition of worship is running into the arms of my loving Father, and this is just like that!
As we are renewed in our minds, and we start to think like Christ, we obviously will be better at discerning His will, testing thoughts to see if they line up with His mind and heart! As we grow in this ability, our actions and words to others will be transformed into the very words and actions of the Father. This was the way Jesus operated (John 14:1), and what we are invited into through the prayers of Jesus (John 17:20-23).
I am greatly encouraged this morning to press forward to swim against the flow of thought and action that is the pattern of this world, that I might be like Christ. It is because of HIs great mercy that I can even attempt this. I want to be like Him, and that makes Him happy and brings Him glory!
Amen!
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