The Nugget:
Romans 12:1 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.
Romans 12:2 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.
My Comment:
If we truly trust in Christ for our salvation, we belong to Him. We are to present our bodies a living sacrifice. That sacrifice is to be holy, and so acceptable to God. This is our reasonable service, it is what we ought to do in gratitude for the great gift of salvation that our Lord Jesus Christ made possible for us by His death on the cross. We are not to be conformed to this world. I think Christians today have lost this concept. I keep reading of many studies that show that today supposedly Bible believing Christians are statistically no different than people in the world in terms of their divorce rate and other marks of fallen culture or morals. That should not be. I believe I recall correctly that when I was first saved, there was a marked difference statistically between genuine Christians and people of the world in such matters as children born out of wedlock, divorce, or problems with drinking. There has been a drastic change in the culture since then. Unfortunately, many Christians have gone right along with the culture instead of living a distinct, godly lifestyle very different from the world. In my early years as a new Christian, it was understood that we Christians were to be show-window material that brought honor to the name of Christ. It also attracted people in the world to Christ. Paul instructs us that we are not to be conformed to this world, but transformed. That transformation comes from a divine renewing of our mind, wrought by the power of the Holy Spirit Who dwells in us, who transforms us through supernatural regenerative change to bear and show forth the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.
For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:
(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1293 for Romans 12:1-2.
(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1314 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Romans 12:1-2.
(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:
Romans 12:1. beseech. Ro 15:30. 1 C 1:10. 4:16. 2 C 5:20. 6:1. 10:1. Ep 4:1. Ph 4:2. 1 Th 4:*1, 10. 5:12, 14. 2 Th 2:1. 1 T 2:1. Phm 8-10, 19. He 13:22. 1 P 2:11. therefore. Ro 8:39. 11:35, 36. by the. Ro +*2:4. *5:8. *9:23. 11:30, 31. Ge 4:7. Ps *116:12. 119:156. Lk *7:47. 1 C 1:10. 2 C 1:3. 4:1. **5:14, 15. Ep *2:4-10. Ph 2:1-5. T 3:4-8. 1 P 2:10-12. mercies. Gr. oiktirmos (S#3628g). FS96F2, Ge +4:10. Ro 3:24. 5:6-11. 8:3, 31-39. 9:15. La 3:22g. Lk 6:36. 2 C 1:3g. Ph 2:1g. Col 3:12g. He 10:28g. that ye present. The aorist shows that the Christian offers his body once for all (Liddon). Ro *6:13 (yield), 16, 19. Le 16:7. Nu 8:13. Dt 31:14. Jsh +**14:8. Ps 50:13, 14, 23. 96:8. Is 66:20. Ezk 46:12. Mk 12:17. Lk 2:22. 1 C *6:13-20. 2 C 8:5. Ph *1:20. He +*10:22. 1 P +2:5. bodies. FS171Q4, Ex +21:3mg. Ge =47:18. Ex =29:20. Le 8:23. 14:14. Da *3:28. 1 C *6:15, 19, 20. 2 C 5:10. 1 Th 4:4. a living. Ro 6:4, 11, 13. Le 16:10. Nu =8:11 (wave offering), 13. Dt =33:10. Ps 69:30, 31. Ho +*14:2. Ml =3:3. 1 C 5:7, 8. 2 C 4:16. **5:14, 15. Ph 2:17. He 10:20-22. *13:15, 16. sacrifice. Ro 6:6. 7:4. 8:3. +14:18. Ge 8:20. Ex 38:1. Le 1:2. 3:6, 9. Nu 7:21. Ps 51:17. Jon 2:9. Mk 9:49. 2 C 4:10. Ph 4:18. 1 P *+2:5. holy. Ro 15:16. Ex 19:6. Le *9:2-4. 19:2. Nu 15:40. 29:17. Dt 14:21. 1 Ch 15:12. Ml *1:14. 1 C 3:16, 17. 7:34. 9:27. Col 3:5. 1 P 1:16. acceptable. or, well-pleasing. Gr. euarestos (S#2101g). ver. 2g. Ro 14:18g. 15:16. Ge 4:7. Le 1:4. 2:9. 3:6, 14. Nu 29:13. Ps *19:14. 50:23. 51:19. 63:3. Is *56:7. 60:7. Je 6:20. Ezk 43:27. Ml 1:11. Jn 3:7. 2 C 5:9g. Ep *5:10g. Ph 4:18g. Col 3:20g. 1 T 2:3. *5:4. T 2:9g. He 13:21g. 1 P *2:5, 20. reasonable. Gr. logikos (S#3050g). Jn 4:24. Ac 24:25. 1 C 14:15. Ep 4:17, 18. Ph 3:3. 1 P 2:2g, 5. service. Ro 1:9. +9:4. 14:18. Ex 19:6. 1 S 12:24. Is 61:6. Ml 3:3. Jn 16:2. Ph 4:3. He 12:28. Re 1:6. 20:6.
Romans 12:2. be not. Christians are to avoid even the appearance of moral assimilation to the life of the world, and are to be really and inwardly changed to a new moral type by the renewing of the mind (Liddon). Ge *13:10, 11. Ex +*23:2. Le 18:29, 30. Dt 12:30. *18:9-14. Jsh 23:12, 13. 2 K 16:10. Ezk 20:32. Mt 6:24. +**7:14. +*20:26. Mk 10:43. Lk 22:26. Jn 3:7. *7:7. 14:30. *15:19. 17:14. Ac 16:20. 1 C 3:19. 2 C **4:4. **6:14-17. Ga *1:4, 10. 6:14. Ep *2:2. *4:17-20. +*5:10, 11, 17. 1 T +**2:9. 4:10. Ja *1:27. *4:4. 1 P 1:14, 18. 3:3. 4:2. 2 P *1:4. *2:20. 1 J **2:15-17. 3:13. 4:4, 5. *5:19. Re 12:9. 13:8. conformed. The present infinitive points to continuous acts (Liddon). Ro +*8:29. 1 S 8:20. 1 P 1:14g. this. FS121P2, Mt +13:22. 2 C 4:4. Ga 1:4. Ep 2:2. world. Gr. aion, Mt +6:13. lit. age, Mt +12:32. +13:22. Jn +*6:54n. 1 C +1:20. T *2:12. be ye transformed. The present infinitive points to continuous acts (Liddon). Ro *13:14. Ps +*51:10. Je 31:18. La 5:21. Ezk *18:31. 36:26. Mt +17:2g. Mk 9:2. Ac +3:19. 2 C 3:18. **5:17. Ep 1:18. *4:22-24. Col 1:21, 22. 3:10. T *3:5. renewing. Gr. anakainōsis (S#342g). Ro 6:4. *7:6, 12, 22. 8:3, 4. Jn 3:7. 2 C 4:16. **5:17. Ga **5:16-18. Ep 3:16, 17. *4:23, 24. Ph *3:10-14. Col *3:10. T 3:5g. He 6:6. of your mind. Ro 1:28. Ezk 20:32. Ep 4:23. Col 2:18. prove. ver. 1. Ps 34:8. Ep 1:18. *5:10, 17. Ph 1:10. 1 Th +*5:21. 1 P 2:3. good. ver. 1, 9. Ro 2:10. 7:12, 14, 18, 22. Dt 6:18. Jb *34:4. Ps *19:7-11. 119:47, 48, 72, 97, 103, 128, 174. Pr 3:1-4, 13-18. Ga *5:22, 23. Ep 5:9. +*6:1. Col 4:12. 1 Th 4:3. 1 T 1:8. 2 T +*3:16, 17. He 5:14. and acceptable. Ezr 10:11. Is 58:5. Ep 5:10. Ph 1:10. 1 Th *4:1. 1 T *2:3. He 13:21. 1 P 2:20. perfect. Ps 18:30. *19:7-9. Mt *5:48. 1 C 13:10. will of God. Ro 2:18. Ps +**23:3. Mt +*6:10. *7:21. Ac +22:14. Col *1:9. 1 Th +4:3. He 10:36. 13:21. 1 P *4:2, 3. 1 J 2:17.
psm 34.1 i will bless the lord at all times his praise shall
continually be in my mouth.
rom 12.1-2 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. vs 2. 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.
there are many cross refs to these 2 verses some of my favorite ones.
1. eph 4.1 i therefore, the prisoner of the lord, beseech you that ye walk
worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.
2. rom 15.30 now i beseech you, brethren, for the lord jesus christ sake,
and for the love of the spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers
to god for me
3. 11 co 5.20 now then we are ambassadors for christ,as though god did
beseech you by us we pray in christs stead, be ye reconciled to god.
4. we then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye
receive not the grace of god in vain.
5. eph 2.4 but god, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he
loved us,
6.rom 2.4 or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance
and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of god leadeth thee
to repentance?
7. rom 9.23 and that he migh make known the riches of his glory on the vessels
of mercy, which he had prepared unto glory.
8. rom 11.30 for as ye in times past have not believed god, yet have now obtained
mercy through their unbelief; vs 31 even so have these also now not believed, that
through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
9. psm 116.12 what shall i render unto the lord for all his benefits toward me?
10. lk 7.47 wherefore i say unto thee, her sins, which are many, are forgiven;
for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
11. ph 2.1 if there be therefore any consolation in christ, if any comfort of love, if
any fellowship of the spirit, if any bowels and mercies.
12. rom 6.13 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.
13. 1 pe 2.5 ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, and holy priesthood
to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to god, by jesus christ.
14. eph 5.10 proving what is acceptable unto the lord.
15. 1 tim 2.3-4 for this is good and acceptable in the sight of god our saviour;
vs 4 who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
16. jn 17.14 i have given them thy word; and the world hated them, because they are
not of the world, even as i am not of the world.
17. 11 co 4.4 in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which
believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of christ, who is the image of god
should shine unto them.
18. gal 1.4 who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present
evil world, according to the will of god and our father: vs 5 to whom be glory for ever
and ever.
19. jn 12.31 now is the judgement of this world : now shall the prince of this world
be cast out.
20. jn 14.30 hereafter i will not talk much with you; for the prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me
21. james 1.27 pure religion and undefiled before god and the father is this, to
visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted
from the world.
22 jas 4.4 ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that friendship of the world
is enmity of with god? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy
of god.
23. 11 pe 1.4 whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption
that is in the world through lust.
24. 1 jn 2-15-17 love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. if any
man love the world, the love of the father is not in him, vs 16 for all that is in the world
, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the father,
but is of the world. vs 17 and the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that
doeth the will of god abideth forever.
25. 1 jn 5.19 and we know that we are of god, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
26. rev 12.9 and the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil, and
satam, which deceiveth the whold world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels,
were cast out with him.
27 rev 13.8 and all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not
written in the book of lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
28. rom 13.14 but put ye on the lord jesus christ, and make no provision for the flesh.
29. eph 1.18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know
what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in
the saints.
30. psm 510.10 create in me a clean heart; renew a right spirit within me.
31. eph 4.22-23 that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man,
which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; vs 23 and be renewed in the spirit
of your mind; vs 24 and that ye put on the new man, which is after god is created
in righteousness and true holiness.
32. eph 5.8-9 for ye were sometimes darkness, but now are light in the lord: walk
as children of light: vs 9 for the fruit of the spirit is in all goodness and righteous
ness and truth
psm 99.5 exalt ye lord our god, and worship at his footstool.