Transformed for Worship

This week we commence our vision series: Transformed for Worship – My Soul; My Life; My All. The series is taken from Romans 12:1… I appeal to your therefore, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Romans chapters 1-11 outline Paul’s theology. But this verse marks a turning point. It launches the next three chapters of application in living. Given the coming judgement, given justification by faith, given that we have peace with God and comprise a new race of humanity in the second Adam, given freedom from the Law and the gift of life in the Spirit, given God’s sublime plan to consign both Jew and Gentile over to disobedience in order to have mercy on all… given all of this… how then should we live? Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual worship!

In v.3-8 we accomplish this living sacrifice by using the various gifts that God has given us for the service of his church. When our faith compels us to use our gifts for Jesus’ sake, when we serve, or teach, or exhort or give, or show mercy or… whatever we do for Jesus’ sake, in this we are offering our bodies, our gifts, to God and this is our spiritual worship or, as the RSV translates, our reasonable service.

In Romans 12:2 we can only accomplish this transformed life through renewal of our minds. It is not just a matter of what we do. It is a matter of how we think. We must not be conformed to the world, but rather transformed in our minds. So, v.9-21 shows us the person who is no longer conformed to the world but transformed. The transformed mind does not do what the world expects but discerns the will of God. She does not seek revenge but cares for her enemy. He blesses those who persecutes him. She is not haughty, but associates with the lowly.

This is true worship. It flows out of understanding and faith. It is the whole of life given over to Jesus.

Transformed for Worship… My Soul, My Life, My All.

Bruce Morrison
Senior Minister