Part three of Following Jesus

Key Text: Romans 12:1-2

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Key Words: Mercies, Living Sacrifices, Holy, Service, conform vs transform, Renewing, Mind, Acceptable and perfect will of God.

1.     Living Sacrifice –Holy & Acceptable Service

If you are new here, please read Part 1 and Part 2 of the Following Jesus Series. This passage demands that a follower of Jesus must choose to Die before Serving Him. Why so?  Self or the carnal mind is always self-seeking and self-serving. When the self is alive, by default, we will serve the desires of the flesh and conform to the world.

Only when we have died, by allowing Christ to live in us, can our service be holy and acceptable to God. Just like in the OT, the animal must die, and its blood must be brought to the temple for God to accept. Anything that is not dead is an abomination to God and cannot be a sacrifice. No priest can serve God in the temple without the death of a lamb and its blood, it is just impossible to come into the presence of God.

In John 12:23-30 (please pause and  read) Jesus turns to the disciples saying, “If anyone serves me, let him follow Me.” What does He want them to follow, in serving Him? It is His death and Resurrection. If we will serve Him He demands we must die, while serving we remain dead, and to continue serving Him we must die. It is in the “state of being dead to self” that we are alive to Christ to serve Him (John 15:1-11)

Because the moment I come back to life, in my flesh and the carnal mind, I begin to serve myself. There is no better explanation than this. Complete surrender is what it takes to truly serve Him unselfishly, a kind of service that is holy and acceptable to God, a fruitful service, a life filled with the fruit of the Spirit, and a service that gives God glory.

2.    Dying to self Glorifies the names of God

According to verses 23, and 28 of John 12, Jesus is glorified or honored, and His Father is glorified (verse 28). But how? It is through His obedience and death because it is the Father’s will. God declares, “I have glorified My name and will glorify it again (v. 28).” God was glorified by not only Jesus’ selflessness and obedient life but also His death. Those who follow Jesus in such a manner will glorify God and be honored.

3.    The Blessings of dying to self – Satan Flees

I have never seen this message so clearly until recently. It is such a blessing, and that when one dies to self and self-centeredness Satan is cast out. Verse 31 of John 12 continues to say that when Jesus obeys and surrenders to God’s will Satan is cast out. Paul says it even more clearly “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” James 4:7. When we submit to Jesus, Satan flees from us. Submitting to God is the resistance we need against Satan.

 It is not flesh and blood but principalities and powers of darkness that we talking about. Only God is able to withstand and defeat evil. In addition, when Christ is Lord and King over a person’s life, Satan dares not to come close, and cannot have access to it. He does not just leave you alone or run, but he flees from you. This is amazing truth right here.  

Self is dead -so that our sinful desires and appetites will not desire or conform to the lust, pride, pleasures, and ways of this world. Satan uses “self” and its appetites and desires to lure us from Sin, which is the only way he can.

 4. Temptations come from our selfish desires Jam. 1:13-15

“ ¹³ Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. ¹⁴ But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”

Since our desires and selfishness lures us to sin and entice us, we need to shut this door by dying. So Christ becomes the guard and keeper of our minds.

God does not just demand a transformed behavior but a renewed mind. Because the transformation of behavior is a result of a renewed mind.

This renewing (continuous) is not deriving some new thoughts from within us but having the: MIND OF CHRIST. That is Brought about by the infilling and working of the Holy Spirit.  (1 Cor 2:10-12)

5.    New Life in Christ – Holy Spirit Mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:10-16)

Having the MIND OF Christ means having the Holy Spirit.  When we die, we are alive in Christ in the Holy Spirit. The Spirit who knows the things of God reveals them to Use.  Thus, we have the mind of Christ. The things of God can be discerned and obeyed by the Spirit of God. When we have put on the Mind of Christ, its natural outcome is “to put on Christ”, which is His character (Rom 13:11-14).

As long as we are continually renewing our mind, that is being filled with the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we do not fulfill the lust of the flesh. This is truly dying, a living sacrifice. THIS IS HOW ONE CAN KNOW THE WILL OF GOD. THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO KNOWS THE MIND OF GOD REVEALS IT TO US.

Conclusion

Conclusion

Romans 12:1-2 is central to the most important message of how to live a victorious, holy life and be acceptable to God. Our lives and services are acceptable only when self and self-centeredness have been surrendered. We are blessed with the Lord taking control of our life. We have the Mind and Character of Christ in us. And Satan cannot touch us as long as we remain dead and alive in Christ. This is a victorious, joyful and abundant life Christ longs to offer us. And he requires on condition. A living sacrifice.