Bible Study Romans 12:1 A Fresh Interpretation.

[Chopper]

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."

I started my personal time in the Scriptures this morning around 6:30. I would normally start with my continued study of Israels history in the Hebrew Scriptures (OT) at 1 Samuel 24. Normally I would open my Bible right at the portion that I was studying, BUT this morning, something must have been on my mind because without thinking, I just opened up to, and started reading Romans 12:1. All of a sudden I stopped and wondered why I was at Romans 12:1 instead of 1 Samuel 24?

Now, thru the years when something like this happens, the first thing that I think of is "The Holy Spirit is up to something." So I went into my study/research mode and began to look up the Greek meanings on some of the words from e-Sword.net in the "Strongs Dictionary" section and this is what the Holy Spirit and I came up with.

The first indication that I knew that God wanted to teach me something new was when I came to the word "by" I knew that the Greek meaning was "through" or as I say "thru". "OK God, this is different, "thru the mercies" I present? So, as a channel? How do I do that?

The following is how I looked up the words that the Spirit of God wanted me to take note of....
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore brethren, by (through) the (definite article) mercies (pity) of God (supreme divinity = Heb. Theos)

This would mean that thru the channel of pity, that the Father was moved by, to allow His Son to be crucified in order to be the final sacrifice and propitiation for my sin, God would receive my deliberate presentation of my whole being as a sacrifice to find out and to obey His perfect will for me.

OK my fellow theologians, does the rubber meet the road on this one?

 

[Eugene]

The following is how I looked up the words that the Spirit of God wanted me to take note of....
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore brethren, by (through) the (definite article) mercies (pity) of God (supreme divinity = Heb. Theos)

This would mean that thru the channel of pity, that the Father was moved by, to allow His Son to be crucified in order to be the final sacrifice and propitiation for my sin, God would receive my deliberate presentation of my whole being as a sacrifice to find out and to obey His perfect will for me.

Dear Brother Chopper, would mercies also have to do with grace? I’m thinking of God’s great love of us that saw us in Jesus prior to the foundation of the world.
Eph 1:4 According as He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
In other words Jesus didn’t come to die out of pity, but He poured out His life to obtain us.

And this is the evidence of the grace shown us.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Purpose
I also think of the bride our Father wanted for Jesus exemplified in the story of Abraham, Eleizer, Rebekah, and Isaac of Genesis chapter twenty-four where Abraham sent his eldest servant to his own people to take from among them a bride for his son.

Blessings in Christ Jesus.

 

[Brother Mike]

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."

I started my personal time in the Scriptures this morning around 6:30. I would normally start with my continued study of Israels history in the Hebrew Scriptures (OT) at 1 Samuel 24. Normally I would open my Bible right at the portion that I was studying, BUT this morning, something must have been on my mind because without thinking, I just opened up to, and started reading Romans 12:1. All of a sudden I stopped and wondered why I was at Romans 12:1 instead of 1 Samuel 24?

Now, thru the years when something like this happens, the first thing that I think of is "The Holy Spirit is up to something." So I went into my study/research mode and began to look up the Greek meanings on some of the words from e-Sword.net in the "Strongs Dictionary" section and this is what the Holy Spirit and I came up with.

The first indication that I knew that God wanted to teach me something new was when I came to the word "by" I knew that the Greek meaning was "through" or as I say "thru". "OK God, this is different, "thru the mercies" I present? So, as a channel? How do I do that?

The following is how I looked up the words that the Spirit of God wanted me to take note of....
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore brethren, by (through) the (definite article) mercies (pity) of God (supreme divinity = Heb. Theos)

This would mean that thru the channel of pity, that the Father was moved by, to allow His Son to be crucified in order to be the final sacrifice and propitiation for my sin, God would receive my deliberate presentation of my whole being as a sacrifice to find out and to obey His perfect will for me.

OK my fellow theologians, does the rubber meet the road on this one?

Pulling straws a bit to ask if your "Rubber" is meeting the road. We all want to be exact, perfect on scripture, but the Word is Alive, and can speak different things to people that need different things. To me, By his Stripes I am healed, covers a whole lot of other things and invokes the power of what Jesus really did. To others, it's some spiritual healing they have no idea how that helps, nothing more.

Does your understanding violate other scriptures? If not, good enough.

However, if you want to break it down, the Article is about "US" doing something, Through a channel and because of something (DIA)


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. 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. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
(Rom 12:1-3)

Present yourself
Be transformed.
Be not conformed to the World (Sin and junk that don't matter for eternal weight of things)

This is possible because:

Through the channel, and because of the Mercy of God, and the Measure of Faith God has given to step forward and accomplish this.

Without Mercy, there would be no room or chance to be transformed or changed. Without faith, there would be no way to believe and present ourself, or overcome the World with our faith (John)

In other words, don't waste the Mercy extended, take the Word and be transformed which is able to save your soul (Thinking, emotions) James.

The Greek word DIA means though and because of something else, it does not carry the same meaning as the English word "By"

Also, translating this Word as it should, does not make Jesus the Creator, His Father, or some part of a god system, all things were created "FOR" him and "BECAUSE" of him, "THOUGH HIM" by which the Worlds were made for Him, and all things made to be in Him and subject to Him.

Mike.

 

[IncredibleTransformation]

I have never thought of it that way. I have always thought of that scripture to mean that we present our bodies as the Temple of the Holy Spirit. We are to keep it as physically, sexually, and spiritually pure as possible for the service of the Lord. That part of the passage I have never really dwelled upon. Great food for thought.

 

[Kidron]

"presenting your body a living sacrifice" is simply defining for you what Christian Discipleship is, subsequent to salvation.

It, that scripture is not telling you how to save yourself, nor is it telling you that if you dont do it you are damned or in jeopardy of losing your salvation if you dont obey it.

A simple way to understand it is to write it like this......"God gave his best for you, so, now that you accepted that and have BELIEVED and are justified by faith without the deeds of the law, you should give your very best to him 24/7 by living a lifestyle that you know makes Him happy".

 

[th1b.taylor]

This is the passage that began my biggest life transformation. From this I have learned that all Christians are called to live a holy (separated) life unto and for God. I notice here that there is no designated day, week nor a specific month for this sacrifice. This is, from understanding the text, an ongoing process, a never ending life style.

I have come to understand that each of us, the converted, Children of God, is to teach the Majesty of God to the Lost Man, not so much through words that nag but, rather, by going about our daily chores as if God were standing, right there, beside the Lost Man, watching us.

And you have added more depth to it for all of us, thank you.

 

[Jim Parker]

This would mean that thru the channel of pity, that the Father was moved by, to allow His Son to be crucified in order to be the final sacrifice and propitiation for my sin, God would receive my deliberate presentation of my whole being as a sacrifice to find out and to obey His perfect will for me.

OK my fellow theologians, does the rubber meet the road on this one?

I commonly cringe when I see that someone has a "new interpretation."

I would suggest that Eph 2:10 clarifies the what it means to "present ourselves as living sacrifices." Since "we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them," our reasonable act of worship is to do the works for which we were created instead of the stuff that we think is a great idea.

my 2 kopecks
jim

 

[faithfulsheep]

Brother, I agree with you. I hope I can go back to His house. But a realistic problem lies in front of us: We still commit sins every day. We need to know how we can be holy and not commit sins. Do you think so?

 

[Jim Parker]

Brother, I agree with you. I hope I can go back to His house. But a realistic problem lies in front of us: We still commit sins every day. We need to know how we can be holy and not commit sins. Do you think so?

All people commit sin and will continue to do so for all their lives. Only Jesus did not.

It is not that we must be perfectly sinless but, that we STRIVE to do God's will perfectly.

my 2 kopecks
iakov the fool

 

[Jim Parker]

Brother, I agree with you. I hope I can go back to His house. But a realistic problem lies in front of us: We still commit sins every day. We need to know how we can be holy and not commit sins. Do you think so?

I do think so.

So did Paul.

Phl 3:8-16 Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, based on law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brethren, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Let those of us who are mature be thus minded; and if in anything you are otherwise minded, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

my 2 kopecks
iakov the fool

 

[Jim Parker]

This would mean that thru the channel of pity, that the Father was moved by, to allow His Son to be crucified in order to be the final sacrifice and propitiation for my sin, God would receive my deliberate presentation of my whole being as a sacrifice to find out and to obey His perfect will for me.

OK my fellow theologians, does the rubber meet the road on this one?

I think you nailed it.

"God so loved the world that He sent His only Son..."

God consistently acts in mercy toward mankind.

my 2 kopecks
iakov the fool

 

[ezra]

mercy is asking not to get what we deserve Grace is the act that it don,t happen both go together . l love doing word search but how about in romans 1 we take it exactly how it reads 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." i ask you i beg you brothers/sister mercies/grace our bodies a living sacrifice { crucify the flesh} galatians 2:20 crucified with Christ dyeing to our self.. a commitment to serve Christ HOLY sanctified set a part for service a royal priesthood spiritual sacrifices .i can only lve the Holy and acceptable life unto God BY HIS SPIRITUAL POWER . our reasonable service worship. that is my interruption if not careful we can get into gnat straining while gagging at a camel. Christ wants a relationship with us. that can only be done through the holy spirit.. my 2 cents worth .you can accept it or reject it { This would mean that thru the channel of pity, that the Father was moved by, to allow His Son to be crucified in order to be the final sacrifice and propitiation for my sin, God would receive my deliberate presentation of my whole being as a sacrifice to find out and to obey His perfect will for me.} thats another way to say it