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The objective of this lesson: To stress that Christianity is not to be considered an add on to life that becomes one of many obligations, but Christianity is a direction of total life defined by God in Christ.
I wish to begin with an affirmation that may be contrary to what you have heard: being a Christian is extremely challenging. The more complex the society one lives in becomes and the smaller our world becomes, the more challenging it becomes to be a Christian. It is simple to enter Gods grace that He made abundantly available to all through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:5, 6). It is extremely challenging to be what God through grace made us in Jesus Christ.
Stress that we are totally forgiven, totally accepted, totally sanctified by Gods grace the moment we enter Christ (consider 1 Corinthians 1:30 in light of all the problems in that congregation, and 1 John 1:5-10). Christian existence is focused on actually becoming what God in Christ, through His grace, made us. Christians are literally, continually growing into what God made them.
This commitment to become is never over as long as you physically exist. In being the man or woman who is serious about being a Christian, the longer you live, the more you learn. The more you learn, the better you understand. The better you understand, the more your spiritual objectives improve. The better your spiritual objectives become, the more your physical life changes. The more a Christians physical life changes, the more like Christ he/she becomes. The more like Christ he/she becomes, the more he/she learns and understands. The result: this progression continues. The objective of the person in Christ is, consciously, to be more and more like Christ. He/she is not accidently Christian; he/she is purposely Christian. That is who he/she wishes to be. That is the direction of his/her life.
Stress that it is a continual development that no Christian outgrows or attains.
In todays text, there is (1) the challenge of the declaration and (2) the challenge of the meaning of the declaration illustrated by the context. Consider both.
The rest of the lesson focuses on these two challenges.
(1) The challenge of the declaration:
With an understanding of Gods intent in Jesus Christ, all of you in Jesus Christ are urged to transform your physical lives. The God who brought you into being had an intent for human beings prior to their perversion through the existence of sin in human life. Restore Gods vision of human physical existence which now is made possible by being in Jesus Christ.
This begins a paraphrase of and commentary on Romans 12:1, 2. The foundation understanding rests on a persons grasp of what God did for those in Jesus Christ through grace. The beginning understanding is this: God never intended for us to be what we have become through sin.
This intent/understanding can be restored because God is merciful. It is not restored through the brilliance of people, but through the efforts of a merciful God by His work in Jesus Christ.
The basic task in being Christian is the task of spiritual restoration. God at work in Jesus Christ is the basis of defining who we are and what our purpose is.
The human awareness of the work of this merciful God in Jesus Christ results in a presentation to this merciful God of the persons body (existence). The person willfully becomes a living sacrifice dedicated to Gods purposes. In his/her awareness of this merciful God, the individual allows God to determine who he/she is.
The only thing a person really possesses to give God (in appreciation of what He did/does in Jesus Christ) is the surrender of self, the acknowledgement that He rightfully should control the body.
The whole concept of worship is changed for this person in Christ. Worship is not about a correct geographical place to which a pilgrimage is made. Worship is not about a system of animal sacrifices. Worship is a seven-days-a-week commitment focused in the life the person lives. The objective of the person in Christ is simple: every act of every day of his/her life honors God by serving Gods original objective in human existence. God is praised through who the person is daily in his/her physical existence.
At that time, nowhere was the transformation more visibly obvious than in the persons concept of worship. Can you imagine the contrast seen by others in being a person who went to a temple to worship and going to no temple but worshipping?
The material objectives of society do not define who the person is or what he/she does. Instead, he/she learns a new way to think which results in Gods way to look at physical existence. This transformation is not the mere changing of a few bad habits. It involves a discovery of what physical life is about. Gods will determines who a person is and what a person does. Definitions regarding the purpose of existence change at the root level. God defines what is good, what is well-pleasing to Him, and what is maturenot men filled with human wisdom nor the human societies of this physical world.
In Christ, what defines who you are is neither material ambitions nor social aspirations. Gods will is not based on material objectives or societys aspirations.
(2) The declaration illustrated by the context:
The illustrations are taken from Romans 12:3 through Romans 15:13. This material illustrates what it means to live a life of the living sacrifice which the person willfully gives to God.
What it meant to be transformed as a person in Christ living in Rome is seen from Romans 12:3 forward. This behavior in Christ was in distinct contrast to many who lived in Rome at that time.
a) This person will see and use his/her life and abilities as a part of a body.
b) He/she refuses to see life in Gods body as a competitive effort.
c) He/she lives by love, not by vengeance.
d) He/she is not a threat to unchristian government.
e) He/she lives by a helping love, not by the patronage system.
f) He/she refuses to live/act like people who do not know Christ.
g) He/she seeks to encourage those who (1) believe in Jesus Christ, but (2) who act differently because of differing faith convictions.
h) He/she uses Jesus Christs interest in people to determine how to treat people.
i) He/she unselfishly helps the spiritually weak.
It was not easy in that environment to daily be this type of person. We likely can more readily identify with the difficulty quickly in matters such as genuinely rejoicing in the blessings of those who are obviously different from you, in not seeking vengeance on those who cause you hurt, in showing kindness to enemies, in not causing trouble for unchristian rulers, and in helping/ encouraging those who are spiritually weak.
This is in contrast to:
a) Being the all-important one.
b) Being the one who must be pleased in all considerations.
c) Being one who hates enemies.
d) Being one who was hostile to an idolatrous government.
e) Being one who was obligated to treat someone else as he/she was directed.
f) Being one who was controlled by unchristian values.
g) Being one who must control the expressions of faith of a fellow believer.
h) Being one who uses personal feelings to determine how others should be treated.
i) Being one who decides the church is better off without those who are spiritually weak.
It was common for a person to look out for self and selfs interest, and ignore people who were not of direct benefit to you. Christians in Rome existed in conditions where many could hurt you and very few could help you. In such circumstances it was easy to reason If I do not help me, who will? In such circumstances, it was simple to NOT BE OF HELP to anyonethat seemed to be the safest direction to take. To be kind to people who might hurt you definitely took a transformation, a redirection of life and a redefinition of Who am I and what is my purpose?
Do you see the challenge? Do you grasp how being in Christ changes a person? Being Gods temple in the determination to be a suitable habitation for Gods Spirit is a huge commitment!
The choice to allow God in Christ to transform your life is not a simple choice that is easily accomplished!
For Thought and Discussion
1. This lesson begins with what affirmation?
It begins with this affirmation: Being a Christian is extremely challenging.
2. How long does the commitment to become what Gods grace made you continue?
This challenge is never over as long as you physically exist.
3. What two challenges are contained in todays text?
a) The challenge of the declaration.
b) The challenge of the meaning of the declaration given in terms of real life.
4. People in Christ are urged to do what?
Christians were urged to transform their physical lives.
5. Why can people in Christ transform life?
They can transform life because God is merciful.
6. Discuss how transformation changes the concept of worship.
The discussion should include acceptable worship is not dependent on a geographical place or animal sacrifice, but on a daily commitment to live by Gods values and purposes.
7. What does NOT define who the person in Christ is or what he/she does?
The material does NOT define who a Christian is or what he/she does.
8. Illustrate the contrast produced by transformation.
Use as illustrations the things given in a. through i. near the end of the lesson. Choose more than one illustration.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 13
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