"present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:1-2).
We live under the freedom of God’s grace, not under the requirements of the law (Romans 6:14). But our bodies are still governed by the law of sin (Romans 6:20;23), for we have the desire to do what is right but if we do not what we want it is no longer us but Sin that dwells in our members and wars against our born again spirit (Romans 7:18-23). To overcome we must present our bodies as a living sacrifice and be transformed by the renewal of our minds.
Freedom comes through an act of sacrifice and transformation, "as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:20-24). Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32). Transformation comes by the word; abiding in and knowing reveals truth which sets us free.
Know you are under Grace, serving in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the letter of the law (Romans 7:6). Our righteousness must exceed that of the pharisees, if we try to find justification in the law like they did, we sever ourselves from Christ (Galatians 5:4). The law of sin makes the offense of sin abound, Grace frees us from the law and sin, "for sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace" (Romans 6:14). Know Justification.
Know you are obligated to the live according to the Spirit. While Grace abounds much more than sin (Romans 5:20-21), if we live in the flesh we reap its fruit which leads to death. We must by the Spirit put to death the deeds of the flesh (Romans 8:12), this fruit leads to sanctification; life and peace (Romans 6:22). We must present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, this is our reasonable service or spiritual worship (Romans 12:1). Know Sanctification.
Know that to be spiritually minded is life and peace. We must set our minds on the things of the Spirit. "Keep seeking the things above, where Christ is,...For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:1-3). Be transformed by the renewing of your minds (Romans 12:2), by revelation in the knowledge of him. Jesus is the word of God; who was with God and was God, and who dwelt among us (John 1:1;14). Eat him and drink the word it is living and active, the bread of life, living water; transformation.
We must know how to walk in the Spirit. God has allotted to each a measure of faith (Romans 12:3). It is by faith that we come to God (Ephesian 2:18), and Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). When we do not walk in faith it is sin (Romans 14:23). So the same way that we came to him, by faith, the same way we walk in him and are established in him (Colossians 2:6-7). Without faith it is impossible to please God.
Paul's prayer is that you "be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:14-19). By faith the great I AM lives in me!
You Are I Am - MercyMe
We live under the freedom of God’s grace, not under the requirements of the law (Romans 6:14). But our bodies are still governed by the law of sin (Romans 6:20;23), for we have the desire to do what is right but if we do not what we want it is no longer us but Sin that dwells in our members and wars against our born again spirit (Romans 7:18-23). To overcome we must present our bodies as a living sacrifice and be transformed by the renewal of our minds.
Freedom comes through an act of sacrifice and transformation, "as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:20-24). Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32). Transformation comes by the word; abiding in and knowing reveals truth which sets us free.
Know you are under Grace, serving in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the letter of the law (Romans 7:6). Our righteousness must exceed that of the pharisees, if we try to find justification in the law like they did, we sever ourselves from Christ (Galatians 5:4). The law of sin makes the offense of sin abound, Grace frees us from the law and sin, "for sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace" (Romans 6:14). Know Justification.
Know you are obligated to the live according to the Spirit. While Grace abounds much more than sin (Romans 5:20-21), if we live in the flesh we reap its fruit which leads to death. We must by the Spirit put to death the deeds of the flesh (Romans 8:12), this fruit leads to sanctification; life and peace (Romans 6:22). We must present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, this is our reasonable service or spiritual worship (Romans 12:1). Know Sanctification.
Know that to be spiritually minded is life and peace. We must set our minds on the things of the Spirit. "Keep seeking the things above, where Christ is,...For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3:1-3). Be transformed by the renewing of your minds (Romans 12:2), by revelation in the knowledge of him. Jesus is the word of God; who was with God and was God, and who dwelt among us (John 1:1;14). Eat him and drink the word it is living and active, the bread of life, living water; transformation.
We must know how to walk in the Spirit. God has allotted to each a measure of faith (Romans 12:3). It is by faith that we come to God (Ephesian 2:18), and Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). When we do not walk in faith it is sin (Romans 14:23). So the same way that we came to him, by faith, the same way we walk in him and are established in him (Colossians 2:6-7). Without faith it is impossible to please God.
Paul's prayer is that you "be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:14-19). By faith the great I AM lives in me!
You Are I Am - MercyMe