romans 12 nlt

3 min read 28-10-2024

Living Out Your Faith: A Deep Dive into Romans 12 (NLT)

Romans 12 is a powerful call to action for Christians, urging us to live out our faith in a way that honors God and makes a difference in the world. It's a chapter full of practical advice and encouragement, challenging us to transform our lives and relationships. Let's explore this essential chapter and see how it can guide us today.

A Radical Transformation (Romans 12:1-2)

The chapter begins with a powerful exhortation: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship." (Romans 12:1) Paul calls us to a life of radical transformation, offering ourselves as living sacrifices to God. This isn't about physical sacrifice, but about surrendering our entire being to God's will and purpose.

This offering is "holy and pleasing to God," meaning it's not about what we feel like doing or what benefits us, but what aligns with God's character and brings him glory. It's about aligning our lives with God's purpose, understanding that this is our true worship.

Renewing Our Minds (Romans 12:2)

Paul continues, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:2)

This verse emphasizes the crucial role of our minds in our spiritual growth. We must be careful not to conform to the ways of the world, but rather to be renewed by God's word and his spirit. This transformation, fueled by a renewed mind, allows us to discern and understand God's will for our lives.

Living in Unity (Romans 12:3-8)

Paul then encourages us to live in unity with one another, highlighting the importance of humility and recognizing the unique gifts and abilities God has given each of us.

Humility: "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you." (Romans 12:3) Humility is essential for unity. We should not overestimate our abilities, but acknowledge that God has given each of us unique gifts.
Using our gifts: "We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us." (Romans 12:6) We are all called to use our unique gifts for the benefit of the body of Christ.
Serving one another: "If your gift is prophecy, then prophesy in accordance with your faith. If it is service, then serve. If it is teaching, then teach. If it is encouragement, then encourage. If it is giving, then give generously. If it is leadership, then lead with diligence. If it is showing mercy, then do it cheerfully." (Romans 12:6-8) These diverse gifts should be used for building up the church and reaching out to others.

Loving Our Enemies (Romans 12:9-21)

This section highlights the importance of loving our enemies, even when it's difficult.

Blessing our enemies: "Do not repay evil with evil. Do not retaliate with insults when people insult you. On the contrary, bless those who curse you; pray for those who mistreat you." (Romans 12:17-14) We are called to respond to evil with good, blessing those who curse us and praying for those who mistreat us.
Living in harmony: "If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." (Romans 12:18) We should strive for peace with everyone, recognizing that sometimes achieving this requires compromise and forgiveness.
Overcoming evil with good: "Never pay back evil for evil. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord." (Romans 12:19-21) We are called to leave vengeance to God and instead focus on overcoming evil with good.

Living Out Our Faith in the World

Romans 12 is a blueprint for living a life that honors God and makes a difference in the world. It calls us to:

Renew our minds: Be transformed by God's word and spirit.
Embrace our unique gifts: Use our talents to serve the church and reach out to others.
Live in unity: Be humble and recognize the gifts of others.
Love our enemies: Respond to evil with good and strive for peace.

These challenges may not be easy, but the reward for living out our faith in this way is immeasurable. We become more like Christ and experience the joy of serving others. May this chapter guide and inspire us to live out our faith in a way that makes a difference in the world around us.