Introduction: William Borden wrote in his Bible, “No reserves. No retreat. No regret.”
Romans 12:1 (NASB), “Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Outline
1. The Motive for our Dedication to God **is God’s mercies**. (12:1a)
2. The Character of our Dedication to God **is a living sacrifices**. (12:1b)
Timothy Keller, “Once you have a good view of God’s mercy, anything less than a total, complete sacrifice of yourself to God is completely irrational! If you give yourself partially or half-heartedly, you are simply not thinking; you are not looking at what Jesus did.”
3. The Means for our Dedication to God
Romans 12:2a (NASB), “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...”
• The first command: DO NOT be conformed to this world (schema)
• The second command: BE transformed (metamorpho)
• How: BY the renewing of your mind (with a Christian worldview)
• Natasha Crain, “To be conformed to the world is to bring yourself under the governing rule of Satan.”
• The world’s four major tenants are: 1. Feelings are the ultimate guide, 2. Happiness is the ultimate goal,3. Judging is the ultimate sin, and 4. God is anyone’s guess (so we are free to be in charge.)
• Satan’s 4 original lies in Genesis 3: 1. Did God really say? 2. You will not die! 3. Be your own God! 4. Make your own rules.
• To be “transformed” is to be literally “metamorphosed” or changed into another form.
• The PHILIPS translation says, “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold, but let God re-mold your minds.”
• A Christian with a renewed mind understands the world as God does.
C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity “... if you have once accepted Christianity, then some of its main doctrines shall be deliberately held before your mind for some time every day. That is why daily prayers and religious readings and churchgoing are necessary parts of the Christian life. We have to be continually reminded of what we believe. Neither this belief nor any other will automatically remain alive in the mind. It must be fed.”
Question: What are you doing to feed your mind with God’s truth daily?
4. The Purpose of our Dedication to God
Romans 12:2b (NASB), “...so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
• Prove – “Test the outcomes.”
• The will of God is good, acceptable, and perfect.
A Benediction for a Dedicated Life
1 John 2:17 (NASB), “The world is passing away and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God continues to live forever.”
Living in the will of God is a life with, “No reserves. No retreat. No regret.”
