Welcome back to our study of the book of Romans by the late Dr. RC Sproul. Today we’ll be looking at Romans 12:1-21
Romans 12
A Living Sacrifice
12 I appeal to you therefore, brothers,[a] by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.[b] 2 Do not be conformed to this world,[c] 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.[d]
Gifts of Grace
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members,[e] and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads,[f] with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
Marks of the True Christian
9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit,[g] serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.[h] Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it[i] to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12 Sermons
1.Living Sacrifices to God ( Romans 12:1-2) CLICK HERE FOR ACCESS
Paul begins this chapter with a closing “therefore,” summarizing everything that has gone before by telling the readers that their logical service is to present themselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. Dr. Sproul explains what to expect and what Paul means when he says “renew your thinking.”
2.Serve God with Spiritual Gifts ( Romans 12:3-8) CLICK HERE FOR ACCESS
Paul discusses our self-estimation and then ties that to certain gifts. Dr. Sproul then goes on to analyze the relationship between these numerous gifts and the church, as well as whether or not the supernatural gifts listed are still active. After that, he discusses the apostolic gifts and explains prophecy, as well as how it is employed today.
3.Behave Like a Christian Part 1 (Romans 12:9-15 ) CLICK HERE FOR ACCESS
This section of Paul’s writing is reminiscent of Christ’s Sermon on the Mount. Dr. Sproul continues his talk on the use of gifts in ministry, emphasizing the need of not elevating gifts and of genuine love. A discussion on evil is started, followed by a demonstration of the specific evil of abortion.
4.Behave Like a Christian Part 2 (Romans 12:16-21 ) CLICK HERE FOR ACCESS
Dr. Sproul expands on the concept of evil by distinguishing between sin and evil. We are advised not to live a life driven by “fleshly” ambition, but to live a life that imitates Christ. The distinction between natural and moral evil is looked into. The emphasis in this lecture is on vengeance and revenge, and that it should be carried out by God.
Be Sure To Subscribe To Ligonier Ministries on Youtube
PS: All the videos series from RC Sproul added to the website have been thoroughly listened to by myself. And I highly recommend them to anyone looking to deepen his/her faith in Christ. We live in the age of relativism and now more than ever understanding what we believe, and why believe what believe is not optional.
My name is Tayib Salami and I started Tayibs.com for the sole purpose of exploring difficult questions about the Christian faith that most of us shy away from. In 2017, I entered a very dark time in my life and it’s only by the grace of the Living God that I’m still alive today. It led me to really go deeper in my faith and consider a myriad of questions that I never thought about asking myself or others before. Welcome and enjoy the ride with me.