Romans 12:1-2
1 “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.”
Verse 1: Paul begins by urging the believers to respond to God’s mercy by offering their bodies as living sacrifices. However, these bodies are not unholy or displeasing to God. They are holy and pleasing because of the finished work of Christ. Believers offer their bodies to God as a proclamation of all that God has done and make conscious decisions to live in light of who they truly are in Christ.
Verse 2: Paul encourages the believers to resist conforming to the patterns and values of the world because they are no longer compatible with the ways of the world. Instead, they are to be transformed by the renewing of their minds. This transformation comes through the work of the Holy Spirit. As our minds are renewed, we will be able to discern and understand God’s will. This includes recognizing what is good, pleasing, and perfect according to truth. Paul is not at all saying that we become more righteous through this renewing. Rather, we are maturing into the righteousness that we already possess.
