Romans 11 – 12
Verse 11:18 is something we need to take to heart as we grow:
It doesn’t give you license to become proud and self-righteous about the fact that you’ve been grafted in. If you do boast, remember that the branches do not sustain the root—it is the system of roots that nourishes and supports you.
Paul is comparing the Gentiles being joining the family of God’s anointed like grafting a wild olive into a cultivated one. The major point is don’t get so full of yourself that you are part of God’s Kingdom, since that same graft could be pruned away. No our focus should not be on our salvation, but that of others. We need to be adding to the tree no resting in the comfort of the tree, therefore push pride away.
Pride is a killer in almost everything we do. Arguments and conflict are almost all the time based in pride of one of the parties. We “buck up” and ignore what the other party has to say and start to defend. I hate using the word “defend” since it implies an attack, but when we are trying to “defend” our point of view, we often attack. So if we all “sucked it up” and learned to listen with acceptance the world would get along much better.
Verses 12:1 & 2 really lay out how we should be as Christians:
1 Brothers and sisters, in light of all I have shared with you about God’s mercies, I urge you to offer your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice to God, a sacred offering that brings Him pleasure; this is your reasonable, essential worship. 2 Do not allow this world to mold you in its own image. Instead, be transformed from the inside out by renewing your mind. As a result, you will be able to discern what God wills and whatever God finds good, pleasing, and complete.
Does he imply we sacrifice ourselves like Jesus to die on the cross? No, but we should go way out of our comfort zone in helping others. Service is not a sacrifice if it’s a social event first. We really need to take the one line to heart and understand what Paul is saying. If we sacrifice our bodies, then we are doing as he desires which may lead us into a very uncomfortable life. But as we see in Paul, we can gain JOY in suffering!!
Verse 2 reminds me of how we tend to mold God into our image as some grey haired Adonis that sits on a throne in the sky sending lightning bolts of justice down. The world has molded God, so can you imagine how easy it will be to mold you? I can’t say this enough, but pray and grow from the inside out. The best way is to read your Bible every day. If not a chapter or section, just pick a verse and learn it in context, but do this daily!!
After being a Christian for 30 years I can say one thing, it’s hard to figure out God’s will. Often I miss the 2×4 being swung at me until it catches the backside of my head. This is one avenue I pray for daily, is more clear guidance. I can’t say how many times I have bought lottery tickets being sure it was God prompting me. Never have I won squat and finally realized that voice in my head is me wanting an easy way out. Paul had it easy, Jesus appeared before him! We have to pray and hope we can discern which voice is God and which is our own prideful desires.