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AUGUST 13

95:1 Rock of our salvation.This metaphor for 12:1 present your bodies a living sacrifice.
God was especially appropriate in this psalm, Under the Old Covenant, God accepted the
which refers (vv. 8,9) to the water that came sacrifices of dead animals. But because of
from the rock in the wilderness (Ex. 17:1–7; Christ’s ultimate sacrifice, the Old Testament
Num. 20:1–13; 1 Cor. 10:4). sacrifices are no longer of any effect (Heb.
9:11,12). For those in Christ, the only accept-
95:3 the great King above all gods. This is a able worship is to offer themselves complete-
poetic way of denying the existence of other ly to the Lord. Under God’s control, the believ-
gods (96:5), which existed only as statues, not er’s yet unredeemed body can and must be
persons (Jer. 10:1–10). yielded to Him as an instrument of righteous-
ness. reasonable service. “Reasonable” is
95:4 deep places of the earth. This refers to from the Greek for “logic.” In light of all the
the depths of the seas, valleys, and caverns, spiritual riches believers enjoy solely as the
and contrasts with the hills. The point (v. 5) is fruit of God’s mercies (Rom. 11:33,36), it logi-
that God was not a local god like the imagi- cally follows that they owe God their highest
nary gods of the heathens, usually put up in form of service.Understood here is the idea of
high places, but the universal Creator and priestly, spiritual service, which was such an
Ruler of the whole earth. integral part of Old Testament worship.
12:2 do not be conformed. “Conformed”
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And put a knife to your throat refers to assuming an outward expression that
If you are a man given to appetite. does not reflect what is really inside, a kind of
3 Do not desire his delicacies, masquerade or act. The word’s form implies
For they are deceptive food. that Paul’s readers were already allowing this
to happen and must stop. this world. Better
Romans 12:1–21
translated,“age,”which refers to the system of
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the beliefs, values—or the spirit of the age—at
12 mercies of God, that you present your bod- any time current in the world.This sum of con-
ies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, temporary thinking and values forms the
which is your reasonable service. And do not be moral atmosphere of our world and is always
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conformed to this world, but be transformed by dominated by Satan (2 Cor.4:4).transformed.
the renewing of your mind, that you may prove The Greek word, from which the English word
what is that good and acceptable and perfect “metamorphosis” comes, connotes a change
in outward appearance. Matthew uses the
will of God.
For I say, through the grace given to me, to (Matt.17:2).Just as Christ briefly and in a limit-
3 same word to describe the Transfiguration
everyone who is among you, not to think of ed way displayed outwardly His inner, divine
himself more highly than he ought to think, but nature and glory at the Transfiguration,
to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a Christians should outwardly manifest their
measure of faith. For as we have many mem- inner, redeemed natures, not once, however,
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bers in one body, but all the members do not but daily (2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 5:18). renewing of
have the same function, so we, being many, are your mind. That kind of transformation can
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one body in Christ, and individually members occur only as the Holy Spirit changes our
of one another. Having then gifts differing thinking through consistent study and medita-
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according to the grace that is given to us, let us tion of Scripture (Ps. 119:11; Col. 1:28; 3:10, 16;
use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in propor- Phil. 4:8). The renewed mind is one saturated
tion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our with and controlled by the Word of God.
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ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he
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who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives,
with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs
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who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. of the saints, given to hospitality.
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is Bless those who persecute you; bless and
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evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affection- do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice,
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ate to one another with brotherly love, in honor and weep with those who weep. Be of the
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giving preference to one another; not lagging in same mind toward one another. Do not set your
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diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; re- mind on high things, but associate with the
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joicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
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