Exposition of Romans 12:1-2, Part 3

In this part of the sermon: The sermon transitions to the substance of Paul's entreaty, identifying the ultimate goal as 'proving what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God,' which means to…

An example from Luke 14:19 of a man testing oxen is used to illustrate one meaning of 'prove' (dokimadzo) as 'to put to the test.'

But I checked with Dr. Bob yesterday and in studying this passage, he has come to the same conclusion. Though this word prove, dokimadzo, is used in many ways in the New Testament, sometimes to put to the test. You remember the man said, I have bought a yoke of oxen and I must test them, try them.

9:17 - 9:37 Read in full sermon

Driving home: One of the most, one of the most effective ways for the devil to turn the people of God aside from the will of God the will of his precepts is when they begin to reflect on how those precepts apply to them in a specific …

The story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden is used to illustrate the devil's lie that God's good commands are actually harsh and deprive humanity of something better, leading to disobedience.

One of the most, one of the most effective ways for the devil to turn the people of God aside from the will of God the will of his precepts is when they begin to reflect on how those precepts apply to them in a specific instance he tries to convince us that that expression of the will of God is harsh, is bitter, is unreasonable and is not good. And will destroy our highest good. That is the lie that he brought to our first parents in the Garden of Eden. You remember it?

20:51 - 21:34 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Paul's entreaty describes God's will as 'good,' 'acceptable' (well-pleasing to God), and 'perfect' (perfectly suited for man's created purpose). Martin passionately refutes the…

Examples of choosing a career or a non-Christian spouse are used to illustrate how people believe the devil's lie that God's will is 'mean' or deprives them of happiness, leading to choices contrary to God's precepts.

If I don't have that particular career,

22:50 - 22:52 Read in full sermon

The point: Believe God's word over the devil's lies about the goodness of God's will.

The example of parents sparing the rod is used to illustrate how people believe the devil's lie that God's will (chastening children) is not 'good' and will turn children against them, rather than leading to maturity.

Fathers, nurture your children. He that spares his rod hates his son. He that loves him, chastens him, speaks times. Oh, but it wouldn't be good.

23:57 - 24:09 Read in full sermon

The point: Believe God's word over the devil's lies about the goodness of God's will.

Martin shares that his excitement comes from seeing the devil's lies at work in his pastoral dealings, making him 'mad at the devil' for distorting God's will.

The will of God is good in every single area. You say, Pastor, why do you get excited? Well, you can prepare the notes in the detachment of the study, but as you mingle with your people and hear some of the testimonies that we heard from 9 o'clock yesterday morning until 6 o'clock in the afternoon in this building, his elders, and realize what a master liar the devil is. You get mad at the devil when he says God's will is bad and his way is good.

24:33 - 25:04 Read in full sermon

The point: If you disagree with biblical teaching on roles, recognize you are fighting with God, not just the pastor.

The example of a married woman with children belonging in the home as her sphere of labor is used to illustrate how God's will can 'pinch' some, challenging their worldly ideas about talent and fulfillment.

Because when we get into male and female roles in relationships, we're going to see that the Bible says that a married woman with children at home belongs in her home as the ordinary, normal sphere of her labor.

25:31 - 25:43 Read in full sermon

Driving home: If you are a real Christian, can't you say, in spite of all my sin, my failures, my coldness, my wanderings, God knows that the thing I want more than else, is to please the Savior who redeemed me and the God who sent th…

The analogies of a 'perfect apple' and a 'perfect vacation' are used to explain that 'perfect' means something has attained its proper end or full development, applying this to God's will for humanity.

He said, the end of my entreaty is that you may discover, put to the test in your own experience, the will of God, that is the will of His precepts, the thing that is good in itself, the thing that is well-pleasing that is acceptable to God and the thing that is perfect. Now when something is perfect, it has attained its proper end. When you speak of a perfect apple, you mean an apple that is grown up to the proper size that an apple is to grow and if it's a delicious apple, it has the proper shape of a delicious apple, has the proper nubs at the top and all of the rest. It is a perfect apple....

29:54 - 30:52 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He explains 'present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God' by drawing on Old Testament cultic worship. This means a concrete, total, joyful self-surrender of…

The imagery of Old Testament altars and sacrifices (holy, dead, blood) is used to explain the language of 'present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God,' highlighting the contrast with a 'living' sacrifice.

All right. In the Old Testament, the center of all of the worship of the people of God was the altar and the sacrifices offered upon it. Whether we think of the holiest of holy, where once a year the high priest went in on the Day of Atonement, or whether we think of the external holy place where you had the altar with the daily offering and the special offerings and sacrifices, this is language that is extracted out of what you'll find in your writings. Whenever you find the term the Old Testament cultus, C-U-L-T-U-S, or Old Testament cultic worship, that's not referring to some Jehovah's Wit...

39:06 - 39:49 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He explains 'present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God' by drawing on Old Testament cultic worship. This means a concrete, total, joyful self-surrender of…

A line from a hymn, 'Here, Lord, I give myself away. 'Tis all that I can do,' is quoted to emphasize that presenting oneself is a surrender to God, not to the church or abstract ideals.

I beseech you by the mercies of God. And in the language, in the language of the hymn, hear, Lord, I give myself away. Tis all that I can do. You're not giving yourself to the church.

45:17 - 45:30 Read in full sermon

The point: Pray that your posture is one of joyfully presenting yourself as a living sacrifice, eager for God to expose worldly influences, and to transform your mind to prove His will.

The paraphrase 'don't let the world squeeze you into its mold' is used to vividly explain the meaning of 'be not conformed to this world,' emphasizing the aggressive nature of worldly influence.

The word means to fashion. One has paraphrased this phrase this way, don't let the world squeeze you into its mold. We're not to be fashioned by this age, this age that is marked by a preoccupation with the temporal as opposed to the eternal. It is called this evil age, Galatians 1.4, as opposed to that which is righteous and holy, and it is called the age that is ignorant of God's wisdom, 1 Corinthians 2.6-9. And so we must recognize as we come to these areas of burning practical relevance in Christian experience, the world does not back off and say, well, look, you folks are a little odd, bu...

49:30 - 50:32 Read in full sermon