Romans 12:1-21
A Living Sacrifice
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Humble Service in the Body of Christ
3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Love in Action
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
God intended us to live in harmony with not only Him, but also all our neighbors...Jesus talks about this when He teaches us the Greatest Commandment of loving God and loving neighbor...But humanity has an inherent resistance to harmony with others, coupled with a fervent desire for individual control and to live our lives our own way, often manifests as a rejection of harmony, human service, and even basic acts of helping others...This inclination, as C.S. Lewis observes, disrupts the 'human machine,' leading to both interpersonal collisions and internal discord...It directly contradicts Paul's exhortation in Romans 12:1-2 to 'offer your bodies as a living sacrifice' and to 'not conform to the pattern of this world,' but rather to 'be transformed by the renewing of your mind.'...We, like ships refusing formation or musicians playing discordant notes, prioritize self-sovereignty over collective purpose, ignoring Paul's call in Romans 12:4-5 to recognize that 'we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.'...When we live our lives individually and without following the Golden Rule, we forget the Divine Conductor's intended symphony, disregarding His creation and His Plan for the world, and we forget the importance of living in harmony as Paul teaches us in Romans 12:16...
C.S. Lewis, in his exploration of human morality within "Mere Christianity," articulates a compelling vision of humanity as a complex machine susceptible to two primary forms of malfunction...The first arises from the disintegration of harmonious relationships between individuals, manifesting as conflict, exploitation, and mutual harm...The second stems from internal discord within the individual, where conflicting desires, faculties, and impulses disrupt inner equilibrium...To illustrate this concept, Lewis employs two vivid metaphors: a fleet of ships and a band playing a tune...
The fleet of ships metaphor portrays humanity as a collective entity navigating a shared voyage...Success, Lewis argues, hinges on two essential conditions: the avoidance of collisions between vessels, symbolizing interpersonal harmony, and the seaworthiness of each individual ship, representing internal integrity...He emphasizes the interconnectedness of these conditions, asserting that neither can exist in isolation...Collisions inevitably compromise the seaworthiness of the fleet, while internal malfunctions, such as faulty steering, render collisions unavoidable...
The band playing a tune metaphor further elucidates this dualistic nature of morality...A successful performance, Lewis contends, requires both the individual instruments to be in tune, symbolizing internal harmony, and the players to enter at the correct moments, symbolizing interpersonal coordination...However, Lewis astutely observes that these two elements, while necessary, are insufficient for true success...He introduces a crucial third dimension: the overarching purpose of the performance, the intended destination of the fleet, or the desired tune of the band...
Lewis argues that morality, much like the fleet and the band, must consider not only the internal and interpersonal dimensions, but also the ultimate purpose of human existence...He identifies three distinct domains of ethical concern: fair play and harmony between individuals, internal harmonization within each individual, and the overarching purpose of human life...He contends that a comprehensive understanding of morality necessitates addressing all three domains...
The analogy of the fleet and the band underscores the importance of aligning individual actions and internal states with a transcendent purpose...Just as a fleet arriving at the wrong port or a band playing a funeral march at a wedding would constitute failure, so too does a life devoid of a meaningful purpose...Lewis implies that this purpose is divinely ordained, a tune set by the conductor, a destination charted by the captain...He suggests that true morality involves aligning our individual and collective actions with this Divine Purpose, ensuring that our lives contribute to the harmonious symphony of creation. Lewis warns us against a truncated and only a partial view of morality that only focuses on how we treat each other, or how we feel inside, and reminds us of the importance of the purpose of our lives...So, let us all live in harmony with all neighbors and with our Father and the world will be a heavenly place...