Romans 12:3-8

Introduction

Review vs 2 thesis: transformation results from mental renewal. This means learning about every key area of life from the perspective of God's Word, and then choosing to act consistently with this new perspective.

EXAMPLE: Most of us thought knowing God was either a matter of earning his acceptance through good works, or realizing we were already God or one with God. But when we learn from God's Word that we are alienated from God because of our sins and that Christ's death paid the full price for our sins, and choose to act on that truth, God reconciles us to himself once for all.

But this is only the beginning. In the following verses, Paul unpacks some other areas we need mental renewal if we want spiritual transformation. Look at what he puts first on his list . . .

How we think about ourselves in relation to other Christians

Read vs 3a. Literally, Paul says we should think about ourselves "sanely" ("sound judgment" - see Mark 5:15) rather than as "megalomaniacs."

What does it mean to think about ourselves with "sound judgment?" Read vs 3b--to think about ourselves "as God has allotted to each a measure of faith." What is this "measure of faith?" The cardinal rule of interpretation is context, so let's read on . . .

Read vs 4-6. "Measure" or "proportion" of faith refers to the roles we play in "the body of Christ." In other words, those who have received Christ need to begin to view themselves as members of Christ's body. Paul is saying we need to undergo a fundamental change in the way we think about ourselves in relation to other Christians. We need to start seeing ourselves as connected to Jesus Christ and to other Christians in the same way that our physical organs are connected to the whole body and to other organs.

"I have no need of you"

What if your kidney suddenly became a conscious, thinking, choosing entity? And what if it said to you tomorrow morning: "Hey, I'm tired of being connected to all these other organs. The idea that I need them is offensive to my self-worth. I want to be free to be me!! From now on, I'm on my own! I'll get together with the rest of these organs once a week, but that's it." Let me ask you a couple of questions:

How is your kidney thinking about itself--with "sound judgment" or "more highly than it ought to think?" It is speaking like a megalomaniac! Why? Because it is an organ of your body, no matter what it may think about itself. And as an organ, it needs the support of the other organs.

What's going to happen if your kidney begins to act according to this megalomaniacal thinking? It's going to be in real trouble very quickly--and the rest of your body would suffer also . . .

Now I have another question. What is the difference between your kidney saying the above, and you as a Christian saying: "Hey, I have received Christ, I have the Holy Spirit indwelling me. I don't need involvement with other Christians."

You see, what we instantly understand and affirm about our own physical bodies, we often neither understand nor affirm about our relationship with Christ and other Christians. This is why Paul says 1 Cor. 12:21 (read). This runs directly counter to AMERICAN AUTONOMOUS INDIVIDUALISM . . .

Yes, we each have our own individual relationships with Christ, and we experience much of his life and truth and love directly from him in that relationship. But much of what Christ wants to give to us in these same areas he has chosen to make available only through other Christians. Therefore, it is impossible to mature past a relatively primitive point unless we are willing to get involved consistently and in-depth with other Christians.

This is why the early Christians would have been aghast at the American idea of "going to church." We don't go to church--we are the church!!

This is why they "continuously devoted themselves" to fellowship.

This is why they met not only in large groups, but also in homes--to facilitate this kind of involvement. That's why we have this meeting, and study groups, and ministry houses, etc. This meeting is only the APPETIZER--not the MAIN COURSE!

This is why so much New Testament emphasis is placed on how to develop and maintain personal, Christ-centered love relationships with other Christians

If you want to really take off spiritually, you need to get involved with other Christians in this way! For some of you, this is the thing holding you back. I know it was for me (1970-1971). God is not going to capitulate to your autonomy--he's going to hold back and call on you to "think sanely" and take your place as a member of his Body!

"I have nothing to contribute"

So far, we've only talked about the receiving side of Body-life. But there is also a contributing side as well . . .

Go back to your talking kidney. It has changed its mind about not needing the other organs, but its thinking is still problematic: "I'm only a kidney, so I have nothing significant to contribute to this body. Now if I was a brain/heart/hand, that would be different. But since I am a mere kidney and since I don't feel important, it doesn't really matter whether I function or not."

How would you counsel your kidney? You'd say, "Look here--you're thinking insanely again. It doesn't matter how you feel about this. You are in fact a kidney, you do in fact have a significant contribution to make. This body will be impacted by whether you contribute or not. So start affirming your significance and play your part!"

This is megalomania too, isn't it? Your kidney would have to think quite a lot of itself to decide it was the only organ in your body that had nothing to contribute.

Again, how easily we recognize this about our own physical bodies--while rejecting it about our involvement in the church! Yet Paul insists in this same passage that just as we need the contribution of the other members, so we need to make our own contribution. Read vs 6-8. We all have unique spiritual gifts which enable us to make unique spiritual contributions to one another.

This why "fellowship" isn't a hall in back of the sanctuary--it means "sharing" the life of Christ with one another.

This is why "ministry" is not something only a few professionals do in highly visible ways--but rather something that each and every one of us is supposed to be involved in as a lifestyle (often in non-visible ways--see most of the gifts mentioned in vs 6-8).

This is why we discover what our spiritual gifts are primarily by consistently practicing biblical love in the context of Christian fellowship--not waiting until we know how we're gifted before we get involved.

Just as we make a critical step when we choose to regularly receive from other Christians, we also make a critical step when we choose to regularly give to other Christians.

Conclusion