• The Only Way to Live in Relationship to God
  • The surrender of the life — the body
    • The urgent request
    • Paul wants action
    • The basis of this appeal — "Therefore"
    • All that has been written before
      • Because you are forgiven
      • Because you are in Christ free from condemnation
      • Because you are indwelt
      • Because you are eternally united with Christ
      • Because you are the elect of God
      • Because there is no separation from love"
    • Love so amazing, so divine demands my"
      • Furthermore I beseech you"
  • The nature of true surrender to God
    • A voluntary act "Ye present"
      • Complete resignation
    • A personal and specific act
      • "Your bodies" a symbol that our whole life is to be consumed in the fire of God —sovereign
      • The sacred obligation of the Christian
      • We are the priests
      • We are an offering that lives
  • This is a useful act "Living"
    • God has no need for dead bodies
  • It is a reasonable act — "Your reasonable service"
    • An act of reason — done intelligently
    • This is the only reasonable relationship to God
    • Surrender now — don"t live in rebellion
    • This is peace, joy, relief from tension
  • Second appeal, based on the first — "Be not conformed to the world"
    • Don"t live by the standard of the world
    • Be subject to the Spirit of God
  • Be ye transformed
    • By the renewing of your mind
    • The constant exercise of the mind on spiritual themes
    • Transformation — inner change
    • As our mind is occupied with Christ we become like Him
  • The purpose of transformation
    • "That ye may prove"
    • To discover personally the fact and the excellent character of the will of God
  • God's will for the believer is good
    • It will not always be easy
    • Character building requires discipline and testing
  • God's will is acceptable
  • God's will is perfect — regardless of circumstance
    • There was a cross in the life of Christ
    • There will be crosses in our lives
    • But it will be God —perfect will for us
• The Only Reasonable Attitude in the Church — Rom 12:3-5
  • Humility, not self-depreciation
  • Guard against conceit and boasting
  • Soberly — evaluate your life properly
    • Face reality
  • Appreciation — God hath dealt to every man
    • No one person is gifted alone
    • Just a small part
    • We are not the big wheel, but a spoke
    • There are responsibilities in the church
  • How to get along — Rom 12:9-13
    • Sincere love — "without hypocrisy"
      • No ulterior motive
        • Only for the sake of Christ
        • Only for the sake of others
    • Diligence in service — not slothful
    • Zeal — fervent in spirit — divine energy
    • Optimism — rejoicing in hope
      • Christians need this — don"t mope around
      • Don"t look on the gloomy side
    • Patience in tribulation
      • Steady thru every experience
      • Prayer
      • Generosity
• In Relationship to the World — Rom 12:17-21
  • Peaceful
  • Unavenging
    • Belongs to God
    • In so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire
    • The person shall be turned one way or the other
    • Either melted to repentance or, hardened to be placed under the certain judgment of God

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