 |  |
(4) As ONE WHO IS HASTENING THROUGH TIME--WITH ETERNITY EVER
DRAWING NEARER.--While presenting the body in service to the Lord, no
provision for the lusts of the flesh should be tolerated.
The structure of Rom. 12: and 13: divides the subject-matter into five sections as
follows:
A | 12: 1, 2. Be not conformed to this age. Suschematizo.
B | 12: 3-16. Grace given.
C | 12: 17 - 13: 7. Vengeance and civil government.
B | 13: 8-10. Law fulfilled.
A | 13: 11-14. Put off the works of darkness. Euschemonos.
With these main divisions in mind, the reader will be able to follow quite easily the
details of the first section as set out below. As the complete structure is lengthy, we
propose to set out in each article only that section which is under consideration at the
time, trusting that the reader will, at the end, reassemble the whole so that its balance of
parts may be appreciated.
Romans 12: 1, 2.
A | 12: 1, 2. This Age. The Body. The Mind Renewed.
a | c | I beseech that:
d | Mercies of God. Bodies presented.
e | Acceptable.
b | f | Logical service.
g | This age. Not conformed (Suschematizo).
f | Mind renewed.
a | c | You prove what:
d | Will of God.
e | Acceptable.
Let us now gather up some of the teaching that is to be found in this great exhortation.
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies
a living sacrifice, holy acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be
not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that
ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God" (Rom. 12: 1, 2).
The structure throws the word "acceptable" into prominence, and reveals the intimate
connection between our acceptableness to God, and our consequent recognition of the
acceptableness of His will. We know that the will of God must be "good", we know that
it must be "perfect", but is it always "acceptable"? This is an experimental word and
only so far as our service is acceptable to the Lord, will His will be acceptable to us. The
moment we think, speak or act in a way that is not acceptable to God, His Will for us in
that respect will cease to be acceptable to us.
Our practical acceptance with the Lord is the result of yielding our bodies as a living
sacrifice. This, adds the Apostle, is not an act of fanaticism, not something done in the