1And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. 3Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. 4Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. 6In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. (The New Living Translation)
For the next three weeks we will be focusing on what Paul said we are to be – Christian Non-Conformists. Weeks #2 and 3 will be on the “how-to’s” of living the Christian Non-Conformist life and what a church full of that kind of person looks like. Today our focus is on the definition, what, exactly, IS a Christian Non-Conformist? There is a key word which answers that question – therefore.
Paul’s revelation in chapter 12 is the hinge of a great propositional truth. That truth is that, for believers our theology (who God is, and what our relationship to Him should be) must drive our everyday life and actions. Who He is defines who we must be.
You can see that if you consider the first eleven chapters of Romans as Paul laying out the theology (picture) of God and His redemptive work. Paul states exactly that; then you turn the page and chapter twelve begins with therefore. He is saying, since God is like that – we must therefore live like this. Chapter twelve begins the unfolding of the wonderful ways in which redemption rearranges our lives, and makes us Christian Non-Conformists. Belief defines our behavior, not Calvin Klein or Nike!
You could compare Paul’s teaching to a hike in the Rocky Mountains. In chapters 1-11 we are led up one slope to the high point of the Continental Divide; it is the place where the direction of rivers changes. If a raindrop falls on one side it will run east; it’s “brother” drops a few inches on the other side and will forever run west. “Therefore” is Paul’s theological divide between grace and works. The first eleven chapters teach us the grace of God, his plan for redemption. In starting chapter 12 with “therefore” Paul straddles the divide and points to the moral authority that grace has purchased, and the expectations it places on the believer.
Do you recall the old hymn “At Calvary”?
Oh the love that drew salvation’s plan;
Oh the grace that bro’t it down to man,
Oh the mighty gulf that God did span, At Calvary.
Mercy there was great, and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found liberty At Calvary.
These words are chapters 1-11, full of God’s grace and mercy freely given in the cross of Calvary. Then comes “therefore”:,
Now my raptured soul can only sing Of Calvary.
This is where duty kicks-in. This is where God’s expectations of how we will live this life freely given begins to take shape. Chapters 1-11 have God’s unconditional love reaching down and blowing away the death-grip sin had on us like so much chaff in the wind. Then, with a simple “therefore” chapters 12-16 point us to the truth that we have been given a clean slate, and we must use it wisely. “You’ve been set free, slave…now live like a free person; live this way!”
Now, I won’t give you all Paul said today (we’d be here until two months from next Saturday)…this morning we’ll just focus the outline of what it means to be a Christian Non-Conformist (CNC). We have before us two statements about what a CNC does which describes what a CNC is.
1. Christian Non-Conformists Resist our Culture’s Control
Non-conformity – the word itself dredges up images (depending on your age) of John Wayne, Marlon Brando, The Beattles, and Punk-Rockers, rebellion against the status-quo. Paul said not to take on the behavior and customs of this world; don’t be conformed…be a non-conformist.
To what customs and behavior is the apostle referring? The list is endless, but here’s a sample:
Fighting, Grasping, Materialism, Backbiting, Impatience, Rudeness, Mean-spirited, Vindictive, Vengeful, Lying, Immodest, Hot-tempered, Unforgiving, Spiteful, Etcetera……..
These are all adjectival modifiers of what is basically selfish behavior. It is the fruit of what we have been building into each generation for the last six or seven decades – “me-ism”. We call is “self-esteem” but its real name is me-first!
Paul says, don’t buy-into that! His counsel is:
Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.
Whenever we measure ourselves against God as the standard, what do we find? I know what I find – a sinner for whom Christ died who needs all the other sinners for which He died!
Paul also found that about himself; he even called himself the chief of sinners . That’s why he could also tell us to resist this world’s customs and behavior, even though that is exactly who we are naturally …deceitful, materialistic, backbiting, immodest, and so on. Our sin nature wants to survive and control us.
But Paul said a Christian Non-Conformist does what is reasonable (rational) for a believer – resists his sin nature and responds to the new nature of Christ within, because we are forgiven.
2. We Relinquish our Control to Christ.
Let’s face it – our resistance to this world’s customs and behaviors can only “hold-out” just so far. The temptations of our culture are relentless; television and media, peer pressure, greed.
But the power to resist was never intended to be just what you can muster-up; there is power to live that flows from Jesus Christ to the believer who trusts Him enough to give up being lord over his own life and let God have His way.
In the church we call it transformation. Paul said that God can transform you into a new person. That person is the image of Christ; we are being conformed or changed – better, transformed into Christ’s image when we allow God free control over our lives.
28We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son… Romans 8:28 – 29a (NRSVA)
That is what Paul meant by encouraging us to live a life of sacrifice – to freely and constantly submit to whatever God wants to make of us. That’s the metaphor of the cup we celebrate together this morning – Christ’s life was poured-out in the name of the Father in heaven for us; we follow his example and pour ours out in His name for others.
This transformation begins and continues in the heart and mind (the renewal of your mind).
18And all of us….are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another… 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NRSVA)
Our hearts – that’s a place where others cannot see, only God knows what’s happening in your heart and mine. But the results of that transformation (or the lack of it) will always be seen!
Metamorphosis is a transformation; it is what happens in a cocoon. Cradled in a nest the nature of a caterpillar begins to change. Finally it breaks out, looking little like it did before. What was once an ugly little squirming worm is transformed into the very essence of delightful beauty! It was once conformed to the slinking image of a dust-eater; now it soars with color and majesty – some are even called Monarch!
In a human being follower of Jesus Christ our cocoon is grace. Surrendering control of our lives to God’s grace allows God’s transforming power to change us. We emerge with the wings to escape temptation and live a life that is pleasing and acceptable to God. We can live a life of purpose and dignity, leaving the dust-eating worm-life behind.
Christian Non-Conformists resist this World’s Culture and rest their whole being in Christ.
Just like a caterpillar must crawl up on the branch of some tree to attach itself, a Christian believer must attach himself to the branch of Jesus’ cross. It is one act of surrender; a lifetime of service.
This altar is made of wood…looks like a fine place to attach a cocoon of grace! Many a transformation has begun here; there’s room for more!
