Scripture
A Living Sacrifice to God
1And so, dear brothers and sisters,[1] 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.[2] 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[3] 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.[4] 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.
9Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10Love each other with genuine affection,[5] and take delight in honoring each other. 11Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.[6] 12Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
14Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!
17Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
19Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
“I will take revenge;
I will pay them back,”[7]
says the Lord.
20Instead,
“If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
burning coals of shame on their heads.”[8]
21Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
Translation notes (8)
- 12:1a Greek brothers.
- 12:1b Or This is your spiritual worship; or This is your reasonable service.
- 12:3a Or Because of the grace; compare 1:5.
- 12:3b Or by the faith God has given you; or by the standard of our God-given faith.
- 12:10 Greek with brotherly love.
- 12:11 Or but serve the Lord with a zealous spirit; or but let the Spirit excite you as you serve the Lord.
- 12:19 Deut 32:35.
- 12:20 Prov 25:21-22.
Spirit-Guided Relationships: Wives and Husbands
21And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Dictionary.com defines the word “submit” as “to give over or yield to the power or authority of another.” Now, to the world today, submission is not often a word they would use to describe their lifestyle, yet this is the lifestyle that followers of Christ are called to live. As Christ-followers, we are called to follow Christ’s example of submission, who laid down His life when He died on the cross for the sins of humanity.
“Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ,” Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:21. This calling was crystal clear. While this calling is clear, how to live out that calling may not be as clear to readers. After all, we do not use the word submit often. As we think about how to obey this calling from Scripture, it can be helpful to look back at the definition of “submit.” To submit means to “yield to the power or authority of another.” In short, it means that believers are to live their lives looking out for the interest of others.
The calling to submit is also true in marriage. In a marriage, a husband and wife are to look out for each other out of their respect for God. One of my favorite Bible teachers says that an everyday picture of submission between a husband and wife looks like this: “Where do you want to go to eat tonight?” “No, where do you want to eat dinner tonight?” “Oh, I don’t care. Where do you want to go?” Submission between a husband and wife is a picture of both spouses looking out for each other’s interests. Paul gives us a greater look at what it looks like to submit to one another in Romans 12:10. “Outdo one another in showing honor,” he writes (ESV). This means treating marriage like a team sport rather than a solo sport. Husbands and wives are to look out for each other constantly.
When you consider your marriage, or any relationship, do you find that you are “outdoing one another in showing honor,” or are you fighting for your honor? My friend, when we stop seeking to get honor and start looking to give honor, all of our relationships will drastically change for the better. Our marriages will be happier, healthier, and stronger. So let’s outdo one another in showing honor today.
Moving Toward Action
Will you commit today to live a lifestyle that seeks out the needs of others rather than yourself? What is one way today that you can lay down your rights for the betterment of someone else? If you are married, specifically answer this question in relation to your spouse. Commit to doing this one thing today.
Going Deeper
Romans 12:1-21 (NLT)
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