"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." ~ Romans 12:2
One of the most important passages in the Bible (in my opinion) is found near the middle of Paul’s letter to the Romans. Romans wasn’t the first epistle Paul wrote, but it is definitely regarded as one of the most profound and probably the most referenced. One of the vital things we gain from reading it is to see how Paul says we are to model Jesus Christ in our lives.
The Jewish theologians and leaders of that time thought they understood God’s will. In fact, they were proud of their understanding of God. But, after Jesus arrived, those who were seeking to worship the Father in spirit and in truth realized they would have to change the way they thought about everything to do the will of the Father.
God established an important ritual for those living before Christ’s arrival: The Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16). Atonement means ‘reparation for a wrong or injury,’ which in humanity’s case is sin. It was a day that involved many prayers of thanksgiving and sacrifices to demonstrate their obedience to God. However, they practiced the rituals and ceremonies without understanding the importance and meaning.
It took Jesus coming to the earth to model for us how to live. He was willing to be the perfect sacrifice, the Lamb who would take away the sins of the world. Once He lived and was sacrificed for us, this could finally make sense. The challenge still remains, though, that we must change how we think about life and how we live life.
Romans 12:9-13 highlights many amazing practices that will help us model Christ: “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality…”
By applying these practices, we can show the world what the Good News really means in the lives of Christians and help them to claim the atonement offered by Christ’s sacrifice. I pray that we all do.
