2001.12.02. Washingtonians(26) - Rev Young Jin Cho

The Holy Living Sacrifice

Romans 12:1-2

In New Testament there are 13 letters written by Paul and each has its own characteristics sharing a commonality. They embrace much deeper subjects than merely the simple Christian doctrines. The letters introduce the gospel and concomitantly urges how the Christians should live. It is suffice to say that the Church and Morals or the Faith and Living form harmonious balance.

The Book of Romans reveals a similar balance. From chapter 1-11, Paul proclaims the gospel but from the chapter 12 he urges how the Christians should live. He emphasizes that believing and living cannot be a separate issue. One must live according his believing. There is a word which connects the believing to living and that word is "therefore". Chapter 1-11 describe an acceptance of salvation, and if one had received such blessing, he urges therefore one must maintain holy living life style described from chapter 12. The Common Translation starts the verse with "Therefore", I exhort you in view of God's mercy. If you had experienced God's abiding love described in chapters 1-11, therefore you must start a new life in response to His love.

I

Today's reading serves as an introduction and conclusion as well for the chapters 12-15 which contain the teaching of a renewed life for the Christians. This emphasis also applies to us who are residing in Washington area today. If we are Christians, we should not conform to the pattern of this world. Being a Christian has a meaning of saint translates as holy group. The Christians are holy people. What is the meaning of holy? It means different or set apart. We are different from the people of the secular world and we were chosen by God to pursue different life styles. But there are some Christians who feel uncomfortable accepting this commitment saying "Do I have to and why not compromise? What do you all think? Is it all right to compromise?" The persecution confronting the Christians in America today does not have the same magnitude compared to the early followers of Jesus who had to die because of their love for Him. Today's persecution is a hidden or silent pressure generated from the required participation to the secular society. There are pressures and temptations to travel the wide roads instead of the narrow ones. Friends! the dead fish goes along with the down stream whereas the live one can swim up against the down stream. Today's churches are losing the power of influence because they are forgetting the fact that they are not to conform to this world. The content of the gospel is not the contributing factor. They are failing to play the role of salt especially in this corrupted world where the salt is much needed more than ever. The Christians can be influential only by becoming holy. If the taste of salt is lost, is there any worthwhile reasons to become Christians? Is it worthwhile to live as compromising Christians ?

This episode happened in a city where two journalists decided to test the honesty of the auto-mechanics. They intentionally pulled out one of the spark plug wires from the perfect car and went to one mechanic who generated an estimate of $175. When the second mechanic was approached, he simply reconnected the wire for free of charge. When the journalists told him about the first encounter, then the mechanic said "I cannot do that because I am a Christian." Friends! we were called to live like the last mechanic traveling against the down stream. If we are Christians, don't we have to live differently?

II

We need to consider seriously that we, the Christians, are different. In what aspect are we different from the people of this world? How does the pattern of life differ?

Today's reading urges us "Do not conform to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Test and approve what God's will is." How are we different? What mandates us to be different from this world? It is simply a God's will. We are not the stream of the world nor the mind. We are to live according to God's will which is the basis of our difference and also the only way to life. Because of His will we have to live differently. Therefore, for the Christians, understanding God's will is most important. Knowledge of His will can be a beginning and the end of the Christians' lives. Rejection of His will eliminates the desires of becoming Christians.

The German theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, described the Christian's living attitude by placing Jesus in middle between us and the world. We are not meeting the world directly but through Jesus. In order word, we are not judging the world through our own view points but through His as if we are wearing the glasses of His view point. For example, if we view our work places through Jesus, it can be more than mere occupational places. It could be the place for God's glory. In case of our children, if we look through His glasses, they are not my possessions but they are gifts from God to our families. Therefore, we are supposed to nurture them according to His way. When we observe the car accident spots through His glasses, the real honesty is needed much more than any other places.

Next week we will be observing the stewardship Sunday. If we look ourselves through God's glasses, we are not owners but managers. Time is a gift from God and we are to manage it for His purpose. Also, the talent is God's gift and if one uses for his own interest, one is misunderstanding God's will. Talents and gifts are to be used for God's purpose and for loving our neighbors. Likewise, our possessions are not owned by us. They belong to God and we are to manage for Him. If I am the owner, I should be the permanent owner but that is not the case. I can only possess just prior to death. There may be some one defying this idea. Earlier, Moses anticipating this matter said (Deuteronomy 8:17-18) "You may say to yourself, my power and the strength of my hands produced this wealth for me but remember the Lord. It is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth." He is saying that one should not misunderstand and act as an owner. We acknowledge His blessing by giving the tithe. Anyhow, God's will reminds us that we should be faithful stewards. His gifts of time, talents and materials are to be managed for God's purpose. We are urged to live as managers not as owners.

In understanding God's will, we find very important truth. The Christians are not to be conformed to this world. How can we comprehend His will? What is required to comprehend? Today's reading gives an answer; Be transformed by renewing our minds. If one becomes changed in Christ, he will understand God's will clearly. Often we do not comprehend His will because of our unchanged minds. Such individuals, usually, do not seek God's will and do not know the difference between God's and his own wills. But when the spiritual changes occur through the gospel, God's will becomes much clearer.

III

How should the Christians live? Should not conform to the pattern of this world and live according to God's will. Today's reading contains a final message for us. That is offering our bodies as living sacrifice. Even today, Paul urges us living in Washington area to become living sacrifice which is the spiritual worship. The Standard New Translation says: Brethren present your bodies, a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God which is your reasonable service . From this context we find two important messages.

(1) A spiritual worship means giving our bodies as living sacrifice. Giving bodies has a very important connotation. I doesn't mean offering only mind or heart. It includes our bodies and the entire living. During Sunday service, some people only listen while their minds are far away crossing the Pacific ocean back and forth. Friends! where is the spiritual worship that is supposed to be our reasonable service? Giving our bodies as living sacrifice is a spiritual worship. Samuel, the last judge in Old Testament, reminds us through the incidence of King Saul that the obedience is more precious than the sacrificial rites. Those who only talk about God's will lack sincerity but those offering bodies as living sacrifice are sincere Christians.

(2) Offering body as a living sacrifice does not mean that the spiritual worship is exercised just on Sunday service period. It includes our entire living wherever we are. One of the weaknesses of the Korean Christians is the concept of exercising the spiritual life on Sunday or in church only. Thus, there is one life style for Sunday and one different from Monday. Also, different living styles prevail in family and at work places. This is a broken spiritual life. We were called to live as a living sacrifice throughout the entire week and 168 hours. This typifies the life of changed Christians under redeeming grace of God. If one had experienced the salvation, therefore, this is the required life style thereafter. Are you blessed? Are you a Christian? Let's not conform to this world but be renewed. Let's give our bodies as living sacrifice. This is the spiritual worship that is our reasonable service. Knowledge alone is not sufficient. One must dedicate both body and the entire living. Our history has become renewed through these holy sacrifices. God always uses the people with dedicated hearts and reveals His will through them. Today, God is searching for the holy living sacrifice.

One day Confucius and his disciple were passing by a destroyed fortress which was once prosperous. The disciple asked "Teacher why was this fortress destroyed?" Confucius replied "The owner knew the difference between evil and goodness." The disciple said "Then he was a good person knowing the difference." Confucius replied back and said "He knew the goodness but was never manifested in deeds and did not avoid evil. Knowing God's goodness and abiding love is not sufficient." One must practice a life of living sacrifice. Today, God is looking for the living sacrifice: the Christians who live according to God's will. Shouldn't we live as a living sacrifice?