When starting a new, we need to remind ourselves of our Christian renewal. We are to renew our commitment to holy living. Thus, we are to have a Biblical lifestyle and worldview.
Romans Chapter 12
Do Not Conform To the World’s Ways
1 I implore youp, brothers, by the compassions of God, that youp present yourselvesp as a holy, living sacrifice [which is] acceptable to God [and is] yourp rational service [to Him].
[Romans 9-11 is parenthetical and deals with Israel. The end of Romans 8 speaks of God’s sovereign love in which circumstances in our life cannot stop Him from His love to us. Moving from that, we come to Romans 12. Note, verse 1 speaks of the fleshly body. Our body is for holiness. Verse 2 speaks of our mind, which is non-material. The mind refers to our thinking and reasoning ability. In our mind, we have our worldview and lifestyle. The two verses address living a holy life and having a correct worldview and lifestyle].
2 Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of yourp mind so that youp may discern what [is] the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.
[We are not to sacrifice fleshly things as animals, etc. God is a spirit, and we are to worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24). We are to sacrifice our fleshly lusts and to fulfill our spiritual desires (those desires which are in harmony with God’s desires as written about in Galatians 5:16-18. We are to reject the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). We are to seek and do the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). We are not to use our mind to further our knowledge of evil but use our mind to learn the ways of God—His worldview, lifestyle, rules, character, promises, etc. We are not to stop eating good food, fellowship with others, intimacy with our spouse, enjoying beauty, relaxing from stress, etc., but we are not to make those things our priority. Fruit of the spirit or fruit of the Spirit. If it is fruit of the spirit, then it is the fruit of our new spiritual birth responding to the graces of God in our life. If it is fruit of the Spirit, then it is the blessings that the Holy Spirit gives to live these fruits. Chrysostom writes on this passage: …what is “the reasonable service”? The [offerings made] through the soul; those made through the spirit. (“God,” it is said, “is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth” — John 4:24); things which have no need of a body, no need of instruments, nor of special places, whereof each one is himself the Priest, such as, moderation, temperance, mercifulness, enduring ill-treatment, long-suffering, humbleness of mind (Homily 11 on Hebrews 6:13-16)].