Diary of a Broken Vessel

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
-Romans 12:1-2

The Mold

…do not be conformed to this world…

The word “conformed“ in this passage comes from the Greek word “suschematizo” which means to “to fashion or shape one thing like another“ (Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, 1985, pp. 122), and it can be likened to something that is p r e s s e d into a mold; forcing the thing being pressed into the likeness of the mold.

Paul expressly warns us not to be conformed into the world’s image, but what does this image look like? Paul tells us in the beginning of Romans:

“Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”
-Romans 1:24-32

The image of this world, in not so many words, is sin. The mold is separation from God. It is not a style of dress, the presence of tattoos or piercings in the flesh, it is not dyed hair, or any like superficial thing, but rather it is the image of the heart which proclaims its allegiance against God.

The danger of the world’s mold is that it is not limited to the dirty streets where the “obvious sinners” lie in wait for the next “righteous” soul they can corrupt. It is an image that exists everywhere and appeals to the desires of our heart to choose anything above God. Yes the image can be obvious, but it can also be very subtle and difficult to detect. 

The design is simple, alluring, and easily given into, so Paul pleads for Believers to reject the mold of this world because he knows that the image will only serve to draw us away from God. This is not to say that genuine Believers will lose their Salvation (Romans 8:38-39), but rather because we are no longer slaves to sin we are called to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4).

Breaking the Mold

Paul does not just leave it at do not to be conformed, but he tells us exactly how not to be conformed.

“I beseech you therefore, bretheren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”
-Romans 12:1

By the mercies of God?

When I think of the word mercy I consider it to mean a  showing of compassion and forgiveness towards someone not deserving (or asking for) such grace. God has shown us an abundance of mercy. He is merciful in His love for us. He is merciful in his longsuffering patience towards us. He is merciful in His compassion towards us. The greatest mercy, however, is the gift of His Son who died in our place, rose from the dead, and has offered us a means to Salvation if we choose to accept His Gift.

What Does It Mean to Me

It is not that I am called to simply be a living sacrifice. It is not lip service: “Okay God, here I am. I’m a living sacrifice. Tee-hee.“ Instead Scripture tells me that I need to Present myself as a l i v i n g sacrifice to God. I am to actively lay my life before God, wholly giving myself over to him (like…you know…a sacrifice). 

However I know, that at least for myself -and I am certain for all of us, that this is not something I can do on my own. Why? Because I am simply incapable of doing so. I myself can’t just present myself to God as a living sacrifice; it is not in my nature. I can only present myself as a living sacrifice by God’s mercies, through Christ.

By God’s mercies I am to present myself as a living sacrifice before God. Every day. Always. But not only this, but also I am to present myself as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God. Well Holy I certainly can’t do, and Acceptable I absolutely can’t do, so again I have to do this through God. Which means what?

It means that what I am called to do in and of my ownself I cannot do. It is not in me. That is the point. If I could do any of this by my own power, be right in God’s eyes by my will, then a) Jesus died in vain and b) God is a liar (Ephesians 2:8-10). I am God’s workmanship. Christ is the Author and Finisher of my Salvation. The work before me is prepared by God’s hand, that He might get the Glory -all the Glory.

“…For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”
-Galatians 2:19-21

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Master, the Shepherd, through Him I Live and through Him I am transformed and renewed and enabled to present myself as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. Through Christ, by God’s mercies, I am able to live a life that proclaims the good and acceptable will of God.

I won’t be perfect, not in this life, but it does not mean that I won’t still do what I can to honor God.