Last week in Romans chapter 11 we focused on the long-suffering mercy of God. This week’s text is Romans 12. This passage challenges status quo thinking about what it looks like to be a follower of Jesus. It begs the question, “What changes come to one that is following Christ?” The text seems to break the thought flow into our two most important relational categories: our relationship to God and our relationship to each other. It leans into the notion that following Jesus is not just a title we are given, but a transformative way of life that impacts both our spiritual connections and our everyday connections as well.
Here are some questions to get us thinking about our personal makeover:
1. What do you think v.1 could possibly mean by “giving your bodies to God”?
2. In view of v.2, how do you know which customs of the world you’re not supposed to copy?
3. How does God transform our thinking?
4. How are we to honestly evaluate ourselves spiritually – v.3?
5. What do you think v.5 is talking about when it mentions “Christ’s body”?
6. If we have all been given gifts unique to us (vv.6-8), how does this both press and free us?
7. How do we often pretend to love others without really loving them? What would “really loving” look like?
8. v.11 introduces the idea of “serving the Lord”… what do you think that means?
9. How do you live in harmony with someone you may deeply disagree with – v.16?
10. Why are vv.17-20 so difficult to live out?
11. What do you think v.18 has in mind when it talks about the lengths to which we go to have peace?
12. What does it mean to be overcome by evil – v.21? How do we reverse the trend?
For some deeper insights follow the link to this commentary… Romans 12.
re:THINK 