Romans 12:1-5

The Christian life is one of continuous yielding. Consider the passage we just read: Rom. 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice The presentation of our bodies to God, is essentially yielding to His Service. And when we yield ourselves to Him as a living sacrifice, that is considered by God to be our reasonable service. In other words, it is service that God can reasonably expect us to perform.

The Christian life is one of continuous yielding. The question becomes for the believer in Jesus Christ, whom am I yielding to? Again, in Romans 12:1, Paul is beseeching us to yield to God as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God. Beseeching means to implore, to ask or pray with a great sense of urgency. Paul is beseeching, begging, asking with great immediacy, through Holy Spirit inspiration, that Christians yield themselves up to God. The Christian life is one of continuous yielding, but who are you yielding to? Look at verse two:   And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God – Paul is telling Christians to yield to God in verse one and here in verse two, Paul is telling the believer to not be conformed to the world. How does one conform to the world? By yielding to it, by allowing it to have sway in your life. Paul uses the word “beseech” about 22 times in his epistles and in each case it shows the urgency that Paul is trying to convey to the believers to yield to God. Look at 2 Corinthians 10:1-6:

2Corinthians 10:1-6 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:  (2)  But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.  (3)  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:  (4)  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;)  (5)  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;  (6)  And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

Note here that Paul uses the word “beseech” twice in the same sentence. Paul is telling the Corinthians that some of them have misread him. Unfortunately, the Corinthians were believing some false gospels that had been presented at that church after Paul had left. Some members of the church in Corinth were stating that Paul was only bold toward them when he wrote to them, and was base or timid toward them when in their presence. They then were accusing Paul of walking in the flesh and trying to gain favor with them. Paul is beseeching the Corinthians to realize that he was only walking in the meekness of Jesus Christ and was not timid toward them. Verse three: For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: we all walk in the flesh, we live in these fleshly bodies, but our war is not with the flesh first – that is only the second front in our war. Verses 4 through 6: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;)  (5)  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;  (6)  And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. We are daily engaged in spiritual warfare. Where the spirit leads, the flesh will follow. Sins start in the mind, before they are acted out in the flesh. Verse 5 again: Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ, we are to throw away the imaginings of our mind that are sinful and focus on the things that are good. Remember what Paul wrote in Philippians 4:6-8 Php 4:6-8 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  (7)  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  (8)  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. The flesh follows what the mind thinks – when we think on things that are false, dishonest, unjust, impure, ugly, and gossipy, then our flesh will accordingly follow. But Paul tells us to think on whatsoever is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. He said “think” rather than do, because again the mind leads the flesh.