Good, Acceptable, Perfect
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Romans 12:1-2, 9-17
1. I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 9. Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 10. love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor. 11. Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord. 12. Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13. Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality. 14. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; never be conceited. 17. Repay no one evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all.
Paul exhorts the Romans first to live in line with the transformation of their hearts. They are not to acknowledge Jesus with their heads but with their hearts and their hands. Then he goes on to list the signs or demonstrations of what a transformed life looks like. The overriding theme, of course, is that not only our transformation, but also our actions are brought about through God’s mercy.
In light of that perspective -- our new life as a gift from the God who withheld nothing from us -- we cannot help but imitate Christ, to be Christ to this world. We are tasked with encouraging and teaching others -- by how we live our lives -- to be transformed with us into the body of Christ. We serve others, lift others up, never flagging in zeal for good works.
Hmmmm. Good. Acceptable. Perfect. Kind of sounds like flow chart, doesn’t it? Good= I have accepted Christ as my Savior and I begin to rethink and re-evaluate how I live my life. Acceptable= I rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. I even begin to learn patience in tribulation. I begin to shun the “things of this world.” Perfect=I strive to know and obey the will of God. That last step is the most difficult! And the obedience is my personal stumbling block in all honesty.
We won’t achieve perfection until we get to heaven. But we are to work hard, never ceasing in our labor, to bring about heaven on earth -- as much as is within our ability. Christ is our example and role model. The Holy Spirit is our helper and our guide. The Father is waiting for us at the end of time -- like the father in the parable of the prodigal son -- he’s going to come running to meet us at the “pearly gates!”
I hope today you’ll remember that we are not to be conformed to this world. And that you’ll join me in striving for that perfection only possible because of the cross.
Mary
