[:en]Living Sacrifices (vs. 1-8)
God enables us to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice by abandoning self, trusting and following Him. Paul warned Christians not to follow the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person with the Holy Spirit renewing your minds and thoughts according to His good, pleasing and perfect will.
Core of Christian Living:
- Do not think yourself more highly that you ought to be by boasting on worldly standard of success and achievements (v. 3)
- Christian should work together as one body with different functions under the command of Jesus (v. 5) 3.
- Exercise your gifts – prophesying, serving, teaching, enouraging, generosity, leadership, mercy – to build up the church of Christ (vs. 6-8)
- Be sincere in love. Hate what is evil (v. 9)
- Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves (vs. 10)
- Serve the Lord with zeal and commitment (v. 11)
- Be joyful in hope,patient in alffliction, faithful in prayer (v. 12)
- Be generous and hospitable (v. 13)
- Bless those who persecute you and do not curse (v. 14)
- Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn (v. 15)
- Be humble and live in harmony with one another (v. 16)
- Do not repay evil for evil. Do what is right (v. 17)
- Live at peace with everyone (v. 18(
- Do not take revenge but leave it to God to avenge (v. 19)
- Forgive and befriend your enemy (v. 20)
- Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good (v. 21)
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