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Romans 1
1Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,
2which he promised before through his prophets in the holy scriptures,
3concerning his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,
4who was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,
5through whom we received grace and apostleship, to obedience of faith among all the nations, for his name`s sake.
6Among whom you are also called to be Jesus Christ`s.
7To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, that your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world.
9For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you always in my prayers,
10requesting, if by any means now at length I may be prospered by the will of God to come to you.
11For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, to the end you may be established;
12that is, that I with you may be comforted in you, each of us by the other`s faith, both yours and mine.
13Now I don`t desire to have you unaware, brothers, that often I planned to come to you, and was hindered so far, that I might have some fruit in you also, even as in the rest of the Gentiles.
14I am debtor both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to the wise and to the foolish.
15So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
16For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation to everyone who believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith to faith. As it is written, "But the righteous shall live by faith."
18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness,
19because that which is known by God is revealed in them, for God revealed it to them.
20For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse.
21Because, knowing God, they didn`t glorify him as God, neither gave thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened.
22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things.
24Therefore God also gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves,
25who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
26For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature.
27Likewise also the men, leaving the natural function of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men doing what is inappropriate with men, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error.
28Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
29being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits, secret slanderers,
30backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, unforgiving, unmerciful;
32who, knowing the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also consent with those who practice them.
On a warm Friday morning in a federal courthouse in Brooklyn, forty-seven people from twenty-three countries stood together and raised their right hands. Among them...
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"'Present your bodies'—not disembodied spirituality but bodies on the line for justice. The martyrs offered their bodies literally. Transformation is not just mental but embodied: hands that serve, feet that march, voices that prophesy. Bodies become resistance." — Jon Sobrino.
"The living sacrifice is costly discipleship—no cheap grace that demands nothing. 'Present your bodies'—concrete, embodied obedience. Not just thoughts transformed but lives offered. The renewed mind leads to changed action in the world." — Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Lutheran: costly, embodied discipleship.
"'Do not be conformed to this world'—this is resistance to empire, to consumerism, to the values of domination. The renewed mind sees through propaganda and imagines alternatives. Transformation is political: it creates communities that embody different values." — Walter Brueggemann.
"The transformation of the mind is theosis—the human nous being renewed, illumined, united with divine truth. 'Do not be conformed to this world' means detachment from passions that cloud the mind. The transformed mind perceives God's will because it participates in God." — St.
"The transformed mind participates in new creation. Renewed humans are God's agents for renewing the world. 'Prove what is good'—discern and enact God's will in every sphere. Mind-renewal is not private piety but public vocation." — N.T. Anglican: transformation for vocation.
"'Do not be conformed' requires an alternative community. We cannot resist the world's patterns alone. The church is the non-conformed community where minds are renewed together, where different values are practiced, where the world sees another way." — Stanley Hauerwas.
"The church abides in Christ, bearing fruit until He returns. Israel was the vine that failed; Christ is the true Vine that never fails. In this age, Gentile branches are grafted in; we bear fruit until the fullness of the Gentiles comes.
"When you offer yourself to God, expect TRANSFORMATION—supernatural, tangible, radical! The renewed mind thinks kingdom thoughts; it sees possibilities others miss. Stop being pressed into the world's mold; let God reshape you for the impossible!" — Bill Johnson. Charismatic: supernatural reshaping.
"Present your body to the Holy Spirit! When the Spirit fills you, transformation happens—supernatural, radical, complete! Your mind renewed by Spirit power thinks new thoughts; your body becomes a vessel for Holy Ghost fire. Let God transform you!" — Smith Wigglesworth.
"'Your spiritual worship'—logike latreia—reasonable worship, worship that engages the whole person. The Eucharist is our sacrifice joined to Christ's. We offer ourselves on the altar alongside the bread and wine, transformed with them into Christ's body." — Pope Benedict XVI.
"Present YOUR body—not someone else's. YOUR mind renewed—not just agreeing it should happen. This is personal, practical, daily. Every day YOU choose: conform or be transformed. Every moment is an altar call to offer yourself again." — Charles Spurgeon. Baptist: personal daily offering.
"To be transformed is to be conformed to Christ. The renewed mind is the mind of Christ. The living sacrifice corresponds to Christ's sacrifice. We do not offer ourselves abstractly but specifically: in Him, through Him, with Him. Christ shapes everything." — Karl Barth.
"A living sacrifice—all on the altar, holding nothing back. The problem with living sacrifices is they keep crawling off the altar. Daily we must present ourselves again: mind, body, will, desires. Total surrender is not once-for-all but moment-by-moment." — A.W.
"The renewed mind sees with missionary eyes: discerning God's will for this context, this culture, this moment. We do not conform to the patterns of our mission field, nor impose our own patterns. We are transformed to discern God's good purposes everywhere." — Lesslie Newbigin.