Romans, the Linchpin of the Bible and the Believer’s Reasonable/ Logical Service:

Two dictionary definitions for the word “linchpin” are 1) “something that holds the various elements of a complicated structure together,” and 2) “the most important member of a group or part of a system, that holds together the other members or parts or makes it possible to operate as intended.” I submit that just as the Lord Jesus Christ is the “linchpin” of creation, Colossians 1:15 - 1815 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

; Hebrews 1:2 - 82 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

, so the epistle of Romans is the “linchpin” of His Word. Romans looks back to the beginning, providing the key to how salvation was accomplished for Abel, Noah, Abraham, Moses and all true believers up through the Gospels and those in the Hebrew church led by Peter in the first part of Acts. And Romans looks forward to how Members of the Body of Christ are saved as it lays the foundation for the rest of Paul’s epistles.

We’ve finished the doctrine (teaching) presented in the first 11 chapters of Romans; included but not limited to the fact that the righteousness of God by faith of Jesus Christ belongs to all who believe, Romans 3:22 - 2622 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

; that the believer’s old sinful man is crucified with Christ and therefore we shall also live with Him, Romans 6:6 - 86 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:

; by assenting or agreeing that Jesus is Lord and believing that God raised Him from the dead, we are saved, Romans 10:9 - 119 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

. True believers are assured of their salvation, nothing can separate them from the Love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord, Romans 8:38 - 3938 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

. We now arrive at practical application to believers: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:11 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

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Believers are “… beseeched … by the mercies of God;” not ordered like Israel was commanded by the Law given through Moses about how to live and offer sacrifices in the Tabernacle/ Temple for their sin/s. “Beseeched” is to be “exhorted, encouraged, admonished, instructed or summoned.” And this “by the mercies of God,” such mercies being the manifestations of God’s pity or compassion for believers. Therefore, believers are exhorted or encouraged based on the fact God has been merciful to sinners deserving death. Believers are beseeched/ encouraged/ summoned to present their body as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is their reasonable service. The word translated “sacrifice” is from the same Greek word translated sacrifice in other New Testament (NT) passages referring to the animal sacrifices offered under the law. The sacrifices offered by Abel (Hebrews 11:44 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

) and required by the Law of Moses were accepted by God only if they were offered in faith by the offeror, i.e., the offerors brought their sacrifices with a true heart acknowledging their sin/s, believing God’s Word instructing them to do so. Those sacrifices in and of themselves could not take away sin, but they pointed to the sinless blood shed by Jesus Christ, Hebrews 7:2727 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

; Hebrews 9:19 - 2819 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,

20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.

21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.

22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;

26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

. And after Christ had purged sins He sat down on the right hand of God, Hebrews 1:33 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

; Hebrews 10:11 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

, which means that all work necessary to expiate anyone’s sin/s was completed, finished, with nothing else required.

In the phrase: “… present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1, the Greek translated “reasonable” is “logikos” (G3050) meaning “rational (logical); - reasonable, of the word.” You can see this word is a form of the Greek “logos,” which means “word.” We get our English word “logical” from “Logikos.” It only occurs one other place in the NT; in I Peter 2:2 where it is translated “word.” The context, 1 Peter:2:1 - 3: (verse 1) “Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, (verse 2) As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: (verse 3) If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” The Greek word translated “service” in Romans 12:1 is “latreia” (G2999) meaning “ministration of God; that is worship; (divine) service.” So, it stands that our logical worship or service to God is to present our bodies as living sacrifices unto Him, i.e., believers worship God by presenting their bodies a living sacrifice to Him.

Our text in Romans continues: “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.” Romans 12:22 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.

. Believers are not to be in the fashion of this world, which rejects God, but are to be “transformed” by the “renewing” of their minds. “Transformed” is from the Greek word “metamorphoo” (G3339) found only 4 times in the NT; first in Mark 9:22 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.

where Jesus Christ was “transfigured” before Peter, James and John; His clothes were suddenly exceedingly white as He shown forth in His Glory, 2 Peter 1:16 - 1816 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.

. We get our English “metamorphosis” from the Greek “metamorphoo,” thus, as the caterpillar metamorphosis into a butterfly, we are to metamorphosis by the renewing of our minds. “Renewing” is from the Greek “anakainosis” (G342) which means “renewal, renovation, complete change for the better.” The word “mind” is from the Greek meaning “the intellectual faculty, the understanding, etc.” To prove is “to test, examine, prove, scrutinize (to see whether a thing is genuine or not), as metals” what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Our minds do not renew or change just by thinking or praying (although prayer is necessary); the renewal/ change comes from study, gaining wisdom, knowledge and understanding of the Lord Jesus Christ; this is what Paul prayed for all believers, Ephesians 1:15 - 2015 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

. As with all Scripture, Paul’s epistles are inspired by God as profitable for doctrine (teaching), reproof and correction for instruction in righteousness, 2 Timothy 3:1616 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

. At the time of Paul, Rome was the seat of government of the known world; laws/ orders emanated or flowed out from Rome to the various provinces. In like manner, the epistle of Romans establishes the basic doctrine or teaching of the Gospel of Christ, i.e., the Gospel of Grace and the reasonable service of the believer. Romans is followed by the epistles to the church at Corinth where the true believers there needed reproof for their licentious, immoral lifestyles. They had to be reproved for straying from the teaching of Romans.

Many believers today are like the Corinthians and need the reproof Paul wrote them, for example, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” 1 Corinthians 6:19 - 2019 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

. “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:12 - 1312 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

. Paul further explained to the Corinthians what he meant in Romans 12:1 - 51 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 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.

3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 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.

3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 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.

3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

; “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:1818 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

. The phrase “beholding in a glass” is from one Greek word found only in this verse meaning “to make to reflect, to mirror.” Thus, believers are to mirror or reflect the Lord Jesus Christ and the fullness/ completeness they have in Him as their minds are renewed/changed.

Next comes the epistle to the Galatians who needed correction because they either added to or perverted Paul’s teaching of salvation by Grace alone. There are many believers today like the Galatians who want to add something to do in their own power to earn or keep their salvation. Among other things, they error when they look to Peter as Paul makes it clear that Peter ministered to the Jews who had to be circumcises and follow the Law while Paul ministered the Gentiles who were free from the Law, Galatians 2:7 - 107 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;

8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)

9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

. Paul explains Romans 12:1 - 5 to the Galatians succinctly: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:2020 I am crucified with Christ: neverthless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

. And he is deadly serious as by inspiration from God he wrote that anyone preaching any other Gospel than the Grace of Christ he preached is to be accursed, Galatians 1:6 - 86 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

, i.e., they are to be doomed to destruction.

The book of Ephesians stands as the highest plateau of doctrine to the Church, the Body of Christ. It clearly teaches that God has blessed believers with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, Ephesians 1:33 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

, and you can’t find a higher plateau than heaven. Philippians and Colossians follow as reproof and correction to the teaching of Ephesians but even these 3 epistles are based on the foundation laid in Romans. Whereas Romans teaches us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy, acceptable to God, which is our reasonable service, Romans 12:1, Ephesians teaches to: “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” Ephesians 5:1 - 51 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

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And Paul follows up the teaching of Romans 12:1 - 5 in his epistle to Titus: “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:11 - 1411 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

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