Romans 12:2Do not be conformed to this world, but be

transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of

God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 

The Gospel According to Paul

• V.3- Thinking with sound judgment

• V.3- thinking with sound judgment

Thinking NOT too highly of self

• Elders who lord it• Preachers who must have their way• Saints that can’t be corrected• Matters of judgment pushed to division• Diotrephes sets up housekeeping

• V.3- thinking with sound judgment

Thinking NOT too highly of self

1 Peter 5:5b-6 Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility

toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he

may exalt you,

Exalting self invites God’s opposition 

• V.3- thinking with sound judgment

Thinking NOT too highly of self The cure is to be like Jesus

Philippians 2:3-5  Do nothing from rivalry or conceit,

but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let

each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of

others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ

Jesus,

• V.3- Thinking with sound judgment

• V.4-5- Recognizing our Relationship to the body

Each one is ONE part of

many, with different

functions.

1 Corinthians 1:10I appeal to you, brothers, by the name

of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no

divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the

same judgment.

Agreement, without division 

Philippians 1:27Only let your manner of life be

worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with

one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 

Same mind and same spirit 

Galatians 5:26Let us not become conceited,

provoking one another, envying one another.

Without boasting, challenge, or envy (NASV) 

Romans 12:5…so we, though many,

are one body in Christ, and

individually members one of another. 

My actions modelMy example demonstratesMy influence is on others

Do I help or hinder?Build up or tear down?

If all were like me, what would the church be

like?

• V.3- Thinking with sound judgment

• V.4-5- Recognizing our Relationship to the body

• V.6- Exercising Ourselves for the body

1 Corinthians 12:7-10To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for

the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to

another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same

Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to

another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various

kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

1 Corinthians 14:12So with yourselves, since you are eager for

manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.

Spiritual gifts were not for self, but for the church

Hebrews 5:12-14 For though by this time you ought to be

teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in

the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature,

for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to

distinguish good from evil.Exercise is a necessity for maturity

What is your gift? Prophecy? Then according to your faith

Service? Or Teaching? As able or

opportuned

Ability to exhort? (inviting, beseech,

implore)

Able to give? Do it with liberality

Able to lead? Be diligent

Able to show mercy? Be cheerful about it

And ALL can love… in the right way

1 Peter 4:10  As each has

received a gift, use it to serve

one another, as good stewards of God's varied

grace: 

USE your gifts, exercise yourself

The world favors SELF The Christian thinks not so highly

The world sees no relationship to the body The Christian sees value & power in unity

The world exercises self for self The Christian exercises self for others

THIS IS THE TRANSFORMED PERSON