This phrase depicts the church as a human body. The body cannot function without diversity of functions, such as eyes, ears, hands, and feet. Both diversity and unity obtain in the local church. and the members do not all have the same function, It takes many gifts to make up the proper function of the church.
“For as in the body we have many members, and not all of the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another” (Rom. 12:4–5). This interdependence is not a weakness, but a gift from God.
What Does 'Nothing Can Separate Us from the Love of God' Mean? In 1 John 4:16, the apostle writes “God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” We can't have God without love so to be separated from his love means to be separated from him entirely.
Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.
Each one of us has one body, and that body has many parts. These parts don't all do the same thing. In the same way, we are many people, but in Christ we are all one body. We are the parts of that body, and each part belongs to all the others.
If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. Romans 12:4-8 (NLT)
Paul here explains how to live out the will of God: Keep in mind the rich mercy of God to you – past, present, and future (by the mercies of God). As an act of intelligent worship, decide to yield your entire self to Him (present your bodies a living sacrifice).
Now consider again this description of God in his "dealings" with us: "He does NOT deal with us according to our sins" (v. 10a). Our sins do not constitute the rule or standard or plumb line according to which God makes his decisions on how to treat us.
In other words, just as God's power is His love is His wisdom is His eternality is His knowledge, and so on, our "heart" is our "soul" is our "mind" is our "strength." To love God with all of our strength, then, is to love God with all our being, which involves the whole man, both body and soul.
Every believer receives the exact gift and resources he needs to fulfill his role in the body of Christ.” This “faith” can be thought of as a resource provided by God. As we each use our gifts to carry out our unique roles, God gives us everything we need in order to use those gifts effectively.
[38] 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.
Sin Separates Us from God (Revelation 15:7)
The doctrine of separation, also known as the doctrine of non-fellowship, is a belief among some Protestant religious groups that the members of a church should be separate from "the world" and not have association with those who are "of the world".
My Prayer...
Help me, Father, to find the place where you made me to fit into Jesus' body, the church. Until I know my exact place to serve and use my gifts, I pledge to work in all sorts of ministries so that your Spirit, and not just my own preference, will guide me into your place for me to serve.
Living sacrifices
Since God is giving us mercy, we should submit ourselves to him. Our bodies are to be given to God in worship — not to be killed, but as a living and continuous response to God. We are set apart for him, to serve him — and as we do his will, he is pleased.
Dear Heavenly Father, I have often wished I had the talents and spiritual gifts of other people. How silly it is of me when I forget that other people are given gifts to bless me and not impress me.
Love Him by spending your time and your energy listening to Him, praising Him, thanking Him and obeying Him. Love Him with your ability to throw awesome parties. Love Him with your ability to paint, sew, and write. Love Him with your influence in the workplace.
To love God with all of our hearts, we use our time, energy, talents and resources to keep His commandments. I invite you to reflect on how you use your time, energy, talents and resources. Are you using your time to learn what God's commandments are, so that you can keep them?
Love God with your heart by living a loving, faith-filled, and purpose-driven life. This requires letting God lead the way. It means living each day in close connection with Him so we can recognize our calling. Once we do this, once we let Him lead, lives will be changed.
There is no forgiveness without repentance. God does not forgive unrepentant sinners. He loves them, and that is what He calls us to do, “Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you.”
Jesus regularly called people to repent, which means turning away from sin. This is what we are doing in asking forgiveness for our sins; we are turning away from the ways we have wronged God, people, and the world, and aligning ourselves with the way of Christ.
And, when man is left alone, without the restraining grace of God, he indulges in his sins, he plunges into a downward spiral and he eventually reap the consequences, the sad and painful consequences of their sins. This is what happened when God gives up.
Romans 12:1-4 In-Context
Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. 2 Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out.
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” The above verse shows us how we are to respond in various situations we face in life. Our hearts should be full of joy because we have hope in Christ. When facing troubles, patience will prevent us from giving up before seeing our victory.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.