Romans 12:2 Do 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 1:10 I 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 1:27 Only 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 5:26 Let 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 model My example demonstrates My 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 12:7-10 To 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 14:12 So 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