1.0 Introduction 2.0 Objectives 3.0 Main Content
3.1 Redemption and the Present Christian Life 4.0 Summary
5.0 Conclusion
6.0 References/Further Reading 1.0 Introduction
Paul‘s first imperative is an urging to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God, wholly and acceptable. This is to entail that our sacrifice however is a response to God‘s mercy. We do not sacrifice ourselves to obtain God‘s mercy but because we have received it. Sacrifice therefore is a response to our justification. Christ sacrifice satisfies God‘s wrath on our behalf. We are no longer under the punishment of death. That is why it is a living sacrifice. Those who do this no longer conform to the world‘s standard but are rather sanctified in Christ.
38 2.0 Objectives
By the end of this unit you should be able to:
Give an account of Paul‘s teaching on ‗presenting a body as a living sacrifice‘.
Clarify the distinction between the wisdom of God and that of the world.
Explain Paul's distinction between Spirit and flesh
Correlate Paul‘s distinction between this age and the age to come 3.0 Main Content
3.1 Redemption and the Present Christian Life Rom 12:2
Here we have vv. 1 and 2, and we are at the transition point of the overall flow of the discussion in Romans, where Paul having developed things to the climactic point at the end of Ch. 11, with the doxology closing off God's saving purposes with respect to both Gentile and Jew; against that background, he turns to address the church, and says:
[1] I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. [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.
With respect to being living sacrifices, Paul says, "Do not be conformed to this aeon." Paul is looking in a comprehensive way at the sanctification of the believer. Looking at the Christian life, sanctification, seen on its negative side, Paul is saying that believers are not to be conformed to this aeon. We have been delivered from that aeon; we are not to continue in it. I can go on to say that this carries the suggestion when Paul puts it that way and goes on to juxtapose the renewal of the mind, that this transformation of the mind is a transformation that will be of similar aeonic proportions. What Paul brings into view is that what is involved here is a renewal that is of the age to come. This renewal of the mind is eschatological in nature, in character, so it is for good reason that many commentators see here enunciated the "New Creation ethic" of Paul.
1 Cor 1:18ff (until 3:23)
In the section that begins here, Paul takes his point of departure in the division that is created by the gospel, particularly the preaching of the cross, mentioned in v. 18, but also in v. 23, the division that is created by Christ crucified. In doing that, he expands on the true nature of gospel-creating division, to contrast it with the false division that has entered into the Corinthian congregation through the divisive party spirit mentioned in 10-17. This division, among other things, the gospel creates division, that division arises because of the conflict that exists between the wisdom or the sophia of unbelief, and the wisdom of God. With the result that the gospel is heard as foolishness by unbelievers. So, the dimensions of the argument, to the end of Ch. 3, is in terms of the polarity of God - believers - unbelievers. What defines that is a polarity between wisdom and foolishness, or as Paul will also use correlative terms, power, dunamis, and weakness, asthenaia. What one perceives to be power and wisdom, the other perceives to be foolishness and weakness. We want to point out the way Paul characterizes the wisdom of unbelief over against the wisdom of God. The gospel, then which is
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wisdom of God is perceived to be foolishness in the eyes of the world; and what is wisdom in the eyes of the world is perceived to be foolishness in the eyes of God.
1 Cor. 1:20: Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this aeon? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
What is correlative with the wisdom of the world, the personal subject embodying the wisdom of the world is the disputant of this aeon. Or looking ahead to 2:6, Paul makes reference to the wisdom associated with the gospel, and there, the gospel is described as wisdom, which is not of this aeon nor of the rulers of this aeon--the movers and shakers of this aeon. Similarly, as you get to 3:18, with culmination of this whole section of argumentation, Paul says, "let no one deceive himself; if someone thinks himself to be wise among you in this aeon, let him become foolish, in order that he might become wise, for the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God." This is what it means to become a believer, we could say--becoming foolish in order that you may become wise. Now you can see how these statements that bracket the passage and everything it says about wisdom, say that to be wise in this aeon is a matter of the wisdom of this world. So the terms "world" and "aeon" are closely correlative. What is of interest here in terms of the language used for this construction is the explicit indication of what we might describe as the temporalizing or historicizing of the notion of the world (kosmou). The world is glossed with touto, this world, in contrast to "that" world. The two-aeon construction shapes Paul, disposes him to write here with the explicit touto. The simple ho kosmos, the world, is more pointedly, houtos ho kosmos; this world. The scheme of this world, the structure of this world, is passing away. The other coming, that world, is certainly implied.
Surely there is here then the plain suggestion: the wisdom of God which believers have received, the wisdom and the power that Christ is (1:24)--not just wisdom about Christ--that wisdom differs from the wisdom of the unbeliever, not merely in an experiential or individual sense, but the difference exists in that what is opposed is the wisdom that is nothing less than a differing aeon; an opposed world order, that is the difference between the wisdom and knowledge of the believer and the unbeliever; the difference is on the order of two opposed aeons. What we are saying here is that the determination of the believer's knowledge, the determination of the believer's very existence, has aeonic dimensions, so that it is the case that in contrast to the unbeliever, the believer's knowledge is of a different aeon, in terms of eschatological structure. In a very real sense, believers and unbelievers are living in two different worlds; in the truest sense, believers and unbelievers operate in two different universes of discourse. The believer's knowledge is eschatological, knowledge of the final aeon, new creation knowledge. To bring in an important qualification immediately, in our present possession, we see but, in a mirror, dimly, 1 Cor. 13:12. We see but a poor reflection. That qualification needs to be kept before us. At the same time, what underlies that poor perception is the present eschatological possession, so that Paul can say as he does that the believer judges and discerns all things (2:15), and in fact has the mind ("nous") of the exalted Christ (2 Cor. 2:16). We have the mind of Christ. Read the closing statement of the section that begins at 1:18: 3:21-22: So, let no one boast in men.
For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future--all are yours, [23] and you are Christ's, and Christ is of God." In this passage we have a very clear iteration of the radical difference in the knowledge of believers and the knowledge of unbelievers. We have a cleavage between two ages. We have particularly strong exegetical support here for what was such an important characteristic emphasis in Dr. Van Til's work: the difference between belief and unbelief involves a difference, a cleavage, between two ages. Insofar as point of
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contact is concerned, which does exist, in terms of the common situation of sinners ever in need of a Savior--in terms of point of contact, there is no epistemological common ground. Whether in the speculative wisdom of the Greeks, or the empirical signs the Jews seek, there is no epistemological common ground. It is true categorically that we walk by faith and not by sight (2 Cor 5), and clearly that has to do with the sight that we receive by virtue of the resurrection. As for new aeon mind, considering our body, we need to be careful not to go Platonic direction; Paul has in mind re:
resurrection that that resurrection has touched the core of our whole being. It does not mean a dualism in any sort. We have been raised in the core of our being, but we are only relating in terms of our outer person.
2 Cor 5:17-19
[15] and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. [16] From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. [17] Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. [18] All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; [19] that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
This has key interests regarding soteriology and eschatology. Is the "kata sarka" to be understood adverbially (how we understand) or adjectivally (to describe Christ as a fleshly being, as Bultmann)?
The point is an epistemological one. He's concerned about a way of knowing--"according to the flesh."
We'll highlight later in the course Paul's distinction between the spirit and the flesh. But as an advance point, Paul's distinction between Spirit and flesh is correlative to his distinction between this age and the age to come. (ESV gets 19a better than NIV--God reconciling in Christ.) Verse 15, Paul makes the assertion. It leads to conclusions, Paul drawing them out in 16 and 17. Reconciliation is a key theme here. What focuses our attention here is the expression kaine ktisis, and our concern is about how this should be translated. Both Ridderbos and Vos have discussed this in the reading I have had you do.
Vos, 46ff. in the immediate context, Paul is involved in describing the turn of events that has taken place for believers in the death and resurrection of Christ. We see that death and resurrection at the end of v. 15, therefore, Paul says, with a further hoste (therefore) in v. 17. The point we want to bring into view here is that the kaine ktisis mentioned in v. 17 is almost certainly not to be understood only in an individual sense; that is, the kaine ktisis is not merely a description of a change that has occurred in the believer; it is not simply a category of personal renewal. Or, to put it pointedly, in contrast to the way in which some translations take it, and particularly the KJV, the idea is not that of a "new creature." It is not to be understood in a strictly individual sense although, certainly, dimensions of personal and individual change are in view here. It is involved, but not the point. This is not simply a proof text for regeneration.
Rather, in contrast to that new creature understanding, ktisis here is to be translated "creation." And more importantly, the reference is to the "new creation." The reference is to the new eschatological world order, to which the one in Christ already belongs, in which the believer already exists. We can propose then that the grounds for this "new creation" translation, and this comprehensive understanding, can be seen in several dimensions: lexical, syntactical, and, most importantly, contextual. From a lexical angle, we can point out that Paul uses ktisis, and not ktisma, creature. That
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observation by itself is not conclusive, because in Rom. 8:39 Paul uses ktisis in the sense of an individual creature, so there is some semantic overlap between the terms. But surely, we need to keep in mind that ktisis is largely the word used to describe the totality of created reality, of creation in the broad, comprehensive sense. We see that in Rom. 1:20, Col. 1:15, and Rev. 3:14. The word choice is not decisive, but provides for a comprehensive creation and not just creature reference.
4.0 Summary
Paul urged believers that by the mercies of God, to present their bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is their spiritual worship. They had been admonished not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of their mind. With respect to being living sacrifices, Paul is looking in a complete way at the sanctification of the believer. The Westminster Shorter Catechism Q.35) says sanctification is ―the work of God‘s free grace whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.‖ The concept is not of sin being totally eradicated that is to claim too much) or merely counteracted (that is to say too little), but of a divinely wrought character change freeing us from sinful habits and forming in us Christ like affections, dispositions, and virtues.
Sanctification is a continuing transformation within a maintained consecration, and it engenders real righteousness within the frame of relational holiness. Relational sanctification, the state of being enduringly set apart for God, flows from the cross, where God through Christ purchased and claimed us for himself (Acts 20:28; 26:18; Heb. 10:10). Moral renovation, whereby we are ever more changed from what we once were, flows from the agency of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:13; 12:1-2; 1 Cor. 6:11, 19-20; 2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 4:22-24; 1 Thess. 5:23; 2 Thess. 2:13; Heb. 13:20-21).
5.0 Conclusion
Believers in Christ offer their bodies as a living sacrifice. Paul gave a command to committed believers not to be conformed to this aeon. This is the sanctification of the believer for they had been saved from it. In Pauline work he linked this with the renewal of the mind, which is transformation of the mind. The significance of this renewal is eschatological in nature and character i.e "New Creation ethic" of Paul. Paul in his teaching emphasized the division that is created by the gospel, chiefly the preaching of the cross, but also, the division that is created by Christ crucified. This division arises because of the conflict that exists between the wisdom or the sophia of unbelief, and the wisdom of God. But to believers it is wisdom and power. Paul characterizes the wisdom of non-belief over against the wisdom of God. The gospel, then which is wisdom of God is professed to be foolishness in the eyes of the world; and what is wisdom in the sight of men is seen to be foolishness in the sight of God.
In this section we have an apparent repetition of the radical difference in the knowledge of believers and the knowledge of unbelievers. We have a cleavage between two ages. Paul teaches that, resurrection has touched the core of our whole being. It does not mean a dualism in any kind. We have been raised in the core of our being, but we are only relating in terms of our outer person. (Cf. 1 Cor 15). Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new
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has come. God, through Christ reconciled us to himself that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them. Thus, the lust of the flesh lost in Christ.
Self-Assessment Exercises
1. What is the theological implication of an expression ―offering your bodies as a living sacrifice‖?
2. Describe the qualities of a man who is in Christ as a new creation 3. Explain briefly the doctrine of sanctification
6.0 References/Further reading
Ladd, Eldon George. (1974). A Theology of the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Willian B. Eerdmans.
Hargreaves, John. (1991). A Guide to 1 Corinthians. London: SPCK.
Bowen, Roger. (1996). A Guide to Romans. London: SPCK.
Unit 7: Created Anew in Christ