Romans 12 - 13

For most of my Christian youth (which lasted much longer than my physical youth), I always got frustrated and lost with what I refer to as church "platitudes".  ( I in no way wish to denigrate scripture with that term, just illustrate my frustrations.)  Romans 12 begins with an oft repeated verse that I struggled to understand.  We are to offer our bodies as living sacrifices to God.  OK.... Clearly we are not being asked to do as those who worshiped baal and bleed ourselves over the alter.  So here are my thoughts on living sacrifice (with a big thanks to some of the clarifying bible translations that are now available.)  Place your life morning, noon, night; simple things (sleeping and eating), complex (working and relating) and your physical body (keep it healthy) before God as a live offering.

Paul follows up with don't "conform with this world".  I have no doubt he was clear to the recipients of this letter, and I am certain Paul was not trying to trip me up, but I really didn't understand what this meant.  We have to continue to eat, work, socialize ( yes we do) and exist in this world.  I personally could have been a hermit living in the high Rockies and been happy, but I know this is not God's will for me.  Changing the word world to culture helps me immensely.  I do get to choose what cultural environment (or at least sub-culture) I spend my time in.  Also I can focus on being an uplifting aspect (salt and light) of that culture.

Big day for me today, since Paul really comes at me and my rebellious libertarianesque  nature (just ask my parents, or now my wife).  Paul clearly dictates that we are to submit to those placed in authority over us.  If God gives authority, who are we to take it away.  At least we here in the United States have it easy.  At times we gripe like we live in an oppressive country, but Paul appears to be telling those who are living under truly harsh regimes to obey those in authority.  That is some tough reading, but if we refer back to the book of Acts, we see that Paul (even as a Roman citizen) was not treated well by those in authority over him.