UNSHAKEABLE: If at all possible, it is best not to think of yourself at all. That is what the Biblical writers had in mind when they spoke of the virtue of humility, which is not so much thinking less of yourself (both quantitatively as well as qualitatively), but the freedom from thinking about yourself altogether. However, if you must think of yourself, Paul says to do so with “sober judgment.” (Rom 12:3) And if you do that with the measure of faith you’ve been given, then rather than having either a too high or a too low estimation of yourself, you will have an accurate picture of what you are: a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. (Romans 12:1)
Unshakeable Living // Romans 12:3
Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
If at all possible, it is best not to think of yourself at all. That is what the Biblical writers had in mind when they spoke of the virtue of humility, which is not so much thinking less of yourself (both quantitatively as well as qualitatively), but the freedom from thinking about yourself altogether.
However, if you must think of yourself, Paul says to do so with “sober judgment.” (Rom 12:3) And if you do that with the measure of faith you’ve been given, then rather than having either a too high or a too low estimation of yourself, you will have an accurate picture of what you are: a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. (Rom 12:1)
Think about that — a living sacrifice. An Old Testament sacrifice had to die in order to offer pleasing worship to God, but when Jesus came along, he became to final sacrifice called upon to die. Old Testament sacrifices are no longer required by God; New Covenant sacrifices are now what bring pleasing worship to God, and those offerings are called upon to live.
Of course, as a living sacrifice, we must first die to ourselves — our flesh, our own selfish desires, and our false estimation of who we are and what we should be. But our real call is to live — to live in view of God’s mercy (Rom 12:1), to live for him and through him and to him his glory (Rom11:36), and to live to fulfill the purpose for which he has gifted us (Rom 12:4-8). And that great purpose for which you have been gifted is specifically spelled out in this section of verses: it is to live and serve and function and contribute to the family of God in which you have now been placed:
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. (Rom 12:4-5)
Yes, you have been called to die to yourself — which is a daily (and difficult) exercise in self-mortification. But your highest calling is now to live unto God — to live as a living sacrifice. Do you see yourself as a living sacrifice? That is truly what “sober judgment” will produce. If that is not fundamentally how you see your role in life, then you need to sober up!
Let me give you a challenge this week: Forget about yourself! Practice being absent-minded when it comes to you. Get you out of your thoughts and replace them with plans for offering yourself as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.
Sober up and crawl back up on the altar of sacrifice—and for Christ’s sake, stay there!
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