NOTES for Rom 12:1-2

Moving from the eschatological perspective to the present age, Paul urges his readers to live in the Kingdom here and now, so that on the day of the Savior's return they will not find themselves outside this joyful event. The apostle considers spiritual transformation to be the main task, and this is what makes up the meaning of the Christian life. Remembering the path of righteousness, Paul speaks, on the one hand, of sacrifice and, on the other, of renewal (vv. 1-2). In speaking of sacrifice, the apostle evidently has in mind the truth, well known in his day, that every sacrifice in the normal case was nothing other than a form of communion with God; and the call to make oneself and one's life a sacrifice that God will sanctify by His presence became, in the apostle's mouth, a call to what later in Christian tradition was sometimes called a "dedicated life."

There have been times in the history of the Church when only a few thought about such a life and it came to be considered the lot of the chosen. But Paul evidently regards it as the norm for every Christian, which is not surprising: in the proper sense of the word, only someone who seeks the Kingdom and lives in it can be called a Christian. Such a life, of course, is impossible until the one seeking the Kingdom is inwardly transformed and freed from the power of sin that weighs on everyone in the fallen world.

Yet this deliverance is possible only when the one walking the path of righteousness has already come into contact with Christ and with the Kingdom; otherwise a person has no way to be freed from his own sinfulness. Transformation, in turn, is inseparable from service, which presupposes witness to the Kingdom. The apostle lists many such services, covering very different sides of church and public life, emphasizing that all of them are good and have spiritual meaning (vv. 4-8). But in order for this meaning not to disappear, one very important condition must be fulfilled, which Paul describes in the words: "...think with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith that God has assigned to each" (v. 3).

This is not simply a call to modesty. It is obvious to the apostle that any of the services he mentions is important only insofar as it can become a witness to the Kingdom. And this is possible only if the one carrying out the service does not simply, as people often say today, "express himself," but precisely bears witness, acting in such a way that what is seen is not so much the minister himself as the light of the Kingdom passing through him. For such witness, of course, a certain measure of transformation is already needed; otherwise the light of the Kingdom will not penetrate the thickness of sin that every fallen person carries upon himself.

But the point is that transformation itself is possible only in the process of service; it is inseparable from service and proves to be part of it. In our world, not yet fully transformed, life in the Kingdom, transformation, and service-witness are inseparable from one another and impossible without one another. Understanding this, the apostle urges his readers not to wait for better times, better conditions, and better witnesses, but to become inhabitants and witnesses of the Kingdom here and now.

“Do not be conformed to this age”... Probably each of us has, to one degree or another, a desire either “to be like all normal people” or, conversely, “not to be like everyone else.” Yet both mean that we build our model of behavior either on the model proposed by this age or in opposition to it. One way or another, we still conform ourselves to this world. Paul proposes an entirely different position. It does not matter what the world thinks about my life. It does not matter whether it conforms to the generally accepted norm. Perhaps in some respect it will conform to that norm so closely that I will even find it repugnant: how can I, such an original and distinctive person, behave the way they consider proper?! Christianity simply proposes that we look neither around us nor in the mirror. Our way of seeing must be renewed, and the only way to look at everything with different eyes is first to look at God, and only then at everything else. Then, little by little, we will learn to see everything through His eyes.