Romans 12:1-2: Paul's Call to Transformation and Worship

Introduction and Context of Romans 12:1-2

One guiding principle for the study of this passage is that "the Scriptures themselves attest to the importance of our minds in our spiritual formation in Christ." One of the most critical New Testament texts in this regard is Paul's important statement of Christian dedication in Romans 12:1-2. This text serves as a vital statement within the New Testament and functions as a transitional moment in the Epistle to the Romans as a whole.

The Epistle to the Romans and Paul's Purpose

One theologian notes that this passage serves as a transition to the last major segment of the Epistle. The doctrinal foundation for the Christian life is set forth in the first eleven chapters, and in the next five chapters Paul discusses some of the ways in which faith and doctrine should be manifested in the daily life of the Christian: "These transitional verses introduce us to the attitudes and actions which should set the Christian apart from the world in which he lives."

The Epistle to the Romans — often referred to simply as Romans — was written by Paul, probably at Corinth, and then sent to Rome. It is one of a series of letters in which Paul set out to explain the scriptures and to link different beliefs and different groups together into the developing church. Paul wrote the entire letter in part to gain support for his planned trip to Spain, a mission to carry the meaning of the church to new communities. Having never visited Rome, Paul wanted to explain the scriptures to the people there so they would not be led astray by false teachers.

Linguistic and Textual Analysis

The Epistle to the Romans as a whole is understood as an invitation to the Christian life. Romans 12:1-2 is seen as the reason for the exhortation and as an explanation of the proper response to God's mercies. In the Epistle, Paul presents an argument against dependence on anything except God's grace and God's justice, as manifested in the cross of Jesus Christ. He argues specifically against dependence on the Law itself. He then presents what he calls "my gospel," defending it at length against two objections that had been raised: first, that his gospel undermined the moral life; and second, that it implied God was no longer faithful to his promises.

The language Paul uses carries significant theological weight. One analyst notes with reference to this passage that "the Greek root morph is joined with the prefix meta to form a verb (metamorphoomai) that means 'to be transformed or transfigured.' Only in two other places in the New Testament is this verb used, and that is in Matthew's and Mark's accounts of the Transfiguration." A close reading of the passage reveals further linguistic dimensions worth examining.

Paul writes: "I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the compassion of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice, living, holy, and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable worship" (Romans 12:1). Christopher Bryan writes of this passage: "Appeal to you (parakalo... humas) is the normal expression with which to introduce parainesis, and signals what is to come. Therefore (oun) links the parainesis to what has gone before. By the compassion of God (dia ton oiktirmon theou) indicates the grounds on which it is so linked. This is the only occasion in Romans where Paul uses the word oiktirmos."