Dangerous Faith
Dangerous Faith: The Path of the Creator (By Pastor Brandon Sirolli)
Dangerous faith is a faith that pushes back against the wrecked cultural ideals of this world. It’s a faith that trusts Jesus Christ to do great things; dangerous things. To really understand this concept, lets visit a powerful passage found in Romans 12.
Romans 12 is a counter-cultural powerhouse teaching on Christian living. The profoundness of the entirety of the chapter cannot be overstated. In this chapter of Scripture, the Apostle Paul seeks to transform the way we perceive reality itself. In grabbing hold of the truth of Romans 12, specifically verses1 and 2, we will significantly mature in faith. Such maturity will prepare us for service to the One True King; to walk His path in this life.
Romans 12:1-2 (ESV) 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.
Paul introduces 5 ideas I’d like to touch on in this post. These are not all encompassing, by any stretch of the imagination. But I believe that what will be discussed will lay the groundwork for understanding what it is to follow Jesus.
1) Therefore: “... therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God...”
Let’s first set the foundations that will ease our acceptance of dangerous things. This text begins with the word “therefore” which should prompt us to ask, “what’s ’therefore’ there for?” Simply put, it’s a call to weigh what’s about to be said by what was just said.
Paul’s pattern of writing is one that establishes Christian doctrine, then compels the audience to Christian living. In this case, we are compelled to remember the arguments laid out in the first 11 chapters of Romans. Those arguments are more or less summed up in the words penned in Romans 11:36 (the doctrine).
“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36, ESV)
These words are can be seen as capstone of doctrinal truth from which Paul launches his readers into a plea for a holy lifestyle. The idea that should stand out the most from this verse is that this thing we call life is all about God; not you or me!
Everything from the rising of the sun, the trees, the bugs, the very breath in your lungs and heartbeat in your chest; it all exists because of our Creator God. It’s held together by Him, and meant to help us understand His Majesty. This is what David is getting at in Psalm 19. This verse positions us to accept hard truths. Specifically, the hard truths Paul is unraveling. Truths that need selfless perspectives.
2) The Appeal: “I appeal to you...”
In using these words, Paul is pleading his case to the mind and will of people. This shows that how we act and think is a choice. Saved or not, we are responsible for our thoughts and actions. Earlier in the letter, Paul makes this choice clear:
Romans 6:15-19 (ESV) 15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.
We are not slaves to sin anymore but we can still accept the captivity. Though our allegiance has shifted from the world to Christ, our will is still intact and can struggle to keep up with our allegiance.
The world would tell us to embrace the temptation; that’s just who we are. Christ’s Spirit compels us to fight back against the old person. To embark on a journey with Him and not look back to the life we left behind. This is a dangerous notion that leads to a life of death.
3) Living Sacrifice: “Present your bodies as living sacrifices...”
This Greek word rendered “bodies” here is the Greek sōma. This holds a meaning more than just the physical body. Sōma refers to our entire being.
Some points where we see this played out would be the words of Jesus being captured in this usage to indicate both physical and spiritual qualities. Mt. 5:29 Jesus says that we should fear the One who could cast the, “whole body (sōma)... into hell.” Again we see this word employed in Mt. 6:22-23 where Jesus alludes to a spiritual idea (“whole body full (sōma) of light… full of darkness”).
With this we can grasp better what Paul is speaking to when he compels us to offer these bodies (sōma) as living sacrifices. We are to offer our whole self. We can see this call to be a living sacrifice as an echo of Jesus’s words to those who would call themselves His followers.
Luke 9:23-26 (ESV) 23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
The order of events should be pointed out. That we would offer the entirety of our lives as living sacrifices distinguishes the Christian faith from other religions. It’s not a sacrifice of life to earn mercy. Rather, this is a life lived sacrificially in response to mercy already offered. And such a life places our footing on a path to transform into something the world comprehends as dangerous.
4) Transform: “Do not be conformed... but be transformed...”
The Apostle’s call to reject the draw of this world that demands conformity to its version of reality is not an easy path. But it’s not one to be entered onto alone, either! As followers of Christ, we yield to the Spirit of God so that He can begin His regenerating work, that which brings into the true reality.
Titus 3:1-7 (ESV) 1 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
We were all once something worldly but then God entered the equation. We all desired the flesh greatly, but then God placed His Spirit in us. But, as we die to self, as living sacrifices, we’ll find the urge to cling to the Father. As we shift our allegiance from slavery to sin, to servant of Christ, we’ll hunger and thirst for His presence, His word, and His ways; thus leading us to walk a dangerous trail: His will!
5) God’s Will: “...you may discern what is the will of God...”
Paul knew the struggle that is discerning the will of God. So he teaches the way to reveal it: that in Christ, we’d live dead to self, reject the world, and desire the Creator. Simply put (but not simply lived), turn the volume down of the world and step closer to God, the Creator, through Jesus Christ. In this place alone, the will of the Creator becomes discernable. This is the essence of Paul’s words to the Corinthian church.
1 Corinthians 2:11-16 (ESV) 11 For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. 14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
To know the mind of God, one must have the Spirit of God. And we, who are in Jesus Christ have His Spirit. We are equipped by God Himself to know and fulfill His will. When we do the dangerous thing; to push back against the worldliness in our lives, and we seek to transform our thinking, God’s mind, His character, His desires, become clearer and clearer.
CONCLUSION:
Let’s close this out with a passage from Hebrews:
Hebrews 13:20-21 (ESV) 20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Since God has offered freely mercy from judgment through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Let us choose now the dangerous path; to throw off this world and embrace our Creator and all the fullness of life He has for us.
