Romans 12:1-3. Distorted Thinking
How is it that people with access to the same information come to such different conclusions?
WOKE is a term that raises people hackles, one way or another. The term comes from African American, where "woke" was used as early as the 1930s-40s as the past tense of "wake" in phrases like "stay woke," meaning to remain alert to racism and social injustice. The phrase persisted in Black communities through the 20th century as shorthand for awareness of systemic racism and injustice, particularly police brutality and discrimination. "Woke" entered wider public consciousness around 2012-2014, especially through the Black Lives Matter movement following the deaths of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown. It was used within activist circles to mean being socially conscious and aware of racial and social injustices.
Between 2014-2020, the term expanded beyond racial justice to encompass broader progressive social awareness about gender, sexuality, class issues, etc.. Around this time it started being used by progressives who would say "stay woke”.
It was simultaneously adopted by critics, mostly on the political right, as a pejorative, describing what they saw as excessive overzealous progressive social attitudes. Phrases such as "woke culture," "woke capitalism," “anti-woke" began to be used.
Today, "woke" functions almost as two different words depending on who's using it:
1. To supporters of its original meaning: awareness of and attentiveness to social/racial injustice
2. To critics: a dismissive term for perceived overreach in identity politics. An ideology or set of beliefs that views society through the lens of structures of oppression. It is now associated with left wing politics.
The question of WOKE now polarises people.
The source of opinions
What is interesting is how people come to their opinions about anything. I was asked by an important person quite recently, ‘What interests do you have?’ I could have given several answers but the one I gave was ‘Truth’. This led on to a fascinating discussion on how truth has to be an absolute concept, that we are searching for in science, in medicine, in law, in relationships and in many areas of life. ‘The truth is out there’ is the famous saying of Fox Mulder in the TV series ‘X Files’
Most people, whatever their nationality or religion have an inherent belief in things like human dignity, justice, and honesty and kindness. Why do they believe those things matter. Where do these ideas come from? There appears to be something instinctive built into nearly all people about these values. They have also been encouraged by the effect of Christian teaching, as writers such as C.S.Lewis and Tom Holland have emphasised. Today many Christian values persist even though the basis for them has been rejected.
Some religious practices are clearly abhorrent. ‘Sati’ or ‘suttee’ is a chiefly historical Hindu practice in which a widow burns alive on her deceased husband's funeral pyre, either voluntarily, by coercion, or by a perception of the lack of satisfactory options for continuing to live.
The word in Hindi means a ‘pure or virtuous woman,’ and is derived from a mythological goddess who immolated (sacrificed by fire) herself. Sikhs taught against this practice since the 15th century. Their gurus emphasised that women are also made in God’s image and possess equal spiritual worth, and they opposed such customs that viewed women as subordinate or disposable adjuncts to men. The British Government in India banned this practice in 1829. Sati is now entirely illegal and strictly prohibited under modern Indian law, reinforced further by the Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act, 1987, which criminalises both the act and its glorification.
History shows how easy it is for societies to take on new ideas and political views. Thus National Socialism became widely accepted in Germany and Communism in Russia in spite of the obvious problems with them.
People's beliefs largely come from a combination of social conditioning, inherited environments, and the brain's natural hardwiring, many instincts are built into our make-up.. Opinions are seldom formed through clear thinking, analytical evaluation, most adopt beliefs on largely emotional bases, so we can navigate life in society safely.
Early perceptions regarding politics, self-worth, and religion are commonly absorbed from parents and carers According to neuroscientists like Matthew Lieberman, the brain is biologically primed to learn from the prevailing culture.
Such beliefs give rise to some very important questions
"What makes something actually wrong, not just unpopular?"
"If moral consensus shifted, would that make the new consensus right?"
"Where does the idea that people have inherent worth come from, if not granted by something outside us?”
God’s warning
This teaching, that our values tend to come from our society and our peers, has been known for a long time. Paul talks about it in his letter to the Romans:
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2
It is largely true that most people’s beliefs are handed down through their family and to some degree are modified by the society they live in. The ‘pattern of this world’ has a massive input in how we think and therefore behave. In spite of all the evidence that the Standard Islamic Narrative cannot be true, still most Muslims come from Muslim families.
The appalling behaviour of ordinary Japanese soldiers during World War II was the result of a toxic intense state indoctrination and a brutal internal military culture. Japanese soldiers were routinely left to starve, to contract tropical diseases, and to fight in nightmarish conditions with virtually no logistical support. In long, exhausting counter-insurgency campaigns, especially across China, starving and terrified soldiers frequently took out their anger, desperation, and psychological trauma on the local civilian populations.
Similar lessons have been learned from studies of the Radical Islamic groups like ISIS. Put normal individuals in a toxic environment and we can become monsters - unless there is another very strong force at work.
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn used the phrase "men have forgotten God" as his core explanation for the catastrophic bloodshed and totalitarianism of the 20th century. He famously stated this in London on May 10, 1983, when accepting the Templeton Prize, in an address often titled “Men Have Forgotten God”. He first heard older generations in Russia attribute the disasters of the Russian Revolution to this spiritual loss, writing:
“Men have forgotten God; that’s why all this has happened.”
He applied this phrase to the ruin of the Russian Revolution, which consumed an estimated 60 million lives.While he rebuked Soviet communism for militant atheism, he also criticised the secular West for sliding into materialism, greed, and the self-deification of human desires - because we also have forgotten God
Solzhenitsyn argued that human atrocities stem not merely from external political enemies or economic systems, but from an internal moral collapse where humanity rejects any higher spiritual authority.
Romans overview
This book of Romans is remarkable. For eleven chapters Paul explains that man’s root problem is our desire to run our own lives and forget the God who made us. This results in societies losing direction and becoming immoral. This is called ‘SIN’, note that even this little word has ‘I’ at the centre. Children are taught ‘sin’ means:
“Shove off God, I’m in charge, No to what you want.”
This is a problem we all have, to some degree or another. Paul writes
“. . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, . . .” Romans 3:23
However the book of Romans then stresses that, because of the grace of God, his favour we don’t deserve, God himself has provided an answer. We can now be forgiven the sin that separates us from God if we accept a leader, God’s Messiah, who will lead his people along the path he wants us to live. Paul goes on to explain this:
“. . . and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:24
Some scholars, at a conference on comparative religions, were debating what made the Christian faith unique, dismissing ideas like incarnation and resurrection because other traditions shared similar motifs. When C.S.Lewis walked in and heard the debate, he interjected:
“What's unique about Christianity? Oh, that's easy. It's grace.”
While other major world faiths outline systems of moral effort or adherence to rules through which individuals must earn divine approval, Christianity teaches that God's favour is a free, unearned gift. Grace, justification, God's mercy toward Jew and us Gentiles is the same.
Paul now turns to application and discusses what this teaching implies about how all those who have come under Christ’s rule should live: He begins with ‘Therefore’, linking this to the previous paragraph.. Because of everything God has done for us, he describes how every person ought to think and act.
How does God speak to us? Psalm 19
This is a related question. Hoes does God speak to people and how can we be sure that what we hear is from God? Psalm 19, written by King David around 1000BC describes the three main ways God speaks to men, both then and today. Firstly we must note the evidence that there is a supreme creator.
Astronomy - the universe around us (Psalm 19:1-6).
Alfonso X of Castile, a 13th-century monarch also known as Alfonso the Wise (el Sabio), after studying the complicated Ptolemaic system of astronomy, stating:
“If the Lord Almighty had consulted me before embarking upon Creation, I should have recommended something simpler.”
Similarly in Job 38-39 God poses 52 questions about our world and about nature and asks simply whether any mere man could do this.
“Were you there when I laid the earth’s foundation?” Job 38:4
2. The Word or Writings of God (v. 7-11)
This is the second way God speaks to us. The whole Bible claims to be God’s word. These ’statutes are trustworthy’, ‘these command are radiant’:
“They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold, they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” Psalm 19:10-11
Jesus treated the Hebrew Bible (the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings) as completely true and divine. He stated that the written commands of God hold permanent authority. Jesus assured his followers that
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” Matthew 5:17-18
He frequently quoted texts from the Old Testament to settle arguments and to show how God guides people.
Jesus taught that the entire story of the Jewish scriptures leads up to him., explaining,
“ If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?” John 5:46-47
He wanted people to see that the ancient prophecies were fulfilled through his actions, death, and resurrection.
3. Conscience (v. 12-13)
Our consciences are those inner voices we all have that warns us about the need for integrity, doing what is right before God, and accuses us when we step over the line.
“Keep your servant also from wilful sins, may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression.” Psalm 19:13
What is the great transgression, the sin against God, for which I can never be forgiven? The Bible is clear, it is the rejection of God’s Son as my Saviour, and Leader. He came to lead God’s people both in the way we live now and also into an eternal life. He came to establish God’s Kingdom. Our duty is to worship this one God.
What is Worship?
It is much more that outward praise, meeting up with fellow believers and singing hymns to him. Worship is a full time activity, 24/7, and it must involve a heart of obedience, justice, and everyday actions rather than just singing and sacrifices. The whole Bible is clear about this. So why do some churches call their lead musicians ‘Worship leaders’? Here are a few Biblical passages about this:
Amos 5:21-24: God rejects empty religious songs and solemn assemblies when people fail to practice justice and righteousness. He commands justice to roll down like a river instead of listening to the noise of their songs.
Micah 6:6-8: Physical sacrifices like thousands of rams do not please God as much as moral and spiritual action. True worship requires acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God.
Isaiah 1:11-17: God asks why He should care about endless sacrifices and trampling in His courts. He tells people to stop doing wrong, learn to do right, seek justice, and defend the oppressed.
Hosea 6:6: God desires mercy rather than sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.
James 1:27: Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is helping orphans and widows in their trouble. It also involves keeping oneself from being polluted by the world.
True worship of the living God is nothing less than a total commitment to him.
Let us return to the passage in Romans we started with and see that this same definition of worship is being used:
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.” Romans 12:1-3
Paul's answer isn't "try harder to be good." It's a complete change of the way we think:
“. . . be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Romans 12:2
Straight thinking, in Paul's terms, comes from three steps, all working together.
A settled starting point — mercy, not performance.
Paul's appeal is based on ‘in view of God’s mercy,’ referring back to everything he has just argued about grace, God’s undeserved love for us, that the end of the previous chapter stresses. This is what the ‘therefore’ refers to:
“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!. “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counsellor?” “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” Romans 11:33-36
This matters because it determines why a person offers themselves to God: not to earn a good standing, but in response to a mercy already given. Thinking that starts from trying to satisfy God by the way I live is doomed to fail. We will be rejected by the all-holy God.; however thinking that starts from accepting God’s mercy is a stable foundation.
2. A renewed mind, not a conformed one.
The renewal Paul describes isn't self-generated willpower, ‘I’m going to do better’ - it's a mind being remade so it can actually test and discern what's good. This is an ongoing process, starting with a one-time decision. It implies that, after this change in direction, there has to be a deliberate input: the truth of God’s Word has to be regularly fed into our minds for the mind to be renewed by it. In the same way, conformity to the world and its way of thinking, happens through constant exposure to the surrounding culture. The choice of what we allow to influence us is ours.
3. Sober judgment about oneself. Paul's third instruction is surprisingly specific: don't think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think with sober judgment. Straight thinking includes an honest, unclouded estimate of one's own significance and gifting as God sees me. An inflated self-assessment distorts everything else that a person thinks and does; a sober self-assessment steadies it.
Put together, the sequence runs thus:
Mercy is received when we turn to Jesus for forgiveness and empowerment to live a life for him
I offer the my whole self to live for him
My mind becomes progressively renewed as I feed on his Word
I will develop an increased capacity to discern what's actually pleases him, rather than merely what's seems to be normal, popular, or comfortable.
Thinking that changes your life
Paul doesn't stop at inward transformation, it includes the whole person.
”Present your bodies as a living sacrifice"
This ties our belief directly to what a person does with their time, their speech, their relationships, and their work. Right thinking, that never reaches the hands and feet, is far short of what Paul is describing. A "living sacrifice" is an odd phrase precisely because sacrifices were traditionally dead. Paul's point is that this offering is ongoing, daily, and active rather than a single ritual moment. One problem with living sacrifices is that they may try remove themselves from the altar!
This is also why the passage calls it ‘spiritual worship’. Some translations render this ‘reasonable service’ or ‘true worship’. Ordinary, everyday actions, offered deliberately rather than done on autopilot, is the only sort of worship God appreciates.
In summary Romans 12:1–3 doesn't offer a technique for better decision-making in life improvement. How we live can never satisfy a holy God. Instead, it offers a different foundation altogether, a personal commitment to Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour, and argues that once this foundation changes, and I start feeding on him and his word, the capacity to discern what is "good and acceptable and perfect" follows naturally from it.
Do you want to know for certain what God wants to happen and wants to do with each of us? If so, look backwards from Romans 12:3. Firstly, renew you mind by centring it on Jesus, study him, learn to think as he thinks and refuse to be controlled by what others around you think, even your closest family and friends. Then determine to think and live in a way that pleases your Lord. This will mean that you will spend the rest of your life living sacrificially for the God who loves us and will protect us into eternity. Such a Christ-centred life alone pleases God, this alone is true worship, this is the only safe way to live.
BVP
If you would like to discuss further please get in touch with me on - berniepalmer1@sky.com
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‘Christchurch Baldock’ meets at 10.30 am every Sunday in Knights Templar School, Baldock.
