Earticle

초록

영어

This study aims to discuss the first priority for Christians to live the new life as a living sacrifice in the world. Fundamentally, it seeks to acquire biblical direction from Paul’s teaching in Romans. In Romans 12:1-2, Paul exhorts the first priority to his readers before he presents his teachings on the ethics required for believers. In Romans chapters 1 through 11, Paul reveals that said believers have been saved through God’s mercies. Paul outlines two aspects that encompass the first priority: “to present the body” and “to renew the mind”.
Based the discussion on the interpretations of the New Testament, scholars can conclude that ‘to present the body’ translates to surrendering “the entire person as the fallen human being” so that God can minister into the believer’s daily life. This offering of the entire person will be the “living, holy, and acceptable sacrifice to God,” which is the “spiritual worship.” Additionally, “to renew the mind” translates to renew the “attitude, viewpoint, or way of thinking.” Essentially, “to renew the mind” is to affirm the Word of God as the truth in the believer’s life. Subsequently, the believer should continuously discern the implications of the Word of God and apply it to his or her personal situation so that he or she might identify “what the will of God is.”
We, however, must further analyze the presentation of our entire being under God’s control, and the renewing of our attitude, viewpoint, or way of thinking. Paul stresses that the believer is transformed by the Holy Spirit in Romans 8:12-14. Therefore, the issue at hand is how the believer remains in the Spirit continuously. According to the perspective of the Eastern Orthodox Church, the inner being, which Paul emphasizes in Eph. 3:16-17 is the center of the human being. The inner being includes both the heart, and the mind. The teaching of the Eastern Orthodox Church underlines how the mind should be integrated with the heart because the Holy Spirit presents itself within the heart of the believer. For the integration of the mind and the heart to be possible, the believer must practice a spiritual discipline through which the mind overcomes distracting thoughts, and attains stillness within the heart. When the mind reaches the heart, the integrated being waits for the coming of the Holy Spirit like the thirsty deer in Psalms. When the Spirit begins to present itself in the heart, it works to transform “the attitude, viewpoint, or way of thinking” of the fallen human being.

목차

I. Introduction
 II. The role of 12:1-2 in the epistle of Romans
 III. Analysis of the text through rhetorical criticism
  1. Reformulating the structure of the text
  2. Analysis of the text using rhetorical criticism
 IV. Discussion of “to present the body” and “to renew the mind”
  1. Examination of the interpretation of “to present the body”
  2. Examination of the interpretation of “to renew the mind”
 V. Further reflection for the practical application
 VI. Conclusion
 Bibliography
 Abstract

저자

• Kim, Su-Cheon [ Full time Lecturer of Hyupsung University ]

참고문헌