Romans 12:1-2

Romans 12:1 f. Practical Holiness. On his doctrine Paul grounds a moral homily.

Romans 12:1. Therefore covers the entire previous teaching. The compassions of God link this paragraph to the last: the tenderness of the Divine mercy prompts to consecration, Present your bodies recalls Romans 6:12 f.*; the demand for physical consecration arose from the prevalence of bodily sin (cf. Romans 6:6; Romans 6:19, etc.). The body is made a living sacrifice in the activities of daily duty. Rational service (worship) contrasted with the outward and mechanical (cf. Romans 1:9, Php_3:3) implies intelligent practical devotion, the religion which makes work worship.

Romans 12:2. The sacrifice is defined by its opposite: No longer comply with the fashions of this age (cf. Romans 1:18, etc.); but let there be a transformation in you, effected by the renovation of your mind.Fashion is guise or habit of life; form, the intrinsic mode of being (cf. Php_2:6 f.*).The mind to be renewed is the reason (as in Romans 1:28; Romans 7:25) mind in its essential powers. Such renovation qualifies one to discriminate what God wills (cf. Ephesians 5:17): His will is identified with the good and acceptable and perfect (mg.), with that which approves itself to a true conscience; cf. Php_4:8, etc.

On the above basis, first social (Romans 12:3), then civil (Romans 13:1) duties are enjoined, all being summed up under the law of love (Romans 13:8) and enforced by the urgency of the situation (Romans 13:11).