Spiritual Formation in the Books of Romans and Ephesians

Table of Contents

Introduction
Romans 12: 1-2
Ephesians 4:17-20
Application to spiritual formation
Conclusion
References
Footnotes

Introduction

The books of Romans and Ephesians were written by Paul, and both contained extortions to the people on how to live their lives according to the dictates of Christianity. Romans 12: 1-2 and Ephesians 4:17-20 have a common theme- they both instruct the people to depend on Gods wisdom, rather than their own, in their new walk in faith. Romans stresses on the fact that new converts to Christianity need to allow God to renew their minds. This way, they may undergo a transformation into what is acceptable in Gods eyes. Ephesians continues this theme, adding that new converts need to get rid of all their worldly ways, for the worldly ways have alienated the unbelievers from God.

Romans 12: 1-2

The first chapters of Romans were spent arguing about the case of salvation for the Gentiles. Paul had to clear the fact that the Gentiles, always condemned in the Old Testament, were now acceptable to God, while the Jews, declared Gods people in the Old Testament, now stood the chance of losing out on the eternal life. Pauls approach to this issue was that God, in his eternal love and wisdom, was within his divine justification to reject those who rejected him, and to accept those whom, in faith and humility, accepted him regardless of whether they were Jews or not. The last few chapters just before chapter 12 shows Pauls admiration for Gods eternal virtues: wisdom, love and patience. Then, having cleared the air about Gentiles in Christianity, he launches into a discourse, in Chapter 12, of how any believer should live the new life¹.

Pauls extortion to believers to present themselves as living sacrifices to God was a direct reference to the changed perceptions about sacrifices in general. In the Old Testament, animals were offered as sacrifices. But Jesus changed all this when he became the sacrifice for the atonement of mankinds iniquities. Pauls teachings were stressing on a spiritual kind of sacrifice the kind given out every time a devout Christian, out of love and gratitude, gave forth glory and praise to God. To God, this freely given praise and glory was the most valuable, and it would be of a sweet-smelling savor².

The second verse in Romans 12 describes the kind of change expected in a new convert to Christianity. It shows that the transformation is beyond mere physical or outwardly behavior. Rather, through an internal change of motivations, paradigms and vision, the person will show obeisance to a higher power in his or her life, and will live according to a new set of principles. This way, though the persons action may look similar to those of worldly people around, his or her life is different. This was Pauls way of showing that some deeds by the unconverted people were praiseworthy and noble, but they still lacked the spiritual dimension that occurred when one underwent spiritual transformation.

The second verse ends with the words that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.³ This phrase stresses the fact that the Christians actions are to be focused on what is substantially acceptable to God, rather than what is ritually practiced in conformity to traditions⁴. In this way, Paul decried the age-old practice of following teachings and social rigors without paying attention to their essential meanings to the spiritual well-being of the person. He emphasized that the will of God was perfect, and that we should all embrace it in all our meditations and actions.

Ephesians 4:17-20

In the fourth chapter of Ephesians, a similar scenario unfolds where Paul addresses the people of Ephesians on their Christian faith and how they should live it. The verses before the 17^th extol how Christians should live in love and unity, giving weight to his argument through several rationalizations. From the 17^th to the 19^th verse, Paul then cautions the Christians against living their lives the way non-believers live theirs. He describes the non-believers way of life: that they depend on their own minds and imagination, rather than Gods perfect knowledge; that their knowledge is however insufficient to save them and is darkened; and that, because of relying on their own wisdom instead of God, they had alienated themselves from Gods will⁵.

Verse 20 closes up the argument by emphasizing that Christians, through their walk with Christ, were saved from facing a similar doom as the non believers. The overall implication here is that Christs doctrines are supreme over any worldly knowledge or pretensions. No worldly doctrines have the ability to curb sin, or to transform a person, like the saving graces of Jesus Christ. But the worldly in this world are blind to this truth, and continue on in their mindless search for ultimate enlightenment, not realizing that they have already rejected it by not accepting Jesus Christ as their sole guidance into the light.

Application to spiritual formation

Paul was speaking directly to the Pharisees and other intellectual bodies who wallow under layers of superficial knowledge, rationalizing every action, building up moral codes and moral standards, and using these to govern the people. According to Paul, all this effort was in vain, if at the end of it all, the people remained ignorant of Christs saving graces and mercies. For while worldly rules and regulations held up the people to certain social obligations, they did not change the inner person, neither did they affect the persons spirit. Hence while people could live in a socially-acceptable manner under the dictates of worldly values, they still needed Gods saving graces to make sense of this life.

Pauls description of the worldly way of life showed just what a trap it was. While the non-believers were wallowing in their blindness and superficiality, they were simultaneously benumbed to their deplorable conditions. Their conscience was no longer active, and they were beyond realizing their folly and the need to change. Hence they sink deeper into the sinful mire, pulled ever more deeply by their insatiable greed. Paul clearly depicts the life of the unbeliever as hopeless. But the 20^th verse of Ephesians 4 shows that all who submit to the will of God are saved from such a life.

Conclusion

The two books discussed here extolled one major truth: that all worldly wisdom was not adequate to change a persons mentality permanently. In order for one to live according to Gods will, one first has to humble himself or herself, accept Gods dictates, live with them, and let them direct him or her. This way, at the end, the person can re-examine his or her transformed life, compare it with the previous existence, and realize that Gods will is good, acceptable, and perfect. And while doing so, the person should not bend down to worldly wisdom, but rather should be steadfast in the focus on spiritual matters, secure in the knowledge that Gods way was superior to any worldly ways.