Romans 12, with all its exhortations, is the Holy Spirit speaking to Paul straight from the heart of Jesus, and gives a true picture of what took place in Jesus’ life. By the mercies of God, we are exhorted to present our bodies as a living, holy sacrifice, acceptable to God. Rom. 12:1. This is precisely what Jesus did when He came into the world: “A body You have prepared for Me. . . . Behold, I have come . . . to do Your will, O God.” Heb. 10:5,7. That was His covenant with His Father—the New Covenant. Jesus attended to the altar, Heb. 7:13. If the exhortations in Romans 12 are to become life in us, we must also bear this altar in the depths of our hearts— because the sacrifices are found within our bodies. Then the body of Christ comes forth, since we are “individually members of one another.” Rom. 12:5. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” V. 2. The will of God is not an outward, mechanical execution of certain works, but deeds and actions that spring from a life that is rooted in Him who is love, the source of wisdom. The will of God in Jesus Christ is to give thanks for everything. This can only become true from a humble posture in our hearts before God. The common tendency is for thoughts to be shaped from without, from this world, which is visible and earthly. It is a world governed by the ruler of this world, and everything traces back to the body of sin. “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.” 1 John 2:16. Human reasoning does not align with obedience to God’s word, and all these opinions that are contrary to God’s will easily shape us. God’s intention is that we, as vessels of mercy, should be shaped from within, as a result of the fire that consumes the body of sin and thereby opens the way into the life of God and His way of thinking—the Jerusalem above, the heavenly. This world has come into being as a result of the tireless efforts made by of the ruler of this world. Everything has its root in the Fall, caused by the one who said in his heart: “I will ascend into heaven . . .” Isa. 14:13–14. It says “I will” five times here. The body of sin is filled with this drive to ascend that lies within the will of the flesh. If I unite my free-will with the will of my flesh, then I am on the way of self-will, and the old man is, or becomes, active. Behind this stand powerful spiritual forces, which also clothe themselves in elegant and flowery language. These forces are in direct contact with the ruler of this world. The honor of man is absolutely central to this “I will.” Our thoughts then turn outward and are shaped by this world. On the other hand, if I unite my free will with God’s will, I will find the new and living way and the footsteps of Jesus. He never did anything other than the Father’s will. Then there will be a transformation by the renewing of our minds. Therefore a new birth is needed. “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3. What an emphatic statement! Through this new birth, the kingdom of God dwells within us—a new creation having eyes and ears, created in the image of God in true righteousness and holiness. Then it is not the world with its false glitter that shapes me, but God’s will and thoughts that work like leaven in the innermost heart where the fire of the altar is at work. One of the exhortations in the chapter reads as follows: “Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.” Rom. 12:16. It is here that the brotherhood of Jesus and divine unity arise. Here we see the footsteps of Jesus and the direction of the new and living way—it leads downward through the judgment that passes over self-life. There, in the span of time between the manger and the cross of Calvary, the narrow way to life was consecrated. Jesus was the complete opposite of being wise in His own opinion when He said: “I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” John 5:30. If we receive grace and mercy to follow the Master in this, we will become the very opposite of this world, which strives after what is lofty—great, greater, greatest—like a soap bubble, far from God, who does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit. Job 37:24. (NRSV) They become all the more interesting prey for the ruler of this world, who has come only to steal, to kill, and to destroy. They go astray in the thoughts of their heart because the word—the exhortation—does not penetrate and judge the thoughts and intents of their hearts. This desire to be something is the very substance of the body of sin. An unquenchable fire burned on Jesus’ altar that consumed this substance so that He could say: “For the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.” John 14:30. The will and resistance of the flesh were defeated and annihilated, and with this, also, everything that is considered to be self-will. If this transformation does not take place by the renewing of our minds, we can still conform and fit in to the external framework of the church. What others think of us matters greatly. Our thought life becomes horizontal. We hear the preaching, but we do not see the glory of the Lord. Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus. He saw and heard. His traveling companions heard, but saw nothing. Acts 9:7. In John’s time, there were many who had not taken an interest in what took place in Jesus during the days of His flesh. There was no altar where the fire burned, no living interest in working out their own salvation. They had gone astray in their thoughts. But even in that, there was also a development. John wrote: “They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.” 1 John 4:5. They developed the art of deceitful plotting to the point that even the word of God was falsified. But regarding himself and the other members of the body, he said: “We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” 1 John 4:6. If we allow the Spirit of truth to lead us into the riches of the many exhortations in this chapter, we will find our life and our sinful inclinations and lay them upon the altar. Then we have fellowship with Him who was manifested in the flesh, and the spirit of error finds no entrance. We become a stone in the building of which He is the chief cornerstone. He Himself says about these stones: “They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” John 17:16. They don’t fit in with the ways of this world. He Himself was rejected by the builders of His time. To seek honor from men, to avenge yourself “in a subtle way” at opportune moments, to harbor envy—is to be conformed to this world. Then you are living under a delusion. Paul’s exhortation not to be conformed to this world has to do with our thought life, not with outward rules in a striving after the approval of men. On the contrary, it is the prescription for a happy life in God’s sight, now and for all eternity. “And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:17. They are being transformed into the likeness of the Father and the Son, and are truly members of the body of Christ, unto blessing and edification. For such people, a glorified body has been prepared in the resurrection.Gunnar Gangsø

“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Heb. 9:14. Both living and dead works are mentioned here. The difference is that works that are living are brought forth by the Holy Spirit. Jesus mentions an example of dead works in Matt. 6:1-5. “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.” Matt. 6:1. What is noteworthy here is that the reward has already been paid out. Serving the living God must become a matter of the heart for me. “How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?” John 5:44. If honor-seeking is the driving force behind what I do, the result will likewise be dead works. “Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.” 1 Cor. 3:12-13. Inferior building materials amount to easy solutions—the kind that cost nothing. We tend to find an easier way to get by as cheaply as possible, but this falls into the same category as dead works. “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Gal. 5:25. This becomes a key word for our conscience to be cleansed from dead works, so that we can continue as servants in Spirit and truth. John exhorts in his second letter in verse 8: “Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.” This is written in connection with walking in the truth and loving one another. A full reward means that I don’t receive honor or find an easier way. The truth about myself and love for my friends help me to stay focused on the goal.Peter Riis Pedersen

Ps. 125:1. “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.” These people are unshakable in their faith in God’s leading in all aspects of life. Despite what their feelings and reasoning tell them, they put their trust in the Lord. For this reason they also come to rest, because they know that God has only thoughts of a future and a hope in all the circumstances of life, and that they will not be tempted beyond what they are able. They draw near to God, so that God draws near to them. They are humble under God’s mighty hand, because they know that all things work together for good to those who love God, because they know that this is what they need to be conformed to the image of God’s Son. Everything God does has been carefully weighed and measured, and it has one sole purpose: to prepare us for eternity, so that through suffering we may attain the glory of Jesus Christ—His virtues that have eternal value. We understand very little of God’s thoughts; they are higher than our own. That is why it is absolutely essential to put our trust in the Lord and not in ourselves or our own clever thoughts. Ps. 18:1–2. “I will love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” We truly need to nourish ourselves with the words of faith, which must be in our mouths and in our hearts. It is these words that pierce to the division of soul and spirit, between joints and marrow, and overcome all troubled thoughts, so that by God’s power we are upheld in faith because we have been begotten again to a living hope of transformation and divine nature. Peter loved Jesus with all his heart, and when he saw Jesus walking toward him on the water, he jumped out of the boat to meet him. But when he saw the fierce storm, he was afraid and began to sink. “He cried out, saying, ‘Lord, save me!’ And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’” Matt. 14:28-33. As long as Peter believed and had a “connection” to Jesus, he walked on the water, but when he began to look at the waves and the storm, he began to sink because he began to doubt. This is an example for us, that we might be kept in a rock-solid faith, so that we do not sink into the waves—turmoil in feelings and reasoning—that rise up because there is a “storm.” In Phil. 4:6-7, Paul exhorts us not to be anxious for anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, to let our requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. This gives us a rock-solid, unshakable faith that sustains us through all the circumstances of life. “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.” Matt. 7:24-25. Let us take it as Elias Aslaksen writes in song WotL 146, verse 3: “Wisdom so good from the Father of Spirits! All things He guides for my very best, I see. All that befalls me He turns and He causes to fit His plan of salvation for me . . . .”Herman van Dijk

One of the most important conditions for a water source to be healthy is that it is pure. Impurities make the water unhealthy, and will harm those who drink it. Paul writes about sound [healthy, Norw.] doctrine in several places, such as in Tit. 2:1: “But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine.” It is a tremendous grace that we in the church have received such instruction. Pure and sound, giving us true help to be cleansed from all sin. In this, we all have the same opportunity to partake in this divine life. It would be very unhealthy, if I were to judge people and categorize them as being “in” or “out” based solely on my own preferences. “And that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.” Eph. 2:16. Sound doctrine gives the same opportunity to all so-called extreme types of people. Both Jews and Gentiles, who are so different by nature, now have the opportunity to be reconciled in the body of Christ. How can this happen? The answer is that healthy and pure thoughts will bring them to acknowledge their own wretchedness and their own nature, and that they find the solution in the word of the cross. How healthy and pure things become by taking heed to yourself and the doctrine. How unhealthy things become by starting to point fingers at others. That never leads to reconciliation. Many people, especially young people, struggle with unhealthy thoughts. These can be impure, sinful thoughts, but there can also be unstable thoughts about yourself. Either you think too highly of yourself, or you think too little of your own worth. All of this stems from pride and arrogance, which run counter to what sound doctrine teaches us. “And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.” 1 John 3:19–22. The fact that I know and experience that I have an evil nature makes me feel small in my own thoughts, but then I can have great thoughts about God and what He will do in me. In this way I can assure my heart before God, with healthy, thankful and good thoughts. What I need to focus on is to keep God’s commandments, which were written about me and for me.Harald Log

In 1 John 1:8, we read: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” Most of us would never say this out loud. Neither do we think it using these exact words. Nevertheless, in practice, we “say” it when, for example, we judge others, blame others, or cannot bear to hear an uncomfortable truth about ourselves. Then we deceive ourselves, and the truth has no place in us. If we take a closer look at the word self-deception, this is precisely what it means: living in an imagined reality—believing something about others, about oneself, about God, or about our own situation—that is not true. It is the process whereby a person, consciously or unconsciously, deceives themselves in order to avoid facing an unpleasant truth, a responsibility, or a difficult reality. No one else is deceiving us; we are deceiving ourselves. The danger of self-deception is also mentioned in several places in the New Testament. Jas. 1:22 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” And in Gal. 6:3: “For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” In all these verses, we see the same common thread: a lack of the love of the truth about our own sin. Living in self-deception must be a terribly tragic condition and a dark and dangerous place to be. We are not even aware of it ourselves, and at the same time it is written that the truth is not in us. But how can we then be “. . . faithful to the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ”? Eph. 4:15. [Norw.] When the truth about ourselves is not allowed in, we turn our gaze outward instead. We easily form strong opinions about what the people around us are saying and doing—how they are spending their time, their money, how they are raising their children, and so on. Basically, we often think we know better. But when we truly desire to find our own sin, what others are doing becomes of absolutely no interest. There is freedom in knowing that we don’t have to have an opinion about everything and everyone. May I always love the truth about my own sin and pursue salvation. May I constantly turn my gaze inward. May I never forget that I don’t see everything clearly, don’t understand everything fully, and don’t know everything for certain. May I always seek God’s truth and His thoughts, and not trust my own thoughts—neither about myself nor about others. Then life becomes easy and straightforward. And in this way, I can be used by God as an instrument to help, support, edify, and encourage those around me. As David says in Ps. 25:4–5: “Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day.”Heidi Baardsen

“Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” Rev. 2:4. What a direct exhortation the leader of the church in Ephesus received here. For some time Jesus had noticed that this brother’s burning love had been waning— love for Him who is the way, the truth, and the life. Little by little he had turned away from this way, which only the Spirit of truth can lead us on. He had stopped doing one thing only: forgetting those things which are behind and pressing toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God. He had not remained in that perfect attitude of mind, as Paul did throughout his life. Instead, he most likely became increasingly preoccupied with the things he did, was praised for, and heard his name mentioned in connection with. Jesus also confirmed that this brother had worked hard for His name’s sake and had patiently borne burdens. Many in the church probably regarded him as a pillar who would never waver, but Jesus warned that his lampstand would be removed shortly after this exhortation if he did not repent. After that, his opportunity to see himself would be gone. In this condition he was in fact already cut off from the spiritual fellowship with his brothers and sisters who were in this burning love. Up to this point Jesus had given him time to receive the exhortations and to judge himself. But now that he had heard the exhortation—in which Jesus knew exactly how things were with him—he had to repent quickly. V. 5: “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly.” In our first works we judge ourselves. In our first works we do not think that we deserve to be blessed. In our first works we regard ourselves as being least, and therefore we always receive something from others’ faith. We speak from our faith, not from our knowledge. Rom. 1:12. If I do not already see the importance of these first works—which Jesus here states plainly is all that matters to Him—then my first love is in fact about to die out, or has already died out. If I have an ear to hear what the Spirit has said to the brothers and sisters in the church, then I have a wholehearted desire to learn from it!Péter Gyánó

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:3. These words were firmly implanted in John’s heart when he wrote his first letter. “That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:3. “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.” Ch. 2:3. God created man in His own image in order to have fellowship with man. This fellowship was broken when Adam and Eve did not keep the one commandment God gave them. Jesus, our second Adam, came to restore that fellowship. “He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” Ch. 2:4. But for those who walk in the light as He is in the light, that fellowship is being restored. Ch. 1:7. “But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.” Ch. 2:5. John was writing to the children, young people and the fathers who had begun this process of knowing the Father. Ch. 2:12-14. Satan exalted himself and lost fellowship with God. He is creating a kingdom for all who are outside this fellowship. “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” Ch. 3:8. Jesus came in a flesh that could be tempted to sin just as we are, but He was faithful in all His temptations and opened the way back into the presence of God. Heb. 4:15-16. “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” Ch. 2:6. Through this faithfulness, Jesus developed a deep relationship with the Father during His days on earth such that the Father showed Him all that He was doing. John 5:19-20. “By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.” 1 John 4:2-3. These deceiving spirits from Satan preach another Jesus who did not have to overcome sin in his days on earth. However, Jesus clearly bids us to follow Him and overcome as He did. Rev. 3:21. The battle He won over sin in the flesh, makes Him the greatest hero who ever lived. “We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” 1 John 5:18-19. God wants to have fellowship with us. But in order to have fellowship with Him, we must follow the exhortation from John: “Do not love the world or the things in the world.” Ch. 2:15-17. It is pride to give in to what our eyes see and our flesh is drawn to, when it is contrary to God’s commandments. “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.” Ch. 5:20.Steve Lenk