Home group questions
1. What do you understand about the difference between the sacrifices of the pagan religions compared to the sacrifices of Israel? (Consider Leviticus 5:10; Psalm 50:5-23; 54:4-7; Deuteronomy 12:29-31) How would the term ‘living sacrifice’ be strange to the Christians who first heard/read it?
2. What does it mean to present our bodies as living sacrifices? (Consider Mark 8:34-38) What is the relationship between presenting your body as a living sacrifice and not conforming to this world? (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) How is this worshiping God?
3. How do Christians sometimes too narrowly define the term worship? How does compartmentalising worshiping God to specific times, places and activities give a false idea of what worship really is?
4. Jesus said, “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” (John 4:23) According to Romans 12:1, how do we worship God in spirit?
5. What do you think it means to be holy and acceptable to God? How does verse 2 help us understand how to be holy and acceptable?
6. What does it mean to be conformed to this world? (v2) In what ways do some Christians and some churches conform to the world? Why is it important not to conform to the world? (1 Corinthians 1:20-21; Ephesians 2:1-3; 4:17-19)
7. What do you think Paul means by “be transformed by the renewal of your mind” (v2) and for what purpose should we do so? What does it say about our responsibility in our path toward sanctification? (Consider also Romans 8:5-8)
