Romans 12:3

For I say. Paul now proceeds to demonstrate the practical results of a renewed and enlightened mind. He speaks first of the humility and sober-mindedness that befit a consecrated believer and of the proper use of spiritual gifts for the unified building up of the church.

Through the grace. Paul speaks by virtue of the authority conferred on him as an apostle to declare the will of God (see Romans 1:5; 15:15, 16; 1 Corinthians 3:10; 15:10; Galatians 2:9; Ephesians 3:2, 7, 8).

To every man. With these emphatic words Paul expressly includes every individual member of the church at Rome, no matter how high his office or how great his influence. Perhaps Paul feared that the Christians in Rome might fall into the same condition of spiritual presumption as had the believers in Corinth, from which city he was writing this epistle (see 1 Corinthians 1-5; 2 Corinthians 10:13).

Not to think. In the Greek there is a play on words here that cannot be easily reproduced in good English. The literal translation would be, “not to be high-minded beyond what one ought to be minded, but to be minded so as to be sober-minded.” This is a strong warning against overestimating oneself. A man needs to become acquainted with the weak as well as the strong points in his character, so that he may be constantly guarded against engaging in enterprises and assuming responsibilities for which God has never designed him (see Great Controversy, p. 319).

Soberly (Greek: sophroneo), “to be of sound mind,” “to be in one’s right mind.” The person who is proud and conceited is not properly minded. Humility is the immediate effect of self-surrender to God and the consequent renewing of the mind. The consecrated believer recognizes his dependence upon God’s grace for every spiritual gift he may enjoy, and this leaves no room for undue self-esteem. The Christian estimates himself with enlightened discrimination and sober judgment.

The measure of faith. This is the true standard by which a man should measure himself. The person with an unrenewed, fleshly mind estimates himself by worldly standards, by wealth, position, or learning. He is ever striving to give the impression that he is actually greater than he really is. But when faith comes and the mind is renewed, the believer receives a power of discernment as to the actual limitations of his gifts. Faith introduces him to a new standard of measurement, according to which he accurately determines the nature and extent of his abilities, and so does not think of himself too highly. He realizes that the greater his faith, the greater will be his spiritual influence and power. But this will not be an occasion for pride, for the greater his measure of faith, the keener will be his realization of his entire dependence upon God.