Living Sacrifices

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. - Romans 12:1

 Let's really think about this verse, breaking it down into it's constituent parts. Verse 1: “Therefore” looks back to chapters 1-11. The Apostle is urging or appealing (ESV) the brethren to, by the “mercies of God” (all those mentioned in 1-11), “present”. This is interesting...all believers do is “present [our] bodies a living and holy sacrifice,”. (Think about each word here). An Old Testament sacrifice was something offered to God, as an act of worship. The sacrifice of a believer’s life is “living and holy”, sustained and set apart spiritually and physically by God. Our sacrifice is “acceptable to God” because of Christ and His Gospel (2 Cor. 5:21). This is our “spiritual service of worship.” This verse describes the believer’s existence. We must quit struggling to play a bigger role in our life with God. We, by His mercies, present ourselves to God. Christ is all in all. Will you trust Him? His grace is sufficient for you to live for Him. Perhaps you've never trusted in Christ as your Lord and Saviour. Would you do so today?

Verses for further reading: Lamentations 3:22-24:

               22      The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,

         For His compassions never fail.

               23      They are new every morning;

         Great is Your faithfulness.

               24      “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,

         “Therefore I have hope in Him.” 

Matthew 16:24-28:

          24      Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.

          25      “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

          26      “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

          27      “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.

          28      “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (Ro 12:1; La 3:22-24; Mt 16:24-28). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.