To Present Your Bodies As A Living Sacrifice
Romans 12:1-2 Lexham English Bible
12 Therefore I exhort you, brothers, through the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may approve what is the good and well-pleasing and perfect will of God.
We are called to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. The word sacrifice here means sacrifice, offering. Refers to something sacrificed or slaughtered as an offering to God or a god.[1] When we come to Christ our lives no longer belong to us. Our will must be surrendered to the will of Almighty God. Jesus is not only to be savior, but He is also to be Lord. Many love to hear of His forgiveness, few embrace the call to surrender all and carry one’s cross.
We are called to live lives that are holy and pleasing. The word holy means holy, set apart, consecrated, dedicated, saints. Refers to the quality of God who is transcendently distinctive, unique, majestic, perfect, and pure.[2] Our lives are called to be set apart, consecrated, dedicated to Almighty God. Every action should have the focus with glorifying Him. The chief aim of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him. How many Christians today instead live for themselves and simply desire God to bless them in their selfishness. The problem is we don’t know the word of God and therefore we are ignorant of His ways. But if we understand He has called us to be holy and to live a life pleasing to Him, it reveals the importance of obedience to His word.
The word service here means ministry, religious service, worship, duties. Refers to religious service or worship.[3] Every believer is called to ministry. Every believer is called to a life of worship. Worship is not merely singing praises on Sunday morning. It is the way we live daily. Is the way we are leading our families glorifying God? Is the way I conduct myself at work glorifying God? Is the way I am living daily glorifying Him? We need to examine our hearts and lives daily. We must understand the call to be a Living Sacrifice.
The word conform means to assimilate ⇔ be conformed — to be or become behaviorally or socially similar to; conceived of as being or becoming shaped or molded to a certain pattern. [4]The age in which we live is steeped in the lies and deceptions of the demonic. Everything the world glorifies is contrary to God. We are not called to bow our knee to baal. We are not called to embrace the culture and agenda of the day. We are called to be set apart. We are a royal priesthood that is washed in the precious blood of Jesus. We are His ambassadors in this lost and broken world. When we embrace this world and all it stands for, we turn our back on our allegiance to Jesus Christ.
The word transformed is the Greek word metamorphoō and it means to be transformed — to be or become changed in outward appearance or expression as manifesting a change in nature or essence[5]. We are called to be transformed into the image of Christ. The very life of Jesus must be produced within us. As we are changed internally by the work and power of The Holy Spirit, the life of who Christ is manifested externally for all to see. The fruit of the Spirit present in the life of a believer is a result of the daily sanctification process of The Holy Spirit.
How are we changed? We are changed by the renewing of our minds. The word renewal means renewal — the act of reestablishing something in a like-new and often improved manner.[6]As our minds are changed and renewed by the word of God, our lives are transformed supernaturally by the work and person of The Holy Spirit. A person who continually lives in sin but claims to know Jesus is deceived. It is impossible not to be in the word of God on a daily basis and changed by The power of God. Jesus called us to abide in Him. To abide in His truth. We shall know the truth and the truth shall set us free. It is the truth of God’s word that demolishes the strongholds of the devil in our lives that keep us imprisoned building our identity and value on deceptions.
When we are transformed by the renewing of our minds, we will come to know what the will of God is. We will live lives that are well pleasing to the Lord. It is a demonic deception to believe that our conduct doesn’t matter. Our conduct doesn’t impact our righteousness before God because we are justified by faith alone in Jesus Christ. His shed blood has washed us clean. But our outward conduct reveals a inward reality. Are we truly surrendered to Jesus Christ? Is Jesus truly Lord? This a question we must answer daily. We must choose daily to follow the leading and guidance of The Holy Spirit.
Today make a commitment to live for Christ. Stop simply giving God lip service and surrender all of your heart to Him. He desires to bless you and increase His kingdom in your life so that your life will glorify Him, and others will ask, tell me about your God. May we live every day for Jesus. May every moment be surrendered. May we build our lives in the place of prayer and be people of His presence. May all things be done for His glory and honor.
Prayer
Father help me to live for you. Father search my heart and remove anything that is unpleasing. May my life truly be a living sacrifice unto you. May my life be transformed by your work and power Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit help me each day to walk according to your leading. Remove from my life anything that grieves you. May my intimacy with you grow each day and may my life glorify and honor the name of Jesus in all things. Jesus thank you for dying and suffering for me. Thank you for taking the wrath I deserve. Have your way in my heart and life, my I truly be surrendered and may you truly be Lord of my life. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen!
[1] Lesley Difransico, “Sacrifice,” ed. Douglas Mangum et al., Lexham Theological Wordbook, Lexham Bible Reference Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014). [2] Hon-Lee Kwok, “Holiness,” ed. Douglas Mangum et al., Lexham Theological Wordbook, Lexham Bible Reference Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014). [3] Ron Clark and Dougald McLaurin III, “Duty,” ed. Douglas Mangum et al., Lexham Theological Wordbook, Lexham Bible Reference Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014). [4] Rick Brannan, ed., Lexham Research Lexicon of the Greek New Testament, Lexham Research Lexicons (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020). [5] Rick Brannan, ed., Lexham Research Lexicon of the Greek New Testament, Lexham Research Lexicons (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020). [6] Rick Brannan, ed., Lexham Research Lexicon of the Greek New Testament, Lexham Research Lexicons (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020).