Let first start by reading Romans 12: 1,2 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
This passage starts with “I beseech you therefore, Brethren” so this is how I want to start this series by beseeching you, brethren. For if you are in Christ then we are brethren, fellow servants, and as the apostle Paul did not command the believers, as Moses in the Law but chose to entreat them, employing the appeal of love to enforce the precepts of duty so I choose to adopt a tone of gentle and affectionate persuasion. Because I believe any believer that is truly striving to be pleasing to God, will of their own accord respond to the mercies of God in Christ, which this series will set before you?
There is an important word in this beechen of the brethren, it is the word therefore. Whenever you see the word therefore in scripture you need to ask yourself what is it there for? It has a twofold purpose, it is used to introduce a logical conclusion to something previously stated; and then the result or consequence that follows, with this twofold purpose in mind let us continue. In the previous chapters of this epistle Paul has been telling the believers about many of the blessing that is ours in Christ. Let me list some of these blessing so we can reach this logical conclusion so it can accomplish the desired consequence.
1) Justification by faith.
2) Peace with God.
3) Access and a standing before God.
4) Hope of the glory of God
5) Ability to glory in tribulation.
6) Saved from the wrath to come.
7) Dead to sin and raised to new life.
8) Free not to walk by the flesh but after the Spirit
9) We through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the flesh
10)We are grafted in the olive tree and now are part of God’s people.
These are just some of the blessings previously stated which Paul sums up in three words “mercies of God” to bring about a logical conclusion and the result or consequence that should follow. Therefore, Brethren, by the mercies of God, you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. What is more logical and a more proper result then that!
Present your bodies a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. In the Old Testament the sacrifice was one of blood and death. Taken place daily, weekly, monthly and yearly, the alters of the temple ran with blood from the dead bodies of slain animals and birds. But there was a total change from Judaism to Christianity, for there was one sacrifice offered for sin for ever, the son of God, the Lamb of God and God’s mercy was presented for acceptance or rejection.
I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God. To present means: “to put at one’s disposal” Let us consider the word disposal for a moment it means subject to one’s orders or decisions. Is your body subject to God’s orders or decisions?
Let us consider the body? It is the vehicle of information and action, the instrument used to perform all activities of life and the only medium to which one can live for God amongst men. So conduct, words, imaginations, must be undefiled and all activities of bodily members must be governed by one great controlling purpose to please God and do his will.
Consider the member of the body which must be yielded:
1) The eyes. If your eye offends you pluck it out (Matt 18: 9), the lust of the eyes must be mortified.
2) The Hands: Wherefore if your hand offend you cut it off (Matt 18: 8), Let him that stole stead no more; but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that is in need (Eph. 4: 28).
3) The feet. “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction” (James 2:27). “I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came unto me” (Matt 25: 36).
4) The mouth. “ Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers” (Eph. 4: 29). “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt” (Col. 4: 6).
5) The thoughts and imaginations. “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10: 5).
There is in every sacrifice a death, and in the presenting your body a death unto sin, out of which there starts a new life of righteousness unto God, though the natural life is not lost, a new life is gained. The body shares equally in the death unto sin and the new life unto righteousness and holiness. The body is consecrated to him who has redeemed the body as well as the soul; and its members are employed as instruments of righteousness and weapons against sin. God requires the body, soul and spirit to be consecrated to him. For the body will express and manifest the character, the existence or non existence of spiritual life and reveal the true man.
The body can only become a sacrifice and offering when it is dead unto sin and given as an agent of righteousness and holiness.
The Apostle Paul said that bodily exercise profits nothing, which circumcision availed nothing, but the new creation is the true profit and value ((1 Ti. 4:8 & Gal. 5:6).
Jesus taught that worship to be acceptable, must be in spirit and in truth (Jn. 4:23 , 24
When you use your bodily member in service unto righteousness your sacrifices is acceptable unto God, something which is well approved, eminently satisfactory, and extra ordinarily pleasing.
God’s requirement for holiness is reasonable in light of his mercies. “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertains unto life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1: 3). He has given to the believers everything that is needed to live a righteous and holy life. But above all that the chief thing that make it reasonable is the fact that Jesus Christ in life and in death has dedicated his body to our interests and salvation, so the dedication of our body to righteousness and holiness is surely a reasonable service.
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