1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
When one sees a "Therefore" in scripture, I was taught you should go back and see what it is there for. This verse refers back to the first 11 chapters of Romans where Paul emphasizes what Christ has done for us and that we are saved by faith and not by works. That nothing we do can earn our way to favor with God. I was all done by mercy.
In light of these facts we're to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice. Jews would understand what a sacrifice was. They put aside animals to be sacrificed at different festivals and times of sacrifice. The thing about the sacrifice is once it was killed, it was gone. Dead.
So how does one be a "living: sacrifice?
One dies to oneself daily. (Luke 9:23) As and American I have the Constitution and have certain rights enumerated in the Bill of Rights. We are to be good stewards of these freedoms, but when they conflict with God's will for our lives we must willingly give them up. In our daily relationships we willingly give up our "right" to win. (Philippians 2:3-4) In our daily plans we must seek God's plan first and align our plans up with His.
One does not conform to the world. We all have to dress, eat, work and play. However in these day to day activities the world should see that we are different. Our dress should be modest. Our food should be in moderation. Our work should be as unto the Lord. Our play should be pleasing to Him. I won't give you specifics for each of these other than two principals found in Romans when Paul was discussing sacred days and meat sacrificed to Idols..
- If you are convinced that your actions are pure then keep it between you and God.
- Do not be a stumbling block to your brother.
One is transformed by the renewing of their mind. This can only be accomplished by scripture and allowing the Holy Spirit to illuminate the WORD. I have found this truth to be so evident in the past few months. Things that used to entice me still do, but the truth of scripture has made these thing less and less important. I can actually function without being pulled away by my selfish desires so often.
God Bless.
No comments:
Post a Comment