Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Dear Suzanne, Rebecca, Anna, and Mikayla,
This is probably the most convicting passage in the entire Bible for me. Because of all that God has done...because of His manifold mercies, our logical (reasonable) response is to offer up our bodies and very lives to Him for His glory, to lead separated lives from the world and to have our minds transformed by the word of God. Total dedication, commitment and devotion to "doing" His will is our reasonable service. We are His slaves...our only purpose being to serve Him. We are to magnify Him in our bodies and our lives. I have heard it put this way: Christ died for me the least I can do is live for Him.
Let's look at the passage more closely now.
The first 11 chapters of Romans are filled with rich theological truths....Chapters 12-16 describe to us how to live in light of these truths....here again is where the rubber meets the road...are you going to be informed or reformed by these truths.
Paul starts off with I beseech (exhort, implore, entreat) you...that means us. I find it interesting that he does not command here but beseeches or entreats for love's sake.
Paul continues: therefore, by the mercies of God, I believe after much reading that the therefore refers specifically the the doxology in in Chapter 11:33-36 specifically verse 36.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
34 “ For who has known the mind of the LORD?
Or who has become His counselor?”i]">[i]
35 “ Or who has first given to Him
And it shall be repaid to him?”j]">[j]
36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.
Because God is the source, sustainer, and the rightful end of all things that exist the only acceptable worship is to offer yourself completely to Him. (1 Cor 8:6, 1 Cor 15:28, Ephes 1:23, Ephes 4:6, Hebrews 2:10)
Mercies is defined as the outward manifestation of pity; it assumes need on the part of him who receives it, and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows it. His "mercies" are the ground upon which believers are to present their bodies a living sacrifice. And boy do I need His mercy!
His mercies are the ground on which we are to do this...Thank God it is His mercies...John MacArthur describes his mercies as the gracious, extravagant, divine graces Paul described in Chapters 1-11...His love - He has set it upon us...we are the beloved of God, His grace - the unmerited favor God shows guilty sinners righteousness - His righteousness from God...not our own but Jesus' through His death on the cross and His gift of faith - salvation is a gift from God..it has nothing to do with anything we can do or have to achieve. This really should just melt us...Our God is so full of mercy and compassion! Could we trust anyone else with our bodies and our very lives! He is sure to use them kindly and with compassion...He is sure not to give us more than we can bear...He knows our frames.
Paul continues that you present your bodies a living sacrifice. Under the old covenant God accepted animal sacrifices. Because of Christ's ultimate sacrifice the Old Testament sacrifices are no longer accepted.
Hebrews 9:11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come,a]">[a] with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
So because of all He has done for us, because all things were created through Him and for Him we are to give him ourselves as living sacrifices. The body is to be used as a servant of the soul in service to God. God again is a gentleman. Paul writes these verses as an exhortation...he tells us that giving our bodies and souls in service to God as living sacrifices for His glory is our reasonable service...it is holy and acceptable to God. The thing about a living sacrifice is that our will needs to be completely set apart to God to do what He wants. If they are not, we will keep jumping off the altar.
How do we keep from jumping off the altar? Here is what I know. I have made it a practice to spend much time in His word. As I did this I get/got to know Him better and in knowing Him better, I love Him more and in loving Him more I trust Him more and in trusting Him more I surrender more of my will to Him. (I decrease...He increases; or His desires become my desires) It is a process...God uses the trials we face to wean us from those things we depend on...He pulls the rug out--so to speak-- and when we look up by faith His grace is there. Now He doesn't hit us right away with the hard stuff...He weans us slowly and wisely and if we are in the Word and diligently seeking Him, He prepares us perfectly for what is ahead. This has been so true in my own life. As we look into the mirror of His Word deeply we are changed and we become more like Him. 2nd Corinthians 3:18 says 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. So when our minds are saturated and controlled by word of God we will know what is that good acceptable and perfect will....His will isn't hard ...it is good, acceptable and perfect. I don't know about you but I want that...I want my life to be His and not mine...my life was a mess before I came to Him. He made the crooked places straight as I yielded my will to Him by the power of His Spirit working in my life. He promises to complete that work. It is all Him...not us...
Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
Love Mom
This is probably the most convicting passage in the entire Bible for me. Because of all that God has done...because of His manifold mercies, our logical (reasonable) response is to offer up our bodies and very lives to Him for His glory, to lead separated lives from the world and to have our minds transformed by the word of God. Total dedication, commitment and devotion to "doing" His will is our reasonable service. We are His slaves...our only purpose being to serve Him. We are to magnify Him in our bodies and our lives. I have heard it put this way: Christ died for me the least I can do is live for Him.
Let's look at the passage more closely now.
The first 11 chapters of Romans are filled with rich theological truths....Chapters 12-16 describe to us how to live in light of these truths....here again is where the rubber meets the road...are you going to be informed or reformed by these truths.
Paul starts off with I beseech (exhort, implore, entreat) you...that means us. I find it interesting that he does not command here but beseeches or entreats for love's sake.
Paul continues: therefore, by the mercies of God, I believe after much reading that the therefore refers specifically the the doxology in in Chapter 11:33-36 specifically verse 36.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
34 “ For who has known the mind of the LORD?
Or who has become His counselor?”i]">[i]
35 “ Or who has first given to Him
And it shall be repaid to him?”j]">[j]
36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.
Because God is the source, sustainer, and the rightful end of all things that exist the only acceptable worship is to offer yourself completely to Him. (1 Cor 8:6, 1 Cor 15:28, Ephes 1:23, Ephes 4:6, Hebrews 2:10)
Mercies is defined as the outward manifestation of pity; it assumes need on the part of him who receives it, and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows it. His "mercies" are the ground upon which believers are to present their bodies a living sacrifice. And boy do I need His mercy!
His mercies are the ground on which we are to do this...Thank God it is His mercies...John MacArthur describes his mercies as the gracious, extravagant, divine graces Paul described in Chapters 1-11...His love - He has set it upon us...we are the beloved of God, His grace - the unmerited favor God shows guilty sinners righteousness - His righteousness from God...not our own but Jesus' through His death on the cross and His gift of faith - salvation is a gift from God..it has nothing to do with anything we can do or have to achieve. This really should just melt us...Our God is so full of mercy and compassion! Could we trust anyone else with our bodies and our very lives! He is sure to use them kindly and with compassion...He is sure not to give us more than we can bear...He knows our frames.
Paul continues that you present your bodies a living sacrifice. Under the old covenant God accepted animal sacrifices. Because of Christ's ultimate sacrifice the Old Testament sacrifices are no longer accepted.
Hebrews 9:11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come,a]">[a] with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
So because of all He has done for us, because all things were created through Him and for Him we are to give him ourselves as living sacrifices. The body is to be used as a servant of the soul in service to God. God again is a gentleman. Paul writes these verses as an exhortation...he tells us that giving our bodies and souls in service to God as living sacrifices for His glory is our reasonable service...it is holy and acceptable to God. The thing about a living sacrifice is that our will needs to be completely set apart to God to do what He wants. If they are not, we will keep jumping off the altar.
How do we keep from jumping off the altar? Here is what I know. I have made it a practice to spend much time in His word. As I did this I get/got to know Him better and in knowing Him better, I love Him more and in loving Him more I trust Him more and in trusting Him more I surrender more of my will to Him. (I decrease...He increases; or His desires become my desires) It is a process...God uses the trials we face to wean us from those things we depend on...He pulls the rug out--so to speak-- and when we look up by faith His grace is there. Now He doesn't hit us right away with the hard stuff...He weans us slowly and wisely and if we are in the Word and diligently seeking Him, He prepares us perfectly for what is ahead. This has been so true in my own life. As we look into the mirror of His Word deeply we are changed and we become more like Him. 2nd Corinthians 3:18 says 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. So when our minds are saturated and controlled by word of God we will know what is that good acceptable and perfect will....His will isn't hard ...it is good, acceptable and perfect. I don't know about you but I want that...I want my life to be His and not mine...my life was a mess before I came to Him. He made the crooked places straight as I yielded my will to Him by the power of His Spirit working in my life. He promises to complete that work. It is all Him...not us...
Philippians 1:6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
Love Mom
2 comments:
I loved it Mom...thank you...I have a Proverbs 31 woman as a mom...it brings such peace to know that the Lord is in control of my life. ~ Love rll
Thanks honey...glory to God!
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