Romans 12:1-2--A Living Sacrifice

Romans 12:1-2
English Standard Version
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A Living Sacrifice
12 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

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​A short passage today, but a good one.  This is a transition point in the book of Romans.  We're now going to start talking about how to practically live out our salvation both in the Church and as ambassadors who represent the kingdom of heaven to those who are still members of the kingdom of the world.

Paul tells us that we need to be "living sacrifices."  One of the things I often hear about this passage is, "The problem with a living sacrifice is that it likes to climb/crawl off the altar."  This is very true as we, like Isaac, must willingly trust our Father and lay our lives down....exactly like Jesus did.  It is not that God necessarily calls us to lay down our physical lives, though He might, but that that we must die to self daily.  That is a daily struggle and challenge.  This is our spiritual act of worship--which comes from "worthship" meaning "You are worthy."

Finally, we get back to the idea of being conformed (being forced into a mold) verses being transformed (metamorphosis), which changes us completely.  The world will try to make you into its image, but we are to be made into the image of God...more specifically the Spirit transforms us into the image of Christ, the Son of God, so that we are sons of God not only by adoption but in likeness of nature.  Jesus prays that we will be one with each other and with Him as He and the Father are one.  That is an amazing thought.  Just as a husband and wife are to be one in marriage, so one day Christ and His Church will be one and we will understand the intimacy that the Trinity has experiences for all eternity.

So then, we are to have our minds transformed because we were lied to in Genesis 3.  No longer are we to reason for ourselves what is good and evil, but we are to once again let God define this--all that which is consistent with God--His nature, character and plan, is good.  All that which is contrary or less than His perfect nature, character "falls short" and is to be reckoned as "sin" and "evil," even if it might seem "good" when compared to other choices or other people or viewed only through human eyes.  So then we are to know and do the will of God for this is what is good, acceptable (that is pleasing) and perfect.