Therefore, I urge you, brothers in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, Holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1
This letter to the church in Rome is for discipleship, a call to a transformed life. Christians must understand the deity and nature of Christ, and know His resurrection is the means to eternal life. All actions toward man are done in love. Love in return, for God and others, is sacrifice.
Jewish belief held that Mosaic Law was the completion of God’s will. Therefore, all works of God came through Jewish heritage and tradition. Paul fought this ideology to teach that God did something new in Christ. Nothing is done through the keeping of laws, but rather the choice of God’s love perpetuating the gift of Christ’s mercy. It is Christ that remained perfectly Holy and stands before God to justify man’s sins. Christ alone is worthy of our gratitude and worship.
Paul speaks of living, not dying! A living sacrifice is active, in motion, a catharsis for change and is pleasing to God. Because we were sinners SAVED from DEATH and given LIFE, humble thank you’s without end, made evidence in our life’s choices and actions, is the response most pleasing to God.
Have a great Tuesday,
Gretchen