How To Present Your Body as a Living Sacrifice
The Apostle Paul wrote each of his epistles to draw his readers closer to God. In Romans 12 he said you must each present your body as a living sacrifice.
Did you ever wonder what that looks like and how we can accomplish it?
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Romans 12:1
Look close at that verse to see why you should present your body as a living sacrifice. It says because of all God has done for you. Next, he wrote a sampling of what God has done.
- God transforms you into a new person by changing the way you think. (v.2)
- He has offered you his will which is good and pleasing and perfect. (v.2)
- He has given you a measure of faith. (v.3)
- And He has also gifted you that enables you to do certain things well. (v.6)
A Warning from Paul
Paul offered a stern warning for us in verse 3.
Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Romans 12:3
When he said “in your evaluation of yourselves,” he wasn’t talking about standing in front of the mirror. Or flexing your muscles in admiration.
No, we must measure ourselves from the inside out. Starting with the faith that God has provided for us. We are not our own, we belong to the entire body.
We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. Romans 12:5
With that said, every Christian has spiritual gifts. You may not consider your gifting spiritual but that’s ok. Most of the gifts of the Spirit are things we can do to serve others in a practical way. Romans 12:6-8 offers a shortlist of spiritual gifts.
The Road Map of How to Present Your Body as a Living Sacrifice
The next section of Romans 12 offers another shortlist. This one consists of ways to offer your body as a living sacrifice.
- Love
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Romans 12:9-10
- Work
Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Romans 12:11
- Rejoice and Patience
Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. Romans 12:12
- Meet Needs
When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. Romans 12:13
Paul continued with more ways to offer your body as a living sacrifice. Especially in how you treat those who don’t like you. The following verse sums up what the 4 prior verses say.
Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Romans 12:18
Do You Enjoy Worshiping the Lord?
Let me ask you a question. Do you enjoy worshiping the Lord? I do too! But worship is much more than singing songs and praising Him. Observe what Paul said as we look back to verse 1. This is truly the way to worship him.
You worship Him when you present your body as a living sacrifice by doing these things. It’s not limited though to what’s written in this chapter alone, but also throughout the entire New Testament.
Lord, receive our worship in the way we treat fellow believers, friends, and even enemies. We offer our bodies to you because of all you have done for us.
Read this related post of why you can present your body as a living sacrifice. Jesus Is The Ultimate Sacrifice For All Eternity.
Read the entire chapter of Romans 12.
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