Series: Renewal
Romans 12:1 ESV
Leviticus 1:3-4 ESV
Joshua 24:15 ESV
James 1:5 ESV
Matthew 5:7 ESV
(Galatians 2:16, Romans 8:14-17, Ephesians 1:11,14, Ephesians 2:8-10, James 1:12, Acts14:22, Isaiah 41:10, Deuteronomy 7:9, Romans 8:31-39, Romans 8:17-18, Colossians 2:12, Ephesians 1:22-23)
Romans 1-2 J.D. Philips
Upon first reading of Romans 12:1 we tend to take the word “bodies” at face value. In other words we literally think of our physical body.
So, what does scripture say?
Romans 12:1 tells us, “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.”
Paul’s use of the word “bodies” certainly draws the reader ‘in’ making it personal.
In other words, Paul wanted them to give their all to God. He even referenced the body as being a sacrifice. That was actually language his readers would have understood in the First Century.
Sacrifices in the Old Testament were given or made to thank God and to mend or repair any problem with the relationship.
In the Hebrew the sacrifice was something offered. There were various kinds of offerings. For example in Leviticus 1:3-4 we are told, “If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, you are to offer a male without defect. You must present it at the entrance to the tent of meeting so that it will be acceptable to the Lord. You are to lay your hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on your behalf to make atonement for you.”
The sacrifice was personal.
We notice the sacrificial animal had to be a male without defect, so each animal had to be thoroughly inspected.
There were also specific instructions about where the sacrifice was to be presented.
The animal being sacrificed had a personal connection with the one receiving atonement.
It was an act of worship.
Every part of the offering mentioned in Leviticus was mentioned in Romans 12:1. The only difference was that the sacrifice didn’t involve an animal. It was instead a symbolic sacrifice of a human.
The human mentioned in Romans 12:1 was making a choice to participate in the sacrifice. They were offering to give their heart and soul to God.
WE make or have made a choice. The choice is to be called. We make that choice as believers.
In Joshua 24:15 a choice was made as well. We read, “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
In our choosing we do not stand alone. We are promised wisdom in James 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”
Notice the promise of wisdom doesn’t have any strings attached.
It doesn’t say ‘if you do this you will receive wisdom.’ It simple and clearly says if we don’t have wisdom we can ask God for wisdom and we will receive wisdom.
In other words if we do not know what to do we can ask God to show us what to do.
God also gives mercy to believers. In Matthew 5:7 we are promised the merciful will be blessed “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”
The list goes on and on. We are justified by faith (Galatians 2:16). We are adopted sons through Jesus (Romans 8:14-17). We are heirs (Ephesians 1:11,14).
We live by grace through the guidance of the Spirit who lives in us (Ephesians 2:8-10).
We are promised the Spirit will help us when we face troubles (James 1:12, Acts 14:22).
We are assured God will hold onto us (Isaiah 41:10).
We know God is faithful (Deuteronomy 7:9), nothing will separate us from God (Romans 8:31-39), and (a huge and) we will be with God in glory (Romans 8:17-18).
All of those are past present, and future promises.
In light of all of that, the body refers to our being…our being in God through Christ. In a big picture sense the body in the New Testament refers to the body of Christ which includes all believers (Colossians 2:12) and the church is the body of Christ (Ephesians1:22-23).
WOW that covers a lot of ground!
When we look at Romans 12:1-2 in the J.D. Philips it says, “With eyes wide open to the mercies of God, I beg you, my brothers, as an act of intelligent worship, to give Him your bodies, as a living sacrifice, consecrated to Him and acceptable by Him. Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the Plan of God for you is good, meets all His demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.”
When we look at the text from that translation we see the big picture. We realize our bodies are a precious gift and God recognizes the gift as part of the big picture plan.
So Hear this: You. You are part of the plan. Do not take that lightly. Do not trivialize that. Do not miss God’s plan because YOU are important to God. You matter because God has a plan for you.
Spiritual Practice: The Plan
If you do not know the plan God has for you ask God to give you wisdom about your plan. Then listen…
In God, Deborah
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