Living Sacrifice

A Living Sacrifice

Romans 12:1–2 NKJV

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. 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.

A Call to Humility

In Romans 12:3 we are called to walk in humility and not in Spiritual haughtiness

Romans 12:3 NKJV

For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

Why is Paul asking us to remember how God has dealt with us?

Why is it important to remember the grace of God in our lives?

A Call to Holiness

In Romans 12:1 Paul calls the church to life of sacrifice and holiness

Romans 12:1 NKJV

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.

παρακαλέω-to ask for something earnestly and with propriety—‘to ask for (earnestly), to request, to plead for, to appeal to, earnest request, appeal.’

Paul is asking the believer to take action to persue holiness because of the mercies of God

List two times that you experienced the mercy of God:

Why do you think that Paul is so concerned about the life of the believer?

It is interesting that in verse one Paul divides the body from the Spirit!

It is because the body appities need sacrificed and the Spirit's life needs renewed

οἰκτιρμός-display of concern over another’s misfortune, pity, mercy, compassion

God was moved to action because of the state of man...how much more should we willingly pursue His ways now in our lives?

Have you ever felt concerned for the welfare of an unbeliever?

Did you sense the urgency of need of a person to know Christ?

In Psm. 40:1-3 we read:

Psalm 40:1–3 NKJV

I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth— Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the LORD.

In 1 Corinthians 6:20 we read these words

1 Corinthians 6:20 NKJV

For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Does the believer's life directly impact those who see it?

Compassion Demands a Response

Paul begins by making it clear that in view of the wonderful salvation of which he has been writing believers must respond with wholehearted commitment. Being the servants of a God who loves like that means that the whole of life is to be lived in service to God.

Morris, L. (1988). The Epistle to the Romans (p. 432). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.

Why is important for a Christian to live a holy life

How does how we behave influence those around us?

A Call to Sacrifice

Paul admonishes the believer to "present your bodies a living sacrifice

No doubt Paul wass thinking of the fellowship offering mentioned in Lev. 7:15

Leviticus 7:15 NKJV

‘The flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offering for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day it is offered. He shall not leave any of it until morning.

Twice daily a lamb was sacrificed in thanksgiving to God

Now we should be willing to be a "living sacrifice" unto our King which is our "reasonable" respone to His grace.

Think about three ways you can be a "living sacrifice":

Good behaviour confirms a believer’s profession of faith

2 Pe 1:5–11

2 Peter 1:5–11 NKJV

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

See also Mt 7:16–20

What does Peter mean by "make sure your calling"?

Obedience to Jesus Christ and his teachings

Matthew 7:24–25 NKJV

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

See also Jn 14:15; Jn 14:23; Jn 15:10; Col 3:16

What is the rock that Jesus refers here too?

A believer has died to sin and is alive to God

Romans 6:11–14 NKJV

Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

See also Ro 6:2; Ro 6:19; Ga 5:16; Ga 5:24–25; Eph 4:22–24; Col 3:1; Col 3:5; Col 3:9–10; 1 Th 5:5–8