Warning: this post is a bit of a ramble.  Everything written below is what I am praying and working through right now.  Okay, now that I have prefaced this blog (not sure that is good to do or not), last week I preached on Romans 12:1-20.  Particularly focusing on verses one and two.

¹ 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. (Romans 12:1-2)

As I  studied this text, preached this text and have continued to think about this text, one thing is clear, I cannot stop thinking about this text.  The implications are massive and I mean world-changing massive.  Paul says we are to present our bodies as sacrifices to God.  The basis of this command is on God’s mercies.  Because of all God’s mercies that Paul has talked about in Romans 1-11,  we are to offer our bodies as sacrifices to God.  The reason we do this is because we are worshippers of God (identity) and it is as we present our bodies to God as a sacrifice that we worship Him.  Paul is clear, this “is your spiritual worship.”

The word “body” refers to every part of our lives.  This means everything we do as Christians is for the glory of God. Everything we do is to be an act of worship.  I cannot get that out of my mind.  God did not save me so I would live for Him sometimes but that my life would be a living, holy, and acceptable sacrifice to Him at all times.  I have been saved to Worship God all the time.

In one sense this is not a very difficult passage to understand.  It is pretty clear and straight-forward.  But if we really begin to think about what it means then we quickly come to the realization that it affects everything.  It affects:

• what I do everyday
• where I eat
• how I spend money
• who I spend time with
• where I go
• how I vacation
• how I relax
• when I get up in the morning
• when I go to sleep
• what hobbies I have
• EVERYTHING.

It is these implications and so many more that continue to run through my head.  My life is not my own.  My life is to be used as a sacrifice to God.  My life is for God’s glory.

The reason I say the implications of this passage are world-changingly massive is because if we the church lived this way, then this world would be different.  And I don’t mean marginally different, I mean radically different.  Perhaps the world would once again repeat the words of Acts 17:6, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also.”

As I write this, I am very much humbled by this verse and by the fact that I fall so short.  At the moment, my prayer is that God, through the transforming of my mind would help me to be a sacrifice for Him at all times.  That he would help me as a father, a husband, a pastor, a friend and a disciple of Jesus to be a living, holy, acceptable sacrifice to God.  I pray this becomes an increasing reality in my life everyday.