Romans 12-0 Presenting Yourself as a Living Sacrifice to God#
Romans 12-0 Presenting Yourself as a Living Sacrifice to God
(JP Text Group - Organized by the Life of Eagles)
Heavenly Father, thank you and praise you for preparing such a time for us to listen to your words together; this is the bread of our lives. During this time, may the Holy Spirit guide and reveal to us more of your truth, and grant us wisdom to apply your words in our lives. We are willing to be channels of blessing, used by the Lord. Please lead us in the following time, and let me be renewed. In the name of the Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen!
The topic we share today: Presenting Yourself as a Living Sacrifice to God
The scripture is from Romans 12:1-2:
Therefore, brothers, I urge you by the mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your reasonable service. Do not conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.
From today onward, the content we share will have practical help for our lives, which is the application of truth in life. Paul has been talking in chapters 1 to 11 about what God has done for us, that God loves us, that the Holy Spirit has led us out of sin, and also tells us that sin cannot be our master, because those who believe are not under the law but under grace.
The earlier chapters also tell us that we are wild branches grafted onto Christ; we have received the rich sap of Christ, and now there is no distinction between us and the Israelites; we are all receiving God's grace freely. We believe in Jesus Christ and through Him receive God's abundant blessings, and we must spread this gospel to the ends of the earth. This glorious message indicates the great commission of God for us believers on earth.
Through these truths, Paul helps us understand who our God is; He has prepared salvation for us, and as long as people believe, they can receive it. So how should people live after receiving this salvation? Do Christians need to have good behavior?
Many people think that the gospel only speaks of pleasant things, only speaks of blessings, without emphasizing behavior, and even some heresies arise, claiming to be under grace, but their teachings are completely different from the truth of the Lord Jesus. Their teachings deviate from the Bible, saying that God's grace is very good, that Jesus has paid all our debts, so it doesn't matter if we sin, and that it doesn't matter if we have good behavior because God has forgiven us. When they sin, they say, "That is not us doing it; it is the sin within us..." This is not in accordance with the Bible; please stay away from such teachings.
Jesus never told believers that they could sin casually. We acknowledge that believers still sin, but we must pray to God, asking the Lord to give us strength to overcome sin and live a sanctified life. So how can we have the strength to overcome sin? When you understand God's grace, when you know how good, pure, and loving God is, you are drawn by His love, and people do not want to sin; unconsciously, they live more and more like Jesus.
Starting from Romans chapter 12, Paul tells us how we should change ourselves in our lives. We need to repent; we need to repent every day. Repentance means renewing our thoughts and turning to God. What do we need to do? Every day, we must turn ourselves to God! That is what we need to do.
When a person continually turns to God, will their behavior change? Yes. When your heart first believes in God and receives God's love and goodness, your behavior will definitely change. Because behavior is the fruit of faith. When a person believes correctly, they will bear the right fruit.
Starting from chapter 12, Paul tells us many things we need to do in life. Believers should be examples to the world, living out and giving the love of Christ. Believers should be witnesses of Christ. Paul tells us here, "I urge you by the mercies of God..." He does not say, "I tell you by the righteousness of God, by the judgment of God!" Here it says that he urges us by God's mercy... This is the pattern God hopes we will live out; God desires us to willingly do these things, rather than to compel people to do them through His authority. God wants us to receive His love and, after understanding this love, to joyfully share it.
"I... urge you..." means that Paul is urging us with God's love; he presents himself before God. This plea is not directed at those who have not yet believed in the Lord, but rather to believers.
When a person truly understands God's love and knows that serving the Lord is incredibly good, they are not afraid of difficulties and continue to move forward with the strength given by the Lord. Just like Paul, when he truly recognized the grace of Christ, he said, "I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake, I have lost all things; I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ."
What did he see? The Heavenly Father showed him the eternal blessings of the kingdom of heaven. He knew that everything in this world is temporary, and only Christ and the life of Christ are eternal. Therefore, Paul dedicated his entire life to God. Although he suffered a lot, Paul never regretted it; he did it willingly.
When Paul saw that there were so many blessings stored up for him in the kingdom of heaven, he was willing to run the path ahead. At the end of his life, he said, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." This shows that he was very clear that what he had given was worth it.
2 Timothy 4:6-8
6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing.
At the end of Paul's life, he did not regret the path he chose. He also believed that God would remember what he had given. He advised those who came after him to run in the same way. Because God's reward is not only for him but for all who believe.
I urge you by the mercies of God. Paul encourages us, hoping that we are willing to serve the Lord, willing to present ourselves before God. But do not misunderstand; "presenting yourself to God" does not necessarily mean not working in the world, serving full-time, or being a pastor.
“Presenting yourself to God” means: You are willing to live your life centered on God, doing everything for the glory of God. In your work, in your life, witness to glorify God's name!
Paul strongly encourages believers to present their bodies as a living sacrifice. What are the benefits of presenting our bodies before God? Our bodies are either used by the Holy Spirit or by lust. This body must have a master; otherwise, it will either be controlled by the Holy Spirit or by yourself.
In the past, when people did not believe in the Lord, they controlled their own bodies, eating when they wanted, drinking when they wanted, living however they wanted; that was a life controlled by lust. But now Paul expects us to present our bodies before God as a living sacrifice, becoming channels of the gospel, witnessing the beauty of Christ.
What is a living sacrifice? A living sacrifice is different from the sacrifices of the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, the people had to bring sacrificial animals to God. Today, God does not require you to bring bulls, sheep, or doves for sacrifice anymore because Jesus Christ is our sacrifice presented before God. And this sacrifice is the best, effective forever. The meaning of this living sacrifice is to dedicate oneself to God for a lifetime, allowing God to use you.
For example, someone who used to have a bad temper and found fault with everyone. After believing in the Lord, they continually receive the Father's love and grace, and they are renewed and changed; their speech begins to change, praising and encouraging others, starting to glorify God. The people around you see the difference in you. This is living out the pattern of Christ.
Some people only present themselves to God when they are in church; at that moment, they love one another, can tolerate, can forgive, and can do anything, but once they leave the church, everything goes back to the way it was. God does not want us to be vessels that glorify Him only in church; God hopes that in every moment of our lives, we can present ourselves before Him, becoming living sacrifices. Thank the Lord!
Living sacrifice also means that you must present yourself while you are alive. Do not say, "Lord, wait until I die, and then I will serve you!" Once in heaven, you will not need to serve God anymore. Only while we are alive can we serve the Lord and proclaim the gospel of Christ. If we die and go to heaven, we will not need to preach the gospel anymore; everything will be over. Now is the best time to serve the Lord.
The offerings of the Old Testament were presented before God willingly. Isaac was presented before God willingly. Jesus was presented before God willingly. Therefore, what God desires is that we present our bodies as living sacrifices before Him, for His use. Because this is very good and beneficial for us.
Paul was a person who presented his body as a living sacrifice. We see how he witnessed for God, and we should do the same, becoming people used by the Lord. Jesus had compassion for people; you should also use Jesus' compassion to have compassion for others. Jesus forgave and pardoned people; you should also use Jesus' forgiveness to forgive others. When you are willing to live this way, this is a living sacrifice, so we should present our bodies in this way as living sacrifices.
Living sacrifice also refers to obeying God's word. Although I do not understand all of God's words, I am willing to obey God's words and act accordingly. Those who serve the Lord full-time should do so even more. Those who serve God full-time dedicate their lives to serving the Lord, not doing other worldly things, solely offering themselves to God. Therefore, their lives, family needs, etc., rely on God's provision.
In summary, Paul tells us, brothers, I urge you by the mercies of God to present your bodies as living sacrifices, holy. When we understand that we are already holy and are willing to live out this holiness, you are relying on God, living centered on God, which is pleasing to God. God desires each of His children to live this way.
You are not striving to become a person pleasing to God; because of Jesus, you are already pleasing to God. However, some people lack the part of living a life that is commendable to the world; good behavior has not been manifested. But why does Paul not emphasize that you must first live out good behavior? He first tells us the truth of God, the love of God. When a person understands God's love, they can be motivated by God's love to live a different life. Recognizing God's holiness, understanding God's mercy, and being willing to present oneself before God, willing to obey God's words, leads to a change in life.
How to live by God's word?
For those who are full-time ministers, you should share God's word according to the truth, breaking down the truth, not according to your own ideas, not bringing subjective opinions like, "I think... I feel..." Such words should not be spoken; you should speak according to what is recorded in the scriptures, which is to act according to God's word.
What should office workers do? Live out the life of Christ in your workplace, love your colleagues with Christ's love, forgive your colleagues, get along harmoniously with them, and share the grace you have received from Christ with them, so they feel that you are different. When others see all this, they can give glory to God.
If you are a student, you should study hard, ask God for wisdom, and learn what you need to learn well, thereby glorifying God's name. This is how we serve in different positions. Such service is pleasing to God. Whatever you do, it is not for man; you are doing it for God. It is serving God; this is living sacrifice.
If you are a housewife, when you cook for your family, you can praise the Lord or pray in tongues while cooking because you know that even though you are cooking, you are serving the Lord, treating cooking as your place of service, and your mood will be different.
So if you are working for someone else, treat your workplace and your boss as your place of service. God has placed you in this place, and these people should change and come to know the grace of the Lord Jesus because of your good behavior; they should receive God's blessings because of you. After going to work every day, you can pray blessings for this company; you are a holy living sacrifice, and God will bless this place because of you.
1 Corinthians 10:31, So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Whether eating, drinking, or working... all should be done for the glory of God.
We completely present ourselves before God; no matter what you are doing, every day is serving God, every day is glorifying God. Therefore, Paul says, "You serve in this way, which is reasonable." In the original text, "You serve in this way" means "You worship God this way, which is incredibly good!"
You can serve God anywhere; do not think that you can only serve God in church. In your company, in your workplace, in your home, in every experience, you can serve God as long as your heart is doing it for the glory of the Lord.
1 Corinthians 6:20, For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body.
We are a group of people redeemed by Jesus Christ with His life and body. We are now living not for ourselves but for Christ. If we are willing to live according to the pattern of Christ, we will experience greater power and grace from Christ. In life, we will know more of the goodness of the Lord Jesus. God delights in us living this way. Because this is not only beneficial for us but also builds up those who hear us.
The salvation accomplished by Jesus Christ on the cross brings us under His name; we become children of God. How do we live out these blessings? God wants to bless you more abundantly through serving!
2 Corinthians 5:9, Paul had a resolution; he said, "Whether we are at home in the body or away from it, we make it our goal to please Him."
This does not mean that Paul worked hard to do these things so that God would be pleased with him; rather, he was already pleasing to God, and he was willing to do things that please God.
For example, a parent loves their child very much, but the child is often disobedient and gets into trouble. However, the father still loves him. But if one day this child changes and does things that please his father, the father's heart will be comforted because this is more beneficial for the child.
If you insist on going against God, God says to forgive others. You say, "I can't forgive; this person is too despicable; why should I forgive him!" In this way, you are bound by hatred and anger; this is not how God wants us to live in hatred. Why make yourself suffer like this? Why carry this heavy burden?
When you forgive others, you release yourself. One day, you will finally understand that when God asks me to forgive others, it is actually to release myself; I no longer have to carry this heavy burden. Because of forgiveness, your heart is completely released, which is beneficial for us.
When we present ourselves before God and live completely according to God's will, we live in rest, and the whole person feels very relaxed because Jesus is such a person. His workload is actually very large, busy from morning till night, but He always has rest within because He lives according to the Father's will. He said, "My Father is working until now, and I am working." He said, "I have not done anything that the Father does not know."
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
In the Corinthian church, there was a situation where someone married his stepmother, which was something not even done among the Gentiles. So Paul says here, "What can I boast about you? You need to know how holy and glorious your bodies are! Do not defile your bodies. Because this is a bad thing."
Willing to use your own body to glorify God is very good, pleasing to God, and reasonable. We should serve God this way, not treating our bodies as an opportunity for indulgence. Paul never said, "Today you have accepted the gospel, accepted God's grace, so live carelessly!" It is not like that. Paul hopes that each of us lives the kind of holy life that God desires us to live, a life that aligns with God's will.
2 Thessalonians 3:10-12
10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat." 11 We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. 12 Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat.
In the church, there are many elderly and young people, and there are very specific requirements for them. For example, some people in the church only gossip and do not work. Paul says that such people, if they do not work, should not eat. What does that mean?
It does not mean that if you do not work, you should not eat; he is addressing those in the church who only gossip and do nothing. Paul is saying to them that if you do not work, you should not eat! Because at that time, the church lived a communal life, sharing everything, and in that situation, there were many people who gossiped.
We need to understand these things correctly today. God does not want us to gossip all day, to attack each other, to talk about these trivial matters. God wants us to live out the pattern of Christ.
Romans 12:2 tells us, "Do not conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God."
The change in believers' behavior must first come from the renewing of their minds.
Believers should not conform to this world. When you are willing to present your body before God and live according to God's word, the Holy Spirit will help you live a different life. But if a person is unwilling to live according to Christ's words and prefers to live in the old way, the Holy Spirit cannot do anything.
Before the Middle Ages, the church was the vanguard of the world; people in the world followed the church wherever it went. However, after the Middle Ages, the church fell from the truth, filled with all kinds of filth, corruption, deceit, and mutual attacks, and love was lost. It became completely secularized. Later, reformers like Martin Luther led people back to the Bible, allowing them to live according to God's will. The way back is to not conform to this world but to renew and transform the mind.
The Bible tells us not to conform to this world because you have a model to follow—Jesus Christ. You have a standard to refer to—God's word. These words can help us overcome in the world.
Do not conform to this world. Conform means to follow the external situation, to follow people. Do not change with the changes of this world; just like a person who wears work clothes at work and changes into their own clothes at home. Although the style of clothing changes, the life inside remains the same.
Brothers and sisters, understand that the life within us is important. Do not conform to the external world; the external styles of the world are constantly changing, but the life within them is still a dead life. Why conform to this dead life? We should imitate Jesus Christ, not this world.
Paul tells us here not to conform to this world. This world refers to the world itself and all things in it; all of these are perishable and shaking, but God's life is eternal and unshakeable. This world includes everything in heaven and earth.
If a person has not accepted Jesus and does not live according to God's way, they are living a secular life. Nowadays, there are more and more materialists; many people live only for money, but they do not realize that all of this is fleeting glory that cannot be grasped. In the end, it is just a vain pursuit.
To put it simply, for example, many sisters in the Lord have standards for choosing a partner, such as that the person must be handsome, must have money, must have this and that... They forget that if his life does not know God, everything else he possesses cannot give her a sense of security; instead, sometimes there will be even more problems. But if he possesses the abundant life of Christ, God can provide you with other material blessings, which are real and lasting.
There are many lies and empty things in the world. Solomon spent his whole life pursuing these things, but he lost the most important life within. It was only in his old age that he realized that all of this was vanity, all was chasing the wind. But how many people are still pursuing these things today?
Paul tells us, do not conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. This means that if you only focus on these external material things and neglect the true life of God, it is very regrettable; in the end, you may still gain nothing, and Solomon just happened to overlook this matter.
After Solomon became king, the country was peaceful, and he married some foreign women, which was strictly prohibited by the law of Moses. He married foreign princesses, a thousand of them; marrying one was already bad enough, but he also followed these people to worship their gods, which means he followed their customs. At first, he might have thought, "It doesn't matter; I believe in Jehovah, I don't believe in her god; I'm just going through the motions." But over time, Solomon may have lost himself because he did not renew and change within, and in the end, he strayed from God. Therefore, he wrote Ecclesiastes to warn later generations that there is nothing new under the sun. Only God is real.
If you read Ecclesiastes carefully, you will know that it is truly bleak; reading it makes one feel despairing: "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity; there is nothing new under the sun." It sounds like an old man about to die, completely losing hope in this world. If it were not for the later mention of "the whole duty of man is to fear God," then living would be meaningless.
Solomon also understood in his old age that the most important thing in life is to worship God and serve God. You can have everything in this world, but you cannot be without God. You must let your mind be renewed and transformed. Therefore, he wrote Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. For whom? To prevent later generations from walking his old path.
Brothers and sisters, every day when you are transformed according to the Holy Spirit's will, your Heavenly Father knows what you need and will surely supply you abundantly. But if a person only focuses on material things or follows this world, when there is no supply within, you may lose even the external things.
Paul here urges us not to neglect the change of renewing our minds. Every day, let God's word renew us and guide us. Every day, live centered on God; thus, our lives will unknowingly change and live out the abundant life of Christ.
So that you may prove what is that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.
When you truly renew and transform yourself according to Christ's words every day, you will see God's goodness, not human hypocrisy; you will see God's purity, not human deceit; you will often see God's pleasing will, not human cunning. If you neglect the change of life within, you will often complain about heaven and earth, feeling that this world is unfair, seeing many problems, and becoming more and more discouraged.
Brothers and sisters, where do these problems come from? It is because the life within you has not been renewed and transformed. To put it simply, take a little time every day to let God renew your life. Are you willing to take a little time every day to read the Bible and pray to God? Or take a little time to listen to sermons, to hear the true words of God? Because such words can bring renewal to your life.
You carry this renewed life and then live; you will find it different because you no longer conform to this world. God has already told you how to live, and you will live according to God's word. Because this world and everything in it will pass away, we do not need to conform to the patterns of this world.
2 Corinthians 6:17-18
"Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters." Says the Almighty Lord.
We should not follow the patterns and lusts of the world. Do not say, "Everyone in the world does this, so I will do it too." Do not do that because you are a child of God. Remember, you are the beloved child of the Most High God, set apart by God; you are different from the world. You possess the authority and glory of Christ. You can live a different life.
Since you are obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. This is a special reminder from 1 Peter chapter 1, saying that now you know you are a child of God, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. This means you should live out the pattern of your new life and not follow the customs of this world.
Ephesians 2:2, "In which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience."
In the past, our lives were like this, conforming to this world, living as others lived, obeying the spirit of evil and living indulgently. But God says you should not live like this anymore; you should live out a brand new life because you are no longer the "old self"; you are a new creation. Amen! So do not follow the lies of Satan; follow the Holy Spirit's daily renewal and live according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
"Transformation" means change. When our inner life is enriched, our outer life will inevitably change; it is a change in essence. In the past, we were self-centered, seeking personal gain, living centered on the flesh, focusing on this life because we did not know God, did not understand God's goodness, purity, and pleasing will. But now that you have accepted the Lord Jesus as your Savior, you are a child of God, a person blessed with the kingdom of heaven, and you can choose a different way of living.
Paul saw the glory of the kingdom of heaven, so he was willing to live in the Holy Spirit every day, discerning God's goodness every day. When you accept the Lord Jesus Christ, you become a reborn person, a new creation; the Holy Spirit dwells in your heart, and Christ changes us. We must focus all our attention on Jesus Christ; His glory is upon you today. Wherever you go, you represent Christ. Therefore, we should be transformed according to the Holy Spirit's renewal and discern God's goodness, experiencing His beauty every day.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you for attracting us to follow you with your love and grace. You desire us to renew our minds and transform our lives, living out the pattern of Christ, which is an incredibly good life. We are willing to present our bodies as living sacrifices, living out the life that pleases you. Please give us a heart to hold fast to our current faith, not conforming to this world, but following the guidance of the Holy Spirit to change, allowing us to experience your presence and power more in our lives. All glory belongs to you. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen!