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Many folks consider the
religion of Jesus Christ unreasonable. Obedience to God requires
the giving of time, energy, ability, finances and self. Is this
unreasonable? The Apostle Paul commanded “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” (Rom. 12:1). God requires reasonable service, not
unreasonable! Reasonable service means…
Presenting Your Body A Living
Sacrifice.
Contrasted to the Law of Moses which required “dead”
sacrifices the teachings of Christ require “living”
sacrifices. The cost of becoming a Christian must be counted
prior to one’s obedience in baptism, lest they hear, believe,
obey and then fall away. Our faith is to be alive and active
willing to go wherever the Gospel takes us and be whatever the Gospel
makes us! Sacrifice could be used in the context of giving up sin
or could be used in the sense of the giving of one’s time,
energy, ability, finances and self for the cause of
Christ.
Presenting Your Body Holy.
The concept of Holy is taught throughout the inspired pages of the
Bible. God commanded the Israelites, “…be holy; for I am
holy” (Lev. 11:44). God’s people are to be holy on
the simple basis that God Himself is holy. When one presents his
body holy he has determined to dedicate his life to serving God.
Being holy requires separation from sin and obedience to Divine
revelation.
Presenting Your Body Acceptable
To God.
Paul summed this point up when he instructed Titus to “live
soberly, righteously and godly in this present age” (Titus
2:12). God will not accept just any service or way of
living. Folks must come to before God on His terms and
guidelines. Look into “the perfect law of liberty”
and continue in it (Jam. 1:25) and you’ll indeed present yourself
acceptable to God. Men will accept nearly any standard of living,
not so with God. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me,
'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the
will of My Father in heaven” (Mt. 7:21). Present your body
acceptable to God!
~ Keith Welch
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