"I urge you, therefore, by the mercies of God of God to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." [Rom 12:1]
I am not sure what happened to New Testament Christianity over the years. Today the plea from preachers is for people to come to Jesus and He will make your life better. They proclaim that Jesus will enhance your life. They preach He will give you the best life now. Paul's plea was to come to Jesus and offer your life as a sacrifice. 100% of yourself laid down as an offering to die to self but live to Christ. This same sentiment is repeated in [Matt 16:24] [Acts 20:24] [Gal 2:20] and [Gal 6:14]
A life presented or offered to God as a living sacrifice means absolute surrender. God gets to call the shots and for Paul that meant a lot of suffering. A LOT OF SUFFERING! It included persecution, poverty, and desertion by fellow believers but Paul still offered his life to God as a sacrifice. Day after day Paul climbed back on the altar and yielded his life and desires to the purposes of God.
Where did we lose track that God expects and demands anything less than our lives laid down on His altar today? The altar is not a comfortable place and the word sacrifice tends to be avoided by the people in the church at all costs. Would we really enjoy the benefit of a perfect Savior's sacrifice but be unwilling to sacrifice in our own lives for Him and His cause?
Will you surrender? Will you give up? Will you renounce your life as you make yourself available to Him? Will you make your body, your remaining days, your life an offering to Jesus? This is true worship.
I am not sure what happened to New Testament Christianity over the years. Today the plea from preachers is for people to come to Jesus and He will make your life better. They proclaim that Jesus will enhance your life. They preach He will give you the best life now. Paul's plea was to come to Jesus and offer your life as a sacrifice. 100% of yourself laid down as an offering to die to self but live to Christ. This same sentiment is repeated in [Matt 16:24] [Acts 20:24] [Gal 2:20] and [Gal 6:14]
A life presented or offered to God as a living sacrifice means absolute surrender. God gets to call the shots and for Paul that meant a lot of suffering. A LOT OF SUFFERING! It included persecution, poverty, and desertion by fellow believers but Paul still offered his life to God as a sacrifice. Day after day Paul climbed back on the altar and yielded his life and desires to the purposes of God.
Where did we lose track that God expects and demands anything less than our lives laid down on His altar today? The altar is not a comfortable place and the word sacrifice tends to be avoided by the people in the church at all costs. Would we really enjoy the benefit of a perfect Savior's sacrifice but be unwilling to sacrifice in our own lives for Him and His cause?
Will you surrender? Will you give up? Will you renounce your life as you make yourself available to Him? Will you make your body, your remaining days, your life an offering to Jesus? This is true worship.
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