Romans 12:1: 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.
This sacrifice is described as “living … holy … pleasing.” The believer isn’t killed as the Old Testament sacrifices were, but remains alive. We are to be living sacrifices in the deep theological sense of “a new life” (cf. 6:4). We are also to be “holy” in that we have renounced sin and are set apart to God. Finally, we are to be “pleasing” sacrifices not because we deserve to be accepted, but because the offerings are true to God’s specifications. This is as bold a call to total commitment as there is anywhere in the sacred writings. It applies equally to all—to the professor, to the preacher, to the pianist, to high schoolers—to everyone! It is for the entire Church. We must put away the medieval thinking that makes a distinction between clergy and laity—the idea that ministers and missionaries should have 100 percent commitment, but the laity is permitted 75 percent, or 30, or … The truth is, all believers are called to be totally committed to Christ. 1
Application
- To be holy, is to no longer be unholy. Do you pursue holiness with the same passion that you once had for pursuing sin?
- When you see a gifted athlete that is not fully committed to the team, they become a distraction. Christians can be a blessing or a distraction based on commitment.
Prayer
Lord, teach me how to be fully committed to You. Help me to become more faithful.
1. Hughes, R. K. (1991). Romans: righteousness from heaven. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.