READ:
ROMANS 12:1-2
In the days
of old, God required burnt offerings in most cases. This was true of sin
offering, meat offering, trespass offering, peace offering, thanksgiving, vows
and voluntary offerings. But at a point He became fed up with His children who
will gladly sin and in their minds say, ‘It would only cost me one ram afterall’.
Thereafter, God sought for a perfect sacrifice and sent His only begotten Son
Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God to take away our sins. Everyone who receives
Jesus is expected to be a living sacrifice like Jesus. How? Hebrews 4:15 says
Jesus Christ was tempted in every possible way we are tempted today, but never
yielded. 1 Peter 2:23 says, when Jesus was mocked and abused, even though He
could retaliate, He did not. When they took Him through great sorrows and
anguish, He did not retaliate even when He had power of life and death. He took
it patiently. Isaiah 53:6-8 adds that He allowed His captors to lead Him like a
lamb to the slaughter and remained dumb. Although HE was innocent, they
condemned and nailed Him to the cross; He did not protest because He was a
living sacrifice.
You too can be a living sacrifice unto God. According to our reading, God expects you to present every part of your body to Him as a living sacrifice. How? By yielding your eyes, hands, legs, mouth, heart, ears, etc. in consecration to God; by laying them at the altar of sacrifice never to be used is sinning; by covenanting to please God with them and never going back on that covenant. A dead sacrifice, after the covenant is made, is burnt so it can never be recalled. But a living sacrifice, after the consecration is made can still be recalled or even aborted. It takes a dedicated disciple of Jesus never to go back on that vow.
After presenting your body as a living sacrifice, there will be several conflicts for you to take back your consecration. If you do not yield to the flesh, God will be pleased and reserve your place of reward with Jesus. But if you yield to temptation, you lose out in defeat. It takes brokenness to be a living sacrifice. You must resist the urge to defile your body. You must refuse all offers to engage in physical combats. You must refrain from engaging your mouth wrongly. Your eyes must refuse to watch or see anything that can pollute your heart. Your hands must not touch evil. This is the life God expects from you.
You too can be a living sacrifice unto God. According to our reading, God expects you to present every part of your body to Him as a living sacrifice. How? By yielding your eyes, hands, legs, mouth, heart, ears, etc. in consecration to God; by laying them at the altar of sacrifice never to be used is sinning; by covenanting to please God with them and never going back on that covenant. A dead sacrifice, after the covenant is made, is burnt so it can never be recalled. But a living sacrifice, after the consecration is made can still be recalled or even aborted. It takes a dedicated disciple of Jesus never to go back on that vow.
After presenting your body as a living sacrifice, there will be several conflicts for you to take back your consecration. If you do not yield to the flesh, God will be pleased and reserve your place of reward with Jesus. But if you yield to temptation, you lose out in defeat. It takes brokenness to be a living sacrifice. You must resist the urge to defile your body. You must refuse all offers to engage in physical combats. You must refrain from engaging your mouth wrongly. Your eyes must refuse to watch or see anything that can pollute your heart. Your hands must not touch evil. This is the life God expects from you.
MEMORIZE:
ROMANS 12:1 –I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you
present you bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is
your reasonable service.
