I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1 NABRE
Paul is writing to the community in Rome, hoping to introduce himself and to smooth over possible friction between Jewish and Gentile believers in the community. In the section with the quoted verse he is nearing the end where He expresses the community should be a sign of goodness, love and hospitality. We read in the quoted verse Paul’s desire the community come together and become a living sacrifice. Paul doesn’t use the word cross but it must be on his mind. The sacrifice is an offering of the body for the salvation of others. Expressing bodies, plural and sacrifice, singular Paul is asking the Body of Christ to come together, offering themselves and becoming salvation for others. Paul stresses living sacrifice as opposed to the animal sacrifice of the temple model. Meaning they offer small deaths to save others, giving their life for the other. He says they should be holy, meaning set apart, and pleasing to God, set apart in a way that makes God happy. They are to offer spiritual worship, something other than an institutional worship. It is a worship that does not occur in a specific place at a specific time, rather it is the liturgy of living coming from our spirit.
Worship includes adoration of God, following of God’s commandments, doing good works, giving alms, avoiding evil and injustice. Spiritual worship is to be in worship all the time. It is a lifestyle inherently holy, countercultural, transforming believers who are able to discern God’s will. These sacrifices are dying to our old self and becoming a new creation. This message expects the same from us today, becoming a community for others.
Do you sacrifice for others? Are you in a community that dies of self to become new creations?
Spiritual worship is to be in worship all the time. It is a lifestyle inherently holy, countercultural, transforming believers who are able to discern God's will. Click To Tweet#bible #godisgreat #jesus #christianity #dailybibleverse @youversion #BeAnEncourager #sacrifice #new #Paul #everybodyalways #god #jesuschrist #jesussaves #godisgood #dailydevotion #biblestudy #scripture #bibleverse #verseoftheday #pray #prayer #goodnews #loveeachother #godisgreat #thisVineyard #youversion #everythingalways