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12 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. Rom 12:1 NKJV
SERVING AND LOVING GOD
What is your reasonable service to God? What should we do with our lives that will be pleasing to the God Who not only made us, but saved us?
He has, indeed, saved us for eternity with a home in Heaven for those who receive His Son as their Savior.
WE ARE HIS
Paul is telling believers, the brethren, that it is by the mercy and goodness of God that we are His and here living as saved Christians.
He is encouraging us to give God our lives.
THE CULTURE
It was, for a very long time, a culture that held to false religions that practiced the sacrifice of their children by fire to false gods. The Old Testament records many examples of this that the Israelites, as the chosen people, were told not to practice. Pagan practices continued into the New Testament and, in parts of the world, exist today.
THE DIFFERENCE: HE WANTS US ALIVE!!
Paul states that since we know the true and loving God of all creation, we too should sacrifice ourselves to Him.
The great difference is that our holy, righteous God wants us ALIVE and LIVING for Him!
LIVING HOLY LIVES
We are to live holy lives that are pleasing and acceptable to a holy God. God has saved us and restored us to Himself through the death of His only begotten Son. He loves us that mind-boggling amount.
Therefore, what is your reasonable service to God?
Do we not reasonably owe Him our allegiance, our work, our devotion, our serving Him fully in love? Do we not owe Him our lives every day that we live?