Changed By Sacrifice

Romans 12:1, 2 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

This verse is the beginning of Paul's call to a holy life on the basis of the Gospel he has presented. Paul, as is typical of the organization and care of his thought and especially of Romans, gives this verse and a summary or thesis statement of everything which he is going to say during the imperative part of the letter. The word "sacrifice" is used by Paul and he calls it "our reasonable service." I believe these are the reasons he uses this word:

(1) Those who are in Christ imitate Christ and share his sufferings in this life. While their sacrifice is not redemptive or in the place of another, it is to be for another, as was His for us all.

(2) It reminds the reader that those who are called to a life of sacrifice includes suffering in service for God.

(3) Sacrifice required the surrender of one's best self to God. A blemished sacrifice or half-hearted commitment was not acceptable to God.

(4) It meant a total surrender of one's self or giving something that one does not get back.

(5) This was the replacement of the Old Testament system where they offered bulls and goats. Now the readers were to offer themselves as a living sacrifice.

The sigma (18th letter in the Greek alphabet) in the participle ζῶσαν is because it is feminine, not because it speaks of a completed action. It is a present participle that has a continuous aspect just like the English participle "living."  One writer said, "The living sacrifice stands in contrast to those which were killed and refers to a constant dedication to the Lord God."

Paul also uses the Greek Word λογικός, referring to the human spirit, not the more typical πνευματικός, which refers usually to the Spirit of God and sometimes to evil spirits. The precise meaning of it in this context is disputed, but many think at the very least it serves as a contrast to "bodies." Yes, we are to offer our bodies, but such a sacrifice is not to be thought of in a merely external way, but also one that is spiritual.

Paul is commanding his readers to totally give themselves up to God totally. He does not restrict the command to just physical bodies. Rather, lest one make holiness something which is fleeting, he gives a concrete embodiment of the command to holiness. This is true and proper worship because the old system of bulls and goats has passed away, and because true worship to God is a holistic action of the man. God asks for total, not partial, devotion of both body and soul. 

Paul said this is "our reasonable service." The word "reasonable" simply means "fair and sensible." It is entirely possible and reasonable that we can live dedicated lives of holiness to the Lord. It does require a change in lifestyle and maybe even a change in our habits, but if Paul is correct, it will be worth it all in the end.

I believe that Paul is correct in his assumption. Do you?