pramsay posted on June 20, 2006 18:23
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We were write-offs by nature. Bankrupt and lost to God. We had all fallen short of God's righteous standard. This hopeless condition was the backdrop for Romans 5:6: "For when we were yet without strength in due time, Christ died for the ungodly." By the death of Christ, we have been reconciled to God. By the obedience of one many have been made righteous. Apart from Christ - an impossibility.
My life now as a christian should be marked by a life of indebtedness. I am eternally indebted to Christ because of Calvary. Really that’s what the Apostle Paul is saying in Romans 12:1 when he pleads with christians to yield their energies, intellect, activities as a living sacrifice to the Lord. Yield your bodies a living offering, holy, well-pleasing unto God which is intelligent worship on your part.
I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God,
to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice,
holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God,
which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.
Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs],
but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude],
so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God,
even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
(Romans 12:1-2, Amplified)
I have enjoyed some beautiful worship lyrics but unless the worship lyrics are sung from lives marked by worshipful living - the rich words become shallow vocal expressions out of which the Lord receives little praise. It is easy to sing and sway and wave your arms to powerful music, singing one line or one phrase of a 'worship song' over and over until some form of mental ecstasy or hypnosis is experienced. Don’t mistake excitement for worship. Repetitive phrases and sentences in godless and vile lyrics can be sung until a wicked excitement is achieved. But is that the kind of activity Paul had in mind in Romans 12:1?
Some christians around the world will lay their lives down physically for the Lord. They will die for the Lord. But Paul in Romans is not talking about a slain sacrifice - he is pleading with us to be living sacrifices. Every day as believer-priests we take to the altar our abilities, our intellect, our minds, our hands, our eyes, our voices, our desires and aspirations, our appearance - yes, every part of our existence today, we are to lay it on the altar for the Lord's pleasure and appreciation.
Before we head out the door each day, we should get on our knees and say: "
Today Lord, by the mercies of God, I yield every part of myself to Thee. I want You to be pleased with my lyrics, my looks, my language, my labors, my leadership, my laughs, my leisure, my limits, my logic, my life today as I live it. I lay it all down at Thy Feet. I yield, submit, surrender and present my life today as an 'alive' sacrifice."