Your Body As A Living Sacrifice

Scott Price

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

God's people sometimes get on health kicks where they try to improve their body and start healthier habits for many different reasons. This usually happens as a "New Years Resolution". The thoughts of our minds in this area need to be established correctly until the day we die, not just a feeling at the first few days of the year. That thought is that our body is to be a living sacrifice in all that we think, say and do. Our intention should be to take care of our body for the glory of God so as to serve in the ministry of the gospel. This does not just include the preacher but every member of the church since they are a needed and vital part of the ministry of the church. The above text shows us that what it is saying to us can be done; needs to be done and most certainly should be done.

The Scripture exhorts us in our thoughts to be alive, awake and zealous in His kingdom serving Him in the church, in worship, in evangelism, or in whatever capacity that we know needs to be done no matter how small it seems. We serve a living God and His people are not to be half dead ourselves, slothful, sluggish, etc. Over the past two decades or so I have noticed that many who claim to believe in the sovereignty of God seem to be fatalistic in this area of life. Is the ministry of the gospel in being a responsible church member for the glory of God not enough to motive? This is the reason to improve our health.

The above quoted text tells us this is not some extraordinary thing to do, but rather "our reasonable service"! It means that we ought to already be doing this and it is not something that we can be credited for or boast about. Our whole life is a living sacrifice. Since we know the word of God tells us in many different places that we have been made, by Christ; kings, ambassadors, we have been commissioned with spiritual things that back these titles, don't you think it is only right to take care or the vessel we live in to carry these things out? We are in a war, not in a state of inactivity, but if our bodies are half-dead we will feel like walking zombies, lazy and almost in a sleep walking state. There are so many means available to correct this but most do not see the importance here.

Let us not forget something very important that goes along with a healthy body ready to be used by the Lord to serve Him; that is a strong healthy mind. The mind tells the body what to do. It is obvious that there is a definite connection between our minds and the health of our bodies. Stress and anxiety are bad for one's health. The Scriptures exhort us in many different places not to worry about things. So does that mean we should "worry" about our health? That may be the answer the lazy fatalist may give for a reason not to have to do the right thing. Instead of the word worry how about the word concern or better yet how about the idea of being responsible? The fatalist is also one who thinks negatively the majority of the time, which is one way to waste the mind and destroy your life. The mind can quickly waste away if not used properly.

The mind is something the Lord uses in all things that we do. It is a vital part of our heart, which includes our will and affections. Notice in the Scriptures all the places where we are exhorted to guard and strengthen the mind for use in His kingdom and for His glory. If we are lax in feeding on God's word we will see fear and doubt creep in. Doubt is not humility. It is unbelief (sin). This sin is just another item to add to the list of things that come from rejecting the plain truth and siding on our human negative, sometime fatalistic cushion some may use as an excuse to disbelieve or not act in faith. So, daily, we need to be "transformed by the renewing of your mind", and the gospel is the prescription for this mental health.

Ask the Lord to give you the knowledge, wisdom, strength and will to do so right now for His glory. Instead of not desiring to glorify God with works foreordained of God (Eph 2:10) why can't we just realize the hour is late and we need to redeem the time. A positive mind-set that would match the Scripture by faith and in love would be; If not me who and if not now when? But should you rather think God's kingdom is less important than the world and the things of the world and desire to just tuck yourself in and lapse into a comma of unguarded, fatalistic sleep on our couch of unbelief?

Do we obey God in any Scriptural commission by our own strength and by the arm of the flesh? Most certainly not! By faith we look to Christ to lovingly serve Christ and His church out of love, faithfully with joy, cheer, and gratitude every day as a living sacrifice no matter how seemingly big or small. Do all for the glory of God. Amen.