Godly Transformation

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is true worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” - Romans 12:1-2 

          Paul was urging the Roman Christians to make their own bodies a living offering to God. ‘To urge’ is to earnestly recommend or encourage one to do something. It is a statement that is being made with sincere and intense conviction. The sacrificial system in place in the Old Testament and even in the new with the Pharisees and Sadducees (religious leaders in Jesus’ day) involved using dead animals without spot or defect to place on an altar. It was to be consumed with fire to atone for sin. 

Paul is speaking of a living sacrifice; the problem with living sacrifices are that they are constantly trying to climb off the altar. Being a living sacrifice involves being in tune with those things that are pleasing to God. Holy living is a foreign concept to most people in this day and age. We stand as sanctified and holy in the eyes of God due to our acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross at Calvary. However, His desire for us is to live a life that is set apart for His use. We are to do that which is pleasing in His sight. We are to do that which lines up with His word. Many times, I think in the interest of comfort or convenience we make God an afterthought. At times I know I do. We know what we should do but hesitate because it would make our lives a little more complicated. The world has one way of doing things and God quite another. 

The renewing of our minds comes from reading His word, not reading into it what we want it to say but reading it with an open heart and mind. It’s good to ask the Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts regarding that which God wants us to know. Putting God’s word into practice requires being obedient to that which we know we are being asked to do. We don’t want to be put to the test and found lacking, yet we don’t fully consider that until it is too late. The compassion and understanding of God is limitless; however, there comes a time in each believer’s life when they must allow themselves to be fully transformed by God. In light of His incredible mercy it’s truly the least we can do. Until next time, walk with the King and be a blessing.

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries