No Turning Back

“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” Romans 12:1

In Paul’s day, people offered themselves to all kinds of sinful behavior. Prostitution and other forms of idolatry were common practices in pagan temples. In an attempt to raise the spiritual consciousness of the Roman church, Paul insisted that believers retain a high standard of purity. They had received new life through Jesus Christ, but now they needed to practice and live out this new life on a daily basis.

The church probably wondered, “How do we do this? Everywhere we turn, our eyes are met with forms of degradation.” Sound familiar? The only way we can maintain our purity is by an act of our wills, whereby we become living spiritual sacrifices to God.

Warren Wiersbe writes, “God transforms our minds and makes us spiritually minded by using His Word. As you spend time meditating on God’s Word, memorizing it, and making it a part of your inner man, God will gradually make your mind more spiritual.”

When we desire God’s will over the desires of the flesh, we deny self. We acknowledge that we have been crucified with Christ and we no longer live, but Jesus Christ now live to the glory of God in us (Galatians 2:20).

“O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more.” - A.W. Tozer