OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD: "A LIVING AND HOLY SACRIFICE."

By Michael Franklin

(The first in a series of  studies from Romans chapter 12)

The great power of faith in Christ is His example of returning good for evil. If any message is needed in our day and time it is that we must Overcome evil with good! (Romans 12:21) 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)

The words living and sacrifice aren't usually used together in the Bible. Living animals weren't a sacrifice and sacrificed animals were no longer living. When the Holy Spirit put these two ideas together through Paul's epistle He suggests some concepts which give greater meaning to our service unto God. I believe this is the first of eight empowering exhortations found in Romans 12: present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice.

A living sacrifice consents to being presented. Unlike the sacrificial animals under the previous covenant the sacrifices offered to God through Christ are those of living bodies who willingly submit to the act of being sacrificed.

There is no ignorance regarding the purpose and nature of the service on the part of those whose lives are given to God (Romans 6:13-19; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Hebrews 13:15; 1 Peter 2:5). They know that they are putting to death their own lives and gladly accept this because of the surpassing benefit of being in Christ (Philippians 3:7-14).

A living sacrifice actively seeks holiness. The animals presented were chosen only if they conformed to the standards set forth for holiness before God. We are chosen of God through Christ even though at the time of our calling through the gospel we were unholy (Romans 5:6-9). God makes us holy before Him through washing us from our sins , setting us apart from the world (1 Corinthians 6:9-11), and adorning our souls with the fruit of His Spirit in us (Galatians

5:22-25) which we actively pursue.

A living sacrifice presents itself repeatedly. The sacrificial animals were only presented one time and then could never be presented again. We present ourselves by the mercies of God on a daily basis over and over again. For those who walk in the Spirit and make the living and holy sacrifice there is an ecstasy of offering. It is not that we must make a dreaded appearance before our God, but that we desire to be in His presence continually. There is no end to the service which we render unto God because we do not seek to placate His wrath but to abide in His grace and mercy. We do not make sin offerings (let us not confuse repentance with atonement) because Christ Jesus has done this once for all time (Hebrews 10:10).

A living sacrifice rejoices in its own acceptance before God. The sacrificial animals were not conscious of their acceptance or rejection as an offering because they died. This was only realized by those who presented the offerings through the priests. The Holy Spirit instructs us to present living sacrifices which are acceptable to God. Our living sacrifices have the spiritual benefit of placing us in the fellowship of peace with the Father (Romans 5:1-4). God has not called us to be perpetually guilty, unendingly remorseful and anxiety ridden over our spiritual state before Him. To live in this state of mind is to cast doubt upon Christ atoning blood which was shed upon the cross for our sins. Our living sacrifice is placed before the Father in Heaven who graciously looks upon our service as a father looks upon the precious gifts of his children and who seeks our worship because it is offered in spirit and in truth (1 John 3:1; John 3:23-24). We present our bodies a living and holy sacrifice anticipating acceptance because of what Christ has done for us. We stand before God as beloved children not as those who are beaten and fearful of their father, but as those who are happy and blessed in Christ Jesus.

MLF