Romans 12:1 (I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.)

The spirit, soul, and body belong to God. Our service is not complete if we fail to present all of them to Him as a living sacrifice upon His altar.

Many Christians fail to present their bodies to God. Though they worship in His presence, they do not do so with a perfect heart. Whatever area we fail to surrender to the authority of Christ becomes a stronghold where Satan establishes his influence to afflict us.

Many Christians today serve God, but not with their whole being. They worship Him with their mouths, but their hearts are far from Him. They honour Him with their lips, while their bodies glorify the works of darkness. They say, “God looks at the heart,” yet they use their bodies carelessly, forgetting that both soul and body can suffer destruction.

It is no wonder that many believers are afflicted by strange illnesses whose origins they do not understand, while they continue to surrender their bodies to immorality and then stand in the holy place to worship God with contaminated vessels.

When God examines a life and sees the marks of darkness upon the body, He condemns every work that is contrary to His holiness.

If God intended for man to smoke, He would have made a chimney on his head. Christians who smoke are contaminating God’s dwelling place. Not every sin is specifically listed in Scripture, but if you truly belong to God, the Holy Spirit will lead you into all righteousness.

Jesus Christ offered Himself as His reasonable service unto God. His sacrifice was not seasonal like those of the high priests. He offered Himself once and for all, holy, harmless, undefiled, and exalted above the heavens.

Some say God looks only at the heart and not at the body, forgetting that outward appearance often reveals the condition of the heart. The actions of the body frequently reflect what is hidden within.

If the body is defiled, the soul is affected also. If the soul is polluted, the body will likewise reveal it. You cannot separate one from the other. Together they make up the person before God. The soul bears responsibility for the sins committed through the body because it is aware of them. The body is the vessel through which the soul and spirit function. Neglecting it is like neglecting your own existence and leaving yourself vulnerable to destruction.

When you present your body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, it becomes an instrument through which God can draw the world back to Himself.

The body is the temple of the living God. Whoever defiles it invites God’s displeasure because he has polluted the place where God desires to dwell.

When the body is polluted outwardly, it hinders the manifestation of God’s presence within. Your outward appearance often reflects the spirit that governs your life. A sacrifice that excludes the body is incomplete and therefore not reasonable before God.

Your service is not complete before God unless it includes the presentation of your body as a living sacrifice. This is what makes your service reasonable.

The Bible says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Your strength represents the abilities and energy of your body, which are necessary for fulfilling God’s purpose for your life.

Your body is your means of interaction with the physical world. How would you relate to people around you without it?

As you present your body as a living sacrifice, it becomes an instrument for propagating the gospel and advancing the kingdom of God.

If your body is continually yielded to evil influences, it becomes unfit for God’s purpose. You cannot serve God in spirit and in truth while neglecting holiness in your daily conduct.

Reasonable service means presenting your body as a living sacrifice. Your eyes will no longer lust after the things of the flesh. You will not look upon others with sinful desires. Your feet will not carry you to places where the presence of God is unwelcome.

Your hands will not take what does not belong to you. Your ears will not delight in wicked speech. Your mouth will not utter idle words, for every idle word shall be accounted for on the day of judgment.

You will crucify every part of your body so that it does not become an instrument of offence that hinders your spiritual growth. Hands that have been surrendered to Christ will not be used for violence, even when provoked.

Your mouth will not speak words that wound others or drive them into despair. Many people have been deeply hurt by the careless words of others. Words of mockery will not proceed from your lips. You will not insult those who are created in the image of God, nor will you backbite others, for none of us is perfect. We are all growing toward maturity through the grace God gives to each person in His vineyard.

To present your body as a living sacrifice means that you have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer you who live, but Christ who lives in you, working in you both to will and to do His good pleasure.

If you are crucified with Christ, you will not fill your body with things that destroy it. You are not your own; you have been bought with a price. Your life is hidden with Christ in God, where no power of darkness can prevail against it.

Many Christians die prematurely because of what they consume. They may exercise self-control in other areas, yet fail to control their appetites. Because they have acquired wealth, they begin indulging in things that may not be beneficial to their health, regardless of their age or condition.

One of the greatest causes of destruction is the lust of the flesh, followed by the lust of the eyes. If you can bring your desires under the authority of Christ, much of your spiritual battle is already won.

Sometimes the devil will not hinder a person from becoming wealthy if he knows that prosperity will ultimately become the cause of that person’s downfall.

God uses our bodies to display His power in the world. If the body is neglected or destroyed through carelessness, it hinders its usefulness. God desires every part of our being to be surrendered to Him in redemption. He does not want us to withhold any area of our lives from His authority. A defiled body cannot effectively serve His purpose until it is yielded completely to Him.

Death has no ultimate victory over a body that has been dedicated to God’s service. The life of God sustains and preserves it through the power of the Holy Spirit. Even in death, God watches over His saints, and their bodies remain precious in His sight until the day of resurrection.

Prayer:

Father Lord, I surrender my whole being to You. Keep me safe from the hands of the wicked one, and help me to present my body, soul, and spirit as a living sacrifice acceptable unto You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.