THE ''NOW WHAT?'' OF THE GOSPEL (1 OF 7)
by Lenny Ports
Scripture: Romans 12:1-2
This content is part of a series.
The ''Now What?'' of the Gospel (1 of 7)
Series: Love in Action
Lenny Ports
Romans 12:1-2
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship (v. 1).
NOW WHAT?
Up to this point in his letter to the church in Rome, the apostle Paul has explained the gospel. And now in chapter 12, Paul gets to the ''Now what?'' of the gospel: we believe the gospel, now what?
We don't forget the gospel and go on with our lives. What we believe about the gospel should make a big difference in our lives.
A LIVING SACRIFICE
Paul writes, ''I appeal to you...brothers [and sisters]'' (v. 1). He's saying, ''I urge you.'' So what he's about to say is very important.
He urges them, ''Present your bodies [i.e., yourselves] as a living sacrifice'' (v. 1).
What he's saying is that we are to offer ourselves completely to God. ''Here's my life. It's yours.''
This kind of sacrifice is ''living'' (as opposed to the OT animal sacrifices), ''holy'' (i.e., ''set apart''), and ''acceptable [i.e., pleasing] to God'' (v. 1).
This is not an optional second step of the Christian life.
THE MERCIES OF GOD
''Therefore'' (v. 1) points back to what Paul has previously written in this letter. He's written about ''the mercies of God'' (v. 1).
Paul is saying, ''Think about how good God has been to you. This about his mercy. Think about his grace. Think about how he has saved you.''
Is giving your life to God ''as a living sacrifice'' an easy thing to do? No. But it becomes easier when we remember what God has done for us.
- ''All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith'' (Rom. 3:23-25).
- ''God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us'' (Rom. 5: ...
Series: Love in Action
Lenny Ports
Romans 12:1-2
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship (v. 1).
NOW WHAT?
Up to this point in his letter to the church in Rome, the apostle Paul has explained the gospel. And now in chapter 12, Paul gets to the ''Now what?'' of the gospel: we believe the gospel, now what?
We don't forget the gospel and go on with our lives. What we believe about the gospel should make a big difference in our lives.
A LIVING SACRIFICE
Paul writes, ''I appeal to you...brothers [and sisters]'' (v. 1). He's saying, ''I urge you.'' So what he's about to say is very important.
He urges them, ''Present your bodies [i.e., yourselves] as a living sacrifice'' (v. 1).
What he's saying is that we are to offer ourselves completely to God. ''Here's my life. It's yours.''
This kind of sacrifice is ''living'' (as opposed to the OT animal sacrifices), ''holy'' (i.e., ''set apart''), and ''acceptable [i.e., pleasing] to God'' (v. 1).
This is not an optional second step of the Christian life.
THE MERCIES OF GOD
''Therefore'' (v. 1) points back to what Paul has previously written in this letter. He's written about ''the mercies of God'' (v. 1).
Paul is saying, ''Think about how good God has been to you. This about his mercy. Think about his grace. Think about how he has saved you.''
Is giving your life to God ''as a living sacrifice'' an easy thing to do? No. But it becomes easier when we remember what God has done for us.
- ''All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith'' (Rom. 3:23-25).
- ''God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us'' (Rom. 5: ...
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