OUR PRESENTATION TO GOD

Romans 12:1

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   It’s time for the morning sacrifice by the priests at the temple in Jerusalem (See Exo. 29:38-39).

1.    The priest would arise and clothe himself in his priestly attire.

2.    He would proceed to the flock of sheep and a lamb was selected therefrom.  It was not just any lamb.  It was a lamb that met the specifications given by God.

3.    The lamb was taken to the altar of God.

a.    This was a special moment.  The priest stood before the Lord.

b.    This was a strict moment.  The sacrifice was to be carried out properly.

c.    This was a serious moment.  The priest was seeking the Lord’s approval.

4.    The lamb was slain with a knife by the priest.  It’s blood was shed, and the lamb died before the Lord.

5.    If the presentation was done properly, the sacrificed went up before the Lord and was accepted by Him.

 

B.   Every Christian is a priest unto God who is responsible for offering up spiritual sacrifices unto God (1 Pet. 2:5).

 

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

 

C.   In this lesson, our attention will be focused on 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.

 

1.    The title of our lessons is:  “Our Presentation to God.”

2.    Notice Paul’s words:  “…that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice…”

3.    Present:

a.    Strong (3936):  to stand beside, to exhibit, to proffer

b.    Thayer:  to bring near, to present to another to see and question, to place a person or thing at another’s disposal

c.    Barnes:  It indicated the act of bring a sacrifice before God.

4.    We will stay in Romans 12:1 during the course of this lesson.  Let’s consider four points set forth by Pauls’ pen.

 

I.             THE PLEA:  “I beseech you therefore, brethren…”

 

A.   Beseech:

1.    Definition:

a.    Strong (3870):  to call near, to invite to one’s side

b.    Thayer:  to call one one’s side to implore, exhort, beg, or encourage

c.    Vine:  to beseech, which is of stronger force than simply asking

2.    Paul often beseeched his brothers and sisters in Christ to various actions and responsibilities (1 Cor. 1:10; Gal. 4:12; Eph. 4:1; 1 Thess. 4:1; Phile. 9; Heb. 13:22)

a.    The actions he desired for them to fulfill were duties and commands from God.

b.    Ex., the little gymnast called aside by her coach.  She had missed a flip and was very scared to attempt it again.  He called her near and encouraged her for a minute or two.  She wiped her tears and completed the flip the second time.

 

B.   Brethren

1.    These individuals had obeyed the gospel and were part of God’s family.

2.    Even though Paul had never been in Rome (Rom. 1:13), these Roman Christians were his brother and sisters in Christ.

 

II.           THE PREMISE:  “…by the mercies of God…”

 

A.   One defined the word “mercies” as “the favors of God shown to the undeserving.”

 

B.   In Romans 1-9, Paul had been talking about these mercies.

1.    Salvation (Rom. 1:16)

2.    Justification, grace, and redemption (Rom. 3:24)

3.    God’s love (Rom. 5:8)

4.    Eternal life (Rom. 6:23)

5.    No condemnation (Rom. 8:1)

6.    Freedom from the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:2)

7.    Sons of God (Rom. 8:14)

8.    Heirs of God (Rom. 8:17)

 

C.   The Roman Christians did not deserve any of these blessings.

 

D.   These blessings were designed to motivate, that is, move them to do the things Paul was pleading for them to do.

 

III.         THE PRESENTATION:  “…that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God…”

 

A.   Let’s think about the word “present” just a little more.

1.    Remember, it involves one’s coming into the presence of God and standing beside the altar in order to offer a sacrifice.

2.    The act was free and voluntary.

3.    When the sacrifice was brought, there was a release of claim to what was brought, that is, the lamb no longer belonged to the worshiper.  It became the possession of God.

 

B.   As priests of God, we do not bring lambs to God.  We are to bring our bodies to God.

1.    The body denotes the totality of the individual:  intellectual, moral, and physical components of the individual.

2.    Nothing is to be omitted.

3.    Remember, when it is brought, there is a release of claim to the object that is brought.  Our bodies are no longer ours when we give them.  The completely belong to God.

 

C.   Paul notes three qualities of this sacrifice.

1.    It is to be living.

a.    Our sacrifice is to be active, vigorous, and full of energy.

b.    Barnes:  “Christianity does not require a service of death or inactivity. It demands vigorous and active powers in the service of God the Savior. There is something very affecting in the view of such a sacrifice; in regarding life, with all its energies, its intellectual, and moral, and physical powers, as one long sacrifice; one continued offering unto God. A mortal being presented to him; presented voluntarily, with all his energies, from day to day, until life shall close, so that it may he said that he has lived and died an offering made freely unto God. This is religion” (e-sword).

2.    It is to be holy.

a.    The sacrifices of the Old Testament could not be lame, wounded, sick, diseased, or polluted in any manner.

b.    Too, they were not to be the leftovers from the flock.

c.    In like manner, God wants our sacrifice to holy, that is, absolutely pure and set apart for His purposes.

1)    The best, that is, of highest quality, excellence, and standing

2)    Free from sin

3)    That which is useful and beneficial

3.    It is to be acceptable to God.

a.    Acceptable: 

1)    Strong (2101): fully agreeable

2)    Thayer:  well-pleasing

3)    Vine:  well-pleasing

b.    NOTE:  Not just anything we bring is acceptable to God.

1)    Just an outward display does not necessarily make a sacrifice well-pleasing to God.

2)    Sacrifices with improper motives will not be tolerated by God.

3)    Ignorance does not justify an unacceptable sacrifice.

4)    Sincerity does not make an unlawful sacrifice agreeable to God.

5)    Religious teachers and the creeds of men do not determine legitimacy of a sacrifice to God.

c.    Only God determines that which can be brought to Him and offered upon His holy altar.

 

IV.         THE PLAUSIBILITY:  “…which is your reasonable service.”

 

A.   Reasonable:

a.    The Greek word translated reasonable is “logikos.”  It is the word from which we get the word “logic.”

b.    Definition:

1)    Strong (3050):  rational, (“logical”)

2)    Thayer:  pertaining to reason and logic

3)    Vine:  pertaining to the reasoning faculty

 

B.   Presenting our bodies as a living and holy sacrifice is logical and reasonable.

1.    Jesus gave His all for us.  We should give our all for Him.

2.    Jesus bought us and owns us.  Thus, our spirit and body are His (See 1Cor. 6:20).

3.    He is a holy being.  Thus, He would never tolerate anything carnal and profane being offered to Him.

4.    Inactivity does not benefit God at all.  Only lively, vigorous actions bring glory and honor to the Father.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   God is wanting us to present all of our body unto Him in sacrifice.

We often want to just give Him part of us.

 

B.   It must be done while we are living.

If we put it off too long, we might die.  A dead sacrifice is useless.

 

C.   Our sacrifice must be pure and holy.

The Lord does not want it tainted in any way.

 

D.   Our sacrifices must be the one of God’s choosing

We are not free to offer God whatever we desire to offer Him.

 

E.   This living sacrifice is reasonable.

It is reasonable even if we might believe giving all is unreasonable.