The Bible Study: Romans | Living Sacrifice
Romans 12:1 (NIV) Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
KEEP GOD’S MERCY IN VIEW AT ALL TIMES
WORSHIP IS NOT AN ACTION IT’S A LIFESTYLE
Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
"Our lives move in the direction of our strongest thoughts."
Romans 8:5-7 (ESV) Those who are according to the flesh/sin nature set their minds on the things of the flesh/sin nature, but those who are according to the Spirit, (set their minds on) the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh/sin nature is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh/sin nature is hostile toward God.
PHILIPPIANS 4:8 (NIV) Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—THINK about such things.
Ephesians 4:22-24 Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds. 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
OUR WORSHIP LEADS TO GOD’S WILL
John 4:23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
Romans 12:3-8 (ESV) For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
DON’T BECOME WHAT YOU DO, DO WHAT YOU ARE
Galatians 5:24-25 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Galatians 3:26-27 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ".
Romans 15:14 I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another.