Body As A Reasonable Act Of Worship Part 1

Body As A Reasonable Act Of Worship Part 1

Many of us have been taught that we should present our bodies a living sacrifice to God. It usually refers to the way we live our lives. While that is true, it covers more than that.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬 a 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐲, acceptable to God, which is your 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞. - Rom 12:1

The word 'bodies' in Greek refers to 'physical body or the flesh'. The reason why God would accept our bodies as a living sacrifice is not because of our good performance and behaviours. For a sacrifice to be accepted in the OT, it has to be dead (and also without blemish).

You and I are imperfect on our own. But because of Gal 2:20, Christ, who is the Perfect Sacrifice on the Cross, now lives in and through us, making us a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.

The word 'holy' in Greek means 'sacred, sanctified, set apart, likeness of nature with the Lord'. Since the context is also about our physical bodies (flesh), and that the body (flesh) is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19), our bodies (flesh) are now able to be presented sanctified and in the likeness of God's nature (2 Peter 1:4).

In other words, we can walk in divine health with this sanctified body (flesh). The passage does not just cover the way we live using our bodies. It also includes the health of our bodies, for this is our 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞.

The word 'service' refers to divine worship.

The word 'reasonable' refers to 'logic working through the divine reasoning known through faith.' What is logical and reasonable to God might not be what you think is logical and reasonable.

Human reasoning is through logical thinking.

𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡.

To walk in divine health, it is acquired through faith. And this is how we present our bodies (flesh) to God as reasonable act of worship. Because you are most effective in serving Him when you are in divine health.

In the next part, we will find out HOW to walk in this.