In Romans 12, a portion of Paul’s address to the Roman church, he writes on how they can become living sacrifices. He tells them in Romans 12:1-2, “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.” So, what does Paul mean really by this?

First, Paul opens by saying, ‘In view of God’s mercy.’ This phrase is important because we are not performing this act of life worship due to fear. We aren’t doing it to protect ourselves from the wrath of God. Instead, we are doing it because we are grateful God has shown us an abundance of mercy.

Next, we analyze the main part of Paul’s statement: ‘offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God…’ When Paul says this, he is not only referencing our physical bodies and the work we do with them, but he also means our hearts, minds, and wills. All should be submitted to God in an effort to be a living sacrifice for His glory!

In conclusion, to become a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to the Lord is not a small task. This will require a full life commitment to the Lord – in what we do, what we desire, and how we think. But, in light of the incredible mercy and grace God has shown us, we should be thankful enough to pursue what Paul wrote about in Romans 12.