PRESENT YOUR BODIES A LIVING SACRIFICE
“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.”
Romans 12:1 (NKJV)
This aspect of a believer's life or Christian living is one of the major
areas that is not understood by many professed believers, and it is being evaded by many, because it is a responsibility.
Presenting your body as a living sacrifice and the renewing of the mind are two vital things every believer ought to do, but they are being evaded. You have a responsibility as a believer in Christ Jesus to present your body to God after being born-again—the new birth. When a person is reborn or born-again, the body and the mind of such are yet to change or transform. It was only the spirit, inward man, of the person that was reborn. The onus lies on the believer to consciously and deliberately present his or her body, the outward man, as a living sacrifice to God.
How does a believer do that?
A believer's body is presented when such is no longer being ruled or led by the flesh, when such is submissive to the Holy Spirit through his or her recreated human spirit (Galatians 5:16-18). A believer should be led, ruled, or governed by the Holy Spirit through his or her recreated human spirit—the inward man (Galatians 5:16).
This is where the suggestions and activities of the flesh or body would no longer be allowed to prevail in the believer's life: "AND THOSE WHO ARE CHRIST'S HAVE CRUCIFIED THE FLESH WITH ITS PASSIONS AND DESIRES" (Galatians 5:24 NKJV).
When this is successfully done, the believer has presented his or her body a living sacrifice to God. It is a sacrifice because the flesh is now being denied all the things that it used to relish in. The flesh is no longer gratified or satisfied with its demands. In other words, things asked or desired by the flesh is no longer given to it (Ephesians 4:21-23).
This might be tough on the flesh or body, but the decision would make the believer steadfast and strong in the Lord. It will strengthen the relationship and communion of the believer with
God.
Have you presented your body to God as a living sacrifice? If you are yet to do it, take a step now and do it, do not procrastinate!
Peace.