READ: Rom. 12:1–3: … which is your reasonable service …
Paul follows his words of praise concerning God’s mercy with an exhortation. True worship of God in response to His mercy necessarily includes dedication to Him. Paul calls such a response “reasonable” or “logical.” It is the fitting answer to God’s immeasurable gifts of grace.
God first came with His promises and their fulfillment in Christ, with the prospect of eternal glory. If we acknowledge this and thank Him, fruits of faith must follow—growth in communion with Christ.
Our service to God must therefore become concrete: the offering of our bodies as a living sacrifice. This is not a payment for what God accomplishes in Christ and through His Spirit. It is a thank offering, brought about by the Holy Spirit. We give ourselves—not partially, but wholly, inwardly and outwardly—to the Lord in His service and for His glory.
It is the fulfillment of the great commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). This sacrifice must be holy—consistent with God’s holiness, in accordance with His Word, marked by hatred of sin.
Such service is pleasing to God (Heb. 12:28). It requires living in and from God’s Word, praying for the Holy Spirit to renew—literally to transform—our lives. This involves a deep change of mind and a continual struggle against the mindset of a world without God.
Again Paul warns against self-exaltation. No one should think more highly of himself than he ought. Even Paul refers to the apostolic office given to him by Christ as pure grace. Service to the Lord must chiefly be evident in demonstrated brotherly love.
How often do you pray for the Holy Spirit—and for what?
Sing: Ps. 50:11