Day 8

Is Your Life a Living Sacrifice?

Today’s Scripture Reading - Romans 12:1-2, 14-21

“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.”

-Romans 12:1

Paul started Romans 12 using the phrase “living sacrifice”. The phrase got people’s attention because it was an intentional paradox - two words that don’t belong together. Sort of like Illinois and great weather, right? The Jews at that time were accustomed to making sacrifices often. That part they completely understood. And living? Of course. BUT - HOW could those two words be used together?

When an animal was placed on the altar, it ceased to exist for itself. It no longer existed for what it wanted or “needed”. It existed for the purposes of God, for the forgiveness of sins. When a sacrifice was over, only ashes remained. That’s all you’d find. The animal on the altar was totally consumed by fire. A living sacrifice is a life that CEASES TO EXIST for itself.

A LIVING SACRIFICE is a life CONSUMED BY GOD, for the purposes of God. It is every part of life. Consumed is not partial. It’s everything - all. Even the parts that are hard? Difficult? Uncomfortable? Painful?

“For our God is a consuming Fire”

-Hebrews 12:29

All. Only ash will remain.

Has YOUR BODY been consumed by God? Has every part of YOUR BODY - YOUR LIFE — which by the way is not your body - not your life, it now belongs to Him — has YOUR BODY been consumed by God?

Is your body a living sacrifice?

Discipleship Triangle method of applying God’s Word

UP - What is God saying?
IN - How am I obeying?
OUT - Who could this help?