Jesus Christ never did anything except that which glorified His Father in Heaven. Of course, Christ was perfect. He never sinned, and He always did the will of God. But, because we are ‘IN CHRIST‘, we also have the opportunity to live spiritually significant lives. In Christ, we also have the ability to do the will of God.
Paul calls for us as believers, to “…live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” (Eph. 4:1)
Rather than living to please ourselves, we live to PLEASE GOD. The Holy Spirit empowers us to develop the character of Christ. Through this empowerment we have the ability to SPIRITUALLY GO BEYOND human limitations. We can begin living our eternal life right here, right now. So, just how do we do that TOMMY?
Paul answers that with, “I urge you, 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) Paul’s admonition to the believers in Rome was to sacrifice themselves to God, not as a sacrifice on the altar, as the Mosaic Law required the sacrifice of animals, but as a LIVING SACRIFICE. The dictionary defines sacrifice as “anything consecrated and offered to God.” As believers, how do we consecrate and offer ourselves to God as a living sacrifice? For those who are in Christ by virtue of saving faith, the only acceptable worship is to offer ourselves COMPLETELY TO THE LORD. Under God’s control, our yet-unredeemed body can and must be yielded to Him as an INSTRUMENT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
“And do not be CONFORMED to this world, but be TRANSFORMED (metamorphoō: to be changed by God into another form) by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Rom. 12:2) We don’t want to be like everyone else (conformed to this world) but we should desire to be transformed, to be CHANGED BY GOD, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to PUT OFF your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to PUT ON THE NEW SELF, created TO BE LIKE GOD in true righteousness and holiness.” (Eph. 4:22-24)
THIS IS OUR SPIRITUAL METAMORPHOUS, OUR FORM IS CHANGED BY GOD, CHANGED FROM OUR OLD ADAMIC NATURE TO THE NATURE OF JESUS CHRIST!
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham