"Your Spiritual Worship"

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1 ESV)

Paul gave every part of his being to Christ. He held nothing back in his devotion. In his epistle to the Romans, Paul calls on believers to do the very same thing. You see, devotion is not about promises or beliefs. Devotion is a very different thing.

Through God’s grace, we are gifted the ability to believe in the finished work of Christ on the cross. Accepting salvation involves trusting in Jesus' sacrifice by faith, as well as repenting of one's sins. This gift of faith grants you righteousness and eternal life, making salvation clear and accessible.

Devotion, however, is another story. Christ has changed us through our faith. We become new creatures in God, and as such, our life’s focus changes. We are still human, and we will still sin. Our devotion is shown, as Paul instructed, by making our bodies a living sacrifice acceptable to God. We must be a spiritual sacrifice to God.

It is one thing to live “as a Christian,” it is entirely another thing to live “for Christ.” It means that the Christian life is more than just actions. It is more than attending worship, more than stopping vices, and more than trying to be good, which is impossible because none are good (Romans 3:12). When you accept Christ as your Savior, there is shared life and death. We who accept Christ as our Savior have died with Him on the cross. His death is our death as we have died to the world, our old self remade. We are no longer of the world (John 17:15-16). So, in our spiritual rebirth, we are to be like Christ and devote our entire selves to Him, much like Christ devoted his whole self to the Father and to our salvation. It is why God changes us. It is our purpose.

With a newly defined purpose in life, we are to reflect Christ in every aspect of our lives. When you do this, you will find that your entire view of the world changes. When you live “for Christ,” there will be a closeness that you come to treasure. Your time alone with God becomes a desire, a need like cool water on a hot day. The meaning of Psalm 63 becomes clearer, and David's closeness to God becomes more transparent and easier to understand as you have experienced Him yourself. You will begin to understand God's love for you and the passion for God you have come to need.

Do you desire the Lord? Are you spending enough time alone with Him? A time, when absent, produces a longing for Him. John Piper said, “Christ should be known truly, and treasured duly.” He believes that God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in God, and I do too. I do not believe in trying to quantify faith; there is no such formula for salvation. However, I do believe, as does Piper, that saving faith not only comprises trust, knowledge, and assent but also an affectual dimension of treasuring Christ.

Do you know Christ as a treasure? Accept Jesus as your Savior and experience the hope and assurance that come with salvation through Him. Contact In Messiah Ministries, and we will guide you to the scriptures that reveal this gift of salvation.

Glory be to God,

Grace and Peace.