The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed from the tape, GC 1300, titled "Bible Questions and Answers."  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE.

Question

What does Romans 12:1 mean?

Answer

Let’s look at that. Great verse (and maybe you’ve known what it says without knowing what it means): “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your spiritual worship.” What does it mean? Well, let’s look at it part by part.

“I beseech you.” This is love. This is not law. He’s not saying, “I command you”; He’s saying, “I beg you.” This is love. “I beg you, therefore.” What do you mean “therefore,” Paul? “Well, I’ve just given you eleven chapters of doctrine. Now, on the basis of eleven chapters of doctrine, I’m going to ask you to behave a certain way.”

Remember how we studied this in Ephesians? Listen to me; the Word of God never enjoins behavior out of a Christian until it lays a foundation of doctrine. The Bible always says, “This is so, this is so, this is so, therefore this is the way you are to live,” right? That’s why we say, you know, so often in the church when a person just keeps telling people how to live without giving them biblical bases and doctrinal foundations, their whole motivation is artificial; they’re doing it because they’re afraid not to do, not because they understand why they’re doing it. You know, when you say to somebody, “You don’t need a reason! Just do it because I said so!” that’s not good enough. God never does that. God never requires something out of somebody without any reason.

Paul says eleven chapters of doctrine--do you realize that for eleven chapters in Romans, he hasn’t asked anybody to do anything really? Oh, a few little hints here and there (about mortifying the body in Romans 8); just a few little glimpses of it. But basically, the entire eleven chapters is “This is what God’s done, this is what God’s done, this is what God’s done.” Finally in 12, “Therefore, I’m asking you by the mercies of God, all that He’s done for you--all these eleven chapters of mercies--you present your bodies.”

The word “present” is an aorist active infinitive, a once for all, “paristasai.” (sp.) It’s a once for all act. Once for all present--and it’s a temple term. It means to bring something to God. What does He want? Your body. He wants your body. He wants your abilities, your mind, your hands, your feet, your mouth, your ears, your eyes! He wants you. What for? He wants you as “a living sacrifice.” Do you know what a living sacrifice is? You say, “Well, that’s kind of a strange term, isn’t it?” It is because most sacrifices are what? They’re dead! You say, “What is a living sacrifice?”

Well, I’ll tell you--give you an illustration, one that I always think of: Abraham. God said to Abraham, “You’re going to have a child”; he had a child…Isaac. Abraham loved Isaac, didn’t he? Oh, he loved him. The child of all his promise, the child of his dreams! The hope of all the fulfillment of God’s plan! God said to Abraham, “Take him up in a mountain and kill him.”

“Take him up in a mountain and kill him? After all we went through to get him? Wasn’t born until I was 100… Only son I have, legitimately by Sarah.” But he obeyed--took all the sticks and tied them on Isaac’s back. Isaac is like a picture of Christ carrying his own cross. Isaac goes up the mountain. Abraham goes with him. He gets up on the mountain, lays Isaac out on the alter, and Isaac’s probably saying, “Gee, you know, I’m not sure what’s going on here…” Abraham lifts his dagger.

Isaac was about to be a dead sacrifice, right? But do you know who was making a living sacrifice? Abraham. You know why? He was about to kill all his hopes, all his dreams, everything he ever wanted because that’s what God told him to do, right? Do you know what a living sacrifice is? Not somebody who dies for God, but somebody who submits to God’s will whatever the cost. That’s a living sacrifice.

He says, “Because of all that God has done for you, present your bodies a living sacrifice. Listen; you’re already holy, you’re already acceptable--who made you holy and who made you acceptable? Who did? Christ! So will you just present yourself? That is your required spiritual worship! God wants you! He doesn’t want bulls and goats and He doesn’t want dead animals… He wants you. And He wants you to be a living sacrifice; that is, willing to pay the supreme price for him.

I suppose if I got over in "Boola Boola Land" and got in the proverbial pot and some natives were going to boil me for lunch, I suppose I could muster my courage and die for Christ, right? Though I wouldn’t have much choice. I suppose He’d give me grace, don’t you? That isn’t the issue. The issue isn’t, can I at one time die for Jesus; it’s, can I everyday, everyday, everyday sacrifice my dreams, my hopes, my will, my wants for his. See? It’s a living sacrifice: I bring my body into submission to his will… A living sacrifice.

That’s what God wants out of us, beloved. May it be so.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur’s Questions and Answers" by:

Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board
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