Mercy demands a response.
In yesterday’s passage, there was a clear expected response of humility. It’s a privilege to be a recipient of the grace and mercy of God and we should never feel entitled to it.
Now, in Romans 12, Paul is going to move towards a second and greater response: sacrifice. He writes,
“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” (Rom. 12:1).
What’s very interesting here is that Paul doesn’t issue a command. Rather he makes an appeal.
In a sense, he is showing us that once we see the incredible mercy of God that He has lavished upon us in His Son Jesus Christ (Ch. 11), how could we not respond?
Paul makes the appeal for us to present our bodies as living sacrifices. In essence, all of who you are is to be put on the altar for His service and use.
Under the Old Testament Levitical law, there were a handful of different sacrifices that were instituted.
Categorically, there were burnt offerings, grain offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings (Lev. 1-6). Now, while most offerings involved fire and burning, what made the burnt offering unique was that the entire sacrifice was consumed. It was wholly devoted to Yahweh. With a peace offering, the worshipper would receive part of the sacrificial animal back as a meal (Lev. 7:15-18). Likewise, with many of the offerings a portion would go to the priests to help feed them.
Not so with the burnt offering.
The burnt offering was the possession of one alone with no other shares. It wasn’t to be split amongst various parties. It was for God alone. It was a complete sacrifice that was an entire loss for the worshipper.
Paul here shows us that this is the life of the Christian. We’re to be living sacrifices that are wholly given for the Master’s use. There’s not an iota of the Christian life that is to be separate from His lordship.
This is the proper response to His mercy. Again, it’s not so that we obtain mercy, but because we already have.
So, what does a living sacrifice look like? Well first, Paul will continue and state,
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:2).
Then, the rest of the chapter unpacks what this looks like. What does it look like to live separate from the world? What does it look like to be transformed by the renewal of your mind?
It looks like:
A humble self-assessment (v3)
Using our God-given gifts for His glory and the good of others (v4-8).
Living a life of love and holding fast to that which is good (v9-10).
Being zealous in service to God (v11).
Rejoicing, enduring tribulation with patience, and being constant in prayer (v12).
Contributing to the needs of other believers and showing hospitality (v13).
Blessing those who persecute you (v14).
Rejoicing with those who rejoice, and weeping with those who weep (v15)
Living in harmony with others (v16).
Not repaying evil for evil but blessing your enemies and leaving vengeance to God (v17-21).
This is Christianity 101, or as the ESV titles the pericope containing verses 9-21 “Marks of the True Christian.” It might seem like a lot, but the sacrifice we make pales in comparison to the sacrifice He made of His Son.
A life saved by God’s mercy is a life that is likewise changed by God’s mercy.
We have to daily remind ourselves why we’re here. Our lives are to be a love-song of service to our God in light of His marvelous and inexhaustible mercies. This isn’t supposed to be a periphery element of our lives, or a Sunday morning phenomenon—rather, it’s the very foundation of who we are that supports and affects everything we do, day by day, in thanksgiving to Him.