I was recently shocked.
A grace minister taught how that you have to give your body as an offer to God in order for Him use you - for Him to be able to work in and through you.
Is that not what the law says?
IF you would give your body fully ... THEN I will ...? All laws are based on a a principle of "If this ... Then that ...".
It is an old covenant prerequisite.
Why did He rise from death?
Why then is He making abode in the perfect temple not made by the hand of man?
... so that we have to be sacrifices ourselves?
Skilled artisans of interpretation
It amazes me how skilled we have become in manipulating scripture until it suits our course.
The scripture that was quoted is Romans 12:1 and it says
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
The context is given by Paul when he says no-one should esteem him or herself higher than any other, since God has dealt to each one now forming part of the body of Christ providing the set measure of faith - definitive tense. The set measure of faith is Jesus Christ Himself. Given!
Let's drop our religious glasses and look again
I beseech [parakaleō - comfort, remember this post on the Paraklētos?] you, brothers in Christ, by the mercies [oiktirmos - compassion] of God the Father, that you present [paristanō - stand beside or make available] your bodies [bodies as in a temple of the Indwelling Spirit of God] a living [zaō - living, agreeable for life opposed to being agreeable for death and deception and lies] sacrifice [thusia - sacrifice or victim, but in context rather the very object onto whom compassion is drawn], holy [hagios - pure and blameless ... so that you may receive unreservedly], acceptable [euarestos - fully agreeable] on to God [the Paraklētos Himself], which is your reasonable [logikos - logical] service [latreia - worship in the presence of the ministering of God].
Pretty straight-forward. If you do not believe me read again, attentively.
Find Comfort
In this single verse Paul conveys the comforting thought that we as Christian brothers, making ourselves available for the lively passion of God, in doing so find resonance with the Paraklētos Himself. And so it flows logically for us, from this position, to worship Him in the presence of His Grace ...
... therefore it becomes easy for us to ...
... not be conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Rom 12:2
Be like a butterfly. Can you remember my post on metamorphoō to catch onto this?
Look attentively
You are not called to put yourself up for a sacrifice and measure up to what Jesus did!
That is 180 degrees opposite from what this verse is saying!
Instead, Paul is merely saying: make yourself receptive to God’s Grace and you will show-off what is the good and acceptable and perfect Gift of God, even within the body of Christ!
A just Judge
Truely, You said Oh Father God I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings Psa 50:8
O, HalleluYAH! God is not asking for another sacrifice so that He could measure you in accordance to how good you sacrifice yourself.
No, He is looking for a willing person to flood over with His compassion and love and goodness and kindness so that all can see and all can be lifted up and edified in His presence!
The Sacrifice?
Rather, the object of His affection!
Jesus!
HalleluYAH!