Verse By Verse Through Romans

Chapter Twelve

Romans 12:1 “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.”

• To beseech is to: “to call near, that is, invite, invoke (by imploration, hortation or consolation): - beseech, call for, (be of good) comfort, desire, (give) exhort (-ation), intreat, pray” (Strong’s # 3870) . Also, translated: “pray” (Acts 27:34), “comforted” (II Corinthians 7:7), “desired” (II Corinthians 12:18), “exhort” (II Timothy 4:2).
• We are presentable to God because of the mercies [compassion; pity] of God (Psalms 5:4-7, Lamentations 3:22, Titus 3:3-5, and Jude 1:21).
• Present your bodies (Romans 6:13, Romans 6:19, I Corinthians 6:13-20, Philippians 1:20, and Hebrews 10:22).
• A living sacrifice (Hebrews 13:15-16 and I Peter 2:5-9).
• Reasonable [logical; rational] (Hebrews 5:14) service (Hebrews 12:28-29).
• Service to God requires faithfulness to His will rather than man’s (Galatians 1:10).
• Service is not the same as worship (Matthew 4:10). Service is broad; can be accomplished in anything pleasing to God. Wherein worship is focused and spiritual (John 4:20-24). People should understand this. The “service industry” is not confused with a “worship industry.”
• Focal point is “acceptable unto God” (Psalms 15:1-5, Luke 6:46, John 14:23-24, Ephesians 5:10, Colossians 1:10, I Thessalonians 4:1-2, and II John 1:9).
• In view of everything God has done, the only reasonable response is to give Him everything you are completely, continually, and acceptably.

• Don’t be a conformer to the world. This has long been the teaching among God’s people (Deuteronomy 18:9-14, I Kings 11:1-13, Psalms 1:1-2, Psalms 26:4-5, Psalms 97:10, Psalms 101:3, Psalms 119:104, Psalms 119:128, Proverbs 1:10-19, Proverbs 4:14-16, Proverbs 13:20, Proverbs 29:27, Jeremiah 15:17, I Corinthians 3:18-19, I Corinthians 15:33, II Corinthians 6:14-7:1, Ephesians 5:6-11, James 4:4, I Peter 4:1-5, and I John 2:15-17).
• Renewal of mind [translated also as “understanding” (Luke 24:45; I Corinthians 14:14; Philippians 4:7); Strong’s # 3563] leads to change in action (Ezekiel 18:31, Ephesians 4:17-32, and Colossians 3:10).
• Prove [try; test; discern; cf. Luke 12:56 and I Thessalonians 5:21-22] what is that good, acceptable, perfect, will of God. The perfect word of God (James 1:25) is our tool to accomplish this testing (II Timothy 3:15-17).
• Consider the points on verse 1 concerning “acceptable.” You cannot present an acceptable life without a transformed mind. Transformation can lead to discernment. Discernment can lead to pride if not checked. So, as the next verse will establish, don’t let living godly get to your head (Isaiah 65:5).