A Holy and Well-Pleasing Sacrifice

This vital message from Bro. Jade Lazaruis' series of verse-by-verse Bible studies through the book of Romans shows the great importance of expository preaching through the Bible, and of closely examining the significance of EVERY WORD therein. In this series we have come to one of the most important verses in the New Testament as it relates to practical living for the Christian, 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."

Paul expounds here on the expectation the Lord Jesus has of every Christian as stated in Mark 8: 34-35: "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." It is reasonably expected that we should yield and lay down our lives to serve our Savior and follow wherever He leads.

As living sacrifices, enabled by the mercy and grace of God, we are first to be HOLY. God's standard for sacrifice has not changed - from the days of Cain and Abel, and as set forth more fully in the Mosaic law, unholy sacrifices are NOT acceptable. We are called to holiness, "without which no man shall see the Lord."

Then also, the word translated "acceptable" in this verse actually means far more than mere acceptance; it means, as translated elsewhere, "WELL PLEASING" unto God. Just as the Levitical sacrifices were described, "as of a sweet savour unto the LORD," so ought our service to Christ bring Him joy and pleasure well beyond mere acceptance. The study clearly shows the critical importance of word studies from the original language of the TR text as translated in the King James Bible.