Don’t be a Sunday Christian. Be a daily Christian.
How to live a life that is set apart.
Key Verse:
“Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship” (Romans 12:1 AMP)
Divine Thoughts (because, in expectation, the Holy Spirit is teaching me and helping me share with you):
In the previous chapter, Paul exhorts a beautiful theology for the Jews and Gentiles, concluding that all people are being grafted into the new covenant with God through Jesus Christ. In the verse above, Paul challenges the new believers to live with these things in mind:
Mercies: Because God was merciful to us — like a judge coming down to the condemned and saying, I take his sentence and set you free—we have a response to make. I love that mercies are plural, reflecting many ways God acts towards His people: kindness, grace, salvation, forgiveness, giving the Spirit without limit, etc…
Present your bodies: Present means an act or offering. Paul uses the language of worship from the OT, where sacrifices were brought to God. Bodies: This means your entire being—your physical actions, thoughts, words, and choices.
A living sacrifice - For both Jewish and Gentile audiences, the concept of being a “living sacrifice” carried profound implications:
Continuous Offering:
Unlike dead sacrifices, which are offered once, living sacrifices are ongoing. Believers are called to surrender their lives to God daily.
Holiness and Transformation:
Just as sacrifices in the Old Testament had to be “holy,” believers were called to live set-apart lives, reflecting God’s holiness in their actions and attitudes.
Spiritual Worship:
This new kind of worship wasn’t about external rituals but inward transformation and heartfelt devotion to God (John 4:24).
Never Finished Challenge:
Worship as a lifestyle: Worship isn’t confined to singing songs in church. It’s an offering to honor God in every part of your life—work, relationships, habits, and dreams. Don’t be a Sunday Christian. Be a daily Christian.
Daily surrender: Living sacrificially means making choices that reflect God’s will, even when uncomfortable or costly. Here's your hopeful caveat: He feeds and deeply cares for them. How much more will He feed and care for you?
Motivated by mercy: Our obedience flows from gratitude for what God has done, not fear of punishment. He disciplines. He does not punish you. In His unfathomable grace, He helps you grow. There are consequences to sin, but that is from your own decisions.
Whole-life devotion: God isn’t just asking for parts of your life; He wants all of you. Would you like a mom, dad, friend, teacher, or coach who desires just bits and pieces? Would you like to be taught or loved just partly? Nothing He displays to His creation in the Kingdom of God is partial. His actions display unexplainable wholeness.
Reflection Questions
1. Are there areas of your life you haven’t fully surrendered to God as part of your “living sacrifice”? Surrendering to Him equals freedom. Why? Because He knows you and knows what is best. Once again, would your mom and dad ask you to stop doing something to hinder you or make you better?
2. How does understanding God’s mercy motivate you to live differently? Dive into God’s mercy if you don’t understand it or have ever pondered it.
3. In what ways can your daily choices reflect a life of worship? You can answer this and other questions by spending daily time with God in His word, worship, community…
What does today say about God?
God is merciful, zealously, and intimately involved with His creation. Even before time began, God had already planned a way for His creation to have a relationship with Him, despite our egregious betrayal of that relationship. Thank you, Jesus!