Bible Study Romans 12:1 What Is Your Living Sacrifice?

[Chopper]

I have pondered over this verse of Scripture for many years. After my morning Bible study and prayer to my Lord, this morning, which includes this verse, I decided to come to a conclusion of just what does it mean to "present my body to God as a living sacrifice"....This is what it means to me.

I stand on the "Altar of God" where there has not been a slain animal sacrificed for centuries. And with a grateful heart in praise to Jesus for my redemption, I proceed from there with the intent to do all my "works" motivated by the love of Jesus to me, to do all for the Glory of Jesus and His Father.

How about you? What does this Verse mean to you?

 

[Eugene]

Dear Brother Chopper, I don’t feel able to improve on the following excerpt in Grace and Glory’s Study of the Book of Romans at: http://www.gracegod.com/Study Books/Romans1.pdf
http://www.gracegod.com/Study%20Books/Romans1.pdf .

THE PRACTICAL SIDE OF THE GOSPEL Romans Chapters 12:1 - 16:27
Paul begins this portion of his Epistle, which may very truly be called man's side of the truth, by the leverage of God's side - which wonderful provision has been his theme heretofore. Because of all the preceding matchless grace, we are now urged to present our bodies to God. And notice that each body is as "a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God," because of the treasure which it contains - the new life. For when we count the old man dead, God sees the body as an earthen vessel - the receptacle for the display of the Life of Christ. And this is counted as our reasonable service. That is, it is in harmony with reason, that we should give to God that which He has redeemed at such infinite cost. Paul suggests it as a privilege, not a duty, of which we may gladly avail ourselves by his reminder. And this is real Christian service or worship. It displaces the forms of divine service as formerly connected with the law. This will necessitate nonconformity to the world, and will result in a transformation God-ward. The process will be accomplished by a continuous renewing of our mind; thus proving or finding, "what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" - 12:2. That is, we thereby learn God's will for us personally, of which there seems to be three distinctions - three progressive stages - we might say, in the school of Christ. The first is His GOOD WILL; later, we find His more ACCEPTABLE WILL, as we walk with Him; until finally we are in the very ocean of God's PERFECT WILL, fixed and unchanging as His own eternal decrees.

God bless you in Jesus’ name.

 

[Brother Mike]

And be not 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)
For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
(Rom 12:4)

And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
(Mar 8:34-35)

1Co_16:7 For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a while with you, if the Lord permit.

1Co_4:19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.

Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is.
(Eph 5:17)

A living sacrifice is someone who is a living example of doing only what the Lord says do, staying in the Lord's will, denying their own plans and thoughts to do and fill their part in the Body.

There are many members, but not all are given the same office. If you have sacrificed your own life, and know the will of God, then your not going to try to do an office not designed for you.

Many move, and never ask the Lord if they should because of a better paying Job. (The Job is Lord, not the Lord)
Many move to be closer to family when the Lord never said such a thing (Family is Lord, not the Lord)
Many start projects in their church that seem good the Lord never said do. (Their desire for the church, not the head of the Church for that church)

If you have sacrificed your life, then you know what is the perfect will of God, and do what he says do. You deny what you think is good and want to do. Paul gives many examples of this. He wants to stay, but only if it's OK with God, he wants to come, but only if God says go.

Blessings.

 

[WalterandDebbie]

I have pondered over this verse of Scripture for many years. After my morning Bible study and prayer to my Lord, this morning, which includes this verse, I decided to come to a conclusion of just what does it mean to "present my body to God as a living sacrifice"....This is what it means to me.

I stand on the "Altar of God" where there has not been a slain animal sacrificed for centuries. And with a grateful heart in praise to Jesus for my redemption, I proceed from there with the intent to do all my "works" motivated by the love of Jesus to me, to do all for the Glory of Jesus and His Father.

How about you? What does this Verse mean to you?

I feel the same as the above, but in all respect to God: is to present 1st. my body, Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper duty. Romans 12:1

 

[Cturtle]

For me it is crucifying the natural desires...like frustration and whatever does not glorify the Lord. Not allowing the fleshly habits to rule and reign within me. Totally committing, and submitting all that i am to the Holy Spirit for His use.
Blessings

 

[Deborah13]

I believe all of these answers.

 

[iLOVE]

But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Galatians 6:14)

When you place yourself on the altar as a “living sacrifice,” you are rightly responding to Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Essentially, there are two crucifixions that must occur in order to experience victorious kingdom living—Jesus’ and your own. Paul writes of these, “But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14, italics added).

To identify with Jesus Christ is to identify with His own surrender. Being “crucified” with Him creates a resultant disconnect from this world’s order as well as a subsequent attachment and alignment with Him.

The word world in the Greek is kosmos. It simply refers to an organized world system or arrangement designed to promote a specific emphasis or philosophy. For example, we will often talk about the “world of sports,” or the “world of finance,” or the “world of politics.” These phrases are not referencing a location or a place. They are referencing an organized system inclusive of certain definitions, regulations, and philosophical worldviews.

When Paul states that he has been crucified with Christ, he is saying that he is no longer alive to this world’s system that wants to leave God out, or worldliness. He is, rather, crucified to the strategies and rules that are set up to try to make humanity acceptable to God independently of God.

Putting God first equates to a relationship whereby you willingly surrender yourself as a “living sacrifice” to the One you love. You, like Paul, die daily.

Tony Evans

http://tonyevans.org/2015/04/dying-daily/

 

[ezra]

take up our cross-------------- Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him "deny himself," and take up his cross, and follow me. 4 crosses in the bible the 2 thieves cross of Christ and OURS that is our living sacrifice to deny our self. Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives uin me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

 

[LovethroughDove]

My vessel (body) is God's to do with what he wants.
Romans 9:21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?
I sacrifice my own ambitions, and do what God has called me to do. He may ask me to do something along the lines of what Jesus has done. He may just ask me to be a good wife and mother.

I just see that scripture you posted as be ready to do what God has called you for.

 

[Brother Mike]

My vessel (body) is God's to do with what he wants.
Romans 9:21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?
I sacrifice my own ambitions, and do what God has called me to do. He may ask me to do something along the lines of what Jesus has done. He may just ask me to be a good wife and mother.

I just see that scripture you posted as be ready to do what God has called you for.

That is all Paul is saying. It's not some spiritual sacrifice our body on some alter or anything complex. We read it in context.

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. And be not 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. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
(Rom 12:1-4)

We present our bodies, We do that by finding and getting into the Will of God. We are a member of the Body of Christ, and we have a specific office or calling.

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
(1Co 6:19)

Our bodies are not our own, since that is the case, we find out what our bodies are suppose to be doing for God.

Eph_2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Since we are God's Workmanship, then we need to set aside our hobbies, wants and things and walk in the Works that are good, God has planned for us, not our plans.

But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
(1Co 12:18)

So to present ourselves as a living sacrifice, Our life looks like someone doing the will of God according to the place he has for us. Not doing what we think good, or doing our own thing.

it's really simple, once you compare scriptures and read below what Paul said.

Blessings.

 

[iLOVE]

But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Galatians 6:14)

When you place yourself on the altar as a “living sacrifice,” you are rightly responding to Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. Essentially, there are two crucifixions that must occur in order to experience victorious kingdom living—Jesus’ and your own. Paul writes of these, “But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14, italics added).

To identify with Jesus Christ is to identify with His own surrender. Being “crucified” with Him creates a resultant disconnect from this world’s order as well as a subsequent attachment and alignment with Him.

The word world in the Greek is kosmos. It simply refers to an organized world system or arrangement designed to promote a specific emphasis or philosophy. For example, we will often talk about the “world of sports,” or the “world of finance,” or the “world of politics.” These phrases are not referencing a location or a place. They are referencing an organized system inclusive of certain definitions, regulations, and philosophical worldviews.

When Paul states that he has been crucified with Christ, he is saying that he is no longer alive to this world’s system that wants to leave God out, or worldliness. He is, rather, crucified to the strategies and rules that are set up to try to make humanity acceptable to God independently of God.

Putting God first equates to a relationship whereby you willingly surrender yourself as a “living sacrifice” to the One you love. You, like Paul, die daily.

Tony Evans

http://tonyevans.org/2015/04/dying-daily/

There are fans and followers of Lord Jesus Christ. This is tested with the "Royal Law".

Before you rush to judgment and declare an immediate, “Yes!” just sit for a moment and really think about it. Are you a true blue, unashamed, unabashed follower of Christ or do you sometimes conveniently leave your faith at the door depending on the circumstance? Fan vs. follower … that is the question.

If you were accused of being a Christian where you work, would there be enough evidence to convict you? Or would you be found "innocent of all charges"?

 

[ezrider]

Grace, mercy, and forgiveness: these are the things of a living sacrifice. The same mercy that the Lord has shown unto me, by the forgiveness that he has demonstrated unto me, and by the gift of grace that he is given unto me, then my living sacrifice is to demonstrate the same Grace, mercy and forgiveness to others. Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.

My living sacrifice does not mean that I have to sacrifice the will of my flesh so that I might present myself holy and blameless before the altar of God as some polished ornament waiting to be adored. My living sacrifice means that I can take on the filth of the world and the sins others and forgive them as the Lord has forgiven me, so that by my living sacrifice they might come to know the salvation of the Lord, rather than his condemnation.

There is another thread on this forum that is discussing the forth coming Supreme Court decision concerning the constitutionality of gay marriage, and there have been other threads that have discussed the current laws passed in the state of Indiana and considered in others concerning the right to refuse based upon “religious freedom.” Within those threads there is a common theme that points to an idea that somehow permitting a gay couple to marry one another, or serving a gay person against your own will thereby causes you to participate in their sin, and that by their sin you are somehow stained, and that is commonly voiced as something they will not allow; for it would tarnish the polish of their own ornament that they have worked so hard to shine so they can present themselves before Lord. But the Righteousness of Christ is Greater than all of those dead works.

If you think you have come to the full knowledge of the salvation offered to you in Christ, then why do you fear the sins of another, as if they might cost you your own salvation? Did not Christ come that he might taken to himself the sins of the world? Then as a follower of Christ, is that not what you are supposed to do as well? How can you offer yourself a living sacrifice if you are not willing to take on the dead sins of the world, the sins that Christ has already died for?

We are not to present the sacrifice of our own dead works before the Lords, we are to present ourselves a living sacrifice by the power of the resurrected Christ that lives within us. We are to be his ambassadors of grace and salvation. We are not the ministers of condemnation.

Micah 6:6-8
Wherewith shall I come before the Lord,
and bow myself before the high God?
shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves of a year old?
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
or with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good;
and what doth the Lord require of thee,
but to do justly, and to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with thy God.

 

[Tony Hyman]

For me it's about God's view of an offering.I take it back to Leviticus 25: 1 "offering for me from each man whose heart prompts him to give.We see this same heart of the matter(Hello, Eagles) in 1 Sam 15 :22 Where the motive behind an offering is explained to Saul "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord?"

So at that stage already we see a mind-set geared to a correct motive behind this "giving".Its much more than mere sacramental mechanics.Even under the OT Levitcal System where physical objects were offered we find this "heart" behind the giving even though it was sacridodal (going through a Priest).

Now under the New Covenant as already mentioned by others in this thread, we are compared to Christ , who was a "once off sacrifice" for all our sins , we also find ." When Christ came as high priest of good things that are already here he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle."Heb.9:11 Therefore when we "offer ourselves" as in Rom.12:1 it should be with a "servants heart" as Christ tells the Desciples in Mt 20:28 "did not come to be served, but to serve. and give his life as a ransom for many"

To even try and meet this requirement set by Christ's offering is a lot easier said than done, in terms of "yourselves as a living sacrifice".But with the help of the Holy Spirit our consciences should also guide us in as our "hearts tell us" in terms of attitude as shown in Levticus above.

 

[Edward]

That's a good question there, brother Chopper.

To me, I see this verse basically as a paraphrase of Luke 10:27

27 So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’.../

In other words, total submission, total focus upon Him and reliance upon Him, being led of the spirit constantly. More than just loving Him but...showing up for work, there's work to be done!

To present oneself as a living sacrifice, is just like it sounds. This isn't something that we wait on God to come give us an anointing to do something, nor is it to go extreme with ones body and and start being anal about things not good for the body like smoking or wotnot. It is to, present oneself (snip) to Him (which means go to Him...

When Jesus gave up the ghost, the veil was rent in two (torn in half,) allowing access to the Kingdom realm to all. No longer would it be an annual event with only the priest allowed to pass the veil into the presence of God. The veil was not torn in half so that God could come to us, but so that we could go to God...

How many of you brothers and sisters have ever walked through the veil? Or tried to?

He wants us to go to Him. To boldly approach the throne as it were. This is another way of saying quit the world and all of it's ways. 100%. Not to be a sunday Christian but a full time Christian. Doing nothing except looking to the Lord for guidance and instruction, about everything. We're talking full on Jesus freak all the time.

I gotta go to work today. Or do I? Have I inquired of the Lord of what shall we do today? (It seems like many people switch back and forth between the Lord and the world...at times, they pray, go to church, reach out to people, testify to people, etc., but then oh, it's time to go to work or whatever so they back burner the Lord and go deal with the world...not a good thing to do).

But it really needs to be full time so to speak. He is the Lord. He comes first, first first, not as much as possible, but first. Lord, what will thou have me to do today? Here am I, and my life belongs to you. What is your will today?

Before work. Before anything. My life is the Lords and what He wants to do today is more important than work. Even to kill me. Yet though He slay me will I trust Him...

I think the important thing in this is the present yourself to phrase. This tells us go to Him. Cross that veil. Approach HIM. Don't wait on Him, He's waiting on you.

Does that make sense brother?

 

[Chopper]

That's a good question there, brother Chopper.

To me, I see this verse basically as a paraphrase of Luke 10:27

27 So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’.../

In other words, total submission, total focus upon Him and reliance upon Him, being led of the spirit constantly. More than just loving Him but...showing up for work, there's work to be done!

To present oneself as a living sacrifice, is just like it sounds. This isn't something that we wait on God to come give us an anointing to do something, nor is it to go extreme with ones body and and start being anal about things not good for the body like smoking or wotnot. It is to, present oneself (snip) to Him (which means go to Him...

When Jesus gave up the ghost, the veil was rent in two (torn in half,) allowing access to the Kingdom realm to all. No longer would it be an annual event with only the priest allowed to pass the veil into the presence of God. The veil was not torn in half so that God could come to us, but so that we could go to God...

How many of you brothers and sisters have ever walked through the veil? Or tried to?

He wants us to go to Him. To boldly approach the throne as it were. This is another way of saying quit the world and all of it's ways. 100%. Not to be a sunday Christian but a full time Christian. Doing nothing except looking to the Lord for guidance and instruction, about everything. We're talking full on Jesus freak all the time.

I gotta go to work today. Or do I? Have I inquired of the Lord of what shall we do today? (It seems like many people switch back and forth between the Lord and the world...at times, they pray, go to church, reach out to people, testify to people, etc., but then oh, it's time to go to work or whatever so they back burner the Lord and go deal with the world...not a good thing to do).

But it really needs to be full time so to speak. He is the Lord. He comes first, first first, not as much as possible, but first. Lord, what will thou have me to do today? Here am I, and my life belongs to you. What is your will today?

Before work. Before anything. My life is the Lords and what He wants to do today is more important than work. Even to kill me. Yet though He slay me will I trust Him...

I think the important thing in this is the present yourself to phrase. This tells us go to Him. Cross that veil. Approach HIM. Don't wait on Him, He's waiting on you.

Does that make sense brother?

Yes it does my good friend. Oh that we all could live the life that you have just stated. That kind of life certainly would put a smile on Jesus' Face. Thank you!

 

[Chopper]

Grace, mercy, and forgiveness: these are the things of a living sacrifice. The same mercy that the Lord has shown unto me, by the forgiveness that he has demonstrated unto me, and by the gift of grace that he is given unto me, then my living sacrifice is to demonstrate the same Grace, mercy and forgiveness to others. Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.

My living sacrifice does not mean that I have to sacrifice the will of my flesh so that I might present myself holy and blameless before the altar of God as some polished ornament waiting to be adored. My living sacrifice means that I can take on the filth of the world and the sins others and forgive them as the Lord has forgiven me, so that by my living sacrifice they might come to know the salvation of the Lord, rather than his condemnation.

There is another thread on this forum that is discussing the forth coming Supreme Court decision concerning the constitutionality of gay marriage, and there have been other threads that have discussed the current laws passed in the state of Indiana and considered in others concerning the right to refuse based upon “religious freedom.” Within those threads there is a common theme that points to an idea that somehow permitting a gay couple to marry one another, or serving a gay person against your own will thereby causes you to participate in their sin, and that by their sin you are somehow stained, and that is commonly voiced as something they will not allow; for it would tarnish the polish of their own ornament that they have worked so hard to shine so they can present themselves before Lord. But the Righteousness of Christ is Greater than all of those dead works.

If you think you have come to the full knowledge of the salvation offered to you in Christ, then why do you fear the sins of another, as if they might cost you your own salvation? Did not Christ come that he might taken to himself the sins of the world? Then as a follower of Christ, is that not what you are supposed to do as well? How can you offer yourself a living sacrifice if you are not willing to take on the dead sins of the world, the sins that Christ has already died for?

We are not to present the sacrifice of our own dead works before the Lords, we are to present ourselves a living sacrifice by the power of the resurrected Christ that lives within us. We are to be his ambassadors of grace and salvation. We are not the ministers of condemnation.

Micah 6:6-8
Wherewith shall I come before the Lord,
and bow myself before the high God?
shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves of a year old?
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
or with ten thousands of rivers of oil?
shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good;
and what doth the Lord require of thee,
but to do justly, and to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with thy God.

You say the following, and I quote,
"My living sacrifice does not mean that I have to sacrifice the will of my flesh....and....My living sacrifice means that I can take on the filth of the world and the sins others and forgive them"

This doesn't sound right to me EZ. This sounds like you are taking part in what Jesus accomplished on the cross that only He can accomplish. I think it's the word "take on". And, a sacrifice of the flesh is demanded in order to be saved.

 

[ezrider]

This doesn't sound right to me EZ. This sounds like you are taking part in what Jesus accomplished on the cross that only He can accomplish. I think it's the word "take on".

I guess I should take that comment as a compliment even though I know it was not intended to be so. But do you so easily forget your own scripture? If I am risen with Christ, then I have been crucified with him as well. And if as the scripture declares that I have indeed been crucified with Christ, then I should expect to take a part in what my Lord has accomplished in the cross. But I have full confidence in the works that Christ performed, I do not need to live in fear of my own sins, nor do I fear the stain of the sins of another. They are dead to me.

The OP was "living sacrifices," not dead works.

And, a sacrifice of the flesh is demanded in order to be saved.

Yes, a sacrifice of the flesh was demanded in order to be saved. But that sacrifice in the flesh was served by my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as he was hung on the cross and crucified. What does it say about someones walk in Christ and their faith in the works that he accomplished when they feel they have to continue to offer up sacrifices of their own flesh as if the sacrifice offered by Jesus just wasn't good enough for them.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

How about you? What does this Verse mean to you?

In very simplistic and general terms I believe that of all the offerings described in the law the grain offering is the one that represents the believer himself (Leviticus 2:1-16). People are the stalks of growth that are raised up from the dust of the earth. As believers we sacrifice those stalks, our bodies, on the altar of God in sacrificial service to God, set ablaze by the heat and fire of the Holy Spirit, prepared for such a sacrifice by the grinding and burning of our sufferings, mixed with the oil of the Holy Spirit and the incense of our prayers, and minus the leaven of sin.

The Bible itself describes people as grain offerings being brought to the Lord:

"...the grace that was given me from God, 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. " (Romans 15:15-16 NASB)

"20 "Then they shall bring all your brethren from all the nations as a grain offering to the LORD, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem," says the LORD, "just as the sons of Israel bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the LORD." (Isaiah 66:20 NASB)

When we serve the Lord with our bodies we are offering up our earthly bodies in sanctified sacrifice to God as grain on an altar fueled by the Holy Spirit, an aroma pleasing to God. That's what the verse means to me.

 

[Chopper]

I guess I should take that comment as a compliment even though I know it was not intended to be so. But do you so easily forget your own scripture? If I am risen with Christ, then I have been crucified with him as well. And if as the scripture declares that I have indeed been crucified with Christ, then I should expect to take a part in what my Lord has accomplished in the cross. But I have full confidence in the works that Christ performed, I do not need to live in fear of my own sins, nor do I fear the stain of the sins of another. They are dead to me.

The OP was "living sacrifices," not dead works.



Yes, a sacrifice of the flesh was demanded in order to be saved. But that sacrifice in the flesh was served by my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as he was hung on the cross and crucified. What does it say about someones walk in Christ and their faith in the works that he accomplished when they feel they have to continue to offer up sacrifices of their own flesh as if the sacrifice offered by Jesus just wasn't good enough for them.

Since it is not my style to argue with a Brother, especially one that I respect like you. So, lets us reason together because you have juiced up my theological mind. You said, "I should expect to take a part in what my Lord has accomplished in the cross". The words "take part" raises a ? mark in my mind. Do you feel that it was necessary for you to have something to do in the crucifixion? I don't think so because Jesus didn't need any human involvement in His cross work other than receive. I think instead you are thinking that you realize fully what Jesus accomplished for you as an individual and you are attempting to make full use of all His "cross work"

Take part? The only part that I see is that Jesus severed the power of sin that pulls a believer into it's grasp. We add nothing to the effect of what Jesus accomplished on the cross except being a recipient of what Jesus accomplished. I see no reason for you to state that you are not in fear of your sins or others. I don't even give that a thought, why should I?

Your post reminds me of this wonderful portion of Scripture. One that has been a favorite of mine for a long, long time to acknowledge and worship Jesus' great sacrifice for me.

2Corinthians 5:11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. 5:12 For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart. 5:13 For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. 5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

I want you to know, my learned Brother, that In Christ Jesus, I love you very much and if there is an important instruction for me, I want to learn from you, not argue. and that's your style as well.

 

[Christ_empowered]

OK. I'm a Baby Christian, and others have posted things I basically believe as well, but...of course, I gotta jump in.

I've been told that salvation isn't about me/you; its about God's work in your/my life. So, to me, being a "living sacrifice" means getting what remains of Self out of the way so Christ can shine through. Easier said than done, lol. I get the sense that being transformed by Christ requires a degree of self denial and cooperation on my part, and that's something I've been pondering as of late.

He who has begun a good work in you shall see it through to the end.
It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me.
I can do all things through Christ who strenghtens me.

No addresses, I know...these are verses I think on when I think of what it means to be a Christian, to have and develop right relationship with Christ and believe and act accordingly. Oh, and John 12:24. That one I do have an address for.