Romans 12:1-2 ESV I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
When we lay our lives before the Lord as a living sacrifice, sometimes we may think we can only bring the pure and undefiled parts, because the sacrifices God wanted were the best of the flock without blemish. Only Jesus could come to God as that kind of pure, unblemished, perfect sacrifice. We can only bring our weakness and imperfection as a sacrifice unto God and let Him take it and transform us.
In this verse the fact it says "holy" may make us think we need to get ourselves cleaned up first. It has to do with consecration unto God, a coming to Him based on Jesus' sacrifice. It is the only way to be acceptable. All our attempts at being holy fall far short of the holiness of God that can only be manifest in our lives because of Jesus' sacrifice and our submission to Him. Holiness is a separation unto God and from the ways of this world.
We come boldly before the throne of grace based on the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. We come with all our need to receive mercy and grace. If we wait until we are good enough, we will never come. It is there before the throne that we are cleansed as we confess our sin and receive all we need to live a pure and holy life.
It is only as we come to Him with all our imperfections and needs that we can be transformed and become all He created us to be.
Hebrews 4:14-16 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Titus 3:4-7 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
No comments:
Post a Comment