God is calling you for a Living Sacrifice

My earlier post took a similar passage from Hebrews.  I wanted to outline Romans 12 and 13 for you.  I heard a lot of sermons about being a living sacrifice and Romans 12: 1-2 were quoted but not much attention to the remainder of the relevant passage was mentioned.  I find a calling to a living sacrifice elusive to understand without the supporting context.  What is a living sacrifice and what does God really expect from us.

Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)

12 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 worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

A living sacrifice,

        Holy and pleasing to God

        Proving what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

1. Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but think with a sound judgement.

2. We each have gifts that differ from one another according to the grace given to us.  Each should exercise that gift accordingly:

        Prophecy-according to the proportion of your faith

        Service – by serving

        Teaching – by teaching

        Exhortation –exhorting

        Giving - Liberally

        Leadership - diligently

        Mercy – with cheerfulness

3. Love without hypocrisy

4. Abhor evil

5. Cling to that which is good

6. Devotion to your brothers in Christ and give preference and honor to one another.

7. Serve the Jesus Christ diligently and fervently in spirit.

8. Rejoice in your hope

        Persevering in tribulation

        Be devoted to prayer

9. Be hospitality and contribute to the needs of the saints.

10. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

11. Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.

12. Have the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly.  Do not be wise in your own estimation.

13. Respect what is right in the sight of God.  Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.  If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.  Do not take your own revenge but leave room for the wrath of God.  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

14. Be in subjection to the governing authorities.

15. Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another.

16. Love your neighbor as yourself.

17. Lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.  Let us behave properly as in the day, not carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

I find the laundry list of supporting definitions of "living sacrifice" lays a neat foundation of what I have heard all my life in good preaching.  There is some not to do's and some to do's.  But this is a great summary of living well for Christ.