Is God's Work too Hard

Is God’s work Hard

“I beseech you therefore . . . 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.” (Romans 12:1-2)

For those who work to please God and feel that it is too much to continue, these verses provide the definitive answer. Note that the key is sacrifice, not conformity. It is seems conflicting in content, but all is truly stated and woefully correct. To live for Jesus in this life requires dying out to the ways of the world and living unto Christ alone! This great truth is emphasized repeatedly throughout the New Testament

I. 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. 2 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, andperfect, will of God. 3 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.

(Galatians 2:20, etc.).

Whether it appears contradictory or not, the command of sacrificial living for Christ is wholly our reasonable service! “Reasonable” is the Greek logikos, from which we derive our word “logical.” “Service” is the Greek latreian, referring to service as a high priest. We have been made “an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). How could Christians not render a dedicated lifelong service to the father of all who laid down His life for us in order to take away our sins and give us everlasting life with Him in eternity.

It is also logical that we should refrain from living according to the standards of this present dark and evil world. We should not do the things that this world’s new age practices, in dress or music or morals or anything else? We have far higher and more lofty goals, guided by the Word of God and by minds renewed in Christ Jesus our Savior.

Once we could not see through the darkness of this world. We were “blinded” by Lucifer, “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4), but now we are guided by “the mind of the Lord” (Romans 11:34; 1 Corinthians 2:16). Here is the key to knowing that good and acceptable and perfect will of God! Know God, know peace. Amen 06-23-2019 BLL