Our Reasonable Service

Our Reasonable Service to Christ

Romans 12:1

To join most organizations, including our great U.S. armed forces, we must meet certain basic requirements such as education level, age, and criminal background checks to name a few.Then there’s the possibility of being denied membership or disqualified for one reason or another. However, there is one organism, the church, that everyone has an open invitation to join. What is different about joining the body of Christ? It is a body of born again believers.There is no required education level, age limit, background check, or other qualifications that man can ever use to disqualify us from God’s kingdom. John 3:16 says that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

We must believe and trust in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9, NKJV). We have been called out from the world for His purposes. We live in this earthly realm, but we are citizens of the spiritual kingdom. He commands us to love Him wholly and freely, dedicating our lives to Him through service to our neighbor.

According to chapters 12-15 of Romans, we have a duty to live a life that reflects our willingness to commit to a lifetime of service to Christ. Specifically in Romans 12:1, Paul tells the church that it is “your reasonable service” to bring our living selves to Him, not animals. So what is our reasonable service? Our reasonable service starts with presenting our bodies as a “living sacrifice.” After all, Jesus Christ has given his life as the ultimate sacrifice for us. Paul says that we have heard the preaching; we have heard the teaching of the gospel. Now the least we can do is put it to practice in our everyday living. God wants us to bring our bodies to the altar as a “living sacrifice” – a body that has been spiritually resurrected from death in sins and trespasses.

We are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice that is “holy” to God. Yes, that’s right, the command is for us to be holy, or set apart, for His purpose because He is holy. We are to clean up our old, defiled bodies, and live like clay jars in which the Holy Spirit is stored (CEV, paraphrased). Love Him wholly and freely, dedicating our lives to Him through unselfish service to our neighbor.

Not only does God want a sacrifice that is living and holy, but He wants one that is well-pleasing to Him. Let’s give up our selfish, unrighteous ways and take on His selfless, righteous ways. He wants our obedience; this makes us acceptable to Him. We are to be fully committed sacrifices – living, holy, and acceptable. That is our reasonable service, or genuine worship.