In Romans 12 Paul urges believers to be ‘living sacrifices’ verse 1. What does it mean to be a living sacrifice?
It means that we will ensure that we make decisions and choices each day that are pleasing to God. That may mean sometimes having to put aside what we want to do to help someone else or to so something for God and for His Kingdom. Like today I had to put aside going shopping do for some summer tops while they are on sale to do what I believed God was calling me to do.
It’s no good being a Sunday Christian. I actually doubt such a thing exists. There are people who go to church but live the rest of the week as though God doesn’t exist. That’s not living the Christian life or being a Christian.
We need to live out our faith each day, hour by hour, moment by moment. That means being different from the world in the way we act and speak. Here are several ways we can do this.
It might mean helping others and showing love, patience and kindness even when we don’t feel loving and kind and patient.
It will mean putting other’s needs above our own.
It might mean not retaliating with sarcasm and negative comments to someone else, not passing on gossip about other, watching the words we say and not letting blasphemous words creep into our speech, something the rest of the world does all too frequently. I’ve heard even very young children using God’s name wrongly because they hear it so often on TV, at school and, sadly, in their homes.
Even the way we dress that we are not wearing immodest and suggestive clothing that may inflame lust in others. There’s no reason though why we shouldn’t still be clean, well dressed and attractive. Being slovenly and wearing unkempt or unattractive clothes is not honoring to God.
It may also affect what we read, what we watch on TV or at the movies, and how we spend our time.
As well as these it means allowing God to transform us from the inside. By reading His Word and spending time with him in prayer, not just on Sundays, not just sometimes but each day and also at times when we are faced with a major decision or choice to be made. That way we will learn from God and be able to discern God’s perfect will for us.
Bible verse is from the New International Version
Related blogs
10 Ways to Change Your Attitude
Grandparents, Are you Being Fair?