Romans 12:1-2 – “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. 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 Chapters 1-11: Reveal what God does for us Chapters 12-16: Reveal what we can do for God

Verse 1: “I beseech you” – Beg or plead “Brethren” – Jewish and Gentile believers “By the mercies of God” Justified by faith in Christ Sanctified by the power of the Holy Spirit Glorified as heirs of God the Father

Verse 1: “In view of such mercies” – Paul makes an appeal to consecration “Present your bodies a living sacrifice” Yield or give way to God We are to consciously, intelligently, rationally, give ourselves to the Lord I Thessalonians 5:23 – “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Verse 1: Our sacrifice is described as a “reasonable service” – Based on all that God has done for us, Only reasonable that we should live for Him II Corinthians 5:15 – “And that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again.”

Verse 1: Our sacrifice is described as a “reasonable service” – Based on all that God has done for us, Only reasonable that we should live for Him Philippians 1:21 – “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Verse 2: “And not to be conformed to this world” Colossians 2:8 – “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

Verse 2: “And not to be conformed to this world” James 4:4 – “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”

Verse 2: “And not to be conformed to this world” Galatians 1:4 – “Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will God and our Father.”

Verse 2: “Transformed” – Implies a fundamental change in the life of the believer II Peter 1:4-7 – “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in this world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.”

Verse 2: “Renewing of your mind” – Logical reasoning, ethical judgment, moral values “That ye may prove” – To test, scrutinize, or examine “Good, acceptable, and perfect will of God” Good in the sense, that it is never mistaken Acceptable in the sense, it should heartily be endorsed by the believer Perfect in the sense, that it brings the desired end that God had in mind

Paul’s challenge is threefold: We are to sacrifice our all. We are to separate ourselves from the evil influence of the world. We are to serve Him with our heart, soul, and mind. I Corinthians 15:57,58 – “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”