We are to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice to God. This means living our lives for God, giving our lives to Him, being willing to do whatever He wants us to do. Why do we do this? In view of God's mercy. It is not in order to gain anything or to seek to earn salvation. God has freely forgiven us, purely out of His love for us. We go wrong whenever we think that our giving or serving earns anything. "Giving to get" is one example of how we can go wrong. The Christian life is one of giving and receiving.
We have been declared righteous, so our "sacrifice" is pleasing to God. A life dedicated to Him is true worship.
We are not be conformed to the pattern of this world. This world has gone completely wrong in every sphere, including the religious sphere. It is only in Christ that we find true religion and true service.
So we need to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. The whole of Romans has been challenging our thinking. The whole of the Bible teaches us to think in a different way. Now note that we are to use our minds, but the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. When we put God first, when we recognise His wisdom we begin to become truly wise ourselves.
When we do this we can then start to think clearly, to see what is God's will in various situations. We will begin to find a freedom, new insight. Sin distorts our vision and thinking, the Spirit brings clarity.
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