Romans 12:1 - I appeal to you

12:1

The first eleven chapters have laid the theological foundations. In fact, much more than foundations, they have set the whole structure of the kingdom and our part in it. We now get the practical applications, though these chapters still contain “theology”!

We are saved by grace through faith, but this does not in any way mean we are to be passive. So Paul makes an appeal to them. He is very strongly urging them to do the things he is about to talk about. And he does so “by the mercies of God”. He is not appealing on the grounds that they need to do these things in order to earn salvation, but because of the mercy of God. The mercy of God is more than forgiving us for our sins, it is also about enabling us to live the lives we ought to live. And we only experience this grace when we put the effort in, when we seek to live godly lives. So we are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, dedicated to the service of the Lord. This is our “holy and acceptable” offering to God, it is our spiritual worship. But note the mention of “our bodies”. Spiritual worship is not some nebulous or ephemeral thing, but is deeply rooted in reality. “Spiritual worship” can also be translated as “rational worship”. NIV has “true and proper”.