Chapter 12 starts, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship." Paul has laid out God's mercy: All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Jesus Christ paid the debt for our sin when he died on the cross for us. We need to confess and believe in Jesus Christ in order to be saved. Once we do that, we now have freedom in Christ. We are now a part of the family of God, and we have hope that our salvation will be complete. In view of all that...our response is to offer our lives to God. How do we do that? We use the gifts He has given us. We are to be humble, loving, and honor others. We are to serve the Lord in zeal, joy and hope. We are to be patient, giving and prayerful. We are to bless our enemies, rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. We do not take vengeance, but leave it in the hands of God. We are to overcome evil with good. How can we do that? When we transform our minds and seek God's word, His will, and His perfect ways.
