Of the seven steps to living a fully surrendered life to God, perhaps none is more vital than the fourth— offering ourselves, specifically our bodies, as a living sacrifice to Him. But this can only be accomplished after we have done the hard work of denying ourselves and dying to self, which was the point of the third step (Matt. 16:24). Death and denial must take place before we present our bodies (flesh) to Him as an act of worship and sacrifice. You will ultimately fail, horrendously, if you try to reverse the order. We must have died to ourselves first in order to present ourselves to Him as a living sacrifice. Otherwise, we’re dealing with a two-headed monster. And it ain’t pretty. Presenting ourselves as a living sacrifice means taking our body, our flesh, with all its desires and ambitions, and laying it down before God as an act of worship and submission to His Lordship. And this, as they say, is where the men are separated from the boys. It is not for the faint of heart.
To be more exact on what step four entails, Romans 12:1-2 reveals what we are to do to submit to Him and what He does for us in response to our submission. What we give is all we are— and what we receive is all He is. Pretty good exchange if you ask me. We give Him rocks, and He gives us diamonds. Not too shabby. So read the passage slowly and take note of each word and promise.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God – Romans 12:1-2.
Let’s look at this passage a little closer.
I beseech (urge, beg) you therefore, brethren, (on what basis) by the mercies of God, that you (our responsibility) present your bodies a (what) living sacrifice, (seen by God as) holy, acceptable to God, (and why should we do this) which is your reasonable service (based on the mercies of God). And (implied, you) do not be conformed to this world, but (implied, you) be transformed by the renewing of your mind, (for what benefit) that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
The essence of the surrendered life is knowing, for certain, the perfect will of God. And this is the promise given to those who offer their bodies (flesh) to Him, unreservedly.
Why is this so important? Because our flesh is the source of so much pride, sin, and selfishness. And therefore, our flesh has to die (see step three). Our natural instincts are to gratify our own wants and needs first, before anything else, including God. We are born self-centered creatures, seeking our own advancement and comfort above all else. But God calls us to live differently, to put others before ourselves and seek His kingdom first (Matt. 6:33). And this requires denying the flesh and crucifying it along with its passions and desires (Gal. 5:24). In a word, we must die to self so that we can live fully to God.
And what do we do once we have denied and died to ourselves? We offer ourselves, our bodies (flesh), the seat of our lust and sins, to the Lord as a living sacrifice and act of surrender. But this surrender is more than just a mental acknowledgment or verbal profession. It requires action. So we demonstrate surrender by taking our body and making it a “living sacrifice”— by placing it on the altar before God to say, “I am no longer my own, but Yours to command and do with what You wish.” Or, in the words of Jesus, “Not my will, but Yours, be done” (Luke...
