Romans 12:1
Romans 12:1
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.
In the previous verse, Jesus is mentioned as being willing to suffer for the sake of future joy. Paul begins a new section in Romans 12 of his letter. Here, he begins describing how we should live as believers in Christ. Paul emphasizes the need for Christians to offer themselves as living sacrifices to God. To put it another way, the only rational response to God's mercy in giving us eternal life is to offer up our lives as a sacrifice for His purposes. As fallen sinners, we are beyond comparison in terms of the grace and mercy we have received from God. It is entirely due to God's wonderful grace that we are saved. As humans, there is nothing we can do to repay God. However, we can certainly give ourselves to Him in gratitude and love by presenting our bodies as living sacrifices that are pure and pleasing to God. Obviously, this is not a command since God desires that our love and service be freely offered. Nevertheless, in light of the inestimable riches of God's free grace, which He has poured out in great measure on fallen sinners, surely presenting our bodies, day by day, in spiritual worship is an honor and a delight for ourselves.
Matthew 10:39
He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
1 Corinthians 5:7
Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.
Psalms 4:5
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.
Hebrews 10:12
But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.