Our Reasonable Service To God

March 14th, 2025
by Lance Waldie

Romans 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship (ESV).

The phrase “spiritual worship” in the ESV is translated as such in the RSV, NAS, and NIV translations. The KJV and NET, however, translate it as “reasonable service.” Both Young and Darby translate it as “intelligent service.” The word in question is the Greek logikos, used only twice in the NT. The Greek Stoics emphasized that since God and man had only “reason” (Gr. logos) in common with one another, then logikos was man’s reasonable worship to the gods. They contrasted this reasonable worship with the superstitious worship so prevalent in Greek mythology. Later, the Hellenistic Jews used the term in reference to the spiritual attitude they believed was necessary for sacrifices made to God—an attitude that transcended the simple act of sacrifice. The Stoic philosopher Epictetus (AD 55-135) said, “Were I a nightingale I would do what is proper to a nightingale; were I a swan I would do what is proper to a swan. In fact, I am logikos, so I must praise God.” He saw the reasonable outworking of his life as worship to God.

The Analytical Lexicon of the Greek NT lists both meanings: (1) rational, reasonable, belonging to the real nature of something; or (2) as belonging to the sphere of the mind and spirit, spiritual. Both meanings fit Paul’s context, for in light of the mercies of God, it is both reasonable and spiritual for Christians to offer themselves to Him as living, holy, and acceptable sacrifices. This is understood as that service to God that entails intelligent meditation based upon the revealed knowledge of God. In saying this, Paul is contrasting the ceremonial worship of the OT through animal sacrifices with Christian worship which is spiritual in that Christians offer themselves to God as both physical and spiritual worship. Worship is never to be relegated to Sunday morning, to singing, or to giving; rather, it is a moment-by-moment living unto God.

Now when Peter uses logikos in 1 Peter 2:2 (“like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word”), he does not mean “reasonable milk.” If milk is literal, then “reasonable milk” is absurd. “Logos” (Eng. word), from which logikos is derived, concerns God’s intelligence, or reason, expressed in human speech (cf. John 1:1, 14). So, grasping logos as the word of God, Peter’s logikos gála (“word…milk”) refers to the milk of God’s word—Scripture. Scripture thus provides spiritual nourishment in the same way that literal milk provides physical nourishment. Of course Peter also adds “pure” as an adjective to this spiritual milk, meaning that it is pure only when it is not mixed with human error. Only then is logikos truly nourishing to one’s life.

True worship of God is thus a spiritual, inner adoration of Him involving the mind and heart as opposed to religious rituals. Moreover, it is spiritual and rational in that it is appropriate for humans who are rational and spiritual beings created by God. It is rational in that it makes sense in contrast to irrational worship of God through dead animals. But most appropriately, in this context, worship is reasonable in the sense that it fits the circumstances for those who truly understand the mercies of God which are given freely through faith in Christ apart from works.

Food For Thought
Christians currently possess “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge… having been made complete” (Col. 2:3, 10; cf. Eph. 1:3) and having everything pertaining to life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3). In addition, we have the Holy Spirit who teaches us all things (1 John 2:27). So, true happiness is not something to seek or something that results from trying to get more of God. True happiness comes from giving back to God what He has so mercifully given to us. This is our reasonable, logical, and spiritual way of worshipping God in view of His mercies toward us. Try giving back to God today and every day in your quest to worship Him daily.