Our Spiritual Worship

March 17th, 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.

From Romans 1-11 Paul reveals what a Christian is, and now from Romans 12-16 he reveals what a does. Prior to being saved by Jesus Christ, believers were incapable of pleasing God or even seeking Him (Rom. 3:9-18). They were at one time enemies of God from God’s standpoint (5:1-5), and His wrath was assuaged only by His temporary grace on their lives. But when Christ made peace with God on the cross on behalf of those who would trust in Him, God paved the way for salvation for all. Now, beginning in Romans 12:1, Paul teaches all who profess to know Christ how to worship and obey Him.

It is inconceivable that a person could repent of sins and be saved by Christ—declared righteous by God Himself—yet never bear fruit in keeping with their repentance. Some would argue otherwise, saying that once a person makes a profession of faith, they are Christians—signed, sealed, and delivered. The practice of professing Christ as Savior yet failing to ever submit to Him as Lord is usually done by those who simply fear hell and desire some fire insurance, as it were. The Bible, however, never teaches that simply recognizing Jesus as the Messiah (or Christ) saves a person. Moreover, none of the writers of Scripture ever leave room for loving God without faithful service to Him through true faith in Jesus Christ (cf. Jas. 2:14ff.).

Notably, the Apostle Paul did not end the Romans Epistle with chapter 11. After the beautiful doxology of 11:33-36, the letter could have ended very appropriately. After that, Paul could have said something like, “I gave them the gospel, and now it is time to let the Holy Spirit convict them on how they should apply it to their lives.” Instead of that, beginning in Romans 12:1-2, Paul set out to urgently appeal to all who profess to know Jesus Christ as Savior to submit to Him as Lord. In essence, Romans chapters 12-15 reveals that Christians will prove their profession of faith in Christ as genuine only if they submit to Him as Lord. Truly, how can a person who has been regenerated by God’s Spirit act and be anything but godly?

Paul’s urgent appeal in v. 1 reveals his heart for Christ and His people. These are his “brothers” (and sisters). And since he loves those whom God loves, he admonishes and teaches them. Short of dying for another person, teaching the truth is the ultimate show of love.

Paul’s specific reason for appealing to his spiritual brothers in Christ to apply their faith is based upon the doctrine of God’s “mercies.” He is not simply trying to encourage people to be all they can be for the sake of becoming a better you; rather, he is exhorting those he loves to do something with the unsearchable mercies of God—mercies toward those who were once the objects of God’s wrath but who have, through faith in Christ, become God’s beloved children. Paul is no self-help guru but a theologian who is revealing what Christians must do with Christ.

Food For Thought
Our foremost specific action as Christians is to present our bodies as a sacrifice to God—living, holy, and pleasing to Him. This is our reasonable service—our spiritual worship. And this worship is not a one-time offering but an ongoing sacrifice to the God who saved us. We have the task of living daily for Christ and keeping ourselves free from the stains of the world, presenting our very selves as offerings that are pleasing to God. We must ask ourselves each and every day if God would look upon us as He did when He created us and say, “Very good!” (Gen. 1:31). We will know what He thinks of us by reading His words and obeying what He has given to us to obey—loving Christ and loving others. Short of that, we’re nothing but worldly pagans merely professing to be Christians. But that is hypocrisy. Don’t be a hypocrite!