Romans 12:1 – Our logical divine service

I am entreating you, then, brethren, by the pities of God, to present your bodies a sacrifice, living, holy, well pleasing to God, your logical divine service.

A few verses earlier (11:32) Paul concluded that God has locked up all in stubbornness to have mercy on all. That’s how far the mercies of God reach! When all is out, through and to GOD (11:36), what would the logical conclusion be but that we make ourselves wholly available to this God?

The essence of the worship here spoken of is not in zeal but in logic. Therefore, it is also necessary to understand what Paul made clear. For only then can it rightly be called “your logical divine service”.

Paul calls on his readers to “present” their bodies, i.e. make them available. As an Israelite came into the temple with an animal sacrifice and made it available to the priest. For it was not the offerer who was in charge of what should be done with the animal. It was the Word (logos!) that determined this. So it is here with the sacrifice which is “living, holy, and well pleasing to God.” It’s not about our “tricks” but about what God’s Word does to us!

Delen: