12.1
I appeal to you therefore brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies…
It is by God’s grace and mercy that we can even approach Him. Just think about the Holy of Holies. No one but the High Priest could go beyond the curtain. Jesus Christ is now the High Priest for all who believe (Heb. 4:14) and the work of the cross was successful in that it made the Way for us (Read: Hebrews 10:19-23).
To fully understand Paul’s intentions and thought in writing the statement: by the mercies of God, lets look back a few verses to see in context, what the ‘therefore’ in 12.1 is there for (if you’ll forgive the pun).
11.32-36
For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all. Oh the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgements and how inscrutable His ways!
For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor?
Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?
For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.
You could even go back further and see that Paul is desperately writing to help us understand the magnitude of the mercy of God via the nation of Israel. Look carefully at chapter 11 and you will see phrases like ‘remnant’, ‘elect’, ‘hardened’, blind eyes, deaf ears, ‘cut off’, ‘grafted in’, ‘calling of God’, ‘consigned’, and ‘disobedience’. You also should be quick to note the underlying theme: salvation. Paul is revealing God’s mercy!
In v.36 we see that God is affirming His supremacy – from, through, and to Him are ALL things. At the beginning of Romans in chapter 3 (Read: Rom. 3:23-26), Paul makes a statement that is one of the most important that you will find in the entire Bible if that is even possible. Paul says about the cross: ‘it was to show His righteousness at the present time, so that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus’ (emphasis mine). God’s own glory is everywhere and is eternally “continuing back” to Him. Jesus prayed in John 17: ‘glorify Me!’, God glorifying God. The glory of the Father is wholly in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 4:6) and belongs only to God forever.
So how then do we present our bodies?
12.1
…as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship *or rational service.
Jesus is the sacrifice and no other sacrifice is necessary (Heb. 9:26) or desired (Heb. 10:5-10); no other sacrifice is acceptable to the Father hence John 14.6: Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”(emphasis mine) Notice the corresponding terminology. God is Just and the Justifier. Jesus is our High Priest and the spotless Lamb of God – the sacrifice, offered once and for all. He is the only sacrifice that is eternally sufficient and furthermore He is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25).
As we continue on, starting at verse 3 of chapter 12, we see Paul’s appreciation of this gift of grace and how we horizontally walk out this vertical truth. In other words, Paul says here is the practical application of this spiritual reality.
12.3-13
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Out do one another in showing honor. Do no be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
Let love be genuine (or without hypocrisy). Notice what it doesn’t say: make or force or even strive, for love to be genuine. Outside of Christ we are in blatant rebellion, active enemies of God who are working against Him with every breath drawn. Romans 14.23 says ‘For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.’ Our striving, outside of faith, even if we are a believer in Christ, is sinful rebellion against the Holy Spirit, against our new nature. For the believer we may reap wages or consequences for our rebellion or lack of trust but in God’s grace He will not allow us to be utterly lost or forsaken but rather like a loving father, He disciplines those whom He loves and He is faithful and will persevere us to the end. For the non-believer they will eternally incur the wages of their labors (Rom. 6:23, John 15:6). When we are working we can expect wages which is death but when we are abiding (trusting) in Christ we can expect fruit which is love (John 15:5).
If you haven’t already realized, Paul’s practical application absolutely cannot be accomplished by us, unless it is God who work in us (Phil. 2:13). The moment i try and make love be genuine is the moment that it isn’t. Love will either be genuine or it won’t be love. This is the work of the Holy Spirit in us, the mercies of God. That while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Now from Him, through, Him and To Him are all things, present your bodies that way! To Him be the glory forever. Amen