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.

Romans 12:1 

Explanation:

In today’s entry I want to rephrase or paraphrase each part of this verse to help bring some clarity.

“I beseech you”- I, Paul, plead with you.  I beg you.  I am putting the full weight of my influence into this next statement.

“…therefore, brethren”- Based on what I have said in these first 11 chapters, and because you gentile believers are my brothers and sisters in Christ…

“…by the mercies of God”– because of all that God has done for you in sending His Son to die, be buried, and rise again so that anyone who can call on Him will be saved whether they are jew or greek, wise or unwise, or any other human distinction…

“…that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God”- …I’m asking based on my influence, our family connection in Christ, and because of all that God has done so that you can be saved, that you offer your very bodies as a sacrifice to God.  You should live in accordance with what God has done for you.  You should live lives of holiness, separating yourself from sin.  You should live so that you can offer to God bodies and lives that avoid sin and live in the way that He desires for you to live.

“…which is your reasonable service”–  It is reasonable and right for you to live this way because of all that God has done for you and all that He will do for you.  The least you could do is live for Him because He sent His Son to die for you.

Application:

Because of all that God has done for you, what He wants to do in you, and what He desires for your future, choose to offer your body to Him as an offering and sacrifice to God.  It’s the right response in light of all that He has done.

Response:

What sin do you need to give up as a reasonable response to what Christ has done for you?  What repentance needs to happen in your life today?