"... present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness."1
This word for present means "I bring, present, come up to and stand by," it is parístēmi (from pará, "from close-beside" and hístēmi, "to stand") – properly, stand close beside, i.e. ready to present (exhibit). I pray Lord stand by me which expresses that I put my trust in Him, or I come up to and stand by Him. We use phrases like surrendering or bowing at the cross to explain such a moment, surely it is a coming to the end of ourselves and it is desirable that I find His will acceptable, but it is important to understand that it is about trust, not my will power, the key is that it is in Christ. The terminology the scriptures use is "present yourselves to God," or come up to and stand by and walk with Him.
"... present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship."4
This is my proper worship, or reasonable service, to present myself, "to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness." Now, I must first die, be united in His death, so as to be united in His life, "The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus."6 Here is where teachings go wrong, where men learn to adhere to the "letter of the law." "Our competence comes from God. who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."6
"The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life."7
A new covenant in His blood, "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,”9 Christ came to do the will of the Father, "Here I am, I have come to do Your will. He takes away the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all"
This word for present means "I bring, present, come up to and stand by," it is parístēmi (from pará, "from close-beside" and hístēmi, "to stand") – properly, stand close beside, i.e. ready to present (exhibit). I pray Lord stand by me which expresses that I put my trust in Him, or I come up to and stand by Him. We use phrases like surrendering or bowing at the cross to explain such a moment, surely it is a coming to the end of ourselves and it is desirable that I find His will acceptable, but it is important to understand that it is about trust, not my will power, the key is that it is in Christ. The terminology the scriptures use is "present yourselves to God," or come up to and stand by and walk with Him.
"... present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship."4
This is my proper worship, or reasonable service, to present myself, "to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness." Now, I must first die, be united in His death, so as to be united in His life, "The death He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus."6 Here is where teachings go wrong, where men learn to adhere to the "letter of the law." "Our competence comes from God. who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."6
"The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life."7
A new covenant in His blood, "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,”9 Christ came to do the will of the Father, "Here I am, I have come to do Your will. He takes away the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all"
Christ is the Word, "In him was Life, and the life was the light of men." He is the Way, Truth, and Life. The young man overcomes as he abides in the word, and is a testimony of giving up His old life for the new. True worshipers serve God in Spirit and Truth, they are a testimony, a letter written on hearts,
"you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts."9
Think of this, God puts his Spirit in us and writes his laws on our hearts, therefore we are letters ourselves, not of ink but of the Spirit of living God. Living in the new living way of the Spirit is much different than living to precepts, written code, and elemental principles.
"to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish."10
The old covenant was a ministry of death, the new a ministry of righteousness and reconciliation, "All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:"11 "and reconciling both of them to God in one body through the cross, by which He extinguished their hostility."12 The covenant of the Law is removed, "Therefore, my brothers, you also died to the Law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God."14 Important it is to be under grace and to walk by faith, so also is the teachings of baptism.
"knowing that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in His presence."15
As I have been united in His death, I will be raised into newness of Life. Important is agape love, I can deliver my body but without love it is nothing, "If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing."5 The Church is being made holy and blameless in Love, "For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love."16 So we work to present not only our lives, but the Body of Christ, the Church, "We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ."17
"As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy."18
Important is obedience, but notice "as obedient children." God is perfecting us into obedience through a loving and trusting relationship. John writes "whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected."19 You see? love truly is the litmus test of holiness, as obedience is perfected in the love of God. God disciplines those he loves, thus the meaning "as obedient children." There is no fear in love as perfect love casts out fear. God is producing in us the will to be like Him, conforming us to His image. "for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."21
Think of this, God puts his Spirit in us and writes his laws on our hearts, therefore we are letters ourselves, not of ink but of the Spirit of living God. Living in the new living way of the Spirit is much different than living to precepts, written code, and elemental principles.
"to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish."10
The old covenant was a ministry of death, the new a ministry of righteousness and reconciliation, "All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:"11 "and reconciling both of them to God in one body through the cross, by which He extinguished their hostility."12 The covenant of the Law is removed, "Therefore, my brothers, you also died to the Law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God."14 Important it is to be under grace and to walk by faith, so also is the teachings of baptism.
"knowing that the One who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in His presence."15
As I have been united in His death, I will be raised into newness of Life. Important is agape love, I can deliver my body but without love it is nothing, "If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing."5 The Church is being made holy and blameless in Love, "For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love."16 So we work to present not only our lives, but the Body of Christ, the Church, "We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ."17
"As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy."18
Important is obedience, but notice "as obedient children." God is perfecting us into obedience through a loving and trusting relationship. John writes "whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected."19 You see? love truly is the litmus test of holiness, as obedience is perfected in the love of God. God disciplines those he loves, thus the meaning "as obedient children." There is no fear in love as perfect love casts out fear. God is producing in us the will to be like Him, conforming us to His image. "for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."21
True obedience, is the outcome of reasonable service, of transformation (Romans 12:1-2). All else fails to mature. There is an obedience that produces a false piety, as seen in the Pharisee and in the parable of the prodigal son where the older son obeys the father in his commands but did not love his brother. We see what counts, "faith working through love."
"For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body, but made alive in the spirit,"22
Christ is our example, we put to death our bodies so to be made alive in Spirit. The harvest is present, will we fulfill the task? We present the Body, being transformed by the renewing of its mind, finding His will acceptable, so that Christ may present it pure to the Father. We cry out as David, "I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart."23 Oh to have a heart like that of David, after God's own, thus we pray, His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. I present myself as one brought from death to life. Stand by me Lord, stand close beside.
I Don't Have The Answers
"For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body, but made alive in the spirit,"22
Christ is our example, we put to death our bodies so to be made alive in Spirit. The harvest is present, will we fulfill the task? We present the Body, being transformed by the renewing of its mind, finding His will acceptable, so that Christ may present it pure to the Father. We cry out as David, "I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart."23 Oh to have a heart like that of David, after God's own, thus we pray, His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. I present myself as one brought from death to life. Stand by me Lord, stand close beside.
I Don't Have The Answers