FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51  
52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   >>  
all time. The essential character of this self-sacrifice will farther appear from a correct understanding of the phrase _reasonable service_. On this, two things must be remarked. 1st, that the expression does not belong to the words "_living sacrifice_" alone, but to the whole exhortation. In other words, it is not the _living sacrifice_ which is a reasonable service, but the presenting the bodies a living sacrifice, "holy, acceptable unto God." 2dly, it is to be noted that the expression "_reasonable __ service_" is very commonly misunderstood to mean a service which is proper or becoming; which we have the best of all reasons for rendering. This is all true; but this is not what the text means. It signifies a service whose main spring is in the _thinking, reasoning, spiritual_ department of man's nature--a spiritual service rendered to a God who is a spirit, and who requireth to be worshiped in spirit and in truth. Of such Peter says: "ye also, as lively stones, are built up _a spiritual house_, a holy priesthood, to offer up _spiritual sacrifices_ acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." In pursuance of this idea, the apostle, in our text, after speaking of the presenting of _the body_ as a living sacrifice, and of such a presentation as a _reasoning_ service, gives us the key to the whole thought by his final exhortation, "be ye transformed by the _renewing of your mind_;" so that it is clear that the outward conformity of the body to God's will, is made both a living sacrifice and a reasoning service by having its mainspring in a renewed mind. Only thus will the body be offered alive to God. Only thus will the mind be truly transformed. All the outward developments of the life will then bear the stamp of a reasoning service. The way of peace will be chosen from conviction. The will, self-impelled, will set toward God. The conscience will be alive with a divinely inspired sensitiveness. All the affections and desires, of their own accord, will stretch their hands towards Christ, and the renewed man will daily realize that the water which Jesus gives is _in_ him, living water, springing up into everlasting life. It is then clear, I think, from what has been said, that nonconformity to the world is not the _aim_, but one of the incidents of Christian life. The Christian's _aim_ is distinctly stated here to be the proving of the will of God--that which is good, acceptable and perfect. Yet nonconformity to the world will
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51  
52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   >>  



Top keywords:
service
 

sacrifice

 

living

 

spiritual

 
reasoning
 
reasonable
 

acceptable

 
renewed
 

spirit

 

nonconformity


outward

 

transformed

 
Christian
 

Christ

 
expression
 
exhortation
 

presenting

 

renewing

 
mainspring
 

offered


conformity

 

developments

 

everlasting

 
springing
 

perfect

 
proving
 

incidents

 

distinctly

 

stated

 

realize


conscience

 

divinely

 
chosen
 

conviction

 

impelled

 

inspired

 
sensitiveness
 
stretch
 

accord

 

affections


desires

 

commonly

 

misunderstood

 

bodies

 
proper
 

reasons

 
correct
 

understanding

 
farther
 

character