Romans 12:1-2Romans 12:1-2

 1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.

 1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.

2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.

2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:1-2Romans 12:1-2

Spiritual WorshipSpiritual Worship

Romans 12:1-2Romans 12:1-2

Romans 12:1 - TranslationsRomans 12:1 - Translations

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, God, which is your spiritual worshipwhich is your spiritual worship. . ESVESV

……which is which is your spiritual service of your spiritual service of worship. NASVworship. NASV

……for this is the reasonable way for you to for this is the reasonable way for you to worship. ISVworship. ISV

……this is truly the way to worship him. NLTthis is truly the way to worship him. NLT

Elements of verse 1Elements of verse 1

ThereforeTherefore

I urge youI urge you

PresentPresent

Your bodiesYour bodies

A living sacrificeA living sacrifice

Your spiritual worshipYour spiritual worship

Worship…Worship…

comes from the Anglo-Saxon comes from the Anglo-Saxon weorthscipe, weorthscipe, which then was modified to which then was modified to worthship, worthship, and and finally to finally to worship.worship.

Worship means “to attribute worth” to Worship means “to attribute worth” to something or someone. something or someone.

To worship is to respond to God - God is To worship is to respond to God - God is the audience and He watches always.the audience and He watches always.

Traditional WorshipTraditional Worship

Five actsFive acts

They must be done correctlyThey must be done correctly

They are not to be mixedThey are not to be mixed

They identify “the church”They identify “the church”

Traditional View of WorshipTraditional View of Worship

““If I am physically present when assemblies If I am physically present when assemblies occur, I am faithful.” Faithfulness is a matter occur, I am faithful.” Faithfulness is a matter of physical presence in a weekly worship of physical presence in a weekly worship assemblyassembly if the appropriate acts occur in the if the appropriate acts occur in the appropriate ways. The ways “I live my daily appropriate ways. The ways “I live my daily life” are unrelated to worship. The ways “I life” are unrelated to worship. The ways “I live each day” are not a worship live each day” are not a worship consideration. Worship and daily existence consideration. Worship and daily existence are distinctly different considerations.”are distinctly different considerations.”

Spiritual WorshipSpiritual Worship

"Worship is an existence, not an event.""Worship is an existence, not an event."

Spiritual Worship is Living SacrificeSpiritual Worship is Living Sacrifice

Permit me to state it simply, yet emphatically:Permit me to state it simply, yet emphatically:

In every relationship and circumstance In every relationship and circumstance of life, be God's living sacrifice. of life, be God's living sacrifice.

On the ThroneOn the Throne

Antagonistic toward GodAntagonistic toward God

A lack of zeal for God’s A lack of zeal for God’s interestsinterests

No pain when God’s No pain when God’s interests are disregardedinterests are disregarded

Spiritual EpicureanismSpiritual Epicureanism

Lack of interest in othersLack of interest in others

Unwillingness to be Unwillingness to be responsible for responsible for improvement in worshipimprovement in worship

On the AltarOn the Altar

Sympathy for God’s Sympathy for God’s sacrificesacrifice

What pleases GodWhat pleases God

Pain when God’s interests Pain when God’s interests are disregardedare disregarded

Self-denialSelf-denial

Great concern for othersGreat concern for others

Living sacrificeLiving sacrifice