“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God…in honor giving preference to one another…rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation” (Romans 12:1-2, 10, 12).
The epic challenge of Christianity is to demonstrate in your life that God’s will is beneficial, acceptable, and perfect. To do this, your daily sacrifice as a functioning priest of God is to be holy, God-approved, living, and personal. Your mind must be renewed and sober. You are not to think higher or lower of yourself and your uniqueness than you ought to think.
Additional characteristics of your renewed and sober mind which desires to please your Lord instead of yourself are:
Humble. Esteeming others better than yourself is a distinctive quality of the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:3-5). Seeking to serve others instead of being served by others was Jesus’ mission statement (Mark 10:45). Therefore, humility of mind which seeks to employ your body in serving others is a distinctive trait of the mind of a living sacrifice.
Hope filled. Every generation has had an abundant supply of crookedness and perversity. Wickedness with its doom and gloom permeates the fabric of human history. With a renewed mind which meditates upon things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report, you can have joy and hope in the midst of evil’s darkness.
Patient (Tough-minded). It is through many distressing circumstances, intense trials, and burdensome afflictions that we must enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). These challenging difficulties cannot separate anyone from Christ’s love (Romans 8:35); they will, however, produce for us an incomparable, eternal weight of glory (2 Corinthians 4:17). To remain engaged in your daily task of being a living sacrifice to God requires a toughmindedness which has eliminated the word “quit” from your vocabulary. Though others may desert their commitment to Christ when tribulation and suffering arise (Matthew 13:21), the tough-minded see things accurately as Peter did when he asked Christ: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).
