Beseeches Us By The Mercies Of God
I have loved my old King James Bible since my parents purchased it for me when I was a young teen. Unlike many…I enjoy the “old school language”. For example in Romans 12:1 the Apostle Paul “BESEECHES” us by the mercies of God, to present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy, acceptable unto God, which is our reasonable (the very least we should do after all He has done for us) service. Beseech is such a powerful word! It conjures up an urgency that is often lacking as we go about our daily lives. It is an intentional word…one that helps us connect how we should with how we do.
The Apostle Paul lived in an age when sensuality, the pursuit of pleasure, and rebellion against the Lord were prevalent. Of course Paul could hold up the proverbial mirror and our culture would be an exact reflect of his. His response to this threat to the early church was to BESEECH Christians not to follow in the ways of the world. Like those early believers, we are to pursue godliness by…
- Presenting our bodies to God. Our total being–mind, will, emotions, personality, and physical body are to be turned over to Christ. James 4:7 further beseeches us to submit constantly to the Lord. It is an INTENTIONAL decision to give Him control and a daily commitment to remain under His authority. By surrendering to Him, we will position ourselves for godly living.
- Becoming living sacrifices. The Christian life is built around the concept of sacrifice. Jesus left the perfection of heaven to dwell among a sinful people so He might reconcile us to God. He offered up His life to make payment for our sins (I John 3:16) and bring us into His family. As believers, we are to follow His example. Paul called it a living sacrifice, because it is ongoing, one that is repeated daily.
Men…life is full of options. Many decisions involve a choice between following God’s way or our own. Men of intention will increasingly sacrifice their own desires and embrace His will over their own. Although we live imperfectly, our focus is to be on obeying His will and pleasing Him.
