“…I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform 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 12:1-2

Most, if not all churches of every stripe, present their assembly times as times of worship. Most emphasize the music part of the service as worship, with a band of musicians, and four or five singers to lead, “The worship service.” But, is music, or preaching of the word considered worship, according to the Bible account of the early church? The answer is that there is never a reference to singing, teaching, or breaking bread as being “worship.”

But in the Scripture text above, Paul states what true and proper worship for the Christian is, and urges his Christian family to do so. The true and proper worship of God is the offering of our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. That much is clear, but raises in the minds of those who earnestly desire to do so, the question: exactly what does that look like?

Part of the answer to that question comes into view in the second part of our Scripture text. Paul urges us to not conform ourselves to the pattern of this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. If we would present ourselves to God as a living sacrifice, we must be willing to gladly sacrifice our will, in order to do His will. And in order to do His will, we must apply our minds and hearts to His word, so we know what His will is. It’s impossible to follow Jesus, if we don’t know what He wants us to do.

The way of true and proper worship of God, or the presenting of ourselves as living sacrifices unto God, is spelled out for us in detail in Romans 12-13.

When Jesus died on the cross, He didn’t die for Himself; Jesus died as a perfect and holy sacrifice for us—His church, His bride, His body. And so the word of God in Romans 12-13 tell us to do the very same thing Jesus did: that is, lay down our life, give up our will, and as members of His body, to give ourselves to one another in love, just as He gave Himself to us in love.

And how do we do that? Paul clearly tells us: by serving one another, in helping, in teaching, in encouraging, in giving, in leading, in showing mercy. Hating what is evil, loving what is good; devoted to one another in love; honoring others above yourself. Blessing those that hate and trouble you, and the list goes on. If you sincerely desire to be obedient and worship God, you will commit the word of God to your heart by reading and meditating on these Scriptures.

True and proper worship of God can be summed up very simply in the one command Jesus gave us: “Love one another as I have loved you.” If you obey that command from your heart, you will be presenting yourself as a living sacrifice unto God.

Brother Bill Oldham