On The Altar Of God
Therefore, 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. Romans 12:1
After a lengthy discussion of justification by faith, Paul, the Apostle, turns to the practical. We have to always ask, “How is the Scripture supposed to affect me?” In this turn toward the practical, he positions our response squarely on the altar of God. We are to present our bodies, our whole selves, as living sacrifices to the Living God.
We struggle in churches to worship correctly. Every flavor of religious organizations has some kind of format for worship. But, Paul puts this whole worship experience into a daily format. Do we worship when we come together in assembly? Yes! But, is that all there is to it? Do we turn it on at the appropriate time on Sunday morning and then turn it off at closing time on Sunday night? I think not.
Paul calls every believer to be “altar dwellers”. The altar of God does not close down. It is not open for business at appointed hours on appointed days. It is always open for sacrifice from those who have been touched by His healing grace.
There was a day when dead lambs, bulls or calves were called for by God. But now, since the superior sacrifice of Jesus Christ Himself, there is no need for sacrifices of death. God wants sacrifices that live. He wants a sacrifice that lays itself on His altar and then moves into the lives of others showing them the way to Him.
Every day is a new experience in God. It is not a ritual or a rite. It is pure and simple living by faith in the one who did all that it took to free us from our sin and guilt. When we are on the altar of God, the spiritual man inside us is in deep worship to the Maker; and God is pleased.
God is not one to be kept inside. Touch the life of another. Maybe we should say to ourselves, “Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me”.