WHAT BODY ARE YOU PRESENTED AND REPRESENTED?

By: Bishop Albert Gran

Romans 12:1-2

King James Version (KJV)

12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

² And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Gospel sermons in pulpit often introduced upon the reading of these popular verses Paul wrote from his pen to the saints at Rome. However, there's so much mystery behind what was written down for our success with life in grace as beings who were far more and always triumphant in Christ. It's magnifying our godly service with lives as though prepared for slaughter and  yet were consoled by Christ, blessed by God with spiritual wisdom and understanding with the discernment what real life is, its true nature in this dispensation of grace.

The "bodies" as referred to in the context which is something for and about our service offering, denotes our physical body imbued with the immaterial soul and spirit’s being which is inwardly worked out by Christ when He quickens our inner Spirit reflecting our mortal bodies to be a working vessel for His service which is our reasonable service.  

The effect of this human vessel (physical body) producing reasonable service (as pleasantly acknowledged by God in accordance to His will) had a foundation, built on the same foundation of our apostle Paul designed by God to lay the foundation in this dispensation of grace who is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, whom he's representing for as those who were called themselves "saints", the members of the Body of Christ in particular.     

1 Corinthians 3:10-12

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁰ According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

¹¹ For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

¹² Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

For Paul to render his life worthy before the Lord basically to be set apart for the gospel's sake, and to be a pattern for those who hereafter believe on the gospel of salvation causing to produce eternal life were objectively designed in significance to THE GRACE OF GOD.

Expecting worthwhile rendering of service as something called by God - as a sweet smelling savor acceptable by God was pretty much in view in accordance to the GRACE OF GOD. And because of that, we can therefore appreciate the information of knowing what benefits we had in Christ in matters of all facets of information essential for our establishment and equipping. The knowledge we had in Christ is the same knowledge Paul embraced upon in exchanged of what he previously acquired based on the law, the world-based knowledge system after Judaism council with an image like a Pharisee. He’s someone hailing the privilege position as a supposed prospect member of an elect of God under the kingdom prophetic program being a Benjamite or called a Jew although an unbelieving persecutor and a blasphemer of Christ. He indeed did these things out of ignorance without proper guidance and understanding what best condition under God's plan in cognizant to His prophetic purpose.

Building a foundation is relative in the presentation and offering of our physical body for this privilege service we can offer to Him in this present dispensation of grace. It’s really best to understand the “will of God” and His revealed purpose suitable in this dispensation of grace. We loved to be loved by our Most High God and therefore it’s now a high time to awake out of sleep by knowing the essential fact how God himself freely offered His life as a sacrifice, as thus someone motivated by love for you (Gentiles).We called this demonstration of sacrifice as “God’s love for us”.

  Romans 5:8

King James Version (KJV)

⁸ But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

That’s why it made me sure that the ultimate basis of everything in matters of giving and offering ourselves wholly for the sake of God’s glory is a kind of motivation pushed by love and grace. Our active role as we learned and received this sort of spiritual education is to simply declare the message of love and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ offering the lost people to reconcile the world (lost people) back to Himself. When you take the lead in doing this privilege divine task then you’re bearing the servant hood principle and offer yourself as a sacrifice having the same motivation with that of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:19-21

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁹ To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

²⁰ Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

²¹ For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

2 Corinthians 4:10
Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

When we truly represent our physical body as a member of the spiritual body of Christ (our newest living union with Him after believing the gospel of our salvation ) it’s not the same idea as the world of religion supposed to think imbued with physical prosperity brought by God’s active manipulation of His supernatural demonstration of power, however, contrarily  taking the reality of sacrifices and sufferings for His sake and of the gospel. This remarkable principle and reality of our present body imbued with the real characteristics and nature of God hail weaknesses and sufferings positively used as basis to be strengthened by the strength designed by God in effect of your understanding and knowledge which in general the wisdom of God fully equipped to us. This is the mystery prayed by Paul and so therefore wishing our eyes of understanding shall be opened.   

Ephesians 6:10-19

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

¹¹ Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

¹² For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

¹³ Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

¹⁴ Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

¹⁵ And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

¹⁶ Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

¹⁸ Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

¹⁹ And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

Colossians 1:8-10

King James Version (KJV)

⁸ Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

⁹ For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

¹⁰ That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

It’s pretty clear that in this dispensation of grace God wonderfully equipped us something strange which is something less recognized or perhaps unrecognized in the realm of Christianity. Nowadays,  most rendering services are clouded with fleshly and physical motivation instead of  that motivation based on the increased knowledge of God  in accordance to the mystery of the gospel, which is also something hidden in time past, and which has to be declared plainly and boldly  in view of honest means and intentions without wavering . This is the unfeigned faith pushed by the motivation of love and grace patterned by Christ Himself when He rendered service to us for free. Thus, it’s essential requirement that in making known the gospel of the grace of God especially in preaching the gospel in accordance to the revelation of the mystery, we will and should do it for free without charge.

How can we not serve the Lord like a sheep prepared for a slaughter?

Grace and Peace!