We used to think twice about the term, ‘Surrender your life to God’, or ‘to Christ’… we used to think about what it implied, specifically about how it seems as if we were fighting with God, or fighting with Jesus, and our surrender means that we raise the white flag, for Him to take over, and to do with us as He sees fit.
And, considering all that’s going on in my life, and all around the world right now, and even considering the fact that I can’t have a grasp of virtually EVERYTHING that IS going on, I could see how we’re easily brought to the brink of defeat, and to the slight moments before giving up.
We used to think twice about the word, ‘Surrender’, and to clarify, we especially didn’t like it when we spoke of it as an action – like something we do. However, when we look at surrendering as a response – to the deep darkness of this world, the seemingly endless struggle with internal sin that part of us is still programmed to believe we have an obligation to obey, and/or the endless light of God’s glory, and His everlasting love and grace… well, that just makes more sense to me now.
From here I was led to go to handy dandy Google, where I found out that CS Lewis wrote the following: The first answer, then, to the question why our cure should be painful, is that to render back the will which we have so long claimed for our own, is in itself, wherever and however it is done, a grievous pain. Even in Paradise I have supposed a minimal self-adherence to be overcome, though the overcoming, and the yielding, would there be rapturous. But to surrender a self-will inflamed and swollen with years of usurpation is a kind of death.
I propose that instead of using the word ‘surrender’, Paul actually presents us with a more accurate response… and it just so happens that it’s in the first verse of the next chapter we’re facing, from the Book of Romans:
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Romans 12:1
That’s right, folks. As a response to the prospect of the Almighty God’s wrath and judgment, and as a response to our own wretchedness paired with the total depravity of this reality, and as a response to the complete reconciliation and absolute salvation we have in and through the grace of God, the finished work of Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit… we’re naturally to go more than just ‘surrendering’, but we offer ourselves, we present our bodies, and I dare say, our entire beings as a living sacrifice to God.
By the mercies of God which are new every morning, guaranteed by no less than His Son, Jesus Christ, we have been made holy and acceptable to Him, and, again, we’re naturally to go more than just ‘surrendering’, but we offer ourselves, we present our bodies, and I dare say, our entire beings as a living sacrifice to God.
What does it mean to be a living sacrifice? We can say that Paul further explains it in the next verse:
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
As sacrifices of old are offered by various rituals and are ultimately consumed by the elements (fire, water, earth, air, and so on), so we offer ourselves to be ‘consumed’ by the One who created all of it; Meaning, we are no longer subjecting ourselves to be conformed to anything in this world, but we are allowing God to take in every aspect of our being.
We entrust our minds to the Lord, and as our minds are renewed, so the rest of our being is transformed. And also, as our minds are renewed, so we are not merely changed, but the will of God is integrated into our own discernment – much so, that we are able to clearly distinguish ‘what is good and acceptable and perfect’ in this fallen, rejected, and dying reality.
To be a living sacrifice, as Paul says, is for us to choose, with each and every day we do live and breathe in this wretched reality – to trust in the Lord, and to yield to the conviction of the Holy Spirit, who constantly reminds us that we are ALWAYS in right-standing with God.
To be a living sacrifice is to keep choosing Jesus, and to keep running to Him, recognizing our own flaws and failures, and submitting all of ourselves (including said flaws and failures) to the One who became sin so we would become His righteousness.
To be a living sacrifice is to continue trusting in the Lord, even when confronted, even when presented with sophisticated arguments, and/or when vulnerabilities in our own belief systems are revealed and exploited. Yes, friends, we continue to trust in the Lord, even when trusting in Him is questioned, or worse, acted against.
To be a living sacrifice is the only natural response we can make, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to the absolute sacrifice Christ paid at the cross, and redeemed at His resurrection.
Gifts of Grace
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
Speaking of natural responses, we realize how we cannot do everything on our own. Furthermore, instead of relying on necessity, or instead of giving in to civility, we’re naturally appreciating each other’s advantages, recognizing our own disadvantages. We’re thankful to the Lord for what our brother or sister in Christ can do that we could not.
I also believe that by the power of the Holy Spirit we are led to recognize the value of each and every member in the body of Christ, and when one’s contribution to the rest of the body is not so apparent as the others, we ‘default’ to just thanking God for our brethren – Insofar as recognizing functions of the brethren, we would do well to understand that we could only see so much, and we ought to be thankful to the Lord, who sees all.
We’re no longer to rate folks regarding their ‘maturity’, or even if they’re ‘saved’ or not; Shades of Romans 9-11, where we were reminded by Paul that we shouldn’t be looking or judging people according to who goes to heaven and who goes to hell; What we should REALLY be focusing on is the Holy Spirit convicting us of righteousness – or, as Paul says, ‘the Word is NEAR you, in your heart and in your mind.’
Let’s not speculate, but be thankful, and in so doing, let us be humble.
Marks of the True Christian
9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
There’s another way to see love, and, more importantly, another way for us to see humility. It’s not our dishonoring ourselves, but it is our honoring of others. In fact, I venture to say that when we honor each other, we love each other.
11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.
At this time I remember a friend of mine who is currently facing trials and serving time in prison. Recently, he’s been struggling with that one controversial verse in James, which says ‘Faith without works is dead’.
I haven’t responded to him just yet, but we see here, a set of ‘works’ which I dare say are impossible to be produced by us naturally, without the help of God. In other words, it takes a faith that is established by the finished work of Christ, and sustained through the power of the Holy Spirit – a faith which only Christ could author – for these works: To rejoice in hope, to be patient in tribulation, and to be constant in prayer; To bless those who persecute us, and not to curse them; To live in harmony with the brethren, and to peacefully associate with the lowly…
…ALL of these would naturally be produced by the Holy Spirit alive in us, and this ‘work’ wouldn’t take as much effort, if any effort is even necessary!
18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”
…And not only are we to bless our enemies, but, see here, we’re to pray for their salvation, especially because we don’t take revenge – it’s the Creator of the Universe and all that is seen and unseen, the Maker of the Heavens and the Earth whom we call our Father, who will do the repaying!
By the power of the Holy Spirit, and by the faith established in us through no less than Jesus Christ, we’re to be gracious to all who call themselves our enemies, all who hurt us and take revenge on us, feeding them, giving them something to drink – if only to ultimately bring them to the saving knowledge of Christ!
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
I confessed that at one time I took this final verse as a ‘work’, but, in line with doing all things naturally through our reconciliation with God, through the faith Christ authored in us, and by the power of the Holy Spirit – I say that through Christ, we shall NOT be overcome by evil, and we overcome evil, with Christ.
Let us continue to be thankful, and consequently, let us continue to live, move, and have our being in Christ, our Savior; The Author and Finisher of our faith, unto works.
To Him be all glory and praise, forever and ever.
Until the next post, God bless us all.
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