Beseech!

(Romans 12:1) “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.”

What is the difference between a command and an appeal?

Appeal or as the “KJV” presents it as “beseech”, that is to persuade someone so that they may find comfort in the request, and in this case, the plea is that we present our bodies as a living sacrifice. The word “beseech” is also used as “besought” from it Greek translation (parakaleo). But Paul actually qualifies his request on the basis that we will be able to accomplish this, only because of the mercies of God. “Besought” is a past tense to beseech. Although Paul appeals to all God’s children and his request is in love he nevertheless instructs us to present our bodies to God on the basis of what God through the Lord Jesus Christ has accomplish on our behalf. Because of the Lord’s resurrection, and as we are risen with Him we should now begin to live this loving appeal Paul makes. Yet the word beseech (besought), gives us a clue to the mind of Paul; although there is a call to act in a certain manner, there is also a confidence in Paul’s tone that we will learn to act in a manner that is pleasing to God and he tells us why, because of the mercies of God. The appeal is for us now to hear God’s voice and yet he is confident that we will act on his instruction, hence the word also used in the past tense, as if to say it has already happened. This is what must happen; we must surrender ourselves to God, and so we will lay a good foundation. We must first give all of ourselves unto the Lord; it is our duty to find obedience in Him and to Him. Man consists of body and soul, the body must be presented to Him, the body is for the Lord, and the Lord for the body, I beseech you, brethren. Though Paul as an Apostle might have with authority commanded, yet for love's sake he rather beseeches, that it might come with the more pleasant power. If one is showed kindness then they will probably react in kindness, people are more easily led than driven. That is the heart of Paul’s instruction to us as believers. That is the theory, it is practise we must implement, and we must not only be hearers but doers!

Having said that, my whole life has opposed that instruction, I have never been an exemplary scholar in the field of obedience, but now it is required from me, the war rages on! I must learn to make good choices, and yet I still make so many bad ones. Nevertheless the point we must take from this verse is we must all learn to apply it in our lives, we must realise that this instruction will be to our advantage and it will bring our God glory. We are not instructed to present our souls as a living sacrifice although it is obvious that we must walk in the spirit as we have received life in and through the Spirit of God, we have been born again. We have been instructed to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, why do I struggle so? You would think after so many years of being disciplined, it would now come easily. I am sorry to say that is not the case. A reflection over the last twenty-two years; a broken jaw, a shattered femur, HIV, Sequestration and two divorces and I have not yet given up the ghost.

I am nevertheless comforted that I still confess Jesus Christ as Lord. Will the mercy and grace of God ever be measured? Their vastness is beyond finding out! However we may feel we must nevertheless remember what the Lord accomplished on Calvary. We stand or fall before Him; He alone has earned the right to judge both the living and the dead. We must fall to our knees and call upon Him, He will see us through to the other side, and we must not lose heart. He will accomplish all that He has set out to do.

Maybe it is time to slow down, quieten our hearts and then to listen out for the voice of the Lord. He speaks in so many ways, but He will always instruct through the written Word. Let us not look for signs outside of what has already been penned.

(Hebrews 1:1-2) “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son,...”

Now we must expect no new revelation, but only more of the Spirit of Christ so that we can better understand what has already been written.

Do you not feel in your own soul that perfection is not in you? Does not every day teach you that? Every tear which trickles from your eye, weeps “imperfection”; every harsh word which proceeds from your lip, mutters “imperfection.” You have too frequently had a view of your own heart to dream for a moment of any perfection in yourself. But amidst this sad consciousness of imperfection, here is comfort for you-you are “perfect in Christ Jesus.” In God’s sight, you are “complete in him;” even now you are “accepted in the Beloved.” But there is a second perfection, yet to be realized, which is sure to all the seed. Is it not delightful to look forward to the time when every stain of sin shall be removed from the believer, and he shall be presented faultless before the throne, without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing? C.H.Spurgeon

Every day we are left with many choices that need to be made, I pray that we will, I will learn to present my body a living sacrifice. The cares of this life look to destroy, but be of good cheer our Saviour has overcome the world and all of its trials.

Signing off

Tyrone