Feb 10, 2011 Mercy Motivated Bodies
Originally posted on April 20, 2007
” Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God.” Romans 12:1
Mercy Motivated Bodies
What you do with your body is based on how you view your body. The Bible tells us that our bodies are the objects of God’s mercy. When you see your body in this light, you will be motivated to present your body to the God of mercy.
Here are ten statements that outline a biblical view of your bodies that is rooted in the mercy of God.
1. God created your body (Genesis 1:27). Your body is good, endowed with dignity, and has a purpose.
2. Christ redeemed your body (I Corinthians 6:20). Christ purchased the right of ownership of your body when He died for you on the cross. You now belong to Him.
3. The Holy Spirit indwells your body (I Corinthians 6:19). If you are a Christian, your body is now the temple of God’s Spirit. The Holy Spirit now resides in and guides the use of your body.
4. The Lord will raise up your body (I Corinthians 6:14). If you are dead when Christ returns, your body will be raised just as He was raised. Some form of a renewed body will be with you for eternity.
THEREFORE
5. Give your body to God (Romans 6:13). Decisively present each member of your body to God for His purposes and use.
6. Guide the use of your body by the power of God’s Spirit and the instruction of His word (Ephesians 5:18).
7. Serve God and others with your body (Romans 6:13). Every act of practical service to God and people requires the use of some part of your physical body. Even silently praying for someone requires a physical brain.
8. Value sexual purity in your body (I Corinthians 6:13). Your sexuality is powerful and carries enormous potential for good and evil. The purity of the body is one of the greatest ways you live out your faith.
9. Value and care for your health and the health of others (Matthew 14:16). The health and physical needs of others moves you to service because they matter to God.
10. Be willing to expend your energy and ultimately to lose your life to proclaim Christ and remain faithful to Him (Acts 20: 24). The history of Christianity is full of martyrs who understood that while the body is good, it is not ultimate. Hold your body to be less dear to you than loyalty to our Lord Jesus Christ.
I don’t know when and how you will next need to apply this view of your body to a real situation of life, but I encourage you to meditate on the mercy of God and rehearse these truths in your mind so you will be ready to obey in the moment of decision.
Pastor Scott