Living Sacrifices to God
"ដូច្នេះ បងប្អូនអើយ ខ្ញុំទូន្មានអ្នករាល់គ្នា ដោយសេចក្ដីមេត្តាករុណានៃព្រះ ឲ្យបានថ្វាយរូបកាយទុកជាយញ្ញបូជារស់ ហើយបរិសុទ្ធ ដែលគាប់ព្រះហឫទ័យដល់ព្រះ ជាការគោរពនៃអ្នករាល់គ្នា ដែលមានទំនង កុំឲ្យត្រាប់តាមសម័យនេះឡើយ ចូរឲ្យអ្នករាល់គ្នាបានផ្លាស់ប្រែវិញ ដោយគំនិតបានកែជាថ្មីឡើង ដើម្បីនឹងអាចលមើលឲ្យបានស្គាល់បំណងព្រះហឫទ័យនៃព្រះ ដែលល្អ ស្រួលទទួល ហើយគ្រប់លក្ខណ៍ផង។" (រ៉ូម ១២:១-២)
Romans 12:1-2
"Brothers and sisters, in light of all I have shared with you about God's mercies, I urge you to offer your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice to God, a sacred offering that brings Him pleasure; this is your reasonable, essential worship. Do not allow this world to mold you in its own image. Instead, be transformed from the inside out by renewing your mind. As a result, you will be able to discern what God wills and whatever God finds good, pleasing, and complete."
Paul urges those who read and hear his letter to respond to the good news by offering their bodies — eyes, ears, mouths, hands, feet — to God as a “living sacrifice.” Paul knows well enough that sacrifices end in death, not life. But the sacrifice of Jesus changes everything. His resurrection steals life from death and makes it possible for those who trust in Him to become a sacrifice and yet live. But how do we live? We do not live as before, wrapping ourselves in the world and its bankrupt values. We live in constant renewal and transformation of our minds.
Many people accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and never learn how to live a life that honors Him. But Paul encourages us to turn ourselves over to God each day, lay our wills on the altar before Him, and ask Him to use us for His glory and the good of His people. In full trust and worship, we commit to obeying Him, knowing that the Lord knows how best to lead us — no matter what happens. Transformation begins with our thinking and with consciences that are committed to listening to and obeying God. Our minds are renewed as we study His Word, and our hearts are changed as we submit to Him. We do not merely try hard to sin less. We learn to depend upon Him, observe His commands, and trust Him to mold us into people who please Him. It is then we discover how awesome it is to live in the center of His will because it is life at its very best — and there is nothing in this world that compares to it.