Devotion, redemption and sacrifice are topics, today. Also, there is more on deferring judgment. The “Yahoo! Answers” writer using the ID “Methoozelah” (Level 1 with 89 points, a member since February 24, 2014) posted the following originally asked on Yahoo Answers Canada:
Beloved Christians! Please help me! I am having difficulty understanding Romans 12:1 - Can you reassure me?
Romans 12:1: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship"
Now even though I am opening myself up to the possibility of having a faith please tell me that this verse means that I have to become a FUNDAMENTALIST ISLAMIC MILITANT JIHADIST!... please tell me this is not so? Surely not, right?
Surely this verse is metaphorical or allegorical or non literal in some way, so how may I ask, might I offer my body as a living sacrifice in the holiest of holy ways so as to give pleasure to God?
Any ideas?
THE BATTLE AXE: Deferring Judgment? (03/06/2014)—(5.) Knowledge of The Kingdom. The kingdom of GOD inhabits divine operations, sacred processes, and eternal purpose. Because there is no simple formula, or collection of words that may be used to explain the spirit action and nature divinity, when Jesus taught regarding the kingdom of GOD, the Savior repeatedly used descriptions of life process, examples from human experience, parables to illustrate, and suggestions. The kingdom of GOD is not a physical location, or place upon the earth. Nor is the kingdom an aggregate, an institution, or a social body. In the same way we do not immediately apprehend that GOD is a spirit whom we must worship in spirit and in truth, created beings and living creatures can not fully grasp their own divine aspect, and the full reality of judgment and all sacred process. (6.) Sin not Eliminated By Death. Death may not wipe away all sin, however, eternal life may. Once dead the awareness and self-will of a sinner is no longer dominated and driven by sin. Even so, death does not release any from the influence of sin, for there are continuing consequences among the living, conditions established by sin that serve as challenges and limitations, and the deceased must yet appear in a divine judgment that is to conclude all the “unfinished business” of resolving conflicts, and settling disputes. Similarly, the death of Jesus upon the cross did not eliminate sin. However, the sacrificial death at Calvary, and the falling of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost, did seal a new covenant whereby mankind would overcome sin through anointing, baptism (we say, death and rebirth having divine DNA), faith, forgiveness, and new life. Repentance pertains to life; and only he who is without sin is worthy to “cast the first stone.” (7.) Sin Exposed. For the people of GOD, there is much we are not to repeat, yet, we are not to forget. Men are driven by appetite (demands such as hunger, thirst, and craving for sexual contact) from cradle to grave as a mechanical and necessary aspect of carnal being. The ministry of reconciliation acknowledges that human errors and mistakes while growing, learning, and mastering appetite are not all to be understood as persistent and unchanging sin. Sin opposes the continued existence of divine law, of GOD as Law Giver, and of all in Creation that responds to divine law. Sin is not a spirit or life essence put forth by GOD, yet, awareness and self-will for created beings and living creatures may be dominated by sin. Many blindly accept sin as a natural aspect of human nature, and therefore do not recognize that sin is contrary to their own divine aspect, foreign, strange, and suicidal. Through Jesus Christ, GOD now is using an imparted Spirit that establishes new spiritual life to operate through choices and decisions of the created. In addition to sacred law, that identifies sin and its various negative outcomes, GOD employs multiple devices to display cautions and warnings against sin. Included are confession, evil (calamity, catastrophe, upheaval), life experiences, penitence, praise, prayer, promises, prophecy, sacraments, sacred events (we say, miracles), testimony, and witness. Finite beings can not eliminate sin relying only upon intellect, logic, reason, and science. In the same way the poor are always with us for our benefit, it is necessary that peculiar displays of sin be made repeatedly, and that sin be exposed through the light of continued godliness and right doing as well as by sacred truth. Thus, correctly understood, for the Christian believer, life and all this is about the revealing of GOD, and not about the human predicament. (8.) The Authority of the Church. It is a legitimate task of the church to prepare men for judgment. While the church may bind and loose upon the earth to remit and retain sin, the church may only deny communion and fellowship to those who sin (we say, excommunicate), and may not absolutely annul, remove, or terminate anyone’s eternal life. Sin among the priesthood should now be recognized among believers as a divine tool, like the law, whereby sin becomes “exceeding sinful,” and the righteousness of GOD is further exalted. See Ecclesiastes 8: 8-13, Matthew 13: 1-35, Matthew 18: 1-35, John 8: 1-11, John 20: 23, 1st Corinthians 15: 50-58, Romans 6: 1-23, Romans 7: 12-13 and Revelation 1: 1-3, KJV.
THE GOLDEN ARROW: Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. (1st Peter: 2: 1-10, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: The Head Not The Tail? (10/21/2013); Stronger Tests for the Strong? (10/22/2013); A GOD of War? (03/12/2013); “Authorized Personnel Only” (03/13/2013); Therefore There Was Trust (01/07/2013); When Does Gossip Become Sin? (01/08/2013); Thoughts Upon A Warrior’s Fall (11/15/2012); The Slave to Law and Sin Made Free (11/16/2012); Love in Christ (10/23/2012); Escape from Racism (10/24/2012); Divine Self-Sacrifice? (09/30/2012); Justice Comes by Love? (10/01/2012); Mob Rule and Violence (09/27/2012); Suppose I Am Wrong? (09/28/2012)
“Methoozelah”, the expression “living sacrifice” written in the New Testament must be understood in agreement with things written in the Old. Consider the following:
(1.) Dedication. Anything devoted (we say, promised) to GOD must be turned over to the Almighty by its placement upon the altar of sacrifice. The altar serves as a holy platform or “table” where heaven and earth are in contact. Dedicated offerings and sacrifices are purified and transferred to GOD through holy fire; and the separation of material from sacred substance is completed upon the altar. It is only upon the altar that sin is separated from gratitude, humility, reverence, and praise.
(2.) Redemption. In the covenant of Israel, all the firstborn throughout the nation were dedicated to GOD, including the first of ones children as well as of ones cattle. Provisions to preserve the life of a firstborn child so they would not be slain upon the altar included (a) the entire tribe of Levi would be offered in place of the firstborn from the other tribes, (b) by payment of a fee, dedicated offerings would not be placed upon the altar, (c) the sacrifice would be accounted as unfit, and its neck would be broken to utterly destroy it, or (d) the dedicated thing would remain the property of GOD, and would continue in living service within the Tabernacle or Temple.
(3.) Sacrifice. Death and law are both tools of GOD to provide sacred structure and process for the living (we say, divine order). The revealed purposes of GOD for created beings and living creatures pertain to eternal life, rather than to destruction and violence. Through Jesus Christ, sacrifice is demonstrated as a life process characterized by internalizing the imparted, indwelling Spirit from GOD. Through a fresh endowment of the same divine matter that was breathed into Adam, believers are made able to operate in continuous service to GOD. Included are unselfish giving, love, obedience, praise, prayer, prophecy (comfort, edification, exhortation), and submission to sacred truth.
There is a lot more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually understood that may not be presented, here, at this time. (For example, (4.) Jihad-al-Akbar, The Greater Jihad. A man’s greatest service to GOD is not combat, martyrdom, and warfare against other men like himself. The more necessary struggle is that a man have so great a victory within himself that he operates continuously after principles to maintain family, community, life, peace, and genuine worship.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
Every generation has been privileged to say that GOD has done a work during our lifetime. We would be wise to rededicate ourselves to GOD through prayer, today.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
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