Jesus said his true worshippers worship his Father with spirit and truth and Paul teaches that being a living sacrifice is our spiritual act of worship in Romans 12.
Paul teaches to worship God is to renew your mind to be like his Son then we will be able to test and approve what is our Father’s will and know that we are not conforming to the patterns of this world. Only when we have the mind of Christ, we will know what is good, pleasing, and God’s perfect will for us.
We worship God by never measuring ourselves by other believer’s weakness or strengths but always have a clear conscience of the measure of faith we were given by Jesus so that we always treat each other with patience, understanding and forgiveness.
We must worship Jesus as his body by using the spiritual gift we each have received for the purpose of strengthening, encouraging, and comforting each other so that we all mature in our faith and become united in the full knowledge of our Lord Jesus.
Let’s continue with Paul’s teaching of how to be a living sacrifice.
Romans 12: 9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
As a living sacrifice our love for Jesus must be sincere when we love others by hating what is evil but not the person and cling to what is good to God when we love others.
Romans 12: 10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
As the family of God, we worship our Father by being devoted in loving each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. Honoring each other by wanting God’s best and goodness for each other by loving each other the way Jesus has loved us. Serving each the way Jesus served his Father becoming a servant of all.
Romans 12: 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
Our spirit must never lose its first love for Jesus which is having a spirit that is intensely passionate for Jesus. We do this by always having the name of Jesus on their heart, so that our spirit is always ready to serve Jesus and never being afraid or ashamed to speak his name before others because it has the power of eternal life.
Our spiritual fervor in the body of Christ is where it is freely and joyfully glorify the name of Jesus speaking to each other by capturing our every thought and make it obedient to Him so that it will build us up.
Romans 12: 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
We worship God joyfully because of the hope we have in Jesus making us patient is our suffering because of our faith in Jesus’ promise of our eternal life and with faithfulness and thankfulness knowing it is God’s will when he answers our prayers.
Romans 12: 13 Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
As living sacrifices we share in caring for the needs of our brothers and sisters and practice hospitality by being friendly and generous in receiving and entertaining our church family.
Romans 12: 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
As a living sacrifice, we are like our Lord Jesus when others persecute us because of our love for God. We do not curse them but are like Jesus when he said dying on the cross, “Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” When we do this we are blessing our persecutors.
Romans 12: 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
We worship God by rejoicing with those who have found strength in the Lord because they brought him joy and we mourn with those who mourn for their love ones who do not have faith in Jesus. This just like Jesus who wept when people did not believe that is he was the life and the resurrection.
Romans 12: 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Our spiritual worship must be in harmony in one belief in Jesus and his teachings with our brothers and sisters in Christ and not being boastful, proud or conceited but always putting the interest of others before yourself by being a humble and lowly servant of all.
Romans 12: 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.
Our spirit must be true to Jesus by knowing what is evil and never using it against others but do what Jesus commands us to do and love our enemies so that other can see the righteousness of God in you.
Romans 12: 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. 19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.
We are a living sacrifice when we use the measure of faith, we each have received from Jesus and live in peace with everyone because we believing it is through the blood of Jesus that covers our sins which God sees and forgives us giving us peace with him. And because of this peace we have with God we do not take revenge and also know that our Father will avenge all the evil that has been done to his children.
When we live as living sacrifices, we are true worshippers worshipping our Father in spirit and truth.
Be safe in Jesus, your brother in Christ, Glenn.