The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-01-12
A LIVING SACRIFICE.
(SelecteG for The Times.)

(SelecteG for The Times.)
II beseech you therefore, brethren, by
the mercies OF God, that We present your
bodies a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable
unto God, which is your reasonable ser
vice; and be not conformed to this world,
but be We Transformed by the renewing
of your mind, that ye may prove what
is that good and acceptable and perfect
will of God. Romans xiii, 1, 2
When the Apostle says Bodies in this
connection he means bodies-the flesh,
the outward, the lower, the meaner self.
He shows US how, not only the tenant
should be a hero, but his house a sanctu-
airy. To be thus. the flesh must be sub
dued, overruled, refined and glorified.
Z. Nor us it to bendone by isolation or
mutlation. It must be a living sacri-
fee, every member complete. yet each
member doing it's work simply, lovingly,
obediently. The whole body, alive, but
controlled, disciplined and turned to the
highest, the sweetest activity.
Herein lies the great difference between
the old Mosaic law, of sacrifice and the
sacrifice required under. the gospel. It
a thousand rams; but we are called to
the spiritual sacrifice Of being dead yet
living, of passing through our own death
into newness of iife;finto the upper mys-t
terry, the broader mystery of a spiritual
resurrection. Hence the folly of mutila-
tion of Iaceration, and those starvlngs
and contempts with which the body is
visited by merely mechanical discipline
rians.
We are not to shut the ear lest we
should hear bad music. We are to open
it. and judge of it's tones and meaning.
We are not to hide ourselves from the
recreations OF life: but we are to test
them by the higher law, and ask: what
are you? What will you do: What is
your power? What scope and tendency
is yours: Once we were on a level with
YOU, but now we can take you up and
set you down, and by the grace OF Gou
you cannot make conquest of us. y
We must be living sacrifices; not dead
but living bodies; every drop OF blood
intact, every drop Of blood drop of fire,
yet we pray. For to this vocation we
are called We are not amputated men,
but full, complete. crowned men and
have that highest of all sovereignty, the
sovereignty of ourselves.
The religion laid down here is practical,
everyday conduct Apostolic metaphy-
sizes must end in human good behavior.
Theology is not a bubble in words; it
is steady growth and attainment in
character.
The sacrifice is to be wholly acceptable
unto God, which is your reasonable SER
vice"-that is, the service of your rea
out of the church. Religion that does
not include God in all and every phase
of our life, is like blind preacher prating
Of color which he has never seen. The.
Apostle will have our reason sanctified
Reason should be a worshipper and bow
That is Paul's idea, and Paul is a teacher
of Christians, whatever else he may or.
may not be-
Does the exhortation end with the
body? In the first verse the body Is
put into it's right relation to God. In
the second verse the mind is put into its
right relation to things infinite and eter-
nal Thus the whole man is consecrated.
.'Be not conformed to this world Why
not? Because 1t is not world at ALL
in any sense of completeness. There
was a time when this world. eight
thousand miles in diameter, was thought
to be a great world. But travel and
steam and electricity have SO dwarfed
distances that we no longer consider it
with wonder.
The mind it to be renewed, made fresh
like dewy morning, made 1.-THE with
an energy that cannot be tired. TO what
end?
That it may become a faculty for moral
criticism, that We may prove, test. look
carefully into, ana to know what is that
good and acceptable. perfect VIII II
God. TO learn and know the true WilI
Of God. in Standardization from that
which is supposed to be the Will Of God.
SO that the mind may not, cannot. be
imposed upon, we are 81 to do two
things First, to find out. what is the
win Of God; and secondly to find out
the bestSway got doing 1T. And this We
can ner er do Of ourselves tllnse only ate