" I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable, unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think: but to think soberly, according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith." ( Ro. 12:1-3)

Paul is speaking to us by the Holy Spirit, and he begins with an earnest plea, " I beseech you or I exhort you to present your bodies...," Why is Paul saying this? In order to understand the depth of this plea you must begin from the beginning of Romans chapters 1-11. In these chapters he speaks on several things such as righteousness of God, the university of sin, Justification by faith, he not only declares but he asked questions such as "shall we continue in sin?" He also takes a turn and gives the most famous "when I would do good, evil is present with me." He speaks of the calling of the Gentiles, and finally he speaks on the condition of salvation. Once he is finished laying the foundation for us he climaxes it with " I beseech you!"  Notice he doesn't say I beseech the Deacons, Pastors or Teachers, but he makes it personal, " I beseech you."  You can't look at your neighbor or your wife, husband,  or children, because he says "you."  The word therefore is a connective word, so he is saying therefore based on what I have previously said, that you present your bodies.

A lot of people believe that they can get around God's commands with something else, or  we will make excuses or say well,  God didn't really mean this or that. You see, it is easier to do what we want, then to do what God wants. Herein lies our problem of the Surrendered life. We say we are surrendered until we are in a difficult situation or we are asked to surrender something we don't necessarily want to surrender. But Paul tells us to present our bodies, and this includes everything, and  he also tells us how:

(A) A living sacrifice: What is a sacrifice? The act of offering something- forfeiture of something valuable for the sake of something else. David said this.."I will not offer a burnt offering ( his sacrifice) that has cost me nothing." (1 Chron. 21:24) God is pleased with a sacrifice that cost us something. Under the old covenant, a person could offer an animal to God as a substitute for himself, symbolizing the person's faith in the merciful, forgiving God. But the people were offering sacrifices as part of their worship ritual and forgetting their significance! The very act of sacrifice showed that they had once agreed to follow God wholeheartedly. But at this time their hearts were not in it, so their sacrifices were not pleasing to God,  and thus were worthless. We may fall into the same pattern when we participate in religious activities, tithe, or attend church out of habit or conformity rather than out of heartfelt love and obedience. God wants righteousness not empty ritual. The word sacrifice implies giving something that cost the giver in terms of self, time, money, family, spouse everything that pertains to the individual. It requires more than a token effort. God wants us to give voluntarily, but he wants it to mean something. Giving to God what costs you nothing does not demonstrate commitment. Here Paul tells us to present our bodies a living sacrifice-true worship is seen as a presentation of the self to God. The body is the vehicle of presentation. With the presentation of my body it includes everything.  Next Paus says:

(B) Holy- which means set apart for God. So now my body and everything this entails is Holy unto God, set apart for his use when and how he sees fit. Next Paul says:

(C). Acceptable unto God- which means adequate, satisfactory. In the book of Malachi 1:8,8, God says this "ye offer polluted bread upon my altar, and say, where in have  we polluted thee? In that ye say the table of the Lord is contemptible, and if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Offer it now unto thy Governor, will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person?" saith the Lord. When we give of ourselves and in what we do, are we doing it grudgingly, complaining, and giving God leftover's? We all must ask the question, "if God was standing right in front of me, would he be pleased with what I am doing, thinking  or saying? Would I give this or say that to the President of the United States? If not, why am I giving it to God who is over the President. Finally Paul says:

(D). Which is your reasonable service- it is not extreme- God is saying what I am asking you to do is not extreme, this is not a difficult task. But he doesn't stop there, after you surrender your body, he says "be not conformed to this world." Lets stop here. What is in the world that can influence us? Music, science, art, technology, medicine, astrology these are some of the things that make up the world. So God says "be not conformed ( to make or become similar in form or character-to act in accordance with prevailing modes or customs). In other words do not allow these things or behaviors of the world to have you, but be ye transformed-how-by the "renewing" of your mind. Why? That  you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect, will of God. Jesus said, we are the  salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is therefore good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot fo men.

If we do not renew our minds, how can we be salt, we will act, say and do according to the world. In conclusion, the surrendered life is a one time act of presenting the body, but a daily attitude of  the fact that your members are yielded to God for his glory, your substance, family, everything about you is set apart for God, daily, minute by minute laying down everything the Holy Spirit brings to you out of love for God. The surrendered life is one of constant renewing of your mind, laying down your old way of thinking and picking up the mind of Christ through his word. That we may prove by how we think, and what comes out of our mouths and actions what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For out of the heart the mouth speaks, that we may say "and the very God of peace sanctify you (me) wholly, that my spirit (which is born again) and soul (my mind being renewed ) and body (that I have presented) be preserved blameless unto the  coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ( 1 Thess. 5:23)

I ask you now, have you surrendered your bodies  to God? Some may have surendered a long time ago and didn't continue in the way or you have been giving God unacceptable service, or you may have surrendered and began to think more highly of yourself than you should. If any of these things describe you, ask God right now to forgive you and repent from this behavior, dedicate yourself afresh to him right now. Amen