A Question for the Ages

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that your present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1 KJV)

Before we could present ourselves a living sacrifice to God through the merits and power of Jesus Christ our Lord, what living thing did we have to offer up to God? Nothing. Without the saving power of Christ we were spiritually dead in trespasses and sins. (Romans 6:23 KJV)

Jesus Christ said “…without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5b KJV) It’s just sometimes we find it hard to believe. The natural man tends to believe salvation hinges on what we do outside of Christ.

The truth is, if we are outside of Christ, we need to admit we are bankrupt sinners who need a Savior. We need to allow Jesus to perform ‘spiritual CPR’ and make us alive – alive in Him before we are truly able to follow Him as Savior and Lord. The truth is, we need His life before we can give back a heart that is alive and ready to do God’s will. No other sacrifice will do.

This is good news! New life in Christ is available to all who believe the gospel and receive Christ Jesus the Lord, turning away from ‘dead works’ to serve the living God. Only then can Jesus become the life and the power of true Christian living.

Jesus said to a woman named Martha, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” (John 11:25-26)

Not just for Martha, the question for all who would hear His gracious call is this – “Do you believe?”

Copyright 2018

Copyright 2022. Toni Babcock is author of Reflections from the Heart in Light of the Gospel of Jesus, and The Stone Writer, Christian Fiction for Young Readers and Teens. Many of her devotionals have been featured on www.faithwriters.com.