Present & Renew
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
The sacrificing of one’s body, their human existence, to God and the transforming renewal of one’s mind are conditions which promote a believer from an existence of floundering outside of God’s perfect will to proving God’s perfect will.
The sacrifice of self does not, by default, mean a transformation of the mind. Likewise, the renewing of the mind does not automatically lead to accomplishing the reasonable service of sacrificial living. But when a believer is able to incorporate both self-sacrifice and a renewed mind, all the elements are in place for that person to be a proving ground of the perfect will of God.
Romans 12 makes it clear that the living sacrifice and transformation are both duties that require active participation on the believer’s part. These are not endowed on us as rights. We must present and renew. We must actively take part in these processes, through the mercies of God.
How? Put away self-pride, fear of man and lust for the things of the world. Look to others instead of yourself and seek the goodness and righteousness of God. Through daily prayer give yourself - all that you are, all your plans, all your concerns, all your desires - to God and set your mind on Jesus Christ.