A CERTAIN, STRONG APPEAL TO ALL WHO ARE IN CHRIST. Present yourselves. To commit the body is to surrender the whole man, body, soul and spirit. Dedication and sanctification belong to the whole, the total man. Rom. 12:1 Our God is able to preserve the spirit, soul and body in purity and blameless until the coming of Christ a second time. 1 Thes. 5:23 The appeal to the church today is that she might yield herself as an implement of righteousness to the Lord. No longer an instrument of sin, in servitude to the powers of unrighteousness. Now serving the Lord whole heartedly, and in a righteous manner. Rom. 6:13 The one to whom we offer ourselves is our master and we are his slaves. If our obedience is to sin then we are in bound in slavery to wickedness and impurity. Now, through wholehearted obedience to the doctrine of Christ the church is liberated from all forms of unrighteousness and is enjoying a life of righteousness. Rom. 6:16-18
THE LIVING SACRIFICE OFFERED UNTO THE LORD. Living and life giving, for it will exemplify the life of Christ. The church is to shine in this world with the glorious light of the Lord. It is to be a beacon of beautiful shining light in the midst of the darkness of sin. Again, a high standard is established for her. She is to be established as being without accusation of any sort. Innocent and blameless showing forth the nature and attitude of the true children of God, blazing brilliantly before the world with the light of the gospel upon her. Phil. 2:15 The church is privileged to draw close to Him having had her heart cleansed from an evil conscience. How wonderful it is to have a conscience which has been sanctified and liberated from all guilt and condemnation. Likewise, our commitment is that of having our bodies washed, in baptism, that they might be pure containers for the Spirit of God. Heb. 10:22 As difficult as all this may sound to the carnal mind it is but the very elementary step of our Christian faith. The Bride of Christ will be in full and complete surrender to her Lord. She will be in complete submission to His will and will love every moment of it. Rom. 12:1 .
GIFTS BESTOWED BY HIS DIVINE POWER. The scriptures reveal to us how much we live in spiritual poverty. These gifts are not things to be anticipated, something that He has projected out into the future, but bequests that He HAS bestowed upon His church. The magnitude is described as being < ALL THINGS >. There is no limitation placed on that which may be received, it includes the whole of His bounty. 2 Pet. 1:3 The benefits received from Him are those things that accompany LIFE and GODLINESS. The Lord takes of what He is, and imparts His very own nature to those who are His. He has promised that He will withhold NO GOOD THING, from them who walk uprightly, in His life and being of righteousness. Ps. 84:11 The key to the ability of receiving His promises is through our understanding and comprehension of Him. The deeper our knowledge of God, and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, the greater His abounding grace and peace in us. Certainly these are elements sought after by all in this world. Become deeply ACQUAINTED with Jesus for they are found in Him, in great abundance. 2 Pet. 1:2 To know Him, is to obtain and possess life everlasting. He is life itself and the source of all life, in him alone is found life, both natural life and more importantly, spiritual life. Acts 17:28