*I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye pre- sent your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service, ^^nd 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 wdll of God. ^For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of him- self more highly than he ought to think ; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. *For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office : ^so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. ^'Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the propor- tion of faith; ^or ministry, let us wait on ou?- ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching ; ^or he that exhorteth, on exhortation : he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity ; he that ruleth, with diligence ; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.
As the apostle had concluded the doctrinal portion of the epistle w^ith the preceding chapter, agreeably to his almost uniform practice, he deduces from his doctrines important practical lessons. The first deduc- tion from the exhibition which he had made of the mercy of God in the redemption of men, is, that they should devote themselves to him as a living sacrifice, and be conformed to his will, and not to the manners of the world, vs. 1, 2. The second is, that they should be humble, and not allow the diversity of their gifts to destroy the sense of their unity as one body in Christ, vs. 3 — 5. These various gifts were to be exercised, not for selfish purposes, but in a manner consistent wdth their nature and design ; diligently, disinterestedly, and kindly, vs. 6 — 8.