The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 380

Ver. 1.-" .A living sac,;fioe." The text suggests to us the spiritul\l teacher's plBt- form. He does not so much command or threaten I\S "beseech his brethren." Various terms are, indeed, used in the Authorized Version to translate the word traptUta>..lo,, But the feature of the word is speaking to some one for a pa.rticula.r purpose, to get him to do or refrain from something, to help him in difficulty or console him under trouble. The Saviour is spoken of in John's Epistle as our" Advocate," our Paraclete, accord- ing to our Lord's own description of himself when he promised," I will send you another Comrorter." And who has so gre&t a right to speak faithfully as a brother? The very nearness of kin implies affectionate solicitude, precludes evil suspicions. As brethren should the members of Churches stimulate each other with kindly jealousy for each other's welfare. I. THE DEDICATION DESCBIJIED. "Present your bodies a living sacrifice." The law of offerings is not abrogated, is spiritually fulfilled. The daily Ohristian sacrifice is not propitiatory like the Saviour's, but consequent upon that one efficacious atonement, and int.ended in like manner to glorify the righteousness and goodness of God, and to redeem man from evil Sin bas corrupted the entire organism, and the 'sacrifice is to consist of the whole being. The body is expressly named as the part which visibly was immersed in sin, and bowed under idolatry. But as the organ and symbol of the life, and the vehicle of information and action, bringing the powers of the soul into exercise, the surrender of the body to Christian principle means that the entire self is yielded to God. If sacrifice signifies self-denial, there is yet a joy that swallows up the pain of privation in the thought of the honour conferred on the garlanded victim acceptsi by the Most High as an act of worship and praise. Note some of t/i,e qualities of tAu sacri~ It is" living," as contrasted with the dead sacrifices of Jewish rites. True ~on iJ; not a galvanized life, but an inward principle that vivifies the entire frame. The mere saying of prayers, attendance at God's house, the avoidance of ill places and company, is a dead and worthless sacrifice if unaccompanied by love and devotion. The lo't'e of Christ flaming within the body makes it no longer a dull lump of clay, but an illumined spiritual temple. It is a "holy" sacrifice ; the sacredness of consecration to a holy Being rests upon it, and there is real and actual holiness of heart and life. It is "'acceptabl.e," well-pleasing to him who despises not the weak, but rejoices in humble, devout sincerity, where the leaven is cast out in order to a true celebration of the feast. We need not fear the rejection of our offering, since to us has been revealed the proper mode of approach ; nor will the shortcomings and sinful accompaniments that in spite of our best attempts mingle with our words and deeds cause them to be abhorred of him who perceives therein the sweet savour of Christ and incense of the Spirit. The "calves of our lips" will not pollute his courts, nor our "doing good and communicating" pollute his holy altar. We have also a general el,aracterizatwn of the 6(1,(':Tiftce. It is a "reasonabl.e service." It is engaged in and ratified by the highest powers,. the enlighten,ed, in~llect a!ld the quick~ned spirit. Unlike an unmeaning ritual, the SeI'Vlce of the Chnstian 18 to him emblematic of deepest truths. He sees himself not an isolated unit which bas itself merely to please and cherish, but a child of God, a constituent of society, with the obligation and dignity of obedience and self~bnega.tion for the service of God and man. And there is great meaning in the word employed to denote our" service." It compares our lives to the ministrations of tbe priesu! in the temple. Wllen we raise our voices in supplication to the throne, when we seek to lead others to the Saviour of our choice, when we strive to discharge the dntie& of our calling as unto the Lord, when we relieve the distreseed or comfort the afflicted we are 1111 much employed in temple-worship as if, like Aaron, we wore the high priellt's robel!, or, like Zacharias, offered incense before the veil. What a 110blc idea of the vocation of the people of God thia metaphor conveys I Jhpeot not. a on, xn.1-21.J THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. 379