In 1 Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul used the physical body and the order and cooperation among its members to illustrate the order and cooperation among the members of Christ's body, the church. Even though the body consists of many members, and each member has a function, each does not have the same function (cf. Romans 12:3-8). Paul also used this physical-body illustration to teach that members of Christ's body, the church, must have care for one another. He exhorted the Corinthians to desire the best gifts.
In Chapter 13, he discussed the gift that is above all gifts, and that never fails; that gift is charity, or love. Jesus teaching about love set the standard when He taught, "Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, 'Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself.' On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40; cf. Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27) From this, we learn that we must love in the proper order--first God, and then our neighbors. The underlying motive of all or actions must be charity, or love.
Righteousness by Faith
Paul began the Roman epistle by referring to himself as "...a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God." (Romans 1:1) This language illustrates Paul's dedicated service to God. In Romans 6, he discussed the blessings of obedience, teaching that the physical body must render service to God and not to unrighteousness.
Paul also chronicled his sacrificial manner of life in his epistle to the Philippians, where he wrote, "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." (Philippians 3:7-11)
Righteousness by faith is the clear theme throughout the first 12 chapters of the Roman epistle. In chapter 12, Paul brought his theme--righteousness by faith-- to a head when he wrote, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And 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, will of God." (Romans 12:1-2) Because of the points Paul had already discussed (therefore), he beseeched (implored or urged) the Romans to do the things he mentioned in these two verses, not to the exclusion of the epistle's other teaching. Here, Paul again used the body, described as a living sacrifice, to represent the entirety of the life of God's child.
We accomplish our works in the body (while living), whether good or bad, in the tabernacle of the flesh; and all people will be judged according to their works (2 Corinthians 5:1-10). Our bodily sacrifice is to be "holy, acceptable unto God," which is our "reasonable (spiritual) service." Our service to God must be from the heart (mind); for out of the heart "are the issues of life" (Proverbs 4:23). Next, Paul warned against being "conformed" or molded to the world and, through use of the word "transformed," stressed nonconformance to this world. Conformity can refer to anything involving the habits, manners, dress, lifestyle, etc., that indicates a love of this world and its lusts. To accomplish transformation, we must renew our minds, with the source of the renewal being the "righteousness of God." Paul wrote to the Colossians of renewal; he said, "And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him." (Colossians 3:10; cf. 2 Corinthians 4:16; Ephesians 4:23) Therefore, the Christian, as his name implies, is to pattern himself after Christ.
The Nature of the Sacrifice
The nature of this sacrifice is of great importance and should not be overlooked. First, it is a sacrifice! The term sacrifice implies that there must be a victim or an offering-in this case, a Christian. We must offer ourselves! A Christian is not to be the victim of a sinful life, but a victim for Christ and His cause.
This sacrifice must be presented. When we give someone a gift, we buy the gift, wrap it, and present it, usually in view of other people, to the intended person or persons. We prepare the gift we intend to present. Under the Old Law, the people prepared the gifts and sacrifices offered to God. Likewise, the Christian's life must be a life of preparation for eternity (see Amos 4:12). In this passage, Paul used a metaphor to illustrate the likeness between the sacrifices required under the Old Law and the sacrifice required under Christ's law. We surrender all rights to any gift we purchase, wrap, and give; it belongs to the one who receives it. Paul taught this principle when he wrote, "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?" (1 Corinthians 6:19)
This sacrifice must be a living sacrifice. The life of a Christian must be alive to God and dead to sin. Paul wrote, "Likewise, reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God." (Romans 6:11-13)
We must be involved in every good (Godly) work (2 Timothy 3:17). Jesus taught, "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house." (Matthew 5:14-15) The light Jesus spoke of is the example of Godly (good) works.
The sacrifice must be holy. The Greek word rendered holy-hagios--means, sacred, physically pure, morally blameless or religious, consecrated. The sacrifice must be free from defilement. Under the Old Law, the sacrificial animal had to be without blemish (Exodus 12:5). After all, we are offering this sacrifice to God, and it must meet His terms. Paul taught that we are to use our bodies to glorify God and not to satisfy the lusts of the flesh; hence, they must be holy (cf. Romans 1:24; 6:12; 13:14; Galatians 5:24; 2 Timothy 2:22; Titus 2:12).
This sacrifice must be acceptable to God. God will accept or reject the sacrifice we offer. Consider the sacrifices offered by Cain and Abel. God did not respect Cain's offering; however, He did have respect for Abel's offering (Genesis 4:1-4). The Hebrew writer stated that Abel offered his sacrifice by faith, "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh." (Hebrews11:4) Likewise, in order for our sacrifices to be acceptable to God, we must offer them by faith, according to His revealed will.
Conclusion
God requires the Christian to present his life as a holy offering, alive to God and dead to sin. As a Christian, you cannot use your body for the satisfaction of fleshly desires; your body is "not your own" (1 Corinthians 6:19). Our bodies belong to God; hence, we must sacrifice them to Him. A Christian cannot sacrifice his body to things that entangle and defile, such as the use of tobacco; social consumption of alcohol; gambling; immodest attire; sexual immorality, including adulterous marriage; pornography; religious error and compromise; and any and all things that defile. The body is the "temple of God" (1 Corinthians 3:16,17). Christians prepare their lives according to the "righteousness of God." (Romans 10:3) If we spend our lives in sacrificial service to Christ and His cause, we will be received into the "Father's house" where there are "many mansions," prepared for us by Christ who sacrificed Himself for us (John 14:1-3).
Out of love, He gave all for us; can we also give ourselves for love?