"Present your bodies a living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."
In the time of ancient Israel the priests
critically examined every offering that was brought as a sacrifice.
If any defect was discovered, the animal was refused; for the
Lord had commanded that the offering should be "without
blemish." We are to present
our bodies a living sacrifice to God, and should we not seek
to make the offering as perfect as possible? God has given us
every instruction necessary for our physical, mental, and moral
well-being; and it is the duty of every one of us to bring our
habits of life into conformity with the divine standard in every
particular. Will the Lord be pleased with anything less than
the best we can offer? "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart." If you do love Him with all your heart
you will desire to give Him the best service of your life, and
you will seek to bring every power of your being into harmony
with the laws that will promote your ability to do His will.
Every faculty of our being was given us
that we might render acceptable service to our Maker. When, through
sin, we perverted the gifts of God and sold our powers to the
prince of darkness, Christ paid a ransom for us, even His own
precious blood. "He died for all, that they which live should
not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died
for them." You are not to follow the customs of the world.
"Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by
the renewing of your mind."