God's Will For My Life-Part III

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV)


In Part II of this devotional series of how we can know God's will for our lives, we looked at what it means to: 

1.     "Present your bodies a living sacrifice,"

We learned that we present our bodies in much the same way the OT priest presented their offerings of atonement before the Lord in the Temple of God.  We learned that to be a "Living Sacrifice" means to willingly give up our earthly hopes, our desires, our earthly plans; everything that is treasured by us, and everything that is important to our lives, and that we find fulfilling to us.

In Part III of this series, we will take a look at the second part of this verse, and that is to be:

2.    "Holy, Acceptable to God"

Q:    What does it mean to be "Holy"?

The dictionary defines that for something to be "Holy", or "Sanctified" means that it is dedicated or consecrated to God or a religious purpose; it is sacred.


The Greek word for "Holy" is hagios.  It has been translated with one of three words, or derivatives, in our older English versions, namely: holy, hallowed, or sanctified.  These words simply mean to be set apart, separate, or separated. 

So for something or someone to be "Holy" or "Sanctified" it means that it/they have been "Set Apart" for the purpose of God. 

For example, we see throughout scripture that there have been certain spots of ground, hills, houses and even whole countries that have been called Holy because they were set apart to God, or they were places where God appeared, and subsequently they could no longer be treated as common ground.  An example of this would be the place where God spoke to Moses at Horeb.

Then He said, "Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground." Exodus 3:5 (NKJV)

The same principle applied to the setting apart of the altar, tabernacle and utensils (Ex. 29:37, 30:29).  Vessels and instruments were set apart to the service and could not be used for common or profane purposes.  It is interesting to note that our word "Profane," in spite of how we use it now, originally meant "outside the temple."  That which is "profane" is simply common.

So when we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we were "Sanctified" or made "Holy."  We see Jesus speaking of this to His disciples as he sent them out to preach the Word.

"I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me." Acts 26:17-18 (NKJV)

So we are called to be "Holy" and are to be "Set Apart" from the world and from sin.  We are not to have "Profane," (common) lives because we are to be a living sacrifice to the Lord.  Simply put, we are to be distinct or different from those who love the world, and the things of this world.  

This is the very thing that I speak of in Marriage counseling.  Holy matrimony was a term used for marriage but not one that is taken seriously.  If our marriages were truly "set apart" and dedicated to the Lord as they should be, then we would not have divorce; period!  

We should not live, love, and choose as the world does because that is not what it means to be Holy.  We are called to be imitators of God (See Eph 5:1).  And Peter exhorts us to do the same.

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." 1Peter 1:13-16 (NKJV)

Hey Christian, we have been sanctified and made Holy by the blood of Jesus Christ.  We have been set apart to be different than the lost world.  We are to be a new creation in Christ.  Let's not go back to our old ways.  Let's not be a dog that returns to its own vomit and start to partake in those things that we were saved from.  Let's remain "Holy," "Set Apart," and "Sanctified" unto the Lord.  

Only by presenting ourselves as a living sacrifice, Holy, and acceptable--by giving God the best of what we have to offer--will we please God.

In Part IV of this series, we will continue to look at Romans 12:1-2 to see how we can know the will of God for our lives.

STUDY QUESTION: What does it mean to be Holy?

PERSONAL INVENTORY: Does your life reflect a life that has been set apart unto the Lord?  Are you being used by the Lord?  Are you allowing the Lord to use you in whatever way He wants?

APPLICATION: Don't get caught up in the ways of the World.  Don't be looking at these ways to try and imitate it.  Instead, imitate the life of Christ.  After all, that is what it means to be Christian.