"Present your bodies a living sacrifice"

In his letter to the Roman church Paul wrote: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God.... 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." Rom. 12:1, 2;

Why did the apostle make this unusual demand? Could it not be that he saw deeply into the spiritual facts of being and recognized that man is much more than a materially organic embodiment? Paul must have understood what Christian Science is unfolding today, namely, that the physical body is not man at all but is a limited, mortally mental counterfeit of man's true identity.

Like the great Master, Christ Jesus, the apostle well knew that the individual must sacrifice, that is, utterly deny, the discordant, disease-producing physical belief of himself, and "by the renewing of [his] mind" replace it with a clear recognition of his perfect, harmonious, spiritual selfhood in the image and likeness of God, infinite Spirit.

Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.

NEXT IN THIS ISSUE
Article
Christian Science Church Center
May 4, 1968
Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit