The Holy Life: An (almost) Complete Guide

We are called to live a holy life. It is clear.

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

1 Peter 1:14–16 (ESV)

There are a few passages of scripture that might qualify as a nearly complete manual for living as a follower of Jesus. The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 would be one. But for living a holy life, I am not sure there is a better passage than Romans 12. As we look at this powerful passage, breaking it down into digestible bits, we can truly see how we are to live.

First, Therefore

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Romans 12:1 (ESV)

So, what is the ‘therefore’, there for?

That is a word that connects thoughts. A very short summary of what Paul has written would look kind of like this. We are all sinners. God has saved us by his grace. He has given us the Holy Spirit to empower us. And, so, it makes all kinds of sense to do something about it.

When we get to Romans 12, we are going to read what a reasonable response is to all of those great spiritual truths. And that is what the ‘therefore’ points us to!

The Appeal to a Holy Life

This is a strong appeal for us to do something that is altogether right and appropriate. And it is the ideal starting point for us to really take our spiritual walk to another level. It is a simple yet demanding appeal: to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. Our bodies are the shell in which we have our thoughts, our spiritual lives, our desires and our appetites. When we offer it as a sacrifice, we are giving it all to God. This verse describes this sacrifice as holy, that is a tangible effort to set yourself apart for God’s use and so is also acceptable to God.

Many modern versions describe that as our spiritual worship. However, the Greek word used is logikane. Doesn’t that word sound like ‘logical’ to you? I prefer the reading that this is our reasonable worship. In other words, it makes sense to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice in view of all that God has done for us, particularly through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ.

The Next Step

It is so easy to let the world squeeze us into its mold. Every day we experience worldly influences in the workplace, at school, in social media, in entertainment and even in the news. It is too easy to allow these influences to change how we perceive and think about things. The following verse in Romans is linked to the previous one. It begins with the Greek word kai which means ‘and’ – a word that provides a logical link between two closely related thoughts.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:2 (ESV)

Didn’t see the ‘and’? That’s because it’s not there. Many translations simply omit it. But these two thoughts: sacrificing our bodies and refusing to conform to this world are strongly linked. By sacrificing our bodies, we affirm that we are not going to conform to this world.

Instead of conforming we are told to be transformed by the renewal of our minds. The word transformed is the Greek word from which we get the term ‘metamorphosis.’ So, our thinking must go from being a caterpillar to a butterfly! That is a complete change. So must our minds be completely changed. We change from thinking about living a successful life to living a holy life!

If we were to pray for this to happen, we would first make a complete surrender of our bodies to God and then ask him to transform our minds. This transformation is empowered through prayer and the Word. Continually praying and reading God’s word will transform how we think.

A Short Aside

Practically, at this point, I would like to point out some ways to really feed on God’s Word. When you lead a busy life, it can be hard to spend time reading your Bible. We are so blessed to be living in the electronic age! There are apps you can get for your electronic devices that will read the Bible to you. Listening to the Bible may not be as beneficial as sitting and reading but if you consistently listen, the word will eventually permeate your mind and thoughts. Of course, you can pray anywhere and anytime. In your prayer, just make sure you spend some time in praise and thanksgiving.

Now, What Happens

When our minds are transformed, we will see God’s will so much more clearly. We gain discernment to understand what God would have for us every day.  Sometimes, God’s will doesn’t seem to make sense to us but we must remember that his will is good and acceptable and perfect. Trusting God means we embrace his will and begin to see how he works. And the more you follow his will, the more clearly you will see the next step. When we do what we know is his will, we more easily discern what is his will!

More to Come

We have begun to work through the powerful guidance of Romans 12 to help us live a holy life. These verses challenge us to do something that is not easy or natural. It is hard to fully surrender but it is the first step along the path to abundant, eternal life! Be prepared to be inspired to experience the freedom and joy of living out our calling to a holy life.