The foundation of Christian service according to Paul is sacrifice. Perhaps this single assertion most overtly stands in opposition to much of modern faith life methodology. The modern shallowness of service offered under the heading of charity is only granted in times of convenience. Ministry is undertaken only when it does not cost the one serving or at least when the sacrifice is outweighed by the promise of some spiritual benefit. These philosophies are not in keeping with the teachings of Paul here who says, “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.” It is common in evangelical preaching to encourage one’s listeners to be a sacrifice, to give everything to God. However, if these admonitions are not presented in the same spirit as Paul speaks of in this section, no real sacrifice is possible. In addition, the phrase translated “spiritual worship” may be rendered “reasonable service of you” (λογικὴν λατρείαν ὑμῶν) indicating that, for Paul, what is describe in the balance of his letter, he considers to be prompted by a transformed nature of the believer (hence “living sacrifice”). Paul solidifies his affirmation in verse two by separating godly spiritual service from the world by calling believers not to conform to the world’s view of service but be transformed in one’s application of service so that the will of God may be discerned. This is not intended to mean the understanding of some sort of mystic revelation but rather the bringing together of what is taught by a close examination of the revealed word of God and practical application in everyday living. The practical everyday application of God’s grace within the body of Christ is the subject the Apostle then embarks on. This type of serving is again highlighted as a humble duty of the Christian. Paul begins by encouraging believers not to think more highly of themselves than they ought which is a necessary admonition given his discussion of the grace gifts later in this section. The primary point here is that God had endued every believer with some sort of “gifting” for the building up of the body. These gifts are intended for service to the corporate body of believers and not to differentiate between who may be more spiritual or mature. As Paul highlights the necessity of giving of one’s self for the betterment of the corporate body, he is demonstrating in practical terms what it means to live a life of service. To further highlight the Christian mandate of serving from a transformed nature, Paul speaks of “Abhorring what is evil and holding to what is good.” Here, Paul offers some of the most practical expressions of charitable service within the Christian community; in fact, Paul defines here what true service is and what it is not. The basic premise is for believers to “outdo” (προηγούμενοι, present middle / passive participle) one another in showing honor and fidelity. This is not just an activity or a program but a mode of life stemming from the regeneration of one’s soul. This idea is coupled with what the Apostle had said just previous in “abhorring” (ἀποστυγοῦντες, present active participle) evil and “holding fast” (κολλώμενοι, present passive participle) to what is good. The foundation of Christian charity is the transformed nature of imputed righteousness. Accordingly, as the Apostle goes through a list of eighteen Christian qualities in verses eleven through twenty-one, he make heavy use of the Greek participle to indicate that what is in view is not simply methodology but a description of the natural results of a transformed nature. This does not mean that living within the transformative work of the Holy Spirit is simple or easy; if it were, the Apostle would have no need to speak on such things. Conversely, the Apostle exposits these points as he does not only to give a mark on which the believer is t aim but an objective standard to indicate true regeneration.
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