Surrender Is the Pathway to Victory
What does it mean to be fully surrendered to Jesus? In Romans 11, Paul explores God’s plan for both Israel and the Gentiles. He explains that while many Israelites have rejected Christ, their rejection is not final.
Romans 11-12
Today's Scripture Passage
A Few Thoughts to Consider
What does it mean to be fully surrendered to Jesus?
In Romans 11, Paul explores God’s plan for both Israel and the Gentiles. He explains that while many Israelites have rejected Christ, their rejection is not final. A remnant of faithful Israelites remains, chosen by grace, and God’s promises to Israel will ultimately be fulfilled. The chapter also highlights the inclusion of the Gentiles into God’s salvation plan, describing it as a way to provoke Israel to jealousy and eventually bring them back to faith.
With this chapter as the backdrop, Paul says in Romans 12:1-2, 1 “Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”
But what does that mean, and how do we do it? Paul offers three key truths to guide us. The first truth is that full surrender is a natural response to God's mercy. When Paul writes to the Romans, he addresses believers who already follow Christ. They are people whose faith and obedience are well-known, yet Paul still urges them to present themselves as living sacrifices to God.
The Greek word used for “present” can also mean “yield,” suggesting that we must relinquish our rights and preferences, turning our entire lives over to God. Since God has shown such great mercy, it is only reasonable that we would want to make this complete surrender as an act of worship. Yielding oneself to God means giving the Holy Spirit full control of our lives. It’s not just accepting him but letting him direct every decision and action.
To fully surrender to God, we must first recognize the need for it, then ask him to take control, and then trust that he will keep his promises. As Douglass Moo writes, “What is required is nothing less than a total transformation in worldview. No longer are we to look at life in terms of this world, the realm of sin and death from which we have been transferred by God’s power (see 5:12-21), but in terms of the new realm to which we belong, the realm ruled by righteousness, life and the Spirit.”[1]
