1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
What he means is somewhat as follows. Pharaoh was a vessel of wrath, that is, a man who by his own hard-heartedness had kindled the wrath of God. For after enjoying much long-suffering, he became no better, but remained unimproved. Wherefore he calls him not only "a vessel of wrath," but also one "fitted for destruction." That is, fully fitted indeed, but by his own proper self. For neither had God left out anything of the things likely to recover him, nor did he leave out anything of those that would ruin him, and put him beyond any forgiveness. Yet still, though God knew this, "He endured him with much long-suffering," being willing to bring him to repentance. For had He not willed this, then He would not have been thus long-suffering. But as he would not use the long-suffering in order to repentance, but fully fitted himself for wrath, He used him for the correction of others, through the punishment inflicted upon him making them better, and in this way setting forth His power. For that it is not God's wish that His power be so made known, but in another way, by His benefits, namely, and kindnesses, he had shown above in all possible ways. For if Paul does not wish to appear powerful in this way ("not that we should appear approved," he says, "but that you should do that which is honest,") [2 Corinthians 13:7], much less does God. But after that he had shown long-suffering, that He might lead to repentance, but he did not repent, He suffered him a long time, that He might display at once His goodness and His power, even if that man were not minded to gain anything from this great long-suffering. As then by punishing this man, who continued incorrigible, He showed His power, so by having pitied those who had done many sins but repented, He manifested His love toward man. But it does not say, love towards man, but glory, to show that this is especially God's glory, and for this He was above all things earnest. But in saying, "which He had afore prepared unto glory," he does not mean that all is God's doing. Since if this were so, there were nothing to hinder all men from being saved. But he is setting forth again His foreknowledge, and doing away with the difference between the Jews and the Gentiles. And on this topic again he grounds a defense of his statement, which is no small one. For it was not in the case of the Jews only that some men perished, and some were saved, but with the Gentiles also this was the case. Wherefore he does not say, all the Gentiles, but, "of the Gentiles," nor, all the Jews, but, "of the Jews." As then Pharaoh became a vessel of wrath by his own lawlessness, so did these become vessels of mercy by their own readiness to obey. For though the more part is of God, still they also have contributed themselves some little. Whence he does not say either, vessels of well-doing, or vessels of boldness (παρρησίας), but "vessels of mercy," to show that the whole is of God. For the phrase, "it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs," even if it comes in the course of the objection, still, were it said by Paul, would create no difficulty. Because when he says, "it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs," he does not deprive us of free-will, but shows that all is not one's own, for that it requires grace from above. For it is binding on us to will, and also to run: but to confide not in our own labors, but in the love of God toward man. And this he has expressed elsewhere. "Yet not I, but the grace which was with me." [1 Corinthians 15:10] And he well says, "Which He had afore prepared unto glory." For since they reproached them with this, that they were saved by grace, and thought to make them ashamed, he far more than sets aside this insinuation. For if the thing brought glory even to God, much more to them through whom God was glorified. But observe his forbearance, and unspeakable wisdom. For when he had it in his power to adduce, as an instance of those punished, not Pharaoh, but such of the Jews as had sinned, and so make his discourse much clearer, and show that where there were the same fathers, and the same sins, some perished, and some had mercy shown them, and persuade them not to be doubtful-minded, even if some of the Gentiles were saved, while the Jews were perishing; that he might not make his discourse irksome, the showing forth of the punishment he draws from the foreigner, so that he may not be forced to call them "vessels of wrath." But those that obtained mercy he draws from the people of the Jews. And besides, he also has spoken in a sufficient way in God's behalf, because though He knew very well that the nation was fitting itself as a vessel of destruction, still He contributed all on His part, His patience, His long-suffering, and that not merely long-suffering, but "much long-suffering;" yet still he was not minded to state it barely against the Jews. Whence then are some vessels of wrath, and some of mercy? Of their own free choice. God, however, being very good, shows the same kindness to both. For it was not those in a state of salvation only to whom He showed mercy, but also Pharaoh, as far as His part went. For of the same long-suffering, both they and he had the advantage. And if he was not saved, it was quite owing to his own will: since, as for what concerns God, he had as much done for him as they who were saved. Having then given to the question that answer which was furnished by facts, in order to give his discourse the advantage of other testimony in its favor, he introduces the prophets also making the same declarations aforetime. For Hosea, he says, of old put this in writing, as follows:
These must be "the bodies" which he "beseeches" the Romans to "present" as "a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God." But how a living sacrifice, if these bodies are to perish? How a holy one, if they are profanely soiled? How acceptable to God, if they are condemned? Come, now, tell me how that passage (in the Epistle) to the Thessalonians-which, because of its clearness, I should suppose to have been written with a sunbeam-is understood by our heretics, who shun the light of Scripture: "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly.
For matters of this kind belong not to religion, but to superstition, being studied, and forced, and of curious rather than rational ceremony; deserving of restraint, at all events, even on this ground, that they put us on a level with Gentiles.
Paul says that the sacrifice is living because it has eternal life in it, which is Christ. Elsewhere he says: “We always carry in the body the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” He calls it holy because the Holy Spirit dwells in it, as he says elsewhere: “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”
But there cannot be felt any loss of either religion or faith, most beloved brethren, in the fact that now there is given no opportunity there to God's priests for offering and celebrating the divine sacrifices; yea, you celebrate and offer a sacrifice to God equally precious and glorious, and that will greatly profit you for the retribution of heavenly rewards, since the sacred Scripture speaks, saying, "The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit; a contrite and humbled heart God doth not despise." You offer this sacrifice to God; you celebrate this sacrifice without intermission day and night, being made victims to God, and exhibiting yourselves as holy and unspotted offerings, as the apostle exhorts and says, "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."
That we must press on and persevere in faith and virtue, and in completion of heavenly and spiritual grace, that we may attain to the palm and the crown. In the book of Chronicles: "The Lord is with you so long as ye also are with Him; but if ye forsake Him, He will forsake you." In Ezekiel also: "The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in what day soever he may transgress." Moreover, in the Gospel the Lord speaks, and says: "He that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved." And again: "If ye shall abide in my word, ye shall be my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Moreover, forewarning us that we ought always to be ready, and to stand firmly equipped and armed, He adds, and says: "Let your loins be girded about, and your lamps burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord when he shall return from the wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh they may open unto him. Blessed are those servants whom their lord, when he cometh, shall find watching." Also the blessed Apostle Paul, that our faith may advance and grow, and attain to the highest point, exhorts us, saying: "Know ye not, that they which run in a race run all indeed, yet one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And they, indeed, that they may receive a corruptible crown; but ye an incorruptible." And again: "No man that warreth for God binds himself to anxieties of this world, that he may be able to please Him to whom he hath approved himself. Moreover, also, if a man should contend, he will not be crowned unless he have fought lawfully." And again: "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the mercy of God, that ye constitute your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God; and be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed in the renewing of your spirit, that ye may prove what is the will of God, good, and acceptable, and perfect." And again: "We are children of God: but if children, then heirs; heirs indeed of God, but joint-heirs with Christ, if we suffer together, that we may also be glorified together." And in the Apocalypse the same exhortation of divine preaching speaks, saying, "Hold fast that which thou hast, lest another take thy crown; " which example of perseverance and persistence is pointed out in Exodus, when Moses, for the overthrow of Ama-lek, who bore the type of the devil, raised up his open hands in the sign and sacrament of the cross, and could not conquer his adversary unless when he had stedfastly persevered in the sign with hands continually lifted up. "And it came to pass," says he, "when Moses raised up his hands, Israel prevailed; but when he let down his hands, Amalek grew mighty. And they took a stone and placed it under him, and he sate thereon. And Aaron and Hur held up his hands on the one side and on the other side, and Moses' hands were made steady even to the going down of the sun. Anti Jesus routed Amalek and all his people. And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this, and let it be a memorial in a book, and tell it in the ears of Jesus; because in destroying I will destroy the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven."
Paul pleads with them through the mercy of God, by which the human race is saved.… This is a warning that they should remember that they have received God’s mercy and that they should take care to worship the one who gave it to them.God’s will is our sanctification, for bodies subject to sin are considered not to be alive but dead, since they have no hope of obtaining the promise of eternal life. It is for this purpose that we are cleansed from our sins by God’s gift, that henceforth we should lead a pure life and stir up the love of God in us, not making his work of grace of no effect. For the ancients killed sacrifices which were offered in order to signify that men were subjected to death because of sin. But now, since by the gift of God men have been purified and set free from the second death, they must offer a living sacrifice as a sign of eternal life. For now it is no longer the case that bodies are sacrificed for bodies, but instead of bodies it is the sins of the body which must be put to death.
How can the person who is conformed to this age, who is not transformed in the newness of his mind and who does not walk in the newness of this life but instead follows the life of the old man, obey Paul, who commanded you to present your body as a sacrifice living, holy and pleasing to God? How can you be a priest for God, having been anointed for this very purpose of offering a gift to God, not a gift that is completely alien or fraudulent because it consists of what is external to you but a gift which is truly yours because it consists of what is internal to you, which is the man inside you helping you to be perfect and blameless according to the word of the Lamb, free from all stain and dishonor? How will you place these offerings before God if you do not listen to the law which forbids an unholy man to be a priest?
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."
After discoursing at large upon the love of God toward man, and pointing out His unspeakable concern for us, and unutterable goodness, which cannot even be searched into, he next puts it forward with a view of persuading those who have received the benefit to exhibit a conversation worthy of the gift. And though he is so great and good a person, yet he does not decline beseeching them, and that not for any enjoyment he was likely to get himself, but for that they would have to gain. And why wonder that he does not decline beseeching, where he is even putting God's mercies before them? For since, he means, it is from this you have those numberless blessings, from the mercies of God, reverence them, be moved to compassion by them. For they themselves take the attitude of suppliants, that you would show no conduct unworthy of them. I entreat you then, he means, by the very things through which you were saved. As if any one who wished to make a person, who had had great kindnesses done him, show regard, was to bring him the benefactor himself as a suppliant. And what do you beseech? Let me hear. "That ye would present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." For when he had said sacrifice, to prevent any from thinking he bade them kill themselves, he immediately added (Greek order) "living." Then to distinguish it from the Jewish, he calls it "holy, acceptable to God, your reasonable service." For theirs was a material one, and not very acceptable either. Since He says, "Who has required this at your hands?" [Isaiah 1:12] And in sundry other passages He clearly throws them aside. For it was not this, but this with the other, that He looked to have presented. Wherefore he says, "The sacrifice of praise shall glorify Me." And again, "I will praise the name of my God with a song, and this shall please him better than a bullock that puts forth horns and hoofs." [Psalm 50:23; 69:30, 31] And so in another place He rejects it, and says, "Shall I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink goat's blood?" [Psalm 50:13] and proceeds with, "Offer unto God a sacrifice of praise, and pay your vows unto the Most High." [Psalm 49:14] So Paul also here bids us "present our bodies a living sacrifice." And how is the body, it may be said, to become a sacrifice? Let the eye look upon no evil thing, and it has become a sacrifice; let your tongue speak nothing filthy, and it has become an offering; let your hand do no lawless deed, and it has become a whole burnt offering. Or rather this is not enough, but we must have good works also: let the hand do alms, the mouth bless them that cross one, and the hearing find leisure evermore for lections of Scripture. For sacrifice allows of no unclean thing: sacrifice is a first-fruit of the other actions. Let us then from our hands, and feet, and mouth, and all other members, yield a first-fruit unto God. Such a sacrifice is well pleasing, as that of the Jews was even unclean, for, "their sacrifices," it says, "are unto them as the bread of mourning." [Hosea 9:4] Not so ours. That presented the thing sacrificed dead: this makes the thing sacrificed to be living. For when we have mortified our members, then we shall be able to live. For the law of this sacrifice is new, and so the sort of fire is a marvellous one. For it needs no wood or matter under it; but our fire lives of itself, and does not burn up the victim, but rather quickens it. This was the sacrifice that God sought of old. Wherefore the Prophet says, "The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit." [Psalm 51:17] And the three Children offer this when they say, "At this time there is neither prince, or prophet, or leader, or burnt offering, or place to sacrifice before You, and to find mercy. Nevertheless, in a contrite heart and an humble spirit let us be accepted." [Daniel 3:15-16] And observe how great the exactness wherewith he uses each word. For he does not say, offer ποιήσατε [Exodus 29:39, Septuagint] your bodies as a sacrifice, but "present" (παραστήσατε see below) them, as if he had said, never more have any interest in them. You have given them up to another. For even they that furnish (same word) the war-horses have no further interest in them. And thou too hast presented your members for the war against the devil and for that dread battle-array. Do not let them down to selfish appliances. And he shows another thing also from this, that one must make them approved, if one means to present them. For it is not to any mortal being that we present them, but to God, the King of the universe; not to war only, but to have seated thereon the King Himself. For He does not refuse even to be seated upon our members, but even greatly desires it. And what no king who is but our fellow-servant would choose to do, that the Lord of Angels chooses. Since then it is both to be presented (i.e. as for a King's use) and is a sacrifice, rid it of every spot, since if it have a spot, it will no longer be a sacrifice. For neither can the eye that looks lecherously be sacrificed, nor the hand be presented that is grasping and rapacious, nor the feet that go lame and go to play-houses, nor the belly that is the slave of self-indulgence, and kindles lusts after pleasures, nor the heart that has rage in it, and harlots' love, nor the tongue that utters filthy things. Hence we must spy out the spots on our body upon every side. For if they that offered the sacrifices of old were bid to look on every side, and were not permitted to offer an animal "that has anything superfluous or lacking, or is scurvy, or scabbed" [Leviticus 22:22-23], much more must we, who offer not senseless animals, but ourselves, exhibit more strictness, and be pure in all respects, that we also may be able to say as did Paul, "I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand." [2 Timothy 4:6] For he was purer than any sacrifice, and so he speaks of himself as "ready to be offered." But this will be brought about if we kill the old man, if we mortify our members that are upon the earth, if we crucify the world unto ourselves. In this way we shall not need the knife any more, nor altar, nor fire, or rather we shall want all these, but not made with the hands, but all of them will come to us from above, fire from above, and knife also, and our altar will the breadth of Heaven be. For if when Elijah offered the visible sacrifice, a flame, that came down from above consumed the whole water, wood, and stones, much more will this be done upon you. And if you have anything in you relaxed and secular, and yet offerest the sacrifice with a good intention, the fire of the Spirit will come down, and both wear away that worldliness, and perfect (so Field: manuscripts "carry up") the whole sacrifice. But what is "reasonable (λογικὴ) service?" It means spiritual ministry, conversation according to Christ. As then he that ministers in the house of God, and officiates, of whatever sort he may be, then collects himself συστέλλεται Ezekiel 44:19, and becomes more dignified; so we ought to be minded all our whole life as serving and ministering. And this will be so, if every day you bring Him sacrifices (3 manuscripts "yourself as a sacrifice"), and become the priest of your own body, and of the virtue of your soul; as, for example, when you offer soberness, when almsgiving, when goodness and forbearance. For in doing this you offer "a reasonable service" (or worship, λατρείαν), that is, one without anything that is bodily, gross, visible. Having then raised the hearer by the names bestowed, and having shown that each man is a priest of his own flesh by his conversation, he mentions also the way whereby we may compass all this. What then is the way?
How is the body to become a sacrifice? Let the eye look on no evil thing, and it has already become a sacrifice. Let the tongue say nothing filthy, and it has become an offering. Let your hand do nothing evil, and it has become a whole burnt offering. But even this is not enough, for we must have good works also. The hand must do alms, the mouth must bless those who curse it, and the ears must find time to listen to the reading of Scripture. Sacrifice allows of no unclean thing. It is the first fruits of all other actions.
Because Paul has already mentioned the mind of the Lord, he now instructs them how they ought to conduct themselves so that they are worthy to have the mind of the Lord. They possessed nothing greater than the mercy of God because they had been set free by it. They were to present their bodies, not those of animals, as under the law, which (in spite of the fact that they were a symbolic offering) were nevertheless offered up healthy and unblemished. The living sacrifice was to be pure and free from the total death of sin. It should be pleasing only to God, not to other people. Every good work pleases God if it is done in a reasonable manner. For one is deprived of one’s reward if, for example, one fasts for public notice, for then one is performing a good deed in a foolish way. And the same applies to all vices that border on virtues.
Idolatry is not confined to casting incense upon an altar with finger and thumb or to pouring libations of wine out of a cup into a bowl. Covetousness is idolatry, or else the selling of the Lord for thirty pieces of silver was a righteous act. Lust involves sacrilege, or else men may defile with common harlots those members of Christ which should be “a living sacrifice, acceptable to God.”
If the body, which is less than the soul and which the soul uses as a servant or a tool, is a sacrifice when it is used well and rightly for the service of God, how much more so is the soul when it offers itself to God? In this way, aflame in the fire of divine love and with the dross of worldly desire melted away, it is remolded into the unchangeable form of God and becomes beautiful in his sight by reason of the bounty of beauty which he has bestowed upon it.
Paul has already exhorted us to make our members instruments of righteousness and to present ourselves before God as if we had risen from the dead. But here he exhorts us to make our members a sacrifice, and one which he describes as “living.” He does not command us to kill our bodies but demands that they should be dead to sin.
As the fullness of God’s mercies toward us is limitless, I am obliged and I challenge us all to be set apart and offered to God as a complete sacrifice. For the present sacrifice does not lead to death, as did that under the law, but by making us holy it leads to eternal life, because it is pleasing to God and the offering of rational creatures is much more valuable than that of dumb ones.
Just as with the former law of Moses, all the priests … must first offer a rational sacrifice to God for themselves, and only then for the people. In his prayer, the priest asks in the first place for forgiveness of his own sins and a cleansing of his own soul and body from all sinful thoughts and actions. Then each priest offers these prayers to God in accordance with the measure of his own purity of soul.
If we display our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, he will with heavenly condescension deign to see to it that we are rewarded with the same glory as those who have given their bodies up to death for the Lord’s sake.
953. Having shown the need for virtues and the origin of grace [n. 97], here the Apostle teaches how grace should be used, a subject pertaining to moral instruction. And he does two things in this regard. First he sets out a general moral teaching; Second, he descends to more particular questions related to the recipients of his letter, around the middle of chapter 15 at [verse 14; n. 1163] I myself am assured. And regarding the first, he does two things. First, he teaches how one should use grace to be a perfect man; Second, how the perfect man should sustain the imperfect, in chapter 14 there [verse 1; n. 1081] at Now as for the man who is weak. Concerning the first, he does three things. 471 First he offers instruction about that perfection of life relating to the sanctity by which we a man serves God; Second, relating to righteous dealings with one’s neighbor, in chapter 13 at [verse 1; n. 1016] Let every soul; Third, relating to that purity a man must preserve within himself, around the end of the thirteenth chapter at [verse 11; n. 1060] And knowing this. Regarding the first, he does two things. First he admonishes that a man should present himself holy to God; Second, he teaches how one should use the gifts of God’s grace that make one holy, there [n. 968] at For I say, by the grace. First he teaches how one should present himself to God as regards the body; Second, as regards the soul, there [n. 965] at And be not conformed. 954. Regarding the first, he does two things [n. 957]. First he leads them to heed what he has taught, and this in two ways [n. 956]. First on his own account, when he says, I beseech you therefore, brothers, as though to say: God’s judgment were described as beyond all comprehension, and his ways as beyond all investigation, and so I beseech you, brothers, that you heed that you have been taught. 955. Now he resorts to beseeching them for three reasons. First, to show his humility: "With supplication speaks the poor man," the one who puts no trust in his own wealth, and on this account attempts to compel men to good deeds not by what belongs to him but by what belongs to God. For to beseech [obsecrare] is to call on sacred things as witnesses [ob sacra contestari]. 472 31 Augustine, City of God, book 10, chapter 5. Second, to move his readers more by asking than by fear, than by commanding as one in authority: "Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you" (Phm 8-9); "You who are spiritual, instruct such a one in a spirit of gentleness" (Gal 6:1). Third, out of reverence for the Romans, to whom he wrote: "Do not rebuke an older man but exhort him as you would a father." 956. Next he leads them to heeding on God’s account when he says, by the mercy of God, that mercy by which you are saved: "According to his mercy he saved us" (*** 3:5). And so when we consider God’s mercy we should do what we have been taught: "Should you not have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?" (Matt 18:33). Or it could mean by the mercy of God, i.e., in virtue of the apostolic authority mercifully entrusted to me: "I give my opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy" (I Cor 7:25). 957. Secondly, he gives the admonition when he says: present your bodies as a living sacrifice. Here it should be noted that, as Augustine says in the tenth book of The City of God,31 a visible sacrifice offered outwardly to God is a sign of an invisible sacrifice, whereby one offers himself and all he possesses for God’s service. 958. Now man possesses three goods. First, he has the soul, which is presented to God by humble devotion and contrition: "The sacrifice acceptable to God is a contrite spirit" (Ps 51:17). 473 Secondly, a man has external goods, which he presents to God by giving alms: "Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God" (Heb 13:16). Thirdly, a man has the good which is his own body. In regard to this he says: present, i.e., to God, your bodies, as a spiritual sacrifice. Now an animal offered to God was called a sacrifice [hostia], either because it was offered for victory over enemies [hostium] or for protection from enemies [hostium] or because it was offered in the entrance [ostium] of the Tabernacle. 959. A person can present his body to God as a sacrifice in three ways. First, when he exposes his body to suffering and death for God’s sake, as it is said of Christ: "He gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (Eph 5:2); and as the Apostle says of himself: "Even if I am to be poured as a libation upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I rejoice" (Phil 2:17). Secondly, when he weakens his body by fasts and watchings in the service of God: "I pommel my body and subdue it" (I Cor 9:27). Thirdly, when he uses his body to perform acts of righteousness and of divine worship: "Present your members to serve righteousness for sanctification" (Rom 6:19). 960. Moreover, one should recall that the offering sacrificed to God had four features. First, the thing offered was to be sound and unimpaired; hence Malachi 1(:14), "Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished." And this is why he says living, i.e., that the offering we make 474 32 Proprie autem sanctitas dicitur per respectum ad Deum, inquantum scilicet homo servat ea quae sunt iusta, quoad Deum. to God of our body be living by faith formed by love: "The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God" (Gal 2:20). Note here that a natural sacrificial offering previously alive was killed and immolated to show that death as yet ruled the human race so long as sin reigned, as was said above (Rom 5:12ff). But this spiritual sacrificial offering is always alive and increasing in vigor, in accord with John 10(:10), "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly," because sin has now been removed through Christ; unless we say that the sacrificial offering of our body is something alive to God through the righteousness of faith but is dead to the desires of the flesh: "Put to death, therefore, what is earthly in you" (Col 3:5). 961. Secondly, the sacrificial offering presented to God was sanctified in its very immolation. Hence it is written: "Every man of your race who, having an uncleanness, approaches these things that are consecrated, and that the children of Israel offer to the Lord, shall perish before the Lord" (Lev 22:3). Therefore, he adds holy, made so by the devotion with which we bind our bodies to the service of God: "Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, because I the Lord your God am holy" (Lev 20:7). Now "holiness" in the proper sense bespeaks a relation to God, insofar as one does what is righteous before God.32 962. Thirdly, when the sacrifice was consummated, it was described as a sacrifice pleasing and acceptable to God: "The priest shall burn the whole on the altar as a burnt offering, an offering by fire, a pleasing odor to the Lord" (Lev 1:9). Hence, he says: 475 33 This phrase is omitted from Mark 9:49 in modern critical texts of the New Testament and so does not appear in modern English translations. pleasing to God, by reason of a right intention: "That I may be pleasing to God in the light of the living" (Ps 56:13). 963. Fourthly, in the preparation of the sacrifice, salt was added: "You shall season all your offerings with salt" (Lev 2:13); "Every victim shall be salted with salt" (Mk 9:49).33 Now salt signifies a wise discretion; hence he says: "Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt" (Col 4:5). Hence, he continues: your spiritual worship [your reasonable service], i.e., be discreet in presenting your bodies to God as a sacrifice whether by martyrdom or abstinence or any other righteous work, because "all things should be done decently and in order" (I Cor 14:40); "The king’s honor loves judgment" (Ps 99:4). 964. The righteous man is related one way to internal acts, by which He serves God, and another way to external acts. For a man’s good and his righteousness consist mainly in the internal acts, by which he believes, hopes and loves. Hence it says in Luke 17(:21), "The kingdom of God is within you." For it does not consist principally of interior works, as is said below in chapter 14(:7), "The kingdom of God is not food and drink." Hence, internal acts stand as an end sought for its own sake, whereas external acts, in which our bodies are presented to God, stand as means to the end. No limit is set on something sought as an end; rather, the greater it is the better it is. But on what is sought as a means to an end, a limit is set in accord with its proportion to that end. Thus, a doctor seeks as much health as possible, but he does not give as much medicine as he can; rather, he limits it to the amount required for restoring health. 476 Similarly, a person should set no limit on his faith, hope and love; rather, the more he believes and hopes and loves, the better he is. Hence it is stated in Deuteronomy 6(:4), "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." But in external acts a discreet limit is imposed by the requirements of love. Hence Jerome says: "Does not rational man lose his dignity, if he chooses to fast and watch at the expense of his bodily health or incur the marks of madness or sadness from singing the Psalms and office?" 965. Then when he says, do not be conformed and so on, he explains how one should present himself to God as regards the soul. And first he forbids conformity to the age, when he says do not be conformed to this age, i.e., to things that pass with time. For the present age is the measure of things that slide past in time. And a person is conformed to temporal things when he clings to them with love: "They became detestable, like the things they loved" (Hos 9:10); "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained from this world" (Jas 1:27). The one who imitates worldly lifestyles is also conformed to this age: "I testify in the Lord that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do" (Eph 4:17). 966. Secondly, he tells them to reform their minds inwardly, when he says: but be reformed by the newness of your sense. 477 34 Sensus here translates the Greek word nous, best rendered "mind"; the Nova Vulgata has mentis. Man’s sense is here called his "reason," because with the senses man forms judgments about what is to be done.34 When man was created, this sense was sound and vigorous: "He filled their hearts with sense, and showed them good and evil" (Sir 17:7); but by sin it was corrupted and, as it were, grown old: "You have grown old in a foreign land" (Bar 3:10). As a consequence, it lost its beauty and charm: "From the daughter of Zion has departed all her charm" (Lam 1:6). Therefore, the Apostle tells us to be reformed, i.e., to take up again that beauty and elegance which the mind once had. This is accomplished by the grace of the Holy Spirit. If a person does not share in this grace, he should desire to do so, and if he does share in it, he should desire to progress in it: "Be renewed in the spirit of your minds" (Eph 4:23); "Your youth shall be renewed like the eagle’s" (Ps 103:5). Or, interpreting in another way, be renewed in your outward actions in the newness of your sense, i.e., in the newness of grace, which you have received in your mind. 967. Thirdly, he gives a reason for this admonition when he says: that you may perceive what is the will of God. Here it should be noted that just as a person with a diseased palate misjudges the taste of foods and sometimes recoils from the tasty but approves the disgusting, whereas a person with a healthy palate judges tastes correctly; so a person whose affections are corrupted by conformity to worldly things misjudges the good, whereas a person whose affections are upright and sound, his sense having been renewed by grace, judges the good correctly. 478 That is why he said: Do not be conformed to this world, but be reformed by the newness of your sense, namely that you may prove, i.e., know by experience: "Taste and see that the Lord is sweet" (Ps 34:8). What is the will of God, by which he wills that you be saved: "This is the will of God, your sanctification" (1Thess 4:3). That will is good, i.e., he wills that we will the honorable good and by his precepts leads us to it: "I will show you, O man, what is good, and what God requires of you" (Mic 6:8). And acceptable, inasmuch as what God wills that we will is pleasant to a well-disposed person: "The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart" (Ps 19:8). Indeed, what God wills is not only useful for attaining our end but also perfect, uniting us, as it were, with the end: "You must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Mt 5:48); "Walk before me and be perfect" (Gen 17:1). God’s will is experienced as good, pleasing and perfect by those who are not conformed to this age, but are reformed in the newness of their sense. On the other hand, those who continue in their oldness, being conformed to this age, judge that God’s will is not good but burdensome and unprofitable: "Wisdom seems very harsh to the uninstructed" (Sir 6:20). 968. Then when he says, For I say, by the grace that is given me, he teaches how God’s gifts should be used. First, he teaches this in regard to gifts that are not common to all, such as the graces freely given [gratia gratis data]; secondly, in regard to the gift of charity, which is common to all, there [verse 9; n. 983] at love without pretense. In regard to the first he does two things. 479 First, he teaches in general how one ought to use gratia gratis data; secondly, he follows this up in the parts, there [verse 6; n. 976] at having gifts. Concerning the first, he does two things. First he sets out the instruction; second, he gives the reason for it, there [verse 4; n. 972] at For as in one body. 969. In regard to the first he does three things. First, he warns against excess, saying: I have encouraged you to be renewed by the newness of your sense, but you should do this in moderation, for I say, i.e., I command, by the grace of the apostleship and the apostolic authority given to me: "When they perceived the grace that was given to me among the Gentiles" (Gal 2:9); "to me, the least of all the saints, this grace was given" (Eph 3:8). Every one among you, because it is profitable to every one: "I wish that all were as I myself am" (I Cor 7:7). This, I say, I command: not to be more wise than it is necessary to be wise, i.e., no one should presume, relying on his own sense or wisdom beyond his limitations: "Be not wiser than is necessary" (Ec 7:16); "I have not walked among great things, nor among marvels above me" (Ps 131:1). 970. Secondly, he exhorts them to a middle course, saying but be wise unto sobriety, i.e., I direct you to be wise commensurate with the grace given to you. For although sobriety implies a measure. And although the word taken in its proper sense has to do with drinking wine, it can be used in regard to any matter in which a person should observe a due measure: "Training us to live sober, upright and godly lives in this world" (*** 2:12). 480 971. Thirdly, he teaches how the middle course should be gauged when he says: and this, I say, as God has divided, i.e., distributed, to each one the measure of faith, i.e., the measure of his gifts, which are given for the building up of the faith: "To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good" (I Cor 12:7). For God does not give such gifts the same to all, but distributes different ones to different persons: "There are varieties of gifts" (I Cor 12:4). Nor does he give them equally to all, but to each according to a definite measure: "Grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift" (Eph 4:7). That is why the Apostle, thinking with sober judgment according to this measure, said: "We will not boast beyond measure, but will keep to the measure of the rule by which God has measured out to us" (2 Cor 10:13). To Christ alone has the Spirit been given without measure, as it says in John 3(:34). God gives not only the gratia gratis data according to a measure, but even that faith which works through love. Hence the apostles said to Christ: "Lord, increase our faith" (Lk 17:15).
[AD 407] John Chrysostom on Romans 9:22-23:24