Romans 12  In light of God's mercy:

that He has shown His kindness to us;
that  by His grace He chose us;
That he called to us who had not even known to look to Him..
That He gave us faith to believe and to be reconciled to a God we didn't know;
That we are grafted into a Righteous Root, into Jesus Christ, even though we were nothing but  a wild, uncultivated, and contrary branch.  

In light of this mercy, Paul urges us to "present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." 

Paul has already talked about presenting the members of our bodies as "instruments of righteousness", ( 6:13) and about living according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. ( 8:5-10) He has talked about setting our minds on the things of the Spirit.. and that " if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you." ( 8:11)

Now he has returned to this thought once again.. we who have been saved through faith and now belong to Him... and who have His Spirit dwelling in us and giving us life.. need to respond by taking action - a deliberate presentation of our bodies - to Him.
This sacrifice is holy - because it is being given to a Holy God, set apart for Him alone.
It is a living sacrifice - because we are called into life, not death; and we have life in Christ.
It is acceptable to God - well pleasing  to Him - for He will receive it as an act of worship.

We are not to be "conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of [our] mind[s]".. 
Our minds are to be set on the things of the Spirit.. only then can we know "that which is good and acceptable and perfect"... discerning the true will of God.  Conform- to fashion in the same likeness or same pattern.  Transformed - metamorphosis / transfigured;

A body given over to God and a mind transformed into one in the likeness of His will be able to do the things that Paul lists in the rest of this chapter:

v3 We will have "sound judgment" , not thinking more "highly" of ourselves than we ought.
v5-8 We will be able to use the particular gifts that He gives us to serve Him and each other.
v9 We will love without play acting.  We will hate evil and love good.
v 10  We will be devoted to one another in brotherly love;  we will honor one another.
v11 We will be diligent; fervent in spirit; and serving Him
v12 We will rejoice in hope, persevere in tribulation, and remain devoted in prayer.
v13 We will contribute to those in need and practice hospitality.
v14 We will bless those who persecute us.
v15 We will rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.
v16 We will treat others equally..
v17 We will not return evil for evil.
v18 We will strive for peace with all.
v19 We won't take our own revenge, but leave it in God's Hands.
v20 We will treat even our enemies with compassion.
v21 We will not allow evil to overcome us, but" will overcome evil with good."


Father, I am Yours and You are mine. I continually seek to live in according to Your Word.  Complete in me all Your good purposes, for I yield to Your Spirit once again.  Yours is the work of sanctification.. and I am thankful that what You have begun, You will complete!   I rest in the Hands of my Savior, Jesus Christ, in who's name I pray. Amen.