Romans 12:1

So then, my brothers. In the first eleven Chapter s, Paul showed us man's guilt and God's offer of salvation. Now he shows us the obligation which God places on those who reach out through faith to seize the sacrifice of Christ and make themselves part of it. See notes on law at the end of chapter 3. Offer yourselves. You offer yourself! This is your choice of free will. Every Christian is a priest to God (Revelation 1:6). A living sacrifice. This directly contrasts with the sacrifices of the Law (Hebrews 9:11-14). We offer no dead animals on Jewish altars. After we have been made clean by the bloody-death of Christ, we give ourselves as a living sacrifice to God. This is the true worship. The living sacrifice is not a sin-offering to put us right with God. Rather, it is a praise-offering, and our good works are true worship to God. We do not mistreat and mutilate our bodies as some Gentiles do in honor to their "god," but we use our total being to live Christ's life. Compare Matthew 25:31-40.