An Acceptable Offering, Sanctified by the Holy Spirit

“Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able to admonish one another. Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, because of the grace given to me by God, that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the OFFERING of the Gentiles might be ACCEPTABLE, SANCTIFIED by the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:14-16)

"We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore LET US GO FORTH TO HIM, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. Therefore BY HIM let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, THE FRUIT OF OUR LIPS giving thanks to His name." (Hebrews 13:12-15)

"But what does it say? 'The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart' (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:8-10)

If you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus (His death on the cross) and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead  (He did not raise himself), you will be saved. If Jesus had not taught His disciples that those who come after Him must "deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" (Matthew 16:24), then His charge to them/us could mean less than that. But, with His words to them, our service becomes clear!

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable (or rational) service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1,2)