BA6
We are to offer our entire selves to God.
Category: God & Yeshua
Type: Positive
Form: Explicit
Source dataset: New Testament
Uniqueness: Not unique
Classical commandment: No
New Covenant Literal Application
Applies to Person Categories: Everyone
Literal Application: mandated
More explanation about New Covenant Literal Application
The New Covenant Literal Application Code (NCLA) is an interpretive guide used by the authors to indicate which person categories a mitzvah applies to, and at what level of literal compliance.
It combines person categories such as Jewish, K'rov Yisrael, and Gentile, together with male/female distinctions and an application level such as mandated, recommended, optional, or prohibited.
This code reflects the authors' interpretive opinion and is provided for prayerful consideration. On this page, the technical code is summarized into plain language to help new readers understand it more easily.
Detailed codes: GFm - Gentile female, mandated | GMm - Gentile male, mandated | JFm - Jewish female, mandated | JMm - Jewish male, mandated | KFm - K'rovat Yisrael female, mandated | KMm - K'rov Yisrael male, mandated
Bible references
Key NT Scriptures
- Romans 6:12-13
- Romans 12:1
Supportive NT Scriptures
- Ephesians 5:1-2
- Galatians 2:20
- Luke 9:23
- Mark 8:34
- Matthew 16:24
- Philippians 3:8-9
- Romans 6:22
Supportive OT Scriptures
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Deuteronomy 6:5
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Deuteronomy 10:12
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Deuteronomy 11:13
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Psalms 95:6
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Psalms 117:1
Bible verses copyright: PUBLIC DOMAIN except in the United Kingdom, where a Crown Copyright applies to printing the KJV. See http://www.cambridge.org/about-us/who-we-are/queens-printers-patent
Commentary
Rabbi Michael Rudolph
If our understanding of this Mitzvah combined with Luke 9:23 and Romans 6:22 is merely literal, we will conclude that God expects us to have no self-concerns or desires other than to give ourselves to him. As with most biblical interpretation, we can miss the meaning if we do not consider the Bible as a whole. Being God’s “slave” (as Romans 6:22 puts it) is not what God wants our relationship with him to be. That is made clear in Psalms 37:4 : “Trust in ADONAI, and do good; settle in the land, and feed on faithfulness. Then you will delight yourself in ADONAI, and he will give you your heart's desire.” Of course, our heart’s desire must be consistent with God’s moral values and his will for us and for mankind. Psalms 126:2, Proverbs 10:28 , Proverbs 17:22, and Ecclesiastes 9:7 illustrate more of the lighter side of God’s will for us. One may notice that, in comparison to the New Testament, there are relatively few references in the Tanakh to offering ourselves to God; the Tanakh’s references to offerings are mostly to alter sacrifices. Nevertheless, giving ourselves to God is taught throughout the Tanakh using expressions such as “presenting ourselves,” “worshipping,” “bowing down,” “being in union with,” “following,” “serving,” “dedicating,” and “obeying.”
Copyright © Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster, The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective - Volume 3
Source and License
Based on The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective by Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster.
License: CC BY-ND 4.0 (Attribution required, NoDerivatives). CC BY-ND 4.0
Disclaimer: the original content is authored by Rabbi Michael Rudolph and Rabbi Daniel Juster; additional notes or implementation details on this website are not part of their original work and do not represent their views.
Record source: The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective - Volume 3
Copyright note: Copyright © Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster, The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective - Volume 3