If you have your Bibles, please open to the Book of Romans. Our text this morning is Romans 12, verses 1 and 2. Thus says the Lord. Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Let's pray. Father in heaven, We thank you and praise you for who you are. How amazing is your grace? How wonderful is your role? Lord, I am so undeserving to come before you today, and yet it was in your good pleasure to gather us here this morning to have your word and this fellowship. Lord, please be with us this morning To see more of your excellencies found in your word, give us a mind to understand that your Holy Spirit would illuminate your word to us this morning. Forgive me as I fail to proclaim these excellencies. Lord, help us to glorify you this morning. I ask this in Christ's name, amen. So the Book of Romans was written by the Apostle Paul around 57 AD during his third missionary journey. It is addressed to believers in Rome consisting of both Jews and Gentiles. In the opening of the letter, Paul expresses a desire to come to those believers to receive mutual edification and to preach the gospel to them, and then gives a series of teachings and exhortations. Romans can be divided into two main sections, the first 11 chapters being primary doctrinal, and the last five primarily practical. Our verses serve as the transition between the two. In them, Paul is saying, because of the blessings God has given believers in the gospel, offering ourselves up to him as a living and holy sacrifice is the only reasonable thing to do. This morning, we are going to answer three questions as they relate to this. First, what does it mean to be a living and holy sacrifice? Second, why is it reasonable? And three, what are our means of accomplishing it? So first, we will define it. Our text starts with telling us that we are to present our bodies as a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to God. Paul is employing imagery drawn from the Mosaic Covenant sacrifices. During that time, animals were brought before God to be slain as an offering to Him. In contrast to this, we are to be living sacrifices. We are to present ourselves alive before God. Now one important stipulation for these Old Testament sacrifices was that they had to be without blemish. Exodus 12.5 says, your lamb shall be an unblemished male, a year old. Leviticus 3.1, now if his offering is a sacrifice of peace offerings, if he is going to offer out of the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without defect before the Lord. Number 614, he shall present his offerings to the Lord, one male lamb a year old without defect for a burnt offering, and one new lamb for a year old without defect for a sin offering, and one ram without defect for a peace offering. These sacrifices could possess no physical defects, or they would be rejected by God. Although this is a type pointing us to Christ, the spotless lamb of God, we can use this imagery to draw application for ourselves. Even though we are to present ourselves alive before God as opposed to dead, we must still be without blemish. Just as these sacrifices could not possess any physical blemishes, we must not have any spiritual blemishes. He says that we are to be a holy sacrifice. Our English word holy is translated from the Hebrew root word kadesh in the Old Testament, and the Greek word hagios in the New Testament. Both of these words carry the same meaning of being set apart and sacred. In Exodus 28.3, God commands Moses, you shall make holy garments for Aaron, your brother, for glory and for beauty. You shall speak to all those wise at heart whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments to set him apart as holy in order for him to minister as a priest to me. Aaron and his sons were to be consecrated, or set apart, to serve as priests before God in the tabernacle. But not only does God use this word to describe his priests, he also uses it to describe himself. In Isaiah 6-3, the seraphim that encircle his throne declare, holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is full of his glory. God is entirely set apart from his creation. There is none like him in terms of his self-existence, power, or wisdom. But for now, we will focus on his purity. Habakkuk 1.13 says that God's eyes are too pure to prove evil, and he cannot look on wickedness with favor. 1 John 1.5 says, God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. He is completely free of sin and defilement, and he calls us to be as well. In 1 Peter 1.15, Peter quoting Leviticus 11.44 says, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct. Since it is written, you shall be holy, for I am holy. This type of sacrifice is what is acceptable before God. He requires that we come before him broken over previous sins and in humble submission to him in all things. We must be set apart from the world. Now, this is not to suggest a sinless perfectionism, a false view of sanctification stemming from a pseudo-spiritual pride, but that the Christian life should be one that is characterized by an overall obedience to God. Those whose lives are not marked by this holiness, but by an ongoing lifestyle of sin, are not his people. 1 John 2.4 says, The one who says I have come to know him and does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. In chapter 3, verses 9 and 10 say, no one who is born of God practices sin because his seed abides in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God. By this, the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious. Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. He continues in verse 2 by saying that we are to be not conformed to this world, but be transformed. To conform something is to press it against a mold to shape it. To transform something is to completely change its substance into something else. The world here is referring to the evil world system and those who are in it. Men are born as children of wrath, completely given over to sin. As we spend time in this world, we are further conformed into its image. Paul is saying here that we are not to be further pressed into the mold of this world, but we are to be changed into a new person. Now, it is important to note that both of these verbs in the Greek are in the middle passive voice. This means there is a heavier emphasis on the passive element, but there is also an active component. We like to think of ourselves as strong-willed, but we are easily impressionable. We alone are completely responsible for our sin, as they are deliberate acts of our will. But we cannot help but be influenced by the world when we are spending time in it. If you converse with worldly people, watch or listen to worldly entertainment, and partake in worldly activities, you will inevitably be worldly. Likewise, this is seen in our transformation. It must be affirmed that salvation and its fruits are to be credited exclusively to God as he works to change us, but at the same time, we must be actively doing the things that are necessary for our growth in Christlikeness. We are told elsewhere to work out our salvation with fear and troubling. For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Because the work God is doing in us, we can and should be also working to grow. From verse 3 to the end of the book, Paul gives us several examples of what this looks like in our daily lives. He says believers are to be unified, serving each other according to the gifts given to us, and without causing anyone to stumble over our liberties. In chapter 12, verses 4 through 6, For just as we have many members in one body, and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each one of us is to exercise them accordingly. And in chapter 14, verse 13, therefore, let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this, not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block before a brother's way. We are to be at peace with other and not take vengeance into our own hands. Chapter 12, verses 18 and 19. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God. For it is written, vengeance is mine. I will repay, says the Lord. We are to obey the government, giving honor and taxes to those whom it is due. Chapter 13, verse 1, everyone is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. In 13, 7, render to all what is due them, tax to whom taxes due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. And in chapter 13, verse 14, we are to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to obey in its lusts. This is a summary of the Christian life. Unlike those in the world, we are to not make provision for our sinful desires, but are to put them to death and in their place become more like Christ. When we present ourselves as a living and holy sacrifice, we should look dramatically different from the world. As the world grows more wicked, we grow more righteous. As the world exchanges gods for idols, we cling to him more closely. We are not supposed to fit in. We are not supposed to look like the world. As you go through this life, can you say, like Moses, I am a strange man in a strange land? Or do you feel right at home in this world? Are you a pilgrim passing through on his journey, or are you a proud citizen? You may say, but I am already saved. Why must I now present myself as a sacrifice before God? Why am I not to be conformed but transformed? Haven't I already been transformed? Let's look what our verses say. We will now answer why this is reasonable. Verse one starts with the word therefore. This tells us that we are to take everything that was previously stated and act as a living and sacrifice because of it. So what exactly is Paul referring to here? If we look at the end of chapter 11, we see a benediction pointing us to God's wisdom and glory in the salvation of both Jews and Gentiles. And while it is certainly included here, I don't think that is all Paul has in mind. He is not only referring to this, but to everything in the first 11 chapters. Beginning in Romans 1, we start to learn a lot about God and the nature of man. In verses 18-20, it says that God has made himself known through his creation. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them. For God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes, his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood through that which has been made, so that they are without excuse. God's attributes are on full display for all to see. No one can say that they are unaware of the Creator. And yet, we deny Him and serve idols. Verses 21 through 23 say, for even though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks. But they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and crawling creatures. Paul continues in chapter 2 verses 14 and 15, saying that not only has God made himself known to us, but also our obligations to him. He has written his moral law upon our hearts. For when Gentiles do not have the law, do instinctively the things of the law, these, not having the law, are a law to themselves. In that, they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them. When we do wrong, our consciences bear witness, testify that we have sinned against the holy God, the supreme ruler of heaven and earth. Now in our culture, we like to think that all, or at least most people, are basically good. Most people will admit that they may do something wrong here or there, but that overall, man has an inherent desire and ability to act righteously. Scripture says otherwise. In chapter 3, Paul begins with a universal condemnation of all men, saying, There is none righteous, not even one. There are none who understand. There is none who seeks for God. All have turned aside. Together they have become useless. There is none who does good. There is not even one. Their throat is an open grave. With their tongues they keep deceiving. The poison of asps is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery are in their paths, and the path of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes. Man is not completely good or even mostly good with a little bit of bad mixed in, but we are naturally evil to our very core. Paul explains why in chapter 5. One man, sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned. For until the law, sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who have not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of him who was to come." From the creation account in Genesis 1, We know that God created mankind in his image. Genesis 1, chapter 1, 26 through 27 says, then God said, let us make man in our image, according to our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. God created man in his own image. In the image of God, he created him. Male and female, he created them. The first man, Adam, and his wife, Eve, possessed an original righteousness and were in a state of communion with God in the Garden of Eden. Chapter 2, verses 7 through 9 say, then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being. The Lord God planted a garden toward the east in Eden, and there he placed the man whom he had formed. Out of the ground the Lord God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food. A tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, In Genesis 3, we learn that even though Adam and Eve have everything they could possibly need provided for them in perfect ease and comfort, Adam rebelled and ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which God had specifically commanded them not to do. Chapter 2, verses 16 and 17. The Lord God commanded the man saying, from every tree of the garden you may eat freely, but from the tree of the knowledge and good and evil, you shall not eat for in that day you eat of it, you will surely die. In chapter 3, verses 6 and 7, when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was delightful to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate, and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were open, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves loin coverings. In this wicked act of rebellion, there was a massive effect that ripples throughout all of creation. The beasts that once relied on plants would now hunt and kill each other. The once perfectly preserved order would begin to decay and fall apart. And the once righteous Adam and Eve had fallen and were now guilty sinners before God. Adam's sin did not only affect his own relationship with God, but all of mankind's. Paul tells us here in chapter five that when Adam sinned, we all sinned. When Adam became guilty, we all became guilty. However, the fall does not merely affect our legal status. It also affects our very nature. The moment Adam's teeth broke the skin of the fruit, his nature was corrupted. The image of God remained. but was marred nearly beyond recognition. His now sinful nature would be passed on to all his ordinarily born descendants, which includes all of us. We don't just sin. We are sinners in our very being. We don't just do wicked deeds. We are wicked. We don't just act evil. We are evil. Mankind is not good, and he does not seek after God. We are evil, and we scorn God constantly, and he does not take it lightly. Chapter 1, verse 18, for the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. And chapter 2, verse 5 and 6, because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath in revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each person according to his deeds. God is perfectly just, and he will punish every sin. Romans 6.23 says, the wages of sin is death. Hebrews 9.27 says, it is appointed for men to die once, and after this comes judgment. And Revelation 21.8 says, the cowardly, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and immoral persons, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. We will all die and stand before God on Judgment Day. And we will have to give account for everything we have ever thought, said, and did. We deserve death and hell for our treason against our Creator. Do you feel the weight of your sin? Do you feel the utter hopelessness of your condition? Now you may be thinking, I thought you were going to motivate us, and you have only condemned us. I thought you were going to encourage us, and you have only given us reason to despair. This news should make us feel condemned, and it should make us despair. But these verses continue. There is good news. After his condemnation of all men, Paul tells us of our hope. But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe. For there is no distinction. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by his grace, the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in his blood through faith. This was to demonstrate his righteousness because in the forbearance of God, he passed over the sins previously committed for the demonstration, I say, of his righteousness at the present time so that he would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. He says that Jesus is the propitiation for our sins, the sacrifice that appeases God's wrath and allows us to be declared righteous before him, and that he did this while we were helpless sinners For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man, though perhaps for the good man someone would even dare die. But God demonstrates his own love towards us, and that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. In contrast to Adam's disobedience that led to the guilt and death of all men, Jesus' obedience leads to righteousness in life to all believers. So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man's disobedience, the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one, the many will be made righteous. Christ has lived and died for his people, and the blessings he has secured for us are not dependent upon our works. but are received through faith in Him. That you believe He is the sinless Son of God, who has paid the penalty of sin in full on the cross. You don't have to be righteous, because He is righteous, and God credits us with His righteousness the moment we believe. Referring to Abraham's justification, chapter 4, verse 3 quotes Genesis 15, 6, saying, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. In verses 4 through 8, he says, now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, just as David also spoke of the blessings on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works. Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven and whose sinless deeds have been covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account. And in chapter 5 and verses 1 and 2, therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have also obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we exalt and hope in the glory of God. Not only are we forgiven and credited with Christ's righteousness, but we must also begin His Spirit to indwell us. and lead us and testify that we are His children who will one day receive His inheritance. Chapter 8 and verses 14 through 17. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery, leaving to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption by which we cry out, Abba, Father. The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ. He says that this is rooted in God's eternal plan to save a people, and that once we are his, there is no one that can take us from him. Chapter 8 in verses 29 through 39. For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to become conformed to the image of his son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brethren. And these whom he predestined, he also called. And these whom he called, he also justified. And these whom he justified, he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own son, but delivered him over for all of us, how will he not also with him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is he who died, yes, rather who was raised, and is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? For just it is written, for your sake we are being put to death all day long. We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. But in all these things, we overwhelmingly conquer through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. And finally, in a climactic finish, Paul ends chapter 11 with the benediction I mentioned earlier, praising God for his wisdom and salvation, saying, oh, the depth and the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgment and unfathomable his ways. For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become his counselor? Or who has first given to him that it might be paid back to him again? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen. What a God we serve. What blessings he has given us. What a love he has for us. Beloved, this is our motivation. Though we were obstinate sinners, deserving of nothing but wrath, God condescended to save us. And so our verses say, this is our spiritual service of worship. Now, this morning, I am reading from the NASB 1995 translation. And while it is my preferred translation, there are a few very rare occasions where I differ from the translators. This is one of those instances. The words rendered spiritual service are lagaken latrian. Latrien means sacred or priestly service, which is why our translators have chosen spiritual service. But lagacain, from lagacosts, you can hear the word logical, means rational or reasonable. This is why I prefer the King James translation here, which says, I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Because of what God has done for us, the only reasonable thing now to do is to offer ourselves to him. And he says that we are to be transformed so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. To prove what the will of God is is to put it on full display. God requires holiness, and when we live in holiness, we demonstrate this to the world. We are called the salt of the earth and light to the world. We are to be examples to others of what God's will is so that he will be glorified. Now you may be saying, oh, how I desperately want to obey, but I just don't know how. I cannot do it on my own. But God does not leave us to ourselves. He tells us here of the means he has provided for us. He says, by the mercies of God. This is literally through the compassions. What compassions are he referring to? Those given to us in the gospel. Not only was Christ a propitiation for our sins and our justification, our initial being counted righteous before God, but he also secured for us sanctification, our progressive growth in holiness. Ephesians tells us that all believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit at the moment of faith. And we just read in chapter eight that God's children are being led by him and that he is our source of power for putting sins to death. Many men may be held back from sinning by the common grace of God, as in the case of Abimelech. Genesis 20 verse 6 says, Our circumstances may prevent us from what our wicked hearts desperately desire or because there are consequences we want to avoid, whether it be punishment, ridicule, or a seared conscience. This type of behavior modification is only temporary. Left to himself, man cannot truly change his ways. Jeremiah 13, 23 says, can the Ethiopian change his skin or a leper his spots? Can you also do good who are accustomed to doing evil? The answer is no. It is only by God that we are able to be sanctified and to put these sins to death for good. We will not be able to completely free from sin this side of glory, but we are to strive toward the goal daily by the leading and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Next, he says, by the renewing of your minds. Renewed hearts and affections stem from a renewed mind, one that is firmly fixed on things that are above and that meditates on the scriptures day and night. Christianity is more than knowledge, but it's not less than knowledge. The mind must be fully engaged and it must be set on the right things. Naturally, our minds are wholly given over to sin. We are born with the inability to think rightly about God and righteousness. Unless we want to continue in this old way, we must have our minds renewed so that we can be a transformed person. Even though we are a new creation, at the moment of faith, we are still commanded to put on the new man daily. And likewise, even though we have been given a new mind already, they must still be continually renewed. This can only be accomplished through the word. 2 Timothy 3, verses 16 and 17 say, all scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. Every word of every book from Genesis 1-1 to Revelation 22-21 is God's self-revelation to us and is pure milk that helps us grow in respect to salvation. according to 1 Peter 2. If you want to grow in sanctification, you need the nourishment of God's word. Just as a child relies upon milk for physical growth, a child of God must rely upon his word for spiritual growth. A man without food is weak and miserable. How much more is the soul without the word? Elsewhere, it is described as a lamp to our feet and light to our path. Without the light of God's word to show us our path and to direct our steps, we will surely stumble off into the bramble. Without the light of God's word to show us how to live and direct our daily walk, we will surely fall into sin. One cannot expect an easy journey without light. Neither can a Christian without God's instruction. During his earthly ministry, Christ prayed, sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth. If you want to be sanctified, you must be in the scriptures. There is simply no other way. This morning, we answered what it means to be a living and holy sacrifice, why it is reasonable, and what are our means of accomplishing it are. Friends, if you are still in a state of sin, if you have not repented of your evil deeds and have placed your faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation, then do so today. Turn from your sin. Trust in Christ for forgiveness and for your righteousness, and you will receive it abundantly. Everyone who trusts in the Lord will be saved. If you have them, know, beloved, the world is going to persecute you. and pressure you to adopt its corrupted lifestyle and way of thinking. Second Timothy 3.12 says, indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. They will want you to embrace homosexuality, post-modernism, critical race theory, feminism, and many other sinful deeds and satanic doctrines, but we must stand firm. We must not defile our bodies, and we must not corrupt our minds. You must, by the mercies of God, present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. I do not say this as if I stand over you as one who has obtained it. but as your brother beside you who is going through the same battle. God has given us so many blessings through the gospel. Presenting ourselves to him as a living and holy sacrifice is the only reasonable thing to do. Let us pray. Father in heaven, great is thy mercy. Great is your grace. Great are your blessings in the gospel. Great is your love for us, Lord. You have determined to make for yourself a people as a possession for yourself. Thank you that you sent your son to live righteously, not breaking a single commandment, presenting himself to you as truly the only person without sin. And yet, Lord, he also willingly went to the cross, bearing the sins for us, so that we could stand forgiven before you through faith that is not by our righteousness or our lack thereof, but it's by our faith that you have saved us because it is through your son that you have saved us. It is his work, not our own. Thank you, Lord, when there was no way, you made the way. that it is sure that your salvation is secure, that believers can be assured, Lord, that we have the blessings now and waiting for us in your presence in eternity. Thank you, Lord, that none can snatch us from your hand. Oh, how great is your wisdom. How great is your salvation. How great is your blessings. How great is your love. How great are you, Lord. Help us this morning, Lord, to see more of your glory each day, to see more of your majesty, more of your excellencies, more of your love, your grace, your justice, your righteousness, your truth, your wrath, your holiness. Lord, there is none like you. Help us by your spirit to put our sinful deeds to death through the illumination of your word to renew our minds, Lord, continue to transform us into a new person. Help us to serve you in every single thing that we think, that we say, and that we do, alone, in close relations, and in public. Help us to live our entire lives before you. Lord, you've given us so much. This is the least we can do. This is the only reasonable thing we can do. Help us by your grace. In Christ's name, amen.