ISB ~ Romans 12 v1 - 2

The worship Paul describes in these verses is in glaring contrast to the idolatrous worship described in 1:18-32. Believers engage in rational worship; the idolater in irrational (1:22). Believers offer the body to God in sacrifice; idolaters dishonor the body through sexual immorality (1:24). Believers strive to renew their minds with truth; idolaters only darken their minds with error (1:21). Believers discern the divine will; idolaters spurn the divine will in preference to their own (1:32). For Paul, the difference between pagan and Christian worship is the difference between a degrading spiritual free fall (1:18-32) and an ascending spiritual sacrifice (12:1-2) (CCC 2031).