Are Christians supposed to serve God by keeping rules and regulations?
Scripture teaches that believers are not under a mandate of law or rules and regulations. Instead, they serve God by presenting their bodies as wholly acceptable to God, responding as the Holy Spirit leads them in their life of service, testimony, and everything, willingly and not by compulsion.
Les explains that Paul beseeches believers by the mercies of God to present their bodies—not their soul, but the flesh and blood they operate in—as wholly acceptable unto God, which is their reasonable, logical, practical service. Les teaches that believers are not under a mandate of law or rules and regulations, but they respond as the Holy Spirit leads them in their life of service, in their testimony, and in everything. To illustrate verse 2, Les uses the analogy of pouring hot jello into a mold: once it sets, it takes the exact shape of the mold, just as foundry work molds steel. Paul’s point is, don’t be poured into Satan’s mold. Satan is the god of this world, and the whole world system is under his control; the world lies in the lap of the wicked one. When believers come away from that, they are marked people, and the world knows them. This admonition is of our own free will, not forced. The plea is not to be molded according to this old world, but to be transformed.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.