Consecration, in the biblical context, refers to the act of setting apart or dedicating oneself to the service and worship of God. It is a voluntary commitment to live a life that is holy and pleasing to the Lord, often involving a deliberate decision to abstain from worldly pursuits and to pursue spiritual growth and obedience to God's commandments.

Biblical Foundation

The concept of personal consecration is deeply rooted in Scripture. In the Old Testament, consecration often involved rituals and ceremonies, such as those described in the consecration of the priests (Exodus 29:1-9). However, the principle extends beyond ritual to encompass a heart attitude and lifestyle dedicated to God.

In the New Testament, personal consecration is emphasized as a response to the grace and mercy of God. Romans 12:1-2 exhorts believers: "Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God."

Elements of Personal Consecration

1. Dedication to God: Personal consecration begins with a commitment to God, acknowledging His sovereignty and lordship over one's life. This dedication is a response to God's call to holiness, as seen in 1 Peter 1:15-16 : "But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'"

2. Separation from Sin: Consecration involves a conscious decision to turn away from sin and to live a life that reflects God's righteousness. 2 Corinthians 6:17-18 instructs believers: "Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. And I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

3. Renewal of the Mind: A key aspect of personal consecration is the transformation of one's mind and attitudes. This renewal is achieved through the study of Scripture, prayer, and the work of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 4:22-24 encourages believers to "put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."

4. Obedience to God's Will: Consecration is demonstrated through obedience to God's commands and a willingness to follow His leading. Jesus exemplified this in His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, as recorded in Luke 22:42 : "Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done."

Practical Application

Personal consecration is a daily commitment that involves practical steps such as regular prayer, Bible study, and participation in the life of the church. It requires vigilance against the influences of the world and a focus on spiritual disciplines that foster growth in Christlikeness. Believers are called to be salt and light in the world, living lives that testify to the transformative power of the Gospel.

Examples in Scripture

Throughout the Bible, there are numerous examples of individuals who demonstrated personal consecration. Daniel, for instance, resolved not to defile himself with the king's food and drink, choosing instead to honor God with his dietary choices (Daniel 1:8). The Apostle Paul, in his letters, often speaks of his own commitment to Christ, stating in Philippians 3:8 : "More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ."

Personal consecration is a vital aspect of the Christian life, calling believers to a deeper relationship with God and a life that reflects His holiness and love.Psalm 51:17
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
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Matthew 13:44-46
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like to treasure hid in a field; the which when a man has found, he hides, and for joy thereof goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.
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Romans 6:13,16,19
Neither yield you your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin: but yield yourselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
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Romans 12:1
I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
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2 Corinthians 8:5
And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us by the will of God.
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Personal Experience
... In conclusion I desire to add my humble testimony of a personal experience of the ...
had not come to the point of a definite and absolute consecration, and really ...
/.../byers/sanctification/chapter xiii personal experience.htm

Prayer and Consecration
... As holiness of heart and of life is thoroughly impregnated with prayer, so
consecration and prayer are closely allied in personal religion. ...
/.../bounds/the essentials of prayer/viii prayer and consecration.htm

Personal Service
... through this great city, I do feel just mew that no topic can be more adapted to
the times than the topic of personal service"personal consecration of every ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/personal service.htm

Consecration and Preservation.
... therefore, much more helpful, to endeavour to limit the idea of consecration to
the ... Himself, and no one else, for we are here brought into personal and blessed ...
/.../thomas/the prayers of st paul/ii consecration and preservation.htm

Consecration Complete
... it comes to practically facing the question, with its personal responsibility, how ...
Of a consecration that consists in attending Holiness Meetings, singing hymns ...
/.../howard/standards of life and service/ii consecration complete.htm

The Last Discourses of Christ - the Prayer of Consecration.
... The first part of that Prayer [5801] is the consecration of Himself by ... soul, resulting
in, or reflecting the knowledge of Jehovah; the Personal, Living, True ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xi the last discourses.htm

February the Fourteenth Imperfect Consecration
... The key of one room kept for personal use, and the Lord shut out. And the effects
of the incomplete consecration were found in lack of power, lack of assurance ...
/.../february the fourteenth imperfect consecration.htm

The Messianic Call
... 88. This act of consecration on Jesus' part was one of personal obedience. There
were no crowds present (Luke 3:21), and his thoughts were full of prayer. ...
/.../rhees/the life of jesus of nazareth/vii the messianic call.htm

Centenary Commemoration of the Consecration of Bishop Seabury. ...
... Scottish Primus, containing a personal attack on the bishop-elect, and warning the
Scottish bishops of the unknown evils that would follow on his consecration. ...
/.../centenary commemoration of the consecration.htm

After the Synod of Alexandria, Eusebius Proceeding to Antioch ...
... Antioch finds the Catholics at Variance on Account of Paulinus' Consecration; and
having ... Euzo??us had not ejected him, on account of his personal respect for ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of scholasticus/chapter ix after the synod of.htm

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