Living Surrendered: A Response to Grace, Not a Requirement for It

This article is a discussion of the idea "being fully surrendered" to God. It starts with a review of the topic and concludes with a 5-day devotional study you can use individually or with a group.

To begin, we consider what Tim Keller would say about being fully surrendered? Is it based in scripture? Is it possible? Or is it just a clever way to encourage right behavior in faith communities that lean legalistic? Is there is a Biblical foundation for this notion? If so, what are the who, what, where and why answers for what it means to be fully surrendered?

If you want to jump right in to the study, scroll down to Living Surrendered, 5-Day Group Devotional. Otherwise continue on for the full background and setting for this group study.

How Would Tim Keller Respond?

Tim Keller, influenced deeply by the Reformation, would be cautious of phrases like “fully surrendered” if they are untethered from the gospel of grace. Here's how he might break it down:

1. Watch for Law without Grace

Keller often warned against language that sounds like law but is not empowered by grace. A call to “fully surrender” can be a subtle form of legalism if it becomes a standard of worthiness or identity apart from Christ. He might say:

“If you preach surrender without preaching Christ's surrender on your behalf, you’re giving people a burden too heavy to bear.”

2. Look to Union with Christ, Not Just Imitation of Christ

Keller constantly returned to the idea of union with Christ—that believers are in Christ, and He is in them. Transformation, including surrender, flows from this reality:

“You are not accepted because you surrender. You surrender because you are accepted.”

He would remind us that the Christian life is not primarily about what we give to God, but about what we have received from Him in Christ.

3. Progressive, Not Perfect Surrender

Keller’s biblical anthropology acknowledged the already-not-yet tension. He'd likely reject the idea that anyone can fully surrender in a permanent, flawless way in this life. Sanctification is real but gradual.

“Christian growth doesn’t mean needing Jesus less—it means becoming more aware of how much we need Him.”

Is “Being Fully Surrendered” Biblical?

Yes—but only when rightly understood. Let’s examine the concept biblically:

Who?

• Jesus is the only one truly and fully surrendered (Philippians 2:5–8). Our surrender is always a response to His.

• Paul speaks of offering himself wholly to God (Romans 12:1), but also admits his struggle with the flesh (Romans 7).

• The disciples were called to leave everything (Luke 9:23), but constantly failed—and Jesus restored them.

What Is “Full Surrender”?

Biblically, it's not a one-time, emotional act but an ongoing posture of repentance, trust, and obedience. Romans 12:1-2 is the clearest theological exposition:

“Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”

But Paul roots this in view of God’s mercies—not to earn mercy.

Where Does This Happen?

• In the heart (Romans 6:17 – “you have become obedient from the heart”).

• In community (Ephesians 5:21 – “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ”).

• In daily choices (Luke 9:23 – “take up your cross daily”).

Why?

• Not to earn God’s love, but because we already have it.

• Because the Spirit is at work in us (Philippians 2:13).

• Because our lives are now not our own (1 Corinthians 6:19–20).

Dangers of the Phrase When Misused

When “fully surrendered” is treated as:

• A badge of honor: It creates pride or despair.

• A performance metric: It fosters legalism or burnout.

• A vague emotional ideal: It frustrates thoughtful believers.

Better Alternatives

A better approach is to reframe the conversation with phrases like:

• “Living out of your new identity in Christ.”

• “Responding to grace with trust and obedience.”

• “Offering all you are to the One who gave all He had.”

He would remind us: The gospel is not “I obey, therefore I’m accepted,” but “I’m accepted, therefore I obey.”

Summary

Living Surrendered
5-Day Group Devotional

In much of the Christian world, the phrase "fully surrendered to Christ" is used with almost unquestioned frequency. It appears in sermons, devotional books, and exhortations as an ideal state of spiritual maturity. But what does it actually mean? Is it even possible in this life? And more importantly, does the Bible truly call us to such a posture?

In his teaching and writing, Tim Keller often reminded his listeners to interrogate spiritual language with the gospel. If a phrase sounds like a burden or implies that God's love is conditional, then it must be examined and, if needed, reframed. The language of surrender can all too easily become just that—a hidden form of legalism cloaked in spiritual fervor.

At the heart of true surrender is not striving, but receiving. Not effort, but grace. Not a command that precedes love, but a response that flows from it.

Group discussion questions are located at the end of the article.

Day 1: Mercy First — The Foundation of Surrender

Romans 12:1–2

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Big Idea: True surrender is not a demand of the law but a response to mercy.

Paul's call to offer our bodies as living sacrifices begins not with moral demand, but with divine mercy. "In view of God's mercy..." he writes, anchoring everything that follows in the gospel story laid out in Romans 1–11. For Paul, the only sustainable foundation for a surrendered life is one that begins by beholding the mercy of God.

A living sacrifice is a paradox—still alive, still moving, yet wholly offered. This is not asceticism or spiritual heroism. It is worship. Worship that results not from guilt or fear, but gratitude. The transformation Paul envisions comes not by our willpower but by renewing our minds in the truth of God’s mercy.

Consider a single mother, exhausted from juggling two jobs and caring for her children. She wakes early to pray, not because she feels holy, but because she clings to God’s mercy for strength. Her life is not marked by dramatic acts of piety, but by quiet endurance and trust. That, Paul would say, is a living sacrifice.

Summary: Paul’s great appeal in Romans 12 begins not with command but compassion: “In view of God’s mercy…” Before we offer anything to God, we must see what He has offered to us in Christ. A “living sacrifice” is not a morbid striving—it is a joyful offering of our whole selves to the One who gave Himself for us. This surrender is not a transaction, but a transformation. We are not conformed to a system of performance, but transformed by grace.

Thought:

“The gospel is not opposed to effort. It is opposed to earning.”
—Dallas Willard, often quoted by Keller

Reflection: Do you see surrender as something you must do to gain God’s approval? Or as something you do because you already have it?

Additional Questions:

• What “mercies of God” is Paul referring to in Romans 12:1?

• Is your idea of surrender driven more by fear or by love?

• What would change if you saw surrender as worship, not sacrifice?

Day 2: Christ Before You — The Model and Motivation

Philippians 2:5–11

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Big Idea: Jesus doesn’t just demand surrender—He embodies it.

Before we ever consider our own surrender, we must gaze at Christ’s. Paul tells us to have the mindset of Jesus, but he does not begin with exhortation. He begins with Christ's descent—His humility, His emptying, His obedience to the point of death.

Christ did not cling to His rights but laid them aside. This was not weakness; it was divine strength wrapped in self-giving love. This surrender led not to loss, but to glory. And it is the very basis of our surrender. We give ourselves not to earn salvation, but because salvation has already been given.

Consider a corporate executive faced with a career decision. She could pursue the path that promises more money and recognition, but instead she chooses to lead with humility—lifting up her team, sacrificing personal gain, and refusing to cut ethical corners. Her posture echoes the downward movement of Christ.

Summary: Jesus’ surrender was not symbolic—it was absolute, costly, and loving. He did not cling to His divine rights but emptied Himself for our sake. The humility of Christ is not only an example; it is our rescue. He was fully surrendered—so we don’t have to pretend we are. We surrender not to earn salvation but because He surrendered to save us.

Thought to Consider:

“Jesus didn’t just die to forgive you. He died to become your pattern and power.”

Reflection: Are you looking to Jesus as the One who surrendered for you—or just as the One who demands your surrender?

Additional Questions:

• What did Christ give up, and why?

• How does His surrender shape your understanding of your own?

• Are you more likely to see Jesus as a demanding master or a self-giving servant?

Day 3: Daily and Ordinary — The Practice of Surrender

Luke 9:23–25

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?

Big Idea: Surrender is not a one-time crisis moment, but a daily call to trust.

Jesus' call to follow Him includes the simple, painful invitation: "Take up your cross daily." This is not a single moment of crisis or spiritual climax, but a long obedience in the same direction.

The cross we carry may look like unseen faithfulness, dying to ego, saying no to temptation, or choosing patience. Each small act becomes part of a larger rhythm of worship. Surrender is not about dramatics—it’s about consistency. It is not about being extreme—it is about being devoted. It is a daily choice to trust Jesus more than ourselves.

Consider a man caring for his aging father with dementia. The repetition is wearying. The recognition is fading. There are no dramatic conversions, no big-stage ministry. But day after day, he chooses love, chooses service, chooses Christ. This is the quiet heroism of surrender.

Summary: “Take up your cross daily…” Jesus’ words are intensely personal and rhythmically ordinary. Surrender is not about making grand gestures, but choosing each day to trust Him more than yourself. The cross you carry may look like repentance, obedience, patience, or restraint—but always as a response to His finished work. Grace doesn’t cancel out the call to die to self—it gives you the power and safety to do so.

Thought to Consider:

“Every day we must ‘preach the gospel to ourselves’—remind ourselves that we are not our own, but bought with a price.”

Reflection: What might daily surrender look like in your specific circumstances? Are there areas you withhold from God’s lordship?

Additional Questions:

• What “cross” do you resist picking up daily?

• What do you fear you’ll lose if you surrender more fully?

• How can surrender today become an act of joy, not dread?

Day 4: Body and Spirit — The Scope of Surrender

1 Corinthians 6:19–20; Romans 6:12–14

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Big Idea: Surrender is both internal and embodied—it affects how we live.

Paul pushes surrender into territory many modern Christians avoid: our physical lives. The body is not spiritually irrelevant. It is a temple. It is not a container for sin, but a site of worship. And how we use it matters.

To surrender fully is not to escape our humanity, but to inhabit it rightly. We offer our hands, eyes, mouths, and desires to God. Not as an act of punishment or repression, but as a form of freedom. We are not our own—we have been bought with a price.

Consider a young man recovering from addiction. Each time he resists the urge to numb pain, each time he seeks accountability, each time he offers his weakness to God—it is a bodily act of surrender. It is not glamorous. It is costly. But it is holy.

Summary: Paul doesn’t separate the spiritual from the physical. Our very bodies belong to God. That means surrender touches everything—what we do with our time, desires, sexuality, money, habits. But again, notice the order: you are not your own, you were bought at a price. We don’t offer ourselves to God in order to be loved—we offer ourselves because we are.

Thought to Consider:

“Surrender is not giving up your freedom; it’s finally receiving it.”

Reflection: How does your view of your body affect your walk with Christ? What would it mean to live as if your physical life belongs to God?

Additional Questions:

• In what areas of your physical life is God asking for deeper trust?

• Do you see your body as a tool of worship or an object of autonomy?

• What would it mean to treat your body as a temple of the Spirit today?

Day 5: Grace Within — The Power of Surrender

Philippians 2:12–13; Galatians 2:20

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Big Idea: We surrender only because God is already at work in us.

Finally, Paul tells us to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling." But this is not self-powered sanctification. He immediately reminds us: "for it is God who works in you." The call to surrender is not a call to self-reliance—it is a call to Spirit-reliance.

Our old self has been crucified. The life we now live, we live by faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave Himself for us. That’s the secret of surrender: it is not about how strong we are, but about how surrendered Christ was on our behalf—and how much we are willing to trust His strength at work within us.

Consider a college student struggling with perfectionism. She feels crushed under the weight of expectations. But slowly, she begins to believe that God is more patient than she is. Her anxiety begins to shift—not because she tries harder, but because she rests deeper. This is surrender shaped by grace.

Summary: Here’s the paradox: We work out what God is working in. Our growth in surrender, obedience, holiness—it’s not about trying harder, but about trusting deeper. God Himself energizes our transformation. And the life we now live? It’s Christ in us. Surrender is not about letting go and letting God—it’s about clinging to Christ in trust while actively following Him.

Thought to Consider:

“You don't need to be strong. You need to be weak enough to let Him be strong in you.”

Reflection: Where are you trying to manufacture transformation instead of receiving it? How would your life change if you really believed God was working in you?

Additional Questions:

• What does it mean to "work out" what God is "working in"?

• Are there ways you’ve tried to change yourself without God’s help?

• What specific area of your life do you need to surrender to God’s work—without shame?

Conclusion: The Gospel of Grace and the Surrendered Life

In the end, surrender is not a ladder we climb to reach God. It is the fruit of having already been embraced by Him. It is not an attempt to earn love, but a recognition that love has already been given.

To be "fully surrendered" is not to be perfect. It is to be honest. Dependent. Anchored in mercy. It is to live each day with open hands, trusting that God—who gave everything—will continue to give everything we need to follow Him.

Let us not call others to surrender without first showing them Christ. Let us not demand what only the Spirit can produce. And let us live as people who know that grace, not pressure, is the power that changes lives.

Group Discussion Guide

Day 1 – Mercy First

• How does starting with God’s mercy reshape your view of surrender?
• In what ways can your community help each other see surrender as a grateful response instead of a burdensome duty?
• Share a time when receiving mercy changed your behavior more than fear ever could.

Day 2 – Christ Before You

• What difference does it make to think of surrender as a reflection of Christ’s surrender?
• How do you tend to picture Jesus: as a strict authority or as a servant who gave everything?
• Who in your life has modeled “Christlike descent” in leadership or service?

Day 3 – Daily and Ordinary

• What does “taking up your cross daily” look like for you right now?
• Why is consistency often harder than dramatic spiritual gestures?
• How can we encourage each other in the unnoticed acts of daily faithfulness?

Day 4 – Body and Spirit

• Do you separate your spiritual life from your physical life? If so, how?
• What would it mean to view your daily physical routines (eating, working, resting) as acts of worship?
• Are there habits or patterns that need to be surrendered for your body to honor God?

Day 5 – Grace Within

• Where do you feel most tempted to rely on your own strength rather than God's?
• How can your group help each other believe that God is actively working in and through them?
• What would change if we truly lived by Galatians 2:20?

Closing Questions

• What new insights about surrender did you gain from this week?
• Where do you feel invited to let go—and trust more deeply?
• What is one practice or prayer you can carry forward as a response to this study?