Living Sacrifice
Living Sacrifice
Webster defines sacrifice as, (a), “The act of offering something to a deity in propitiation or homage; especially the ritual of slaughter of an animal or person for this purpose; (b),The forfeiture of something highly valued, as an idea, object, or friendship, for the sake of someone or something considered to have a greater value or claim”. In the Old Testament, we observe many instances of actual sacrifice where people brought animals or birds to the temple for sacrifice. The New Testament clearly teaches that Christ became our sacrifice atoning for our sins once and forever. So what is Apostle Paul urging us to do in Romans in relation to sacrifice? Keep in mind that Romans 1-11 has been almost totally focused on showing us how God elected us for the purpose of showing us His mercy.
Romans 12: 1-2
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual[a] act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. THE NIV
I like the way the New Living translation renders the same passage Romans 12:1-2:
1 And so, dear brothers and sisters,[a] I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.[b] 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
It is like saying, in view of what God has done for us; Is it too much for us to be grateful to God by living out the purpose for which He has showered us His mercy and grace? For us to live for His glory, we need to change (transform not in one instance) the way we think so that we will truly understand that God’s perfect will is our election as His sons and daughters for the purpose of emptying our entire lives on fulfilling His glory. I believe this is why Jesus in John 4: 23-23 says we must now worship Him “in spirit and in truth”. You will not fulfill God’s calling on your life if you do not understand the truth about the purpose for His electing or choosing you. It is all for His GLORY, His pleasure. This is contrary to the “custom of this world” which says it is for me. The “ME thinking” is what needs to be renewed or transformed by the word of God. Remember, our Good works cannot save us but will bring glory to God.
To put into practice what the Holy Spirit is saying to us through Apostle Paul, we need to understand some things about sacrifice. First, all sacrifices must be from the “clean animals or birds” Thank God we have been made clean by Christ’s atoning sacrifice because He was without spot. There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ. We cannot make ourselves any cleaner than what Christ has done so we approach God with confidence but also bring, “the best for God”. Giving our leftovers to the homeless shelter (though a great stewardship gesture) is not a sacrifice. There is a high price for sacrifice in many forms – inconvenience, not our type of person or out of our comfort zone.
Secondly, in the OT, the worshipper brings the animal sacrifice to the altar and slaughters it by himself. In other words, no one is going to drag you to worship God. You will have to give up by your own will all that you consider highly valuable for God’s glory.
The third thing about sacrifices is that all sacrifices are burnt at the altar so as to become a sweet aroma to God. When you burn anything, you are left with ashes, so do not expect too much on this side of eternity for your sacrifices. If you are still hoping to go home from the altar of God with the whole or some parts of your sacrifice, it means you have not sacrificed it. So why are you and I always expecting thank you from those we reach out to in the name of Christ?
It will do us good sometimes to stop praying “God show me your will”. He has showed his good and perfect will” to us through His election so we can live for His glory wherever and in whatever we find ourselves. Stop being a “running or crawling sacrifice” always running from the altar of where God has placed you for a sacrifice. Be a “living sacrifice” and stay where you have been planted for now until God by His grace moves you. You can only blossom in the soil where you have been planted to produce fruit that will remain. John 15: 16 “You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.”
Be a living sacrifice and bring pleasure to God. Why living sacrifice? The Holy Spirit lives in us and He is enabling us to do God’s will. A dead sacrifice is one who is not living by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is always ignoring the leading of the Holy Spirit and doing his own thing. Are you are “living” or “dead” sacrifice?
We must acknowledge that there is sacrifice in living out the Christian life. It is easier to go with the flow of the “world”. The Christian life is going against the grain as we are commanded in the rest of Romans 12. How about this, “14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” Practicing this command is real sacrifice.
Webster defines sacrifice as, (a), “The act of offering something to a deity in propitiation or homage; especially the ritual of slaughter of an animal or person for this purpose; (b),The forfeiture of something highly valued, as an idea, object, or friendship, for the sake of someone or something considered to have a greater value or claim”. In the Old Testament, we observe many instances of actual sacrifice where people brought animals or birds to the temple for sacrifice. The New Testament clearly teaches that Christ became our sacrifice atoning for our sins once and forever. So what is Apostle Paul urging us to do in Romans in relation to sacrifice? Keep in mind that Romans 1-11 has been almost totally focused on showing us how God elected us for the purpose of showing us His mercy.
Romans 12: 1-2
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual[a] act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. THE NIV
I like the way the New Living translation renders the same passage Romans 12:1-2:
1 And so, dear brothers and sisters,[a] I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.[b] 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
It is like saying, in view of what God has done for us; Is it too much for us to be grateful to God by living out the purpose for which He has showered us His mercy and grace? For us to live for His glory, we need to change (transform not in one instance) the way we think so that we will truly understand that God’s perfect will is our election as His sons and daughters for the purpose of emptying our entire lives on fulfilling His glory. I believe this is why Jesus in John 4: 23-23 says we must now worship Him “in spirit and in truth”. You will not fulfill God’s calling on your life if you do not understand the truth about the purpose for His electing or choosing you. It is all for His GLORY, His pleasure. This is contrary to the “custom of this world” which says it is for me. The “ME thinking” is what needs to be renewed or transformed by the word of God. Remember, our Good works cannot save us but will bring glory to God.
To put into practice what the Holy Spirit is saying to us through Apostle Paul, we need to understand some things about sacrifice. First, all sacrifices must be from the “clean animals or birds” Thank God we have been made clean by Christ’s atoning sacrifice because He was without spot. There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ. We cannot make ourselves any cleaner than what Christ has done so we approach God with confidence but also bring, “the best for God”. Giving our leftovers to the homeless shelter (though a great stewardship gesture) is not a sacrifice. There is a high price for sacrifice in many forms – inconvenience, not our type of person or out of our comfort zone.
Secondly, in the OT, the worshipper brings the animal sacrifice to the altar and slaughters it by himself. In other words, no one is going to drag you to worship God. You will have to give up by your own will all that you consider highly valuable for God’s glory.
The third thing about sacrifices is that all sacrifices are burnt at the altar so as to become a sweet aroma to God. When you burn anything, you are left with ashes, so do not expect too much on this side of eternity for your sacrifices. If you are still hoping to go home from the altar of God with the whole or some parts of your sacrifice, it means you have not sacrificed it. So why are you and I always expecting thank you from those we reach out to in the name of Christ?
It will do us good sometimes to stop praying “God show me your will”. He has showed his good and perfect will” to us through His election so we can live for His glory wherever and in whatever we find ourselves. Stop being a “running or crawling sacrifice” always running from the altar of where God has placed you for a sacrifice. Be a “living sacrifice” and stay where you have been planted for now until God by His grace moves you. You can only blossom in the soil where you have been planted to produce fruit that will remain. John 15: 16 “You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.”
Be a living sacrifice and bring pleasure to God. Why living sacrifice? The Holy Spirit lives in us and He is enabling us to do God’s will. A dead sacrifice is one who is not living by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is always ignoring the leading of the Holy Spirit and doing his own thing. Are you are “living” or “dead” sacrifice?
We must acknowledge that there is sacrifice in living out the Christian life. It is easier to go with the flow of the “world”. The Christian life is going against the grain as we are commanded in the rest of Romans 12. How about this, “14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” Practicing this command is real sacrifice.
Comments