A “living sacrifice”—that is quite an oxymoron. How can a person be living, while also being a sacrifice? From what the human mind thinks of when it comes to sacrifice, nothing about that sounds fun. Sacrificing in modern day times, usually is in reference to giving up something—like time, money, possessions, those types of things. We don’t have a context for what sacrificing means when it comes to the Bible. Sacrifice in Bible times, usually was in reference to death. The Jewish people were quite familiar with animal sacrifices for atonement of sins…..so when we get to our scripture in Romans 12:1-2 (one of my all-time favorite scripture verses, by the way), hearing Paul say the term “living sacrifice”, I am sure that puzzled people then, just as much as it would for us now. Let’s dive in more deeply to get a better understanding of what this means.
READ Romans 12:1-2
Our bodies, when we call upon Jesus to save us, are not our own. When we yield to the Lord’s calling on our life, we surrender to him, and from that moment we are HIS FOREVER. So in view of that, when Paul tells us to “offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship”, in essence he is telling us that giving up the things of this world, everything that distracts us from God, anything that we value greater than God, including living to please our flesh—SACRIFICE IT. Absolutely NOTHING that this world has to offer is greater than God, no amount of money, no amount of pleasure, no amount of power, no amount of status, NOTHING is greater than God. When we surrender our flesh, our will, our needs, our possessions, our everything to lay it down for God’s plans, for God’s purposes, for God’s will in your life—that is what Paul calls our true and proper worship, and it is holy and it is pleasing to God.
If you have made a profession of faith, today or 50 years ago, make today the day you tear down what keeps you from being a living sacrifice.
“…. let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith…” Hebrews 12:1-2
There is a reason Paul follows being a living sacrifice, with a warning. “DO NOT CONFORM TO THE PATTERN OF THIS WORLD.” ….” but my friends are doing it?” ….”one time won’t hurt” …” it’s just a little fib” …” it’s my body, my choice” ….do you see the pattern? It’s all about self. All the things to please yourself, to make you feel some type of way. It’s all a distraction, and a ploy of the enemy to keep you from living your life as a sold out, holy, pleasing, living sacrifice for God.
So many people I hear want to be used by God, to know God better, to hear from God, and they make no sacrifice of themselves to do so. To live a life holy and pleasing to God, to know God better, to hear from him, to be used by him, to know his good and pleasing will for your life…it requires you to be a living sacrifice, to surrender, not just your heart like you did at salvation, but your life. It requires you to fully commit to not just knowing scripture, but living it—Every. Single. Day—that is what true and proper worship looks like.
Now, the choice is yours.
READ Romans 12:1-2
Our bodies, when we call upon Jesus to save us, are not our own. When we yield to the Lord’s calling on our life, we surrender to him, and from that moment we are HIS FOREVER. So in view of that, when Paul tells us to “offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship”, in essence he is telling us that giving up the things of this world, everything that distracts us from God, anything that we value greater than God, including living to please our flesh—SACRIFICE IT. Absolutely NOTHING that this world has to offer is greater than God, no amount of money, no amount of pleasure, no amount of power, no amount of status, NOTHING is greater than God. When we surrender our flesh, our will, our needs, our possessions, our everything to lay it down for God’s plans, for God’s purposes, for God’s will in your life—that is what Paul calls our true and proper worship, and it is holy and it is pleasing to God.
If you have made a profession of faith, today or 50 years ago, make today the day you tear down what keeps you from being a living sacrifice.
“…. let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith…” Hebrews 12:1-2
There is a reason Paul follows being a living sacrifice, with a warning. “DO NOT CONFORM TO THE PATTERN OF THIS WORLD.” ….” but my friends are doing it?” ….”one time won’t hurt” …” it’s just a little fib” …” it’s my body, my choice” ….do you see the pattern? It’s all about self. All the things to please yourself, to make you feel some type of way. It’s all a distraction, and a ploy of the enemy to keep you from living your life as a sold out, holy, pleasing, living sacrifice for God.
So many people I hear want to be used by God, to know God better, to hear from God, and they make no sacrifice of themselves to do so. To live a life holy and pleasing to God, to know God better, to hear from him, to be used by him, to know his good and pleasing will for your life…it requires you to be a living sacrifice, to surrender, not just your heart like you did at salvation, but your life. It requires you to fully commit to not just knowing scripture, but living it—Every. Single. Day—that is what true and proper worship looks like.
Now, the choice is yours.