How to Live as Living Sacrifices

Many times, we hear our pastors preach about offering ourselves as a living sacrifice to God. But have you ever tried to find out why and how you should go about that?

It is easy to tell someone to do something, but better to tell them how, and even best to let them know the reason why they should do that- and that is what this article is all about.

All through the old testament, we read various stories of different people who offered sacrifices to God, including Cain, Abraham, Moses, and a longer list of people. For each sacrifice, the reasons differ; either as an instruction from God, in atonement for sins, or even to seek the face of the Lord on certain issues. Today, we give all thanks to God for giving us His only son, Jesus, who came as a sacrifice for all atrocities, setting us free from the wrath of God's judgement upon mankind because of sins of our forefathers which we might as well bear the consequences. Sadly, after Jesus ascended into heaven, man continued to wallow in sin again. 

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How then do we make atonement for these sins again? The time to offer animals as burnt offerings are gone; Jesus has abolished all. We are in the new era. What then do we do to be free from sins forever? Then, we have an instruction through the apostles in Romans 12:1-2 asking that we offer ourselves as a living sacrifice. How can we do this?

How to Offer Oneself as a Living Sacrifice

The word of God in Romans 12:1-2 says that a believer should "offer yourself as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service, and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer. (2) Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then, you will be able to know she will of God- what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect." GNB

Verse 1 of the above scripture gives the instruction that, you should offer yourself as a living sacrifice. Not just that, but be dedicated to His service (as we will read below), and be pleasing to him. Verse 2 of same chapter gave us the ultimate answer to the 'how' that; you should not conform yourself to the standards of this world ( because to be the world's friend means to be God's enemy) James 4:4. Instead, you should let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of heart. This means that, even in still trying to please God, you can not do it alone. You have to let God in, work through you, right from your inward part (mark 7:15) the basis of your living and where your soul is, till the brightness of His glory radiate inside out, which will distinguish you from the world, and set you apart as God's own. This way, you will be able to know the will of God, which is good, pleasing and perfect to him - a living sacrifice.

How do you let God in? What exactly is God's Service?

The first step to take in letting God into your life is by accepting the Lord Jesus into your life, for the salvation of your soul (the inward part). After accepting Christ into your life, then you must be intentional about all of God's instructions and teachings from the Bible through the apostles. You know when you just gained admission into higher institution, you will want to do everything within your capacity to avoid being rusticated. Same applies to the above.

 

Here are a few instructions from the Bible to help you in being intentional about God, and maintaining your salvation.

1. Love God, and love your neighbor (Mark 12:30-31)

2. Practice pure and genuine religion ( James 1:27)

3. Be at peace with one another ( 1Thessalonians 5:13)

4. Desist from baseless arguments.( 2Timothy 2:23)

5. Pay your tithe (Malachi 3:10)

 

 

The Bible in Romans 12:1 has Paul saying, “I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service.”

God accepted the sacrifices of animals in the old testament. However, these were just a prologue to the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. As a result of His ultimate, once-for-all-time sacrifice on the cross, the Old Testament sacrifices became obsolete and are no longer of any effect (Hebrews 9:11-12). For those who are in Christ by virtue of saving faith, the only acceptable worship is to offer ourselves completely to the Lord. Under God’s control, the believer’s yet unredeemed body can and must be yielded to Him as an instrument of righteousness (Romans 6:12-13; 8:11-13). Given the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus for us, this is only “reasonable"

 

We are a living sacrifice for God by not being conformed to this world. The world is defined for us in 1 John 2:15-16 as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. All that the world has to offer can be reduced to these three things. The lust of the flesh includes everything that appeals to our appetites and involves excessive desires for food, drink, sex, and anything else that satisfies physical needs. Lust of the eyes mostly involves materialism, coveting whatever we see that we don’t have, and envying those who have what we want. The pride of life is defined by any ambition for that which puffs us up and puts us on the throne of our own lives.

 

The Word of God ministered in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, is the only power on earth that can transform us from worldliness to true spirituality. It is all we need to be made “complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work”. The result is that we will be “able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2b). It is the will of God for every believer to be a living sacrifice for Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ came to redeem us from the curse of the law so that we no longer need to offer rams, sheep as sacrifices to God anymore. Instead, we offer ourselves, our strength, intellect to the work of God, to build and grow his kingdom.

 

We are the chosen generation and a royal priesthood. God would only choose a dead generation - dead to sin and alive in Christ. He needs us alive in Him so we can sing the praise of him who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.

 

When you continually to do these and many more good, and being dedicated to them,this is God's service, and He will then continue the rest by working through you. This way, you will be gradually transformed and worthy to reign with God when Christ comes for the second time.