What is a SACRIFICE? We use the word sacrifice to do something with generosity with others in mind, we may say that we did it sacrificially. It is mostly money, our time, and such to help another person. It is good; but in the bible, sacrifice means to die. It is that a living being is killed, its blood is shed, and the body is placed on the altar. But in a living sacrifice, our life is surrendered, we do not belong to us anymore but to God, at least in principle, and it must be irreversible. In the old testament, we do not die, but an animal will die for us. But in the new, even though Jesus died for our sins, it was for the past sins, provided if we die for the present sins. In the old testament, we see the severity when God asked Abraham to sacrifice his own son Isaac, he was not an animal, and he was not a possession to Abraham, but his beloved son. But Isaac was the son of promise, Abraham knew that even if he dies, he will be raised to fulfill the promise. It is in “Hebrews 11: 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son. 18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.” So also, if we give us as a living sacrifice, we will inherit the kingdom of God, and it is by promise. Abraham did not hesitate to lay his beloved son in the altar. What do we do; do we hesitate; or we may never do it? 

“Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Here are two things, our body and mind. It is that you present your body and your mind; that is, I must present my body and my mind to God. And the body must be given as a reasonable service; not as a big deal, but as a piece of cake; as if it is nothing, as a cake walk. The next is a little hard; it must be as good, acceptable, and perfect; that must be it. I bumped in this verse about 45 years ago. From that day onwards, I am trying to achieve what the verses say. Still trying!

Let me not talk about myself, but rather speculate what people go through in general. If I talk about myself, it will not be a teaching, but it will be a testimony. If I brag about myself, I will not fit in many situations, but I have victory only in a few things; even then, they are not because of my striving, but because of my nature and habit. So, let me talk about this topic in general as a third person. Let me give it a try.

Let us consider only those who have the desire to follow the ways of God, and to obey Jesus Christ as our Lord. If we include the nominal Christians in this group, our study will get nowhere. So, let us see what the so-called godly people will do, from the time they wake up until they go to bed, which will include every activity of their life, which will they do in their body and mind. What will You and I do?

God gave Abraham great promises, he will become the father of nations; now God wants him to kill the whole package and put all of them on the altar. Abraham could have, argued, or pleaded, but he did not say a word, but set up the journey early in the next morning, because he trusted God, even though he did not understand it. It may be impossible for us to do; why; we do not have the trust that Abraham had. Abraham trusted God beyond the comprehension of any of us. God never intended Isaac to die. After all is said and done, God said to Abraham; “Genesis 22: 12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.” God do not want to take anything from us, but he tests us to know.

We are not in this level. It is more than giving our own life. Leave this for a moment. Now let us analyze good Christians. Will their concern or motivation be their longing for approval from a boss, a friend, the spouse, a stranger, or any such person? I think that the core desire of many of them, or of their heart is a deep longing to be seen, or to be known, or to be loved, as a godly good person by others. They will strive for the recognition, not always out of pride, but because they long to matter and they crave significance. However, they will not be satisfied with any amount of praise from others, even if some chose to praise them, they always want more. Will they ever think about to crave such recognition from God, and to be as his servant?

There is a song saying as we see the glory of the face of God, the things of the world will go dim, or such like this. If they have a God-shaped space within their heart, can they fill it with earthly rewards or achievements. They fill it for a season with Christian ministry, Sunday school teaching, choir songs, etc. These will wear away, as the bible redirects them to something far more lasting and reminds them that the greatest reward is not found in the treasures of this world but in the approval of God.

“Colossians 3:22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: 23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. 25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.” This is a good place to begin, by serving the masters in the world, with honesty. If they, or even we, cannot do it to the worldly master, the which we can measure with physical means, how will we obey honestly to the Spiritual Master, the which we cannot even measure to verify. Verse 24 says about receiving the reward of heavenly inheritance from God. And Paul with great conviction asks in “Galatians 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” So, if we still seek the approval of man or if we still trying to please people, we would not be a servant of Christ. These verses remind us that we are free from the exhausting race of constantly proving our worth to the people. We do not need the applause of the world to be valuable. We do not need the spotlight to be seen, God already knows our hearts, God treasures every hidden act of obedience, every prayer whispered in secret, and God sees our motives when our heart longs to honor him.

Let us come back to the living sacrifice and transforming our mind. What will be the most difficult thing in our life that is difficult to sacrifice? It may not be our most loving things; but it will be our habits and addictions! It will bite us as reflex actions. When we realize it, it will be too late. That is why God tells us to be filled in the Spirit always and give not room for temptations and to the devil. Jesus overcame both of them, since he was filled with the Spirit beyond measure. And so, we must also be in the fullness of the Spirit always and discern to resist the devil always.

The dead sacrifice is to be killed and it may be relatively much easier to be done with, than to be surrendered as a living sacrifice. However, the reward will be much greater than that of a dead sacrifice. Livings sacrifice is to live everyday with open hands and with open heart before God. Everything must be laid before God and this kind of life is not easy. It is to let go fancy opportunities, chose faithfulness over profit, truth over fame, holiness over compromise, and it to follow God to lose us. Jesus Christ says two times, “Matthew 10:39 & 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” And he says in “John 10:10 ..: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” To be a living sacrifice is difficult, but it brings great reward. “Isaiah 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.” Verse 1&2 are about new earth and new heaven, but verse 3 is for those mourn in Zion, and they are New Jerusalem, and they will be in Zion. If we lose our life we will find it, God gives beauty for ashes, our brokenness will be healed, we give our life, God give his eternal kingdom. In another words, sacrifice is not what we are losing, but what we will be gaining; it is gaining the heart of God in our heart, gaining his Spirit in our spirit, giving ourself to gain even God himself.

God, who was the Omnipotent Spirit, became a man of flesh to show us the way, who is flesh to get to heaven in the status and comfort that he was and is in Zion. Let us see how he did it. He did not love us in word only, but he gave himself for us. He stepped down from his throne, clothed in flesh, he became a servant from being the High himself, left the beauty of heaven to this cursed earth, and so on. He preached the gospel for us to inherit his kingdom, healed the broken hearted, he was falsely accused, misunderstood, and eventually crucified by his own chosen people. He died for our past sins of all worldly and fleshly lusts of habit, addiction, and arrogance. So, we must also do what he wants us to do. We know that heaven has three levels. God is mindful of weak and less privileged people also. Strive as much as we are able to, if we have in mind to inherit heaven as much as we can. God is the most righteous judge, and he is not a respecter of persons. Christians think that they heave privilege over other religions. Every religion teaches the same, including Islam. But it is the lie of the devil. Religious people believe this lie including Christians.

“Romans 12:11 says, Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;” It reminds us to serve the Lord; even as we are doing our works, focus our hearts to remember what Jesus has done, how he laid down his life, how he continues to walk with us, rekindles a fire within us to stop striving for earthly crowns and to start living for an eternal kingdom. This is what we all want deep down, not just to live but to live for something that matters. When we wake up each morning, ask God that how can we honor him in that very day, and it will change everything, even how we approach a work, not as a way to climb higher, but as a way to serve God well. Even in small routine things he wants us to be as “1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” That includes our simplest routines, our quiet mornings, our lunch breaks, our works at home as well as in the office, and do all with him in mind with thankfulness. Then our daily life will turn into communion with God, and we will see the beauty of life.