Living Sacrifices

The Old Testament sacrificial system taught the Israelites that giving to God was an important element of worship, although the sacrifices themselves did nothing to appease or delight God. Based on Abel’s experience, David’s comments in Psalm 51, and other Scriptural teaching, we understand that while sacrifices and offerings are good, what God truly wants from His people is a “sacrifice of praise”—a heartfelt expression of love and honor. This principle of Old Testament worship is carried over to New Testament worship while the sacrificial system, having been fulfilled in Christ, is done away.

The apostle Paul shows us how this Biblical emphasis on sacrifice as worship is to be understood in light of the Gospel. In his great theological treatise, the epistle to the Romans, Paul spends the first 11 chapters laying out the Gospel of Christ in great detail. Then he begins chapter 12 with one of his classic “therefores”—his trademark sign that a conclusion is coming. Based on all that he has taught them to this point, Paul “beseeches” the Romans to present their bodies as “living sacrifices.” When Paul speaks of “bodies” here, he is not referring to physical bodies. Instead, he is enjoining the Romans to dedicate their lives to the service of their Savior and Lord, the one who has made the final and complete sacrifice of Himself for them. In light of what Christ has done for them, this is the proper response, the response of gratitude and love. Not surprisingly, Paul says this sacrifice of self is the Romans’ “reasonable service.” Interestingly, however, the phrase reasonable service is sometimes translated as “spiritual worship.” We no longer worship God by making sacrifices of animals. Rather, we worship Him by responding to His sacrifice of His Son by sacrificing our own lives to His service.

As living sacrifices, we bring to God sacrifices of praise, our attempts to express, from the depths of our souls, the highest honor for Him. We do this both orally and as we live in ever-increasing conformity to God’s dictates. We should be striving to use everything we say, do, and even think to bring glory to God. With the sin nature that is in us, we will not reach this goal. But if we are His, if our lives are given over to Him, we will be striving after this goal. From redeemed hearts filled with love, we sacrifice to Him.