Living Sacrifice
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” — Rom 12:1
English Standard Version Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles
I was reminded of a story told to me by friend, when I first read this verse. Most people from my country, especially in my generation, know nothing about true sacrifice. I learned best what sacrifice means when I heard a friend tell me about missing the Jewish Festivals in his home town, in particular he missed the Passover feast. As a child he used to raise the Passover lamb for his family, it was common practice for the oldest son to raise the lamb.
The Passover lamb is raised as a family pet, played with, coddled and loved dearly by the family. When Passover arrives the lamb is the sacrifice. The family pet, beloved by all is killed in remembrance of the Passover, it becomes the meal for all those in household as part of the festival. This is the true meaning of a sacrifice, giving up something you love dearly for the benefit of another.
God expects us to live for him rather than for ourselves, giving up our life of corruption and taking up one of righteousness. I came across the following devotional in a very old book of morning devotions, and it seemed to speak volumes to me in explaining why we must give all of ourselves. We are completely sinful in ourselves and only made pure through Christ.
“Behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague.” — Lev 13:13
English Standard Version Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles
Morning and Evening — Charles Spurgeon 1865
Strange enough this regulation appears, yet there was wisdom in it, for the throwing out of the disease proved that the constitution was sound. This morning it may be well for us to see the typical teaching of so singular a rule. We, too, are lepers, and may read the law of the leper as applicable to ourselves. When a man sees himself to be altogether lost and ruined, covered all over with the defilement of sin, and no part free from pollution; when he disclaims all righteousness of his own, and pleads guilty before the Lord, then is he clean through the blood of Jesus, and the grace of God. Hidden, unfelt, unconfessed iniquity is the true leprosy, but when sin is seen and felt it has received its death blow, and the Lord looks with eyes of mercy upon the soul afflicted with it. Nothing is more deadly than self-righteousness, or more hopeful than contrition. We must confess that we are “nothing else but sin,” for no confession short of this will be the whole truth, and if the Holy Spirit be at work with us, convincing us of sin, there will be no difficulty about making such an acknowledgment-it will spring spontaneously from our lips. What comfort does the text afford to those under a deep sense of sin! Sin mourned and confessed, however black and foul, shall never shut a man out from the Lord Jesus. Whosoever cometh unto him, he will in no wise cast out. Though dishonest as the thief, though unchaste as the woman who was a sinner, though fierce as Saul of Tarsus, though cruel as Manasseh, though rebellious as the prodigal, the great heart of love will look upon the man who feels himself to have no soundness in him, and will pronounce him clean, when he trusts in Jesus crucified. Come to him, then, poor heavy-laden sinner,
Come needy, come guilty, come loathsome and bare;
You can’t come too filthy-come just as you are.
