Sacrificial Living

Here Is My Life

A sacrifice is an offering rendered acceptable to God. To live sacrificially is to offer your entire life to God. Such a sacrifice is acceptable to God only because of Christ’s work in you; He is the final and complete Sacrifice for the atonement of sin (Heb. 7:26, 27).

Micah knew lavish offerings were not acceptable to God (Mic. 6:6–8). David and Isaiah knew acceptability with God was “a contrite heart” (Ps. 51:17; Is. 66:2). Paul described this transaction as “a living sacrifice” (Rom. 12:1). Although you can never match Christ’s sacrificial death — and indeed, are not asked to do so — your self-giving is to be complete and wholehearted. Being a living sacrifice means obeying the greatest commandments: giving God all your love, will, reason, and body (Mark 12:29–31), borne out in practical, daily service to others (Matt. 25:34–40). No expression of love, however costly, matches the price paid by Christ. The forgiven woman poured out expensive, fragrant oil to anoint Jesus’ feet, but her gift also involved the recognition of her past and the risk of disclosure of her sin. Her example of sacrificial giving did not go unnoticed (Luke 7: 36–50).

Taken from The Woman’s Study Bible