Our Living Sacrifice

[Kokavkrystallos]

Jeremiah 17:1, "The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars"

Is sin engraved upon your heart, and upon your altar?
" Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. " (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)
"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" (Romans 12:1)

These 2 scripture passages show that now today we are the temple, and since the altar is part of the temple, and we are the living sacrifice, it is imperative that that sacrifice is HOLY and ACCEPTABLE unto God, as Romans tells us.

Let's look at Leviticus for types and shadows of what was to come - all pointing to Christ, and our present relationship with Him.
Leviticus 1:2,3,8 & 9, "Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock.
If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD.
And the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:
But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

First, the sacrifice is to be without blemish; and second, the inward parts are to be washed with water. Now take a look at Ephesians 5:25-27, because right here the typology of the Levitical sacrifice is written into the New Covenant:
"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

Further, in Leviticus 22:1,2 , 20 & 32
"And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name in those things which they hallow unto me: I am the LORD.
But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you.
Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the LORD which hallow you,"

We come to Christ to be forgiven of our sins, and to be cleansed by His blood, and by His Word. We come as we are to receive His gift of grace by faith. But from there we must be sure first, that we are 100% sincere, and also that repentance accompanies our belief in the Saviour, "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness..." (Romans 10:10) Let's not leave out that part about believing unto RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Let's look at Malachi here,
Malachi 1:8 & 12-14,
"And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts
But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the Lord is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.
Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD.
But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the LORD a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen."

We certainly do not want to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice that is NOT holy and acceptable unto God, as is shown in Malachi, when they were offering unacceptable sacrifices that were forbidden in Leviticus! We best not be coming with our sins and seeking God's favor, and many are doing this. I have done this in the past. If you have sin, first confess that sin, receive the forgiveness, and repent of that sin. Be done with it, cut it off, put it far, far away from you.
Let not sin be engraved upon your hearts, nor on your altar.
Hebrews 13:8-10, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle."
We indeed have an altar, and right before that it speaks of the heart being established by grace. Is not the law to be written in our hearts? Let us then turn unto the LORD completely, a living sacrifice washed and without blemish.

"Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether." (Song of Solomon 2:17

 

[Clare73]

Jeremiah 17:1, "The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars"
Is sin engraved upon your heart, and upon your altar?
" Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. " (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)
"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" (Romans 12:1) These 2 scripture passages show that now today

we are the temple, and since the altar is part of the temple, and we are the living sacrifice, it is imperative that that sacrifice is HOLY and ACCEPTABLE unto God, as Romans tells us.

The Christian's sacrifice is spiritual (1 Pe 2:5), not physical; such as, offering of our bodies as living sacrifices (not dead animals, but having the life of the Spirit) to God (Ro 12:1), living a life of love (Eph 5:2), thanksgiving (Php 4:18), the fruit of our lips (prayer, praise, Heb 13:15), doing good and sharing with others (Heb 13:16).

 

[Kokavkrystallos]

The Christian's sacrifice is spiritual (1 Pe 2:5), not physical; such as, offering of our bodies as living sacrifices (not dead animals, but having the life of the Spirit) to God (Ro 12:1), living a life of love (Eph 5:2), thanksgiving (Php 4:18), the fruit of our lips (prayer, praise, Heb 13:15), doing good and sharing with others (Heb 13:16).

Absolutely, that's all part of the living sacrifice. But it is both physical & spiritual: From Rom. 12:1 "ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God..." And from Corinthians, that our bodies are the temple, therefore glorify God in your bodies. That part is done by repentance and mortification of the flesh, and its works (Galatians 5:19-21)
Things like fornication cause ones body to be defiled, "Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body." (1 Cor. 6:18) Or as Paul said in 1 Cor. 9:27, "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."
Galatians 5:24, "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts."

We are called to do these things, keep our bodies under subjection, crucifying the flesh, mortifying our members (Col. 3:5), and then the spiritual things you mentioned will shine forth. Those fruits of the Spirit cannot shine without the whole being including body, soul & Spirit being in a state of holiness, even blameless (1 Thess.5:23)

 

[Clare73]

Absolutely, that's all part of the living sacrifice. But it is both physical & spiritual: From Rom. 12:1 "ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God..." And from Corinthians, that our bodies are the temple, therefore glorify God in your bodies. That part is done by repentance and mortification of the flesh, and its works (Galatians 5:19-21)
Things like fornication cause ones body to be defiled, "Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body." (1 Cor. 6:18) Or as Paul said in 1 Cor. 9:27, "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."
Galatians 5:24, "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts."

We are called to do these things, keep our bodies under subjection, crucifying the flesh, mortifying our members (Col. 3:5), and then the spiritual things you mentioned will shine forth. Those fruits of the Spirit cannot shine without the whole being including body, soul & Spirit being in a state of holiness, even blameless (1 Thess.5:23)

By physical, I meant physical OT sacrificial killing of the body.

 

[Kokavkrystallos]

By physical, I meant physical OT sacrificial killing of the body.

Ok. Yeah, definitely NOT going to offer ourselves as that kind of sacrifice. "Tis why Paul is clear to say LIVING sacrifice