A Living Sacrifice

SACRIFICE

“As we give, we find that sacrifice brings forth the blessings of Heaven; and in the end, we learn it was no sacrifice at all.” – Spencer W. Kimball

From the beginning, since the fall of Adam, man has been giving God a sacrifice for the atonement of sin. Christ Jesus, because of Him, our sin’s are no longer remembered; unlike the Old Covenant, we have a interceder. Our sin is not covered, but are washed away, never remembered of the mind of God through repentance. Join me as we look through the scriptures of Cain and Abel as an example to discover the true meaning of sacrifice and how free it is to surrender the very best to God. Because after all, what do we have to lose that is greater than God?

The first question we need to ask ourselves is that “Am I living out God’s scripture in Romans 12?”

Romans 12:1 (ESV)
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.”

Definition of Surrender: giving up; to yield to the possession or power to another.

Genesis 4:1-10

 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”

8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground.

– It’s not exactly what Cain had brought to God as a sacrifice (grain offerings were acceptable before God (Leviticus 2), though not for an atonement for sin). but the attitude that he had presented, “It’s not what we give but how we give it.”

By faith Abel offered up a more excellent
sacrifice than Cain (Hebrews 11:4). Cain’s offering was the effort of dead
religion, while Abel’s offering was made in faith, in a desire to worship God in
spirit and in truth.

Second question, how are we giving our sacrifice to God? 

Are we desiring to give our lives as a sacrifice or is it the same spirit as Cain had; dead religion, not willing to change.

 So, an other question; will we be found walking by faith or giving God a grain offering, the least of a sacrifice that can be given?