Animal Sacrifices - Spiritual Sacrifices for Today

YAHWEH, THE GOD OF ISRAEL, IS WITH US!

Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins ... (Isaiah 58:1)

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A Voice In The Wilderness Animal Sacrific Index

Spiritual Sacrifices for Today

Does all this mean that Christians need do nothing but believe in Christ? That no offerings or sacrifices are necessary in this day and age? Obviously not. Believers confessing faith in Christ are expected to make many sacrifices: but they are sacrifices of a different kind: sacrifices which call for self-discipline, good communications, generosity, praise, thanksgiving, obedience and holiness. These sacrifices are often harder to make than people imagine. The Most High is now calling upon His people to make these sacrifices.

The following passages will explain this fact more fully:

Praise / Thanksgiving / Brotherly love

Hebrews 13:15	": By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. 16: But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."
1 Peter 2:	5: Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ... 9: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

Holy living

Romans 12:1 "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."

What do these texts mean? They mean that believers living in this generation do not need to offer animal sacrifices for redemption, pardon, cleansing or sanctification. The destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, the missing records of Aaron's line and the sacrifice and blood of Jesus Christ all mean that the sacrificing of animals is not only obsolete, but illegal. Instead, new covenant believers are expected to surrender and offer the Almighty the following spiritual sacrifices:

Our love of Luxury
Our spare Time
Faith
Praise
Thanksgiving
Brotherly-love
Meekness

Generosity
Hospitality
Kindness
Mercy
Purity
Obedience
Holiness etc.

These are the living sacrifices the Almighty is looking for: because they alone prove that our love for Him is genuine and our faith alive. And, strange as it may seem, it is only by the power of the Blood of Christ that we can ever hope to present such sacrifices and win the Almighty's favour. The blood of bulls, rams, goats, lambs and birds can never in a million years do this. Are you dear reader able to grasp the enormity of this truth?

A Voice In The Wilderness Animal Sacrific Index

Author: Elder: David B. Loughran - Stewarton Bible School - Stewarton Scotland

Elders: Max W. Mader & Chris A. Yenni
A Voice In The Wilderness - Toronto Canada - USA
Web-Site - www.avoiceinthewilderness.org
First published 1979 / Placed on the Internet 1996 / Updated: 1998 / Updated: 2003