Our Body as a Sacrifice

Our Body as a Sacrifice

“Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: ‘Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, “Behold, I have come—in the volume of the book it is written of Me—to do Your will, O God.”’” Heb. 10:5-7.

Jesus knew why He had been given a body—namely to do God’s will. “For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell.” Col. 1:19. Now we are alive and have been given a body, but what do I use my body for? God has a plan for our lives. Our bodies belong to the Lord, and that is why we need Paul’s exhortation: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Rom. 12:1-2.

God’s will goes in direct opposition to our self-will. In the Old Covenant, sacrifices were made in the temple. In the New Covenant, the sacrifice is that I give up my own will in order to do God’s will. Here you experience a tremendous struggle between your own will and God’s will. As J. O. Smith writes in WotL 242: “Though in my flesh there’s resistance, yet I delight in Thy will; and in Thy grace Thou dost draw me, Savior, to follow Thee still.”

What happens when my patience comes to an end? Is it righteous for me to then react harshly? Or am I able to learn patience and compassion in this situation? Think how merciful God has been towards me. And if I try to make it clear by my expression and my attitude that something is not to my liking, can I not instead crucify my hidden demands, so that my selfishness disappears and thankfulness takes its place?

In these situations, there is a struggle between your own will and God’s will. Then the word of the cross will shine clearly for you, for now you can make use of the death of Christ so that what is old dies and something new can come forth.

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Cor. 1:18.

Through the message of the cross, we receive power to be transformed from having human nature to divine nature! How thankful we can be to our forerunner, Jesus, who consecrated for us, a new and living way through the veil, that is, His flesh. Heb. 10:20. He did this in order that we might follow Him with boldness and use the days we have been given to be transformed and understand what God’s will is, more and more.

So, do not let sin reign in your mortal body, but present yourself to God, so that your body may be used as an instrument of righteousness! Rom. 6:12-13.