What "Sacrifice" Really Means
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What is a Sacrifice?
What is a Sacrifice?
“The offering of animal, plant, or human life or of some material possession to a deity, as in propitiation or homage.”
“The person, animal, or thing so offered.”
“The surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim.”
“sacrifice.” Dictionary.com. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/sacrifice?s=t. (2/11/2020).
These are different definitions, but I believe that when we look at the use of “sacrifice” in the Bible, we can see all three of these definitions come into play. Sacrifices in the Bible are to pay homage or propitiation to God. Propitiation might be viewed as a sacrifice of appeasement, to help make up for the wrong done to God. The item being given up is the sin offering, or the sacrifice. Finally, the surrender of something is prized and valuable, but is given up because of something more pressing.
In summary, a sacrifice is when we offer something valuable or prized to God, because of a more pressing claim, such as appeasing God or paying homage to Him.
Old Testament Sacrifices
Old Testament Sacrifices
Under Old Testament Law, there were priests...
Exodus 28:1
And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.
and there was one high priest.
Leviticus 21:10
And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes;
The priests offered sacrifices of propitiation for his own sins, and for the sins of the people.
Hebrews 5:1-3
For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:
Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.
And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.
The sacrifices were gifts of appeasements for the sin of the people. But once-a-year, the high priest had to enter the Holy of Holies part of the tabernacle to mediate between God and man and to offer a sacrifice that would roll back the sins for another year. We might think of it as similar to paying the interest on a loan. It doesn’t pay the debt, but it keeps you from having to make another payment for a while.
Hebrews 10:1-4
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
Notice the three definitions again. What was offered was a plant or animal for appeasement of God. The plant or animal was the sin sacrifice. But also, what was given up was of value in order to meet a more pressing claim.
There is a value in a sacrifice, or it is not a sacrifice. If there is nothing you have to really give up, it is not really a sacrifice. To the Israelites they gave up animals and plants which would have made up their sustenance for living. There was a high value in what they sacrificed.
1 Chronicles 29:21
And they sacrificed sacrifices unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings unto the Lord, on the morrow after that day, even a thousand bullocks, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel:
When David came to offer a sacrifice to God, he made it very clear that it would not occur unless it cost him something.
2 Samuel 24:21-25
And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant? And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build an altar unto the Lord, that the plague may be stayed from the people.
And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen for wood.
All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And Araunah said unto the king, The Lord thy God accept thee.
And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.
Notice that David is making an appeasement sacrifice. However, David is unwilling to do a sacrifice to God that costs him nothing. A sacrifice that costs nothing is not really a sacrifice! If it costs nothing, then what have you sacrificed? There must be a value on something that is offered in order to satisfy a more pressing claim.
Even though animals and plants were offered to God for appeasement, they were unable to completely pay the debt for sin.
God created man perfect, and when man sinned a perfect man was lost. Only a perfect man sacrificed could completely pay back the debt that was owed.
New Testament Sacrifice
New Testament Sacrifice
Jesus is God and came to Earth to live as a perfect man and give Himself as the perfect sacrifice to pay the penalty for our sins.
Jesus became the high priest to mediate between God and man.
1 Timothy 2:5
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
Hebrews 4:14-15
Hebrews 10:11-12
The full debt has been paid and if we accept that sacrifice on our behalf, we can have our sins paid for.
Hebrews 10:16-22
This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
And having an high priest over the house of God;
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Let’s look at our definitions again. Did the sacrifice of Jesus meet our definitions of a sacrifice?
1. Jesus was a human offered to God as a propitiation sacrifice for our sins.
1 John 2:2
And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
2. Jesus was the sin offering.
2 Corinthians 5:21
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Jesus was not literally sin. If He was sinful, He could no longer be the perfect sacrifice. The word “sin” refers to the sin offering.
Hosea 4:8
They eat up the sin of my people, And they set their heart on their iniquity.
The people were not literally eating sin, but they were eating the sin sacrifice.
3. Jesus was something of high value that was offered because of a pressing matter.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Our Sacrifices
Our Sacrifices
Do our offerings meet the definition of a “sacrifice”?
Contribution
Contribution
It might be said that it doesn’t matter how much we give in our contribution to God. In one sense, that is true, because God does not give us a certain amount to give. But, on the other hand, it matters how much we give, because if we do not give something that is valued or prized, then it doesn’t meet the definition of a sacrifice. Giving God the leftovers is giving God what you don’t really care about, what you don’t need, and is not of a high value.
Mark 12:41-44
And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.
And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
Jesus says that some are casting in of their abundance. The Greek definitions can mean to be in excess or to overflow. I wonder if Jesus is saying these people are giving what overflows, what is of their abundance, what is not necessary to them. It would seem logical because now Jesus contrasts that with the widow and says she had cast in “of her want.” The Greek definitions here refer to falling short and poverty. Jesus is making a contrast. The widow had fallen short in her needs and was dealing with poverty, but still she gave. Did she sacrifice something of value for a more pressing need? Yes! Then hers was a sacrifice. In contrast, the others were not falling short in their wealth and not in poverty. Instead, they may have been casting in of their abundance, or what overflowed or was in excess. Was it something of high value that they needed? No! Was it a sacrifice?
David said, “I will not offer to God that which costs me nothing!” Was God pleased with David’s sacrifice? Yes. Is God pleased with our contributions? Are our contributions sacrifices?
2 Corinthians 9:7
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
It’s true there is no set amount given for the contribution, but rather what you have decided to give. Perhaps if we do not want to sacrifice to God it is because we have a problem in our heart. After all, the Scripture says “as he purposeth in his heart.” Perhaps if we are giving what costs us nothing, then it is because we do not think that the offering to God is a more pressing matter than the value of our money or time. Sure, we have forgiveness of our sins, we don’t have to make an appeasement sacrifice, but what about making a sacrifice to God to show him our love for that appeasement sacrifice? What about the pressing needs of evangelism to the lost? What about the pressing needs of benevolence to the needy?
Or perhaps if we don’t give sacrificially, it is because we have the wrong attitude about our possessions.
The verse says “God loveth a cheerful giver.” Are we cheerful in our giving because we are giving what we don’t need or want and can cheerfully give it away without missing it, or are we cheerful in our giving because we are glad to be able to give and participate in the work of the Lord?
Acts 2:44-45
And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
Acts 4:32-35
Possessions were not as important to the early church as doing the benevolent work of the Lord.
What is our attitude? My contribution is only what I don’t need, or I will gladly give a sacrifice, something of value that costs me.
Our Lives
Our Lives
God, because of His love, offered His own life on the cross. When it came to sacrifice for our salvation, God gave all because He gave Himself. How do we respond to that?
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.
Paul says, “I plead with you to do this.” How are we able to do this? “by the mercies of God.” What are we supposed to do? Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice. What kind of sacrifice? living, holy, and acceptable to God. Why? This is your reasonable service.
If Jesus offered a holy, living sacrifice to God because of His mercy given to us, would it not be a reasonable sacrifice to offer the same back to Him, namely a living (offering my life), holy (following the good commandments of God), and acceptable sacrifice (one that is in honor to God and costs me something!) If your life as a Christian costs you nothing, then it is not a sacrifice!
The Best
The Best
If you look at Scripture, when it comes to sacrifice, God has always demanded and deserved the best.
Leviticus 4:32
And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish.
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.
Malachi 1:8
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
1 Peter 1:18-19
What about us? Are our contributions to God the best we can give? Would they count as a sacrifice because they are given to honor God and cost us something of value? Are our lives a living sacrifice to God of the best we can give? Would our lives count as a sacrifice because they are given to honor God and cost us something of value? Is your life really a sacrifice to God?