Moment With The Master
“Acceptable Sacrifices”
Categories: Moment With The MasterThe sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.” (Psalms 51:17)
God’s people are to offer sacrifices to Him. Peter says that they can “offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ”. (1 Peter 2:5) Their gifts to God include ministering to others, worshiping God, and holy living.
Certainly, the sinner can make no atonement for sin. He has no hope without the mercy of God. Under Moses’ law, the bulls and goats that were offered as an atonement for sin did not fully satisfy the justice of God nor the conscience of man. Thus, God’s wrath was only fully appeased with the sacrifice of Christ. (see Hebrews 9:12-14) Through the death of Christ, the penitent sinner is purified so that he can offer acceptable gifts to God. (Titus 2:11-14)
The Bible teaches that our gifts to God must be offered with a broken and contrite heart. One glorifies God by recognizing God‘s infinite holiness. While sin may be against one's neighbor, ultimately one’s sin is against God.
The broken and contrite heart implies that one has surrendered themselves fully to God. Only God can fully pardon and renew the spirit. God delights in our humility, because then and only then can he mold us into what he wants us to be.
However, a second, but related attitude must be coupled with a broken heart before the sacrifice is accepted by God. In 1 Samuel 15, Saul the king of Israel was commanded by God to “go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ”(1 Samuel 15:3) Instead, of heeding the voice of God, Saul spared the sheep and oxen and lambs to offer as a sacrifice to God. (see 1 Samuel 15:9,15) God was displeased with Saul.
When Samuel the prophet confronted Saul about the matter, he related an important principle. “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams”.(1 Samuel 15:22) To please God the sacrifice must be coupled with the heart of submission and obedience. God is not pleased with gifts that he has not authorized.
Sacrifices that God has not approved are viewed as rebellion. In such actions, one makes himself a worshiper of self rather than God. Such sacrifices focus on pleasing the carnal person rather than on the Lord. Such sacrifices dishonor the Lord who is holy and good.
When one comes to the altar with gifts to God, first they must approach God with gratitude, for such offerings are only accepted because of God‘s mercy. And second, one must fully yield to God by giving him only what he approves.
By George Slover
