"THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER"
Spiritual Sacrifices Acceptable To God (2:5)
An important principle taught in the New Testament is that of "The Priesthood Of All Believers." It is true that under the Law of Moses there was a distinction made between priests and the common people. Even today, many religions professing to be "Christian" have developed a clergy-laity distinction. But the New Testament teaches otherwise - Re 1:5-6 “and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood; and he made us to be a kingdom, to be priests unto his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”; 1 Pe 2:9 “But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”. The fact is, in Christ we are ALL "clergy". I used to say that we had no clergy in the church, but in reality we have no "laity". Does this mean we are all free to use "clergy-parking"? I'll let you discuss that with the security guards at the hospitals!
As "a royal priesthood", our responsibilities are described in 1 Pe 2:5 “ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” "to offer up spiritual sacrifices". "sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ". My goal in this lesson is to make sure that we understand our duties as "a holy priesthood", and to encourage us to carry them out faithfully.
Let's take a closer look at the idea of "spiritual sacrifices" noting the types of sacrifices to be offered by Christians. We are to offer our bodies, as "living sacrifices" - Ro 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” A lifestyle characterized by sacrificial love - Ep 5:1-2 “Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of a sweet smell.” Praise and thanksgiving, which we do in prayer and song - He 13:15 “Through him then let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which make confession to his name.”
Doing good and sharing with others - He 13:16 “But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”; Ph 4:15-18 “And ye yourselves also know, ye Philippians, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church had fellowship with me in the matter of giving and receiving but ye only; for even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my need. Not that I seek for the gift; but I seek for the fruit that increaseth to your account. But I have all things, and abound: I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things that came from you, an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God.” Even in the way we die for the Lord! - Ph 1:20 “according to my earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing shall I be put to shame, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death.”; 2:17 “Yea, and if I am offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all:”; 2 Ti 4:6 “For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure is come.”
Let's examine the purpose of these sacrifices. In the Old Testament, sacrifices were offered for one of two reasons: for those OUT of fellowship with God, to restore them back to the Lord and for those IN fellowship with God, to express thanksgiving, praise, love and devotion. But in the New Testament only Jesus can provide the sacrifice needed to restore us back to God - He 10:11-18 “And every priest indeed standeth day by day ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, the which can never take away sins: but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; henceforth expecting till his enemies be made the footstool of his feet. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also beareth witness to us; for after he hath said, This is the covenant that I will make with them After those days, saith the Lord: I will put my laws on their heart, And upon their mind also will I write them; then saith he, And their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.”Therefore, it should be clearly understood that our sacrifices are not to "remove sin" or in any other way to try to "earn our way" into heaven! But rather, to express thanksgiving and praise, love and devotion, for the goodness and mercy God has shown to us! Such is the nature of the "spiritual sacrifices" we offer to God. But as our text says, they must be "acceptable to God".
We can learn some valuable lessons from the Book of Malachi about what constitutes "acceptable sacrifices". It must be the best we have to offer - Mal 1:6-8 “A son honoreth his father, and a servant his master: if then I am a father, where is mine honor? and if I am a master, where is my fear? saith Jehovah of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar. And ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of Jehovah is contemptible. And when ye offer the blind for sacrifice, it is no evil! and when ye offer the lame and sick, it is no evil! Present it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee? or will he accept thy person? saith Jehovah of hosts.” we despise the Name of God by offering "defiled food"(sacrifices). Would we render the same kind of service to our employers, etc.? If not, God would rather someone "shut the doors"or let someone else serve Him - Mal 1:9-11“And now, I pray you, entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he accept any of your persons? saith Jehovah of hosts. Oh that there were one among you that would shut the doors, that ye might not kindle fire on mine altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, saith Jehovah of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the Gentiles, saith Jehovah of hosts.”
It must be offered with sincerity and zeal- Mal 1:12-13 “But ye profane it, in that ye say, The table of Jehovah is polluted, and the fruit thereof, even its food, is contemptible. Ye say also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith Jehovah of hosts; and ye have brought that which was taken by violence, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye bring the offering: should I accept this at your hand? saith Jehovah.” of zeal is evidence of lack of sincerity! Lack of both results in offering "blemished sacrifices", which brings a curse from Him who deserves proper reverence - Mal 1:14-2:9“But cursed be the deceiver, who hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a blemished thing; for I am a great King, saith Jehovah of hosts, and my name is terrible among the Gentiles. And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith Jehovah of hosts, then will I send the curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings; yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart. Behold, I will rebuke your seed, and will spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your feasts; and ye shall be taken away with it. And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant may be with Levi, saith Jehovah of hosts. My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him that he might fear; and he feared me, and stood in awe of my name. The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many away from iniquity. For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of Jehovah of hosts. But ye are turned aside out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble in the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith Jehovah of hosts. Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have had respect of persons in the law”
How does this apply to our spiritual sacrifices like singing praises; like doing good to others? It must be offered in conjunction with righteous living - Mal 2:13-16 “And this again ye do: ye cover the altar of Jehovah with tears, with weeping, and with sighing, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, neither receiveth it with good will at your hand. Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because Jehovah hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously, though she is thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. And did he not make one, although he had the residue of the Spirit? And wherefore one? He sought a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. For I hate putting away, saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, and him that covereth his garment with violence, saith Jehovah of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.” The priests of Malachi's day had been quick to divorce their wives. Even Peter taught that our treatment of wives would have a bearing on the effectiveness of our prayers - 1 Pe 3:7 “Ye husbands, in like manner, dwell with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor unto the woman, as unto the weaker vessel, as being also joint-heirs of the grace of life; to the end that your prayers be not hindered.” This can be applied to many other things as well - Ps 41:1-3 “Blessed is he that considereth the poor: Jehovah will deliver him in the day of evil. Jehovah will preserve him, and keep him alive, And he shall be blessed upon the earth; And deliver not thou him unto the will of his enemies. Jehovah will support him upon the couch of languishing: Thou makest all his bed in his sickness.”
Some in Malachi's day did not think it of any value to serve the Lord faithfully - Mal 3:13-15 “Your words have been stout against me, saith Jehovah. Yet ye say, What have we spoken against thee? Ye have said, It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept his charge, and that we have walked mournfully before Jehovah of hosts? And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are built up; yea, they tempt God, and escape.” But others heeded his words, and it is touching to read what was said about them - Mal 3:16-18 “Then they that feared Jehovah spake one with another; and Jehovah hearkened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared Jehovah, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith Jehovah of hosts, even mine own possession, in the day that I make; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.” Shall we be among those who serve God? May we never forget that in the sight of God we are to be "a royal priesthood", called to offer "spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ"!
May God help us to truly be one of His "jewels"!
