A Priest and A Sacrifice
1
Peter 2:4-5
“Coming
to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and
precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a
holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through
Jesus Christ” (1
Peter 2:4-5 NKJV).
In
my last post, the focus was verse 4, identifying us as living stones in God’s Kingdom.
Today we’ll focus on verse 5.
As
living stones in God’s house, we are consecrated by Christ’s blood as holy
priests
(Revelation 5:9-10), to offer up sacrifices acceptable to God. This brings us
to Paul’s letter to the Romans, which says, “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” (Romans 12:1-2 NKJV).
In
verse 2 he explains how we can actually make it happen.
1-
Do not be conformed to this world. We must not allow the ways of the world to influence
and shape us.
2-
Instead, we each must be transformed into God’s design for us. When we got
born-again we made a choice to follow Christ Jesus. God has a great life-plan
for each of us. With the help of the indwelling Holy Spirit He wants to direct
our paths and mold us into His own creations. It’s our choice whether or not to
let Him have His way.
3-
The transformation God wants for each of us can only come about through the
renewing of our minds. No matter how good a person is or thinks he or she is,
we each must know this: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are
your ways My ways declared the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8 NKJV).
How
can we renew our minds? The best place to begin this process is with prayer,
asking God to help. Also, reading, meditating on, and systematic study of God’s
Word, the Bible. We need to continue to stay connected to God on a daily basis.
Renewing our minds continuously helps keep the pipeline to the Throne Room
unclogged with the cares of this world and distractions and traps Satan will
try to throw our way.
When
praying, we can ask God to help us stay focused on Him and His Word. Daily
quality time in God’s Word is vital. This is not just reading a devotional.
There is certainly a place for meaningful devotionals but real devotion to
getting to know the Living God and His Son—our Savior—Jesus Christ is essential
to renewing our minds. We want to mature into followers of Christ who are
Christ-like (1 Corinthians 11:1) and who have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians
2:16).
4-
So that we “may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God”
(Romans 12:2c). Paul concludes this thought with the important concept of
proving out—that is discerning—God’s will is good for us; that it is acceptable
according to God for our benefit; and that it is perfect and complete in facilitating
the abundant life God desires and has ordained for each of us.
The
word prove in Scripture means to
test, discern, examine, try out, (Strong’s* #1381). Thayer** describes prove as putting to the proof. As we
walk out God’s calling, according to the transformation we’ve experienced
through our renewed minds, we will prove that God’s will for us is indeed good,
acceptable, to Him and perfect for our individual well-being.
So,
we’ve learned from Romans 11 what it means to offer up an acceptable spiritual
sacrifice to God through Jesus Christ. Notice that both Paul and Peter stress
that it is through Jesus Christ we approach God with these sacrifices. Christ
is our Mediator, through which our transformation and the knowledge of God’s
will takes place.
Only
through Jesus.
When
we receive Jesus as our Savior—get born-again—God then bestows upon us the
right and privilege of having Jesus stand in the gap for us. Through His crucifixion,
some 2000 years ago, He took the punishment we deserved for our sin. He became
our Mediator—the One who settled-up with Father God on our behalf. He continues
to stand in the gap and we need to be mindful of that truth every day of our
lives.
What
are examples of acceptable sacrifices we offer up to God? Here are some practical
examples: 1- Praise—glorifying God with our lips in awe and gratitude. 2- My self—like my thought life, my eyes (what
I look at), my feet (where they take me), my hands (what they do and touch), and
my talents. We could go on and on. 3- My time. 4- My finances. 5- My love and
affections to God and other people.
With
knowledge of God and His Word, along with help from the Holy Spirit we can
offer up pleasing sacrifices which are welcome and acceptable to God.
Let’s
pray. Holy Father, thank you for choosing
me to be a living stone in your Kingdom. I do want to sacrifice to You pleasing
things and I want to be a living sacrifice, Honoring Your sacrifice for me.
Thank You for showing me and helping me glorify You with my life in this way.
Through Jesus and in the glorious name of Jesus I pray—Amen.
Your
comments are welcome.
©Copyright
2018 Connie Wohlford
