"You . . . are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 2:5).

Spiritual sacrifices are acts of praise and worship offered to God through Jesus Christ.

The primary mission of a Hebrew priest was to offer acceptable sacrifices to God. That's why God gave detailed instructions regarding the kinds of sacrifices He required. For example, if a lamb was offered, it had to be perfect—without deformity or blemish. Then it had to be sacrificed in a prescribed manner. It was a serious offense to offer sacrifices in an unacceptable manner—a mistake that cost Aaron's sons their lives (Lev. 10:1-2).

The Old Testament sacrificial system pictured the supreme sacrifice of Christ on the cross. When He died, the veil that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the Temple split in two, signifying personal access to God through Christ. From that moment on, the Old Testament sacrifices ceased to have meaning. As the writer of Hebrews said, "We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God. . . . For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified" (Heb. 10:10-14).

Christ's sacrifice was complete. Nothing further is needed for salvation. The spiritual sacrifices that believers are to offer aren't sacrifices for sin, but acts of praise and worship that flow from a redeemed life. They're the fruit of salvation and are acceptable to God because they're offered through His Son.

Since Jesus is the only mediator between God and man, your access to God is through Him alone. Anything that pleases Him is acceptable to the Father. Seeking His will, His plans, and His kingdom all are aspects of offering up acceptable spiritual sacrifices. In effect, your entire life is to be one continuous sacrifice of love and praise to God. May it be so!

Suggestions for Prayer

When you pray, be sure everything you say and every request you make is consistent with Christ's will.

For Further Study

Read Hebrews 10:1-18 Chapter 10 1 For the law having a shadow of the good `things' to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect them that draw nigh. 2 Else would they not have ceased to be offered? because the worshippers, having been once cleansed, would have had no more consciousness of sins. 3 But in those `sacrifices' there is a remembrance made of sins year by year. 4 For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. 5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, But a body didst thou prepare for me; 6 In whole burnt offerings and `sacrifices' for sin thou hadst no pleasure: 7 Then said I, Lo, I am come (In the roll of the book it is written of me) To do thy will, O God. 8 Saying above, Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and `sacrifices' for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein (the which are offered according to the law), 9 then hath he said, Lo, I am come to do thy will. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest indeed standeth day by day ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, the which can never take away sins: 12 but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 henceforth expecting till his enemies be made the footstool of his feet. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also beareth witness to us; for after he hath said, 16 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,' 17 And their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. 18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. , noting how Christ's sacrifice differed from Old Testament sacrifices.

From Drawing Near by John MacArthur Copyright © 1993. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.com.

Additional Resources

• The Study Bible (mobile app)
• Grace to You Sermons (mobile app)
• John MacArthur’s complete sermon archive
• The MacArthur Study Bible
• The complete MacArthur New Testament Commentary series