A Pure Offering

 

A Pure Offering

Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 5:25-27; 1 John 2:15-16

The concept of a pure offering is roundly depicted and afforded in Scripture, and God rejects any offering of the wrong qualities or nature. This can be seen in Abel and Cain’s offerings in Genesis chapter 4 with God’s acceptance of Abel’s blood sacrifice and His rejection of Cain’s formidable efforts. In Revelation chapter 21 we witness the perfect New Jerusalem ornamented in the astounding beauty of holiness prepared for the Lord God descending from Heaven. God rejects wrong worship, and He accepts worship that aligns with His values.

It is in Ephesians 5 we find Christ’s example and the following encouragements,

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; ²⁶ That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷ That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:25-27)

We see this illustrates that the church, as a glorious spotless pure bride, is to be presented to Christ without even a wrinkle, denoting complete holiness and purity. Such commitment models this love to husbands for their wives, reflecting the Lord’s self-sacrificing, altruistic, and transformative impact on such relationships. Our work as minister of Christ is thus outlined and our task toward the church is given design and purpose. We are also smitten with the fact that Christ desires a holy virgin for a permeant wife.

Clearly, God prizes holiness, purity, cleanness, and spotlessness in His people and their services; any believer who presumes to make an offering to Him must undertake to ensure it is free of any contaminations. This is at the very least an expression of Christ’s transformative work in us. With a measure of confidence in Christ, we can so present ourselves to Christ to execute any aspect of His will. This is the standard though…we are so accustomed to hurrying to say, ‘but we are not perfect yet’ or that we are ‘extremely flawed at our best.’ While these observations are true of us, the standard expectations of God are not reduced or eliminated in light of our imperfections. He really wants and deserves a ‘pure offering.’ Great is our need to live and serve in the power of the Holy Spirit! Much else can be said about either of these passages, but the striking emphasizes of a pure offering is worth pondering further.

From God’s perspective purity is a state of being free from sin and moral corruption; this is a tell-tale sign of real holiness and sanctity. Purity encompasses both our outward actions and the conditions of our hearts and minds. We can see this clearly depicted in, Matthew 5:8, where God stipulates, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Therefore, God calls believers to pursue purity in thoughts, actions, and intentions, reflecting His own holiness and righteousness in our endeavors. God is obviously doing a transformative work in such lives and services. In addition, these believers are roundly assured of seeing God! Beloved, not just ‘any old thing’ is ‘good enough’ for God!

Then Romans 12:1, is so encouraging saying, “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.”

Our Lord emphasizes the importance of dedicating ourselves as a form of worship…this is how we do acceptable worship to our Lord. God calls us to present our bodies as “living sacrifices”, which is living according to methods and conditions that honors Him and reflects His gracious mercies. Not merely a worship service or a song, but a lifestyle of devotion to Him. Our minds and bodies must be pleasing to the Lord as we make offerings and sacrifices of ourselves and our substance to Him. He mandates a transformation of the mind, urging us to reject worldly patterns and discern His “good, acceptable, and perfect will” (Rom. 12:2). Such transformation is essential for living a life that fall in line with God’s purposes and offering sacrifices expressive of His values.

Again, as Christ’s people, the only satisfactory worship is to offer ourselves wholly and entirely to the Lord. We are to be under God’s control, our yet-unredeemed bodies can and must be yielded to Him as “instruments of righteousness” (Romans 6:12-13; 8:11-13). Reflecting on the incredible ultimate sacrifice of Jesus for us and our sins, a complete self-sacrifice is only “reasonable.”

Beloved, we should live…breath in, exist, function, serve, and offer ourselves in the eternal flames of a “living sacrifice.” It is here that right motives are embraced, the pursuit of God-honoring purposes are incorporated, actions that mirror Christ once-and-for-all sacrifice of Himself for our sins are followed, and we afford precisely what God requires as He has need of us or it. We afford God a platform for His fire and offerings! It is in this space we realize our great purpose, true freedom, real power, and the kingdom of God over us! We sustain brilliant testimonies to His love, sacrifice, salvation, and faithfulness. We blend our motivations with His; we become whatever He requires; we donate and render anything He would use. We live for such sacrifices unto Him!

So, what exactly does a ‘living sacrifice’ look like anyway? Well Romans 12:2, explains, we are not to ‘conform’ to this world’s expectations. This ‘world’ (1 John 2:15-16) consists of the “lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” So, the “lust of the flesh” stemming from our fallen sinful nature, includes anything that appeals to our appetites. These very strong, inordinate desires are often associated with sinful behaviors and cravings that draw us away from a godly life. They may involve excessive desires for food, drink, sex, and anything else that gratifies our physical needs. It encompasses not only sexual lust but also other sinful desires such as jealousy, pride, and idolatry. This is the struggle between earthly wants and spiritual living. Ultimately, it represents the conflict between following our base instincts and obeying God’s higher morality.

The “lust of the eyes” refers to our covetous desires or longings for things that we see, often leading to sinful thoughts or actions. “Lust of the eyes” certainly involves materialism, coveting whatever we see that we don’t have and envying those who have what we want. It implies a craving that goes beyond mere approval, turning into a godless fixation on material assets, physical attractions, or prohibited wants. This is a temptation to desire what belongs to others or to indulge in visual pleasures that are not morally acceptable.

Then there is the “pride of life” which is any ambition that feeds our pride, puffs us up on a pedestal, and puts us on the throne of our own lives. This is the temptation and desire for power, personal recognition, self-aggrandizement, and personal glory. It encompasses a self-centered opinion of our life, identity, and achievements, often leading to arrogance and a sense of superiority based on material possessions and social status. God sees such persons as opposing Him as they emphasize worldly values over spiritual ideas. Beloved, we are not to permit the world to press us into its mode!

Furthermore, purity certainly involves parting with uncleanness and comprehensive consecration to God (2 Cor. 6:14-7:1). We are to be holy “in all manner of conversation [behavior],” so that everything we do reflects the holy character of God. To such dedicated believers, there is no such thing as ‘secular’ and ‘sacred.’ All of life is holy as we live in pursuit of glorifying God. Even such ordinary activities as eating and drinking can be done to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). If something cannot be done to the glory of God, then we can be sure it must be out of the will of God. You see holiness and purity address every area of our existence without exceptions.

Beloved, casual…unholy attitudes and lifestyles dominate the ‘Christian’ scene anymore. There is little regard for truly holy purity. We water down the requirements of God to avoid offending mere people! Though there are deeply committed followers of Christ, so many remain halfhearted in their pursuits for personal holiness. It is disturbing how there seems to be little interest in understanding holiness from a Bible-based perspective. Thank God there are those willing to stand on God’s promises, share their faith with the unsaved, worship God consistently, and serve others sacrificially. However, so many professing believers want God’s blessings, but they care little for his holiness or anything regarding His plan. Furthermore, many folks seem to be more concern with what they can get away with…is this okay or is that permissible? The interest is not on how much closer we can get to godliness, but how much closer we can get to worldliness.

Titus 1:15-16, says, “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. [16] They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”  

 I am merely repeating what God already said, and I am immensely humbled by this opportunity! There is a serious problem with such carelessness about God and the things pertaining to the Lord. Disrespectful attitudes toward God and a lifestyle devoted to Him can be seen in every sector of our culture. Oh, this fallen Adamic dismissive spirit in me! It’s a major mistake invading into politics, entertainment, sports, fashion, the internet, science, music, and even in modern ‘Christianity.’ Let me be the first to admit that I find these ideas extremely challenging and even intimidating. I confess myself unworthy and grossly unqualified in myself…no matter what my status is or my accomplishments are! A holy reverence has been erected in my very soul, and I will not deny it! Repentance…though it is necessary will take some serious courage to be truly counter-cultural, but God calls us to do just that. I am supremely thankful for Christ Jesus my Lord.

Yes, as a perceptive believer you understand this is a peerless opportunity afforded us. Before we can proceed though, we must examine ourselves to ensure we are ready to act. Ask yourself these searching questions. Do I regularly under-value the freedoms of knowing, approaching, and serving God? Do I take holy opportunities for granted or possibly disrespect them frequently? Do I casually dismiss responsibilities God considers vital? Would I be comfortable with God treating me, the way I routinely treat Him? Obviously, faithful devotion and purity of heart are roundly important to our great God, but are such pure sacrifices something I cherish?