Here in Hebrews 13, we are reminded of this covenant of sacrifice that we are in.
So we are to offer the sacrifice of praise continually to God. This is the burnt offering here that Paul is referring to. We offer praise continually for that unmerited sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who suffered outside the gate so that He could open the door to our relationship with God. We respond to God's sacrifice with our sacrifice of humble repentance. We acknowledge our sins, we ask for forgiveness, and we join a covenant of sacrifice with God as we obey His law, and we work to overcome that carnal human nature.
Our sacrifices and service to God, just like the burnt offering, must always come first, brethren. They represent the first great commandment to love God with all our heart. Might I add, that is, to sacrifice to God with all our heart. That is really what that means when we boil it down.
Now these sacrifices and service to God include obedience to His law, right? That is the first response He is looking for from us. Obedience to His law, thankful praise, controlling our mind to remain focused on His will and not ours. Those are the key sacrifices that we make to God each day.
Have we ever wondered why God commands us to focus all our energy on Him? To pray and praise His name continually? Do we think it is because God has some sort of ego and needs to hear His name? No, brethren, all the sacrifices God commands, all His commandments are for our benefit. They are for our own good. These daily acts of sacrifice are how we overcome, how we transform this carnal mind to become more God-like.
When we sing praises to His name, when we get on our knees with earnest prayer, we are sacrificing our self-concern and replacing it with God concern, and little by little, with each and every sacrifice that we make, we are gradually putting to death our carnal nature. Sacrifice is how God creates us into His holy image.
